Thread: Prepper vs Prudent

I was just pondering on this today, of all days 12/21/2012

I was thinking everything I have done since June of this year could be looked at either way..

Built a new re-loading bench and started re-loading more ammo

Prepper = Always has stocks of ammo

Prudent = I had torn down my old bench to make way for more Razor Restore areas, a few years back, reloading is much cheaper than buying retail and allows me to custom tailor my loads.

Filled the 1000 gallon Propane Tank in July and topped it off on Dec 1st

Prepper= Stockpiling for the Apocalypse

Prudent= Propane is much cheaper in July and we top off before the snow gets deep every year



All fuel tanks and extra tanks are filled and treated with Stabilizer by Dec 1st, the vehicles are never allowed to get below 1/2 tank after that

Prepper = Hoarding fuel for the Doomsday

Prudent = During the cold winter month the tanks can get water from condensation if allowed to go low so we treat them and keep them topped off.. Also if stranded during a blizzard you want to live through the night by keeping the heater running..


All vehicles that are not driven weekly are set up with battery trickle chargers and full treated fuel tanks

Prepper = Ready to Bug Out at a moments notice

Prudent = Batteries cost money and fuel tanks have less problems if they are kept full over the winter

The Pantry and Freezers are full and we have at least 6 months of food stocked at all times

Prepper = Ready for the down fall of the food supply chain

Prudent = Buying in bulk saves money and we have the room to keep in stocked by shopping the Sales

We keep an emergency bag in the rear of all vehicles

Prepper = A "Go Bag" should be stocked and at arms reach always

Prudent = There is really a good chance of getting stuck in a Blizzard up here or having to hike home from the highway, we keep a bag with "Pink Lady Candles", extra socks, winter boots, extra gloves, a waterproof hooded jacket and an MRE in each Rig from Nov - May.. Cell phone service is spotty up here and is worse during snowstorms..

Generators and Kerosene heaters are serviced and full

Prepper = Ready for the power grid to collapse

Prudent = The power goes down at least twice per year out here, if it goes down on a day we get 2 feet of snow (Monday Night) it could be down for days so you have to circulate water or lose the pipes..



So really what is the difference between being Prepped for the Mayan Apocalypse (Dec 21st 2012) and being Prudent for the first day of Winter (Dec 21st 2012) Every time I watch the "Doomsday Prepper" show I smile a bit as I think "Yeah I do that, or I have that, but that ain't why" of course we all know that it would be boring if were just being Prudent..

My answer is that to many people have given over their own survival to others and don't accept the responsibility to be ready for the unexpected.. Therefore what was once just plain common sense, is now looked upon by many as "Prepping for Doomsday"

ps: I just picked the Mayan Apocalypse because of today's date you can "Prep" for many other doomsday scenarios..

I know where I'm headed when the zombie apocolypse/ wwz starts. Got room for one more?

Originally Posted by tiddle

I know where I'm headed when the zombie apocolypse/ wwz starts. Got room for one more?

One more hehehe you will have to figure that out with all my city friends that have said the exact same thing

"If the SHTF I am heading to Glen's place" they consider that a valid survial strategy

Originally Posted by tiddle

I know where I'm headed when the zombie apocolypse/ wwz starts. Got room for one more?

oh course he does, neighbors and friends come in real handy when the food stocks run low... my daddy taught me that back in the bad old days when the preppers were outfitting fallout shelters (which now days make excellent wine cellars)

I don't think you need to label it - it's just part of how you've set up your life. We get bush fires, so we have bushfire kits in both cars, and a box with important documents in an easy to access part of the house if we have to leave quickly. I clean the gutters weekly during bushfire season and have a pump that can wet down the roof using our bore water if necessary.

Prepper? Prudent? I think it is just taking responsibility for your own life. Why on earth would anyone else do that for you?

James.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

"If the SHTF I am heading to Glen's place" they consider that a valid survial strategy

Although I am not into the "prepping" thing I do try to keep a full pantry and I hear the same thing, and I wonder if I should help or tell them to p off if something should happen such as tornadoes, ice storms, maybe even zombies. Any body with any sense knows to at least keep enough food and TP in the pantry. At least a 30 day supply of extras. I dont know how many times this has either saved us or helped someone else in times of job loss, health issues or other assortments of life's little calamities. Right now it may be the best savings plan out there considering interest earned versus rate of inflation. If I had to eat an investment I think canned foods would be the one most palatable.

One more hehehe you will have to figure that out with all my city friends that have said the exact same thing

"If the SHTF I am heading to Glen's place" they consider that a valid survial strategy

New reality show idea? sixgun survial showdown

Originally Posted by Jimbo

.

Prepper? Prudent? I think it is just taking responsibility for your own life. Why on earth would anyone else do that for you?

James.

See Jimbo, you have to understand that your (and mine) mentality is honestly made fun of in certain circles of American culture.. We are looked at as being throwbacks, dinosaurs, and not understanding that the State will provide for you..

I joked about this on my FB page as we got 3 ft of snow from Mon night - last night I was out in the blizzard keeping the road open to the house... So I said " Hey where is the National Guard, Where is Obama, and where is my $2000 FEMA credit card" All I got in response was "You chose to live there" I felt that I could have said the same to the "Victims" in most every emergency situation recently..

In all seriousness, I think the difference is that a prudent has a more realistic assessment of the odds for which he is preparing.

I mean, if you prepare for the annual fuel cost difference, that is prudent and realistic.
Ditto if you prepare for the annual forest fires, or the snows, or things which you either know are going to happen, or which have the ods going for them.

If you prepare for a nuke strike over omaha, and you invest all your money into it, and you sacrifice everything 'fun' for your family in favor of prepping because you're sure that the nuke will come any day now... then you're a bit off.

Given all the preppers I've seen on the discovery channel, I think the difference between prepper and prudent is a skewed view of the odds.

Well the appointed time has passed and I'm still here and I hear traffic moving so, I figure, that the world hasn't ended yet or we are a bit behind the rest of you.....