Will the 2nd Amendment Be Destroyed By the Biden Admin?

Will the 2nd Amendment Be Destroyed By the Biden Admin?  

Here are some of the situations people are finding themselves in right now. Do any of them look familiar? Do all of them look like your current experiences? Be aware that if it hasn’t happened to you yet, that doesn’t mean it won’t. Don’t be smug because we all know that pride comes before a fall. Be humble and know that while different decisions could have been made, this economic disaster is creeping across nearly all socioeconomic groups, and it may only be a matter of time before it happens to you, too.

Wages are staying the same, and it isn’t easy to find work.

A lot of folks think that jobs are easy to find right now. They cite the signs that are up everywhere, announcing that businesses are hiring. As the mom of someone in her early 20s who is out there looking for a second job to increase her household income, I can tell you that just because there’s a sign out doesn’t mean the business is actually hiring.

A lot of places are required by their corporate headquarters to put these signs out to make it look like they’re thriving, but they aren’t actually hiring. Go in with a resume, and you’ll soon find out this is true. Obviously, it’s not the case with all businesses posting such signs, but it’s very much the situation in urban North Carolina right now.

Places that hire minimum wage workers are operating with skeleton crews, leaving too few frazzled employees to handle long lines and unhappy patrons. Have you been someplace like Walmart or Target lately? At least at our local stores, there’s generally one register with a human operating, and quite often, the line winds down the front aisle with dozens of customers.

Wages haven’t matched the increase of inflation. If you’re still making what you made a year or two or three years ago, you’re able to pay for far less with it. This leads me to the next situation.

Inflation means you are paying more for essentials like food, utilities, gasoline, and rent.

Our esteemed leader, President Biden, managed to read the teleprompter and tell us that inflation is all in our heads and doesn’t actually exist. He claimed proudly that in July, inflation was at 0%.

Speaking from the White House, Biden said:

“I want to say a word about news that came out today relative to the economy. Actually, I just want to say a number: zero.” He continued, “Today we received news that our economy had zero percent inflation in the month of July.” ()

While that is the official statistic for July, it doesn’t reveal the true economic suffering. Over the past year, the . And in the real world, we know that there’s actually more to the picture than the statistics show.

People are skipping a lot of things that they used to be able to pay for with ease due to the high prices. For example, a friend pointed out to me that on her last trip to the grocery store, a jar of mayonnaise was $5 on sale. A pot roast that used to be around 12 bucks is now more than $20.

that was $3.04 in 2019 is now $3.55 (if you’re lucky.) At my local Publix, a gallon of generic milk is actually $4.41 as of the writing of this article. If you’re still making the same thing you were in 2019, things like that certainly belie the 8.5% bandied about.

And don’t even get me started on the high price of gasoline. My Jeep now takes almost $100 to fill up, whereas it took $60 just a year ago. Rent is out of control. The official numbers for the year are .5%, but around the country, people are reporting increases of anywhere from 25% to a whopping 70%. ( and .) Electricity costs are also skyrocketing. In Pennsylvania, the Public Utilities Commission .

How on earth are you supposed to pay for food, gas, accommodations, and power on the same pay you got a few years ago, especially if things were tight then? People are getting evicted, getting their power shut off, and losing vehicles to repossession because they are unable to make ends meet.

Credit cards are maxed.

Speaking of being unable to make ends meet, Americans’ credit card debt has leaped from . In August, that number was reported to be .

You may be saying, “Just don’t use your credit cards.” And that’s easy to say when you can pay your bills, purchase fuel to get back and forth to work, and have a paid-off mortgage.

But if you are a person who was living paycheck to paycheck before all this, what choice do you have? You can’t get to work without gas for your vehicle. You have to pay your rent. You need to keep your power on. If you’ve got an empty credit card sitting there, you’re probably going to use it for gas and food while you use your paycheck to cover rent and utilities.

And then, there will come a time, particularly if prices keep going up, that you can’t even make your minimum payment. There’s simply not enough income to meet the necessary output. So the first thing you’ll stop paying is your credit card bill as you struggle to keep a roof over your head and food in your refrigerator. And on and on it goes until you feel like you’ve completely made a disaster of your finances.

But was that disaster really one of your own making? If you’re in a lease, in a car loan agreement, and have this bizarre urge to…you know…eat food? The whole situation spiraled out of control before you knew it.

And then it gets worse.

Fees are piling up.

If you bounce a payment by so much as a penny, then you are hit with a charge from your bank and, most times, a charge from the business that was taking the payment from your account. Most banks charge anywhere from $25-$38.50 when you have non-sufficient funds for a payment. Businesses charge in the same range, so that means that if one payment goes awry, you can lose $50-$77 in the blink of an eye.

Banks love NSF and overdraft fees. Why? Because in 2017, for not having enough money to cover a payment.

But that’s not all. Some folks are paying literally 17,000% in overdraft fees annually.

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released a report that raises concerns about the impact of opting into overdraft services for debit card and ATM transactions. The study found that the majority of debit card overdraft fees are incurred on transactions of $24 or less and that the majority of overdrafts are repaid within three days. Put in lending terms, if a consumer borrowed $24 for three days and paid the median overdraft fee of $34, such a loan would carry a 17,000 percent annual percentage rate (APR).

“Today’s report shows that consumers who opt into overdraft coverage put themselves at serious risk when they use their debit card,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “Despite recent regulatory and industry changes, overdrafts continue to impose heavy costs on consumers who have low account balances and no cushion for error. Overdraft fees should not be ‘gotchas’ when people use their debit cards.” ()

And then there are the other late fees.

If one of the payments that went awry in your overdraft avalanche happens to be a utility bill, things get even worse for a person who is struggling. Particularly if you aren’t able to cover the bill in sufficient time to keep your utilities from getting shut off. How much you’ll be charged varies by company, but if they really feel like you’ll have trouble paying in the future, they stick it to you, making it nearly impossible to get your power or heat turned back on. Here are some examples

They can be charged late fees by all sorts of businesses. Now they’re really in trouble.

How in the world can you bail yourself out when every payment you make to catch up comes with an extra $12 “convenience fee,” a reconnect fee, and a late fee, along with an overdraft fee from the bank itself? It just takes one overdraft to unleash financial quicksand from which there’s no escape.

The SHTF is NOW.

How on earth are people in this situation going to survive?

That’s a great question with no easy or socially acceptable answers. There isn’t anything you can do about decisions you made in the past. You can’t undo the lease you signed on a place that skyrocketed in price, and then you couldn’t afford to move. If you’ve already used your credit card to buy groceries until you maxed it out, what’s done is done. You can’t change the price of gas, groceries, and utilities.

In retrospect, it may seem like you made a host of terrible decisions. But when you made them, the situation wasn’t like it is now. Your bills hadn’t skyrocketed. You hadn’t lost your job or had your hours cut. Beating yourself up for those decisions will not help you survive this.

If you feel isolated and completely at fault, of course, you do. That’s part of the insidious racket. Those responsible for this disaster don’t want to be held accountable for just how bad things have gotten for so many. So like an abusive spouse, they make you feel alone, like everything is terrible only because of your personal mistakes or stupidity.

You cannot see yourself as a victim of the economy – that mentality doesn’t help anyone. But you should quite clearly know that you are not alone and some of these things were out of your hands. This is what a financial collapse looks like in many cases. Millions of people suffering from humiliation when they can’t pay their bills, embarrassed, bruised, and feeling isolated.

You can’t control the economy, but you can adapt, even now, when things seem beyond repair.

(What do you do for food when your power is shut off? Read our free QUICKSTART Guide to find out.)

What can you do if you’re in the midst of your own personal financial collapse?

The situation may not be completely “fixable” if you are one of the millions of people struggling financially. You may emerge with your credit razed, your self-respect beaten and bruised, and a brand new ulcer from worrying about it all. But please remember that people have faced extreme financial hardship many times in the past, and while they may not have come out unscathed, they did come out.

Some of these tips may help.

Talk to your creditors.

If you owe money that you cannot pay to credit card companies, call them. They won’t be able to waive it completely, but many companies will close your credit account, thus halting any additional fees and interest, and set you up with a payment plan. It won’t do your personal credit rating any favors, but then again, neither will defaulting, and that’s where you’re headed. Here’s .

Cut your expenses radically.

Making radical changes to your monthly expenses may help you get through this difficult time and pay off your debt. Getting a roommate, cutting down to just one car for the family, and other strategies could be enough to get you through it. .

Learn new ways to feed your family.

Check out our new product, t your situation is like. It’s currently listed as a “name your price” item, so you can pay very little to get this valuable book if money is tight. t is a guide to producing, acquiring, preserving, and preparing food when it isn’t as easy as just going to the store to get more.

You may have to walk away.

If things are really bad, the advice above may not be enough to save you financially. There comes a time at which you simply cannot pay your bills. You may have to default, get evicted or foreclosed on, hand back your vehicle, and start over again. You can’t make money come from thin air. If you’ve done everything possible and you still can’t catch up, then .

Find gratitude.

This may sound ridiculous when you are in the midst of losing everything, but finding a way to be grateful for some blessing will help you dramatically. Here’s a look at , a practice that has personally helped me beyond belief in improving my attitude, which in turn helps me to be more creative and more determined to overcome my difficulties.

Only people who have experienced true hardship can understand.

Sometimes it seems like nobody gets it when you find yourself in utter financial destitution. Others seem to think it’s your fault, and they often make this very obvious. Those people clearly haven’t had the same experiences. If they had, they would have more empathy.

We’re in a situation right now in our country – and actually the Western world – where more and more people are finding out just what it’s like to hit financial rock bottom. It’s a horrible feeling, but it will not last forever. Please keep putting one foot in front of the other. Be willing to accept a hand up. One day you may be able to help another person going through this.

And if things are still looking good in your world, please be kind. Not everyone who is struggling “deserves” it. Remember that, except for grace, it could be your family who is struggling right now. If you can, help someone without strings. You cannot attach yourself to the outcome of what happens with the assistance you have given. Just know that you have done a good and kind thing, and let go of your attachment to it.

Has the economic SHTF hit your household?

Have you been affected by the increase in prices or other economic struggles? Are you on the verge of losing the lifestyle you have worked for to the economic collapse? Do you have advice for others facing the same problems? Share your stories and thoughts in the comments section. And please, be kind.

(Want uninterrupted access to The Organic Prepper? Check out our paid-subscription newsletter.)

Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, adventure-seeking, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites. 1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty; 2) The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived; and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. Her work is widely republished across alternative media and she has appeared in many interviews.

Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books, 12 self-published books, and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses at SelfRelianceand Survival.com You can find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.

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(Natural News)
For some preppers, foraging is the last resort when trying to find food for their family after SHTF. Foraging is a rewarding way of getting more food for free. Foraging can even help you save some money on grocery bills. (h/t to AskAPrepper.com)

Why is foraging an important prepper skill?

In a post-SHTF world, foraging can help save your life, especially if your food stockpile is starting to run low but you can’t get more supplies because stores are either empty or looted

You can also grow crops in a home garden, but timing may be an issue. If you don’t already have plants and vegetables that are mature enough when SHTF, you may have to wait for weeks or months before you can harvest anything.

While you’re waiting for your plants to mature, foraging will help you find more food for yourself and your family.

Note that how much food you gather while foraging will depend on your location. While certain environments will produce food easily, others will not. You may even have trouble finding any food at all.

To forage productively, learn which states are best for foraging after SHTF.

The California coastline is a great location for preppers who want to forage for shellfish and seaweed.

While foraging, check rocks for barnacles, clams and mussels. Note that if there is a “red tide” of algae, shellfish can collect lethal doses of toxins. Only forage for shellfish when the sea is clear.

You can also forage for common edible seaweeds like sea lettuce and nori in California.

Inland, Northern California is home to various berries and other edible plants. Forage for wild radish with edible seed pods and stems that can be shaved to reveal a crispy, edible center.

If you end up further south, search for amaranth, cactus, chickweed, pennycress, prickly pear and wild asparagus. (Related: Food supply tips: 5 Things you need to learn when foraging for nutrient-dense food.)

Iowa is a major agricultural state, with 60 percent of the area turned into farmland. When things are normal, farmers will definitely chase foragers out of their farms.

But after SHTF, major crops like corn, oats and soybeans can turn into forage. These are cultivated species so they are highly nutritious. Additionally, corn, oats and soybeans are energy-dense. Soy also has a lot of protein.

If you don’t want to forage in the fields, target non-crop foods instead. Hedges and areas along roadsides may have berries and wild asparagus.

You can also forage in patches of woodland between farms for more berries and mushrooms.

After disaster strikes, you may have luck foraging around farms. Aside from large-scale agriculture, there are also a lot of smaller organic farms in Iowa. Seeds from their crops often escape over the boundaries.

Whatever the farm is growing, there’s a chance you may find some plants that have taken root outside the fence.

Maine has many of the same foraging advantages as Washington. There is edible kelp, Irish moss and other seaweeds along the coast. Check under seaweed for green crabs. If you forage on the rocks, keep an eye out for mussels and periwinkles.

Inland, you can collect different food sources in Maine. When foraging in spring, look for fiddlehead ferns. Fiddleheads are foraged from the ostrich fern. They are the plant’s young shoots that look like tiny scrolls popping out of the dirt.

Fiddleheads are only available for a short window of time during spring, which is when ferns grow new shoots. Keep in mind that other ferns can be toxic, so never forage fiddleheads unless you are completely sure you can identify them correctly. Harvest only a few fiddleheads in a cluster or the fern could die.

Fiddleheads have been linked to cases of severe food poisoning caused by what experts think is a toxin in the fiddleheads. While the exact nature of the toxin is unknown, cooking helps make it harmless. Always cook fiddleheads thoroughly since undercooked ones are believed to be just as dangerous as raw ferns.

Fiddleheads need to be rinsed and lightly cooked. Once you forage enough fiddleheads, prepare them by sauteeing, steaming, or boiling.

If you can properly identify edible mushrooms, forage for them in Maine, including morels and chicken of the woods.

Ponds and marshes in Maine are full of edible cattails. The state is also home to huge expanses of wild blueberries.

In fall, you can forage for wild apples. Pine nuts take a lot of time to collect, but there are a lot of pine trees in Maine so you won’t have to forage too long.

Collect reindeer moss in winter. This edible moss can be boiled for a couple of minutes and eaten.

Maine is a great place to forage even if things are normal. The state has permissive land laws that allow foraging on any land, except for those with posted signs forbidding it.

Texas has the nation’s biggest agricultural industry, including large farms producing cereals, fruit and onions. If farms haven’t been abandoned in the state, you can find plenty of the wilder areas suitable for foraging.

Look for sorrel in grasslands and forests. Use it as a green vegetable.

Wild carrots are also abundant, particularly along roadsides. Learn how to differentiate wild carrots from hemlock because the latter is poisonous. Wild carrot leaves have hair.

Texas also has many wild nuts, like black walnuts and pecans, that you can forage in the fall.

Many species of grass in Texas and other Southern states are edible. Collect their seeds, then either boil or dry than ground the seeds into flour.

If you can correctly identify an edible species, you will have a source of carbohydrates and fiber after SHTF.

Other edible plants that are common in Texas include purslane, smilax and wild grape.

All West Coast states are good for foragers, but Washington is one of the best places to forage in after SHTF.

Rocky areas of the coast have plenty of shellfish such as clams, mussels and oysters. Collect healthy-looking shellfish, which should have closed shells and are firmly attached to rocks.

Search rock pools for crabs and trapped fish. You can also forage for edible seaweed.

If you go further inland, around half of Washington is covered in forest. Some of these trees can be used as a source of food after SHTF.

Douglas firs are very common and in spring, the soft tips of the branches can be collected and eaten.

Camassia plants are common in forests. Their bulbs are nutritious and can be eaten after being roasted or boiled.

Search forests for edible wild berries.

Eastern Washington has few forests and foraging there is more difficult, but you can still look for wild asparagus along roadsides and on the banks of ditches. The best time to forage for wild asparagus is at the height of summer, or in the early autumn.

In summer, wild asparagus is a large bushy plant that can grow up to six feet tall. A single crown usually has a spread of three or more feet wide. The plant is often easy to spot sticking up out of the tall grass.

As a perennial that stores its nutrients underground, wild asparagus gets an early head start on the season. When foraging in summer, look for wild asparagus patches along roadsides, at the edges of woodlands and in areas that get good sun but a mower can’t regularly reach.

Wild asparagus appreciates moist soil and full sun, so it’s commonly found at the edges of clearings in the woods or along hiking trails that get good sun exposure.

Other foraging tips

While these five states are ideal for foraging, you can still find food in other states. There are edible plants everywhere if you know how to properly recognize the ones that grow in your state and where to find them.

However, before eating anything that you have foraged, run a thorough taste test to check if a plant is edible:

This test only works on plants so don’t apply it to mushrooms that may be poisonous.

Before SHTF, learn about the edible plants in your state so you can forage for food if your supplies run low.

Watch the video below about three ways to use spring dandelions.

This video is from the .

More related stories:

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

A useful 22-minute instructional video: Basic Radio Comms Setup for SHTF — Featuring UV5R.

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Reader Tim J. recommended this video from Grunt Proof: Why do all YouTube Preppers get Political?

“Bury your head in the sand all you want, but politics do have an affect on your life. Just ask the survivors of the holocaust, or literally every other catastrophe that has ever happened. If you want to prepare for survival, you can start by paying attention to what your elected officials are doing…”

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I just noticed that the documentary titled Tread — about Marvin Heemeyer and the June 4, 2004 Granby, Colorado armored bulldozer incident — is now available for free download, on Vudu. No subscription is required for the version with commercials.

Jerry in Alaska sent this:

Be careful out there, folks!  JWR’s Comment:  You can tell that this is southern California because there is a gas station on every corner of this intersection.

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Reader Ed M. wrote:

“While I understand your concern about the current Senate bill and its magazine limitation provision, you have not mentioned how the Supreme Court’s recent Bruen decision will affect that issue.

The case here in California that caused “Freedom Week,” Duncan v. Becerra, involved a federal court case in which Judge Richard Benitez (now sometimes known as St. Benitez) ruled in an extraordinarily decision comprising 90-some pages that California’s limitation on magazine capacity was unconstitutional.

It was clear from the beginning of the case that neither side was going to accept defeat until all rights to appeal by the loser had been used. California, the loser, appealed his decision to the Ninth Circuit. Happily, a 3-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit affirmed Judge Benitez’s decision. Frustrated, California then requested an en banc review, and it was granted. This process, one that is only occasionally used, involved a review of the decision by 9 or 11 (I forget which) justices from the Ninth Circuit. As was feared, the liberal-heavy Ninth Circuit panel reversed Judge Benitez’s decision and ruled in favor of California.

The case was then appealed to the US Supreme Court. Because the New York Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen case had beat the Becerra case there, the Duncan case was placed on hold, pending a decision on the Bruen case. When the Bruen case was decided in favor of the plaintiffs, the Supreme Court clearly and unequivocally stated that the 2-step standard for review used by many lower court judges was erroneous. A 3-step process was necessary.

In the 2-step approach, lower courts have looked, first, to determine whether the regulated activity fell within the scope of conduct protected by the Second Amendment. If it determined that it did, then the courts assessed whether the particular regulation or law’s “means justified its ends.”

In Bruen, Justice Thomas wrote that, instead of this 2-step test, the government was required, first, to affirmatively prove that its firearms regulation was part of the “historical tradition” that delimited the outer bounds of the right to keep and bear arms. If a gun law addressed a societal problem existing in the 18th Century, it is evidence that the modern law is unconstitutional if there was no similar regulation in the 18th Century. (I believe that the first limitation on magazine capacity in the US did not come until the 1990s.) This step is where California’s law regarding magazine limitation failed. Lower courts were ordered to use the 3-step test.

As a result of its decision, the Supreme Court remanded California’s Becerra (renamed “Bonta” when Attorney General Becerra took a Cabinet post under Biden and Robert Bonta was appointed California Attorney General) to the Ninth Circuit for a decision consistent with its Bruen decision.

The case is still at the Ninth Circuit and it may be sent back to Judge Benitiez. In any event, California will stall for time, but the bottom line, since Judge Benitez applied the 3-step test (and is now vindicated) there really isn’t much that California can do now except to attempt to stall the final outcome.

Note that it made national news last week when it was discovered that the LAPD issued directions to its officers not to enforce the magazine limitation ban. Apparently, someone in the LAPD actually read the Bruen decision and saw the handwriting on the wall. Clearly, there would be a waste of officers’ time if arrests involving the banned magazines continued. Note that, so far, other California jurisdictions have not taken similar steps, at least publicly.

What is happening in the Senate now is merely a cynical sop in order to pretend that liberal senators are “doing something.” In the unlikely situation in which a “high capacity” magazine ban is passed by the Senate, it will run afoul of the Bruen decision after lawsuits are quickly filed by pro-2nd Amendment groups. Of course, renegade judges sometimes blow-off their obligations no matter what oath they took to uphold the Constitution. (Obeying oaths is, apparently, for the peasantry.) Even so, it will not work this time, and I am not worried.”

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(Natural News)
If you live in a spacious homestead, it’s easier to stock up on water for a long-term survival scenario with several water barrels.

But if you’re living in a smaller house or apartment, you may need other options like a bathtub water bladder. (h/t to TheOrganicPrepper.com)

How much water will you need when SHTF?

Many peppers often follow a common rule when storing water for a survival stockpile: You will need one gallon of water per person and pet per day when SHTF.

This is a decent basic guideline but there are also other variables to consider. For example, smaller pets aren’t going to require an entire gallon of water and larger livestock will need more than a gallon of water on hot days.

This amount also doesn’t take into consideration things like the climate, whether someone will be doing strenuous work on a farm or homestead, or if someone has certain health issues. The “one gallon per person” rule also doesn’t cover the water you will need for personal hygiene, sanitation or a home garden.

The best way to calculate how much water you will need when SHTF is to go without running water for a weekend. Once the trial period for monitoring water consumption starts, take note of how much water the whole family uses from your water stockpile. (Related: Prepper essentials: What to do if you run out of water when SHTF.)

3 Ways to store water for your survival stockpile

Here are three options to consider if you’re looking for a way to store water for your stockpile before SHTF.

Bathtub water bladders

A bathtub water bladder is a great option for preppers who live in an apartment.

Bathtub water bladders are BPA-free plastic bladders that attach to the faucet of your tub so you can fill it with water. You can check out products like an Aqua Pod (65 gallons) or a Water Bob (100 gallons).

Once the bladder is full, you can detach it from the faucet and put on the cap. This closed container keeps the water safe and free from contamination until you need to use it.

It’s best to monitor the news so you know when to fill the bathtub water bladder. This storage option is ideal if a storm is blowing up or some other type of crisis is approaching.

IBC totes

If you have the space and an area that can hold around 2,500 pounds of water, get a food-grade intermediate bulk container (IBC) tote.

An IBC tote is a large, 275-gallon plastic cube that comes in a metal cage for added support. They’re not cheap, but if you can look online or in garage sales for a reconditioned one if you want to save some money.

When empty, an IBC tote weighs around 150 pounds. A brand new IBC tote costs about $450.

When looking for an IBC tote, double-check that the product is food-grade if you’re getting one to store water for human consumption.

Other IBC totes are not made for potable water, but you can use them to store water for livestock or sanitation if a reconditioned IBC hasn’t held something toxic in the past. Keep in mind that many refurbished IBC totes in cages that are not food-grade have held things like fuel or antifreeze so don’t use these for any survival water purposes.

If you have an IBC tote in a cage, it’s best to keep them in a basement, a garage or a back patio. If you live someplace where the water might freeze, make sure you leave plenty of room for expansion.

Water barrels

If you don’t have a lot of extra space for water storage in your apartment, consider getting a 65-gallon food-safe barrel.

You can keep a water barrel on your patio. To keep your prep a secret, get a food-grade barrel in a color that blends in with the brick of your building.

If you have a water barrel, you can also get a second top for it with a screen that you can use for rainwater collection.

If you don’t have a hose, you can wash a larger barrel like this at a DIY car wash. Bring your own dish soap.

To fill the barrel, you can fill a three-gallon container in your kitchen and pour it out until the water barrel is full.

If you have a simple barrel, use a clean ladle to get water when you need it. Alternatively, you can get “upcycled” water barrels from online stores with spigots and water catchment conversion kits.

Another option is to buy rain barrels at a local hardware store. Make sure you buy a water barrel with a solid lid for proper storage.

Remember water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon. That means a full 65-gallon barrel weighs almost 540 pounds, not including the weight of the barrel. Choose a place that can withstand the weight of the barrel.

Tips for removing and storing water

When SHTF, you need to keep your water stockpile clean so it doesn’t get contaminated.

Tips for removing water out of the container:

Tips for storing clean water in a container after cleaning and sanitizing:

Prepare before SHTF and store enough water for drinking and other tasks. If you don’t have a lot of storage space, get a water barrel.

If you have a spacious storage area, store water in a bathtub water bladder or an IBC tote with a cage.

Watch the video below for more water storage tips before SHTF.

This video is from the .

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