[Guest]

Any suggestions on how to convince my wife that this "stuff" is important?? She usually just thinks that I am either crazy or that I am just collecting junk when I talk about SHTF type ideas/plans. I do think its important to prepare for the worst even if it never happens. That to me is what makes me different than the sheeple. I've tried the "what if this happened" approach, it doesn't work with her. She is fine with my guns, but she needs convincing about the other supplies. Any ideas?

 

[browwiw]

Tell her about the Romans. Tell her about the Maya. Tell her about every major, thriving civilization in history that just one day collapses. Entropy seems to be the end result for all societies. The "world as we know it" has ended over and over again through out human history. Heck, turn on the world news. Somebody's quiet, comfortable existence is being utterly destroyed even as we speak, no matter the continent.

Right here, right now, we're not special. The 100 year old fossil fuels bubble is going to bust. If not in our lifetimes, then in our childrens'. Our suburban sprawl and stupendous global population going to make it doubly bad when the infrastructure starts breaking down.

Read James Howard Kunstler's "The Long Emergency" and "Hand Made World".

 

[Thayldt21]

DOnt pay the electric bill and let the power get turned off.

Im sure this time of year with what is going on with the storms and being a bit cold still that might really open her eyes a bit.


I dont know what to tell you but The power has been out here a few times this year and I have an infant. So yes a few things came in handy. MN I think is Minnasota??? NO I cant spell. But it should be cold as heck there isnt it, Is there a few storms, Hell just pull the master curcuit for a night.

Sad to say that some people need terrible events to happen to open there minds a bit.

Good luck with what ever you choose to do, Above is a slight joke with the harshness of the power.

Also alot of Tornado warnings threw the midwest winter storm advisories and Even texas had a few last night. The weather channel is a tragedy every day it seems. Just thankfully not your house or mine.

Maybe use the excuse your prepairning for a camping trip this summer????

Most the gear is basically the same, Also a good use for rotation.

 

[Guest]

shoot her...... :shock:

no no no......jk jk

I find that people either get it or they don't. They can either follow the same thought process as your or they can't. I think your best bet is not to convince her or change her mind but to make her understand how important it is to you. Good luck.

 

[browwiw]

Looking at some of the other replies, I may have over reacted.

Are you talking about short-term preparedness (post tornado, possible more serious NOLA style disaster)? See, I have the long view. You know we're do for another 1919 Spanish Influenza style putbreak, right? RIGHT?!?!

 

[Guest]

I'm thinking long term too. I too am concerned with the state of the US when it comes to gas prices, the economy...etc. I just heard moments ago that several groups of private trucking companies are going to stage a strike of sorts to protest high diesel prices. I think its only a matter of time before the bottom drops out. I just can't convince my wife of all this.

Its not a good combo when housing problems strike along with high fuel costs. What really scares me is that people have become so dependant on such things as grocery stores, cell phones... I just don't think very many people would know what to do if it all became too expensive. Plus what is going to happen when it becomes too expensive for people to drive to work?? Maybe this is all for another post...

 

[Thadius15]

I have convinced my girlfriend how important it is to be prepared by just demonstrating it. I am constantly pulling out a band-aid or sewing kit out of my kit. I just like to show her that it pays to be prepared. She is still not building a kit of her own yet but she leaves me alone about mine now.

 

[Guest]

I think my wife is starting to understand a little more now. This morning we were talking about the truckers and their impending strike. (she works at a trucking company) I made a comment about how mad people will be if they don't get their things. We didn't get into it too much, but at least I didn't get the usual "oh it won't be the end of the world".

 

[SHOOTER Z]

Some people will never admit it COULD get bad they just stick their heads in the sand and ignore whatever is told them. Just do what preps you can BUT make her understand she is NOT I repeat NOT to tell her co workers or friends or ANYONE about these preps PERIOD!!! The less anyone knows what you have the better it will be for you.

 

[Stryker1]

Let her watch CNN for 15 min. She should understand what all of that "crap" is for. I told my wife I want to get back into camping and stuff.. While it is true I dont have to explain all of the SHTF gear. She will love it if it ever happens and you are prepared.

Better to have it and not need it!!!!

 

[Jettster]

Let her watch CNN for 15 min. She should understand what all of that "crap" is for. I told my wife I want to get back into camping and stuff.. While it is true I dont have to explain all of the SHTF gear. She will love it if it ever happens and you are prepared.

Better to have it and not need it!!!!

I did the same thing, in fact, she bought me camping gear for Christmas. She hates "primitive" camping as she calls it. My dad used to take me on the App. Trail for a week at a time with no tents, just a backpack, poncho, bedroll, water and some basic food. I loved it! Definitely doing the same thing when we have kids.

We had the discussion about what happened in NOLA and I told her I want to be prepared with a plan to exit the city, or if something happens when we are at work, where to meet up etc... Cell lines will be down, landlines will be overwhelmed blah blah blah. She told me I was paranoid and that I've been reading too much of the HPFF!! I told her I would prepare a BOB for her nonetheless.

Granted, the ones left behind in NOLA were really the poorest of the poor or the stupidest of the stupid. Those that had the means and the intelligence vacated. But they relied on the gov't to help, and you can't do that.

 

[Carbin8r]

Do you ever take ANY road trips? There is an awful lot of territory in the US that can be pretty desolate.

My "in" was winter driving. When we go up to the mountains. You never know when things may get very bad very quickly. You may get stuck in a storm or loose control of your vehicle getting it stuck or disabled in a very inconvenient location. Best to have enough gear to sit out any storm and make it back to get help.

From there, we also had some dicsussions about this bad flu season and the potential for some form of future pandemic. Those do seem to be somewhat periodic. It really is likely only a matter of time, just like the next big earthquake in Northern California. Only a pandemic would likely be world-wide and cripple the global economy for a period of time.

So, I have a BOB/GHB that would be good for several days (still some tweaking to do) and have started on storing up some home supplies (flour and sugar so far, and we keep a good amount of meat in the deep freezer vacuum sealed). Still need dried beans (protein), water, i bit more salt, and probably a selection of freeze-dried foods and vitamin C (if fruits become scarce, scurvy could be a problem).

 

[Guest]

One does not "ask permission" to be responsible for his family's welfare. This is not abuse or tyranny. It is simply one of your responsibilities, like changing the oil in the car or reconciling the checkbook when the bank statement arrives or making sure your family is not rolling on bald tires.

Even the U.S. government recomends 72 hours of supplies for each family member and specific "shelter in place items". You should become very law-abiding.

You do not have to convince her of anything, be arrogant or even to lie to her. It is all just "camping gear", and you need to be doing some camping just to prove it, and to test the gear and your skill set.

 

[dukenukum]

gear up dude

gear and guns cost me my last girlfriend ( her liberal family held an inheritance over her head ) but when the tornado sirens sounded I knew I was set . as for her family I told them tough rocks .

 

[Space]

Turn off the water for a day and she will get the idea.

If not, turn the power off too. Shouldn't take too long.

 

[69burbon]

My wife is pretty understanding and pretty much lets me do what I want in the preparedness arena. She has never been interested in guns but has shot my 22 rifle and pistol a few times.

With all that is going on (crime and such) I jokingly told her we should buy matching CCW pistols when the economic stimulus checks show up as well as suggested she take the CCW class. She did even flinch and just said "probably not a bad idea!!"

 

[griff30]

Rent some DVDs this weekend. try :Outbreak , Deep Impact, Red Dawn, The Trigger Effect, The Postman or Jericho the TV show is on DVD now I think.

Then instead of simply doing it all at once, every other food shopping day and put an enormous bag of rice in the cart or several cans of veggies. and simply say,"in case of something like Katrina we need to be adults and think ahead."
I'm sure she hard wired to think "everything will be fine mentality" so GO SLOW with some women it may be as easier to get a threesome out of them than to think survival. --I'm not saying your wife would but some women are convinced that Shit never hits the fan and Katrina never happened. We quickly forget national disasters and natural destruction.

I'm lucky, my wife was a Sargent in the US Army.

 

[Guest]

I some what skipped the other replies a little to simply to make this suggestion.

Have her sit down at the computer and show her Katrina footage from the beginning to the end, and how long those people were in a SHTF situation, even with the governments help.

That should get her in the right mind set.

 

[Guest]

Well, one would think there will be plenty of willing females at that point... but I couldn't do that to my wife. I love her even if she doesn't understand my madness. I should have mentioned that we have a 4yr old son, so I always have to think of that. I can't wait to take him shooting when he is older. Thats something I never really got to do with my dad...he's not a gun guy at all.

Its interesting how my wife shops for groceries. She likes to "stock up" on a lot of things so we always have a pretty good supply of canned goods. Thats a start I guess, maybe something I could build on??

 

[SHOOTER Z]

Well, one would think there will be plenty of willing females at that point... but I couldn't do that to my wife. I love her even if she doesn't understand my madness. I should have mentioned that we have a 4yr old son, so I always have to think of that. I can't wait to take him shooting when he is older. Thats something I never really got to do with my dad...he's not a gun guy at all.

Its interesting how my wife shops for groceries. She likes to "stock up" on a lot of things so we always have a pretty good supply of canned goods. Thats a start I guess, maybe something I could build on??

Yup sounds like she might be thinking also gop on line to Red Cross site and get their info copy it down for her