Abbreviated list of items you should consider buying right now.

 

1. Generator – the smallest size to fit your needs will use the least fuel. But don’t load
it more than 80% to extend it’s useful life
2. Fuel for the generator – expect to burn at least ½ to 1 gallon per hour – gasoline,
propane, or diesel
3. Diesel is the most energy efficient, then gasoline is next, then propane.
4. Gasoline may store about 6 months to a year – but if left in the carburetor, it will
destroy the carburetor – the gaskets are generally not available for the carburetor
internals and that means that you will have to buy a new carburetor, they are mad in
china – along with most of the the generator engines.
5. Bread machine – used ones are available for about $15 – 25. A Zojirushi is the king of
bread machines
6. Pots and Pans – Revere Ware are the best value in my opinion – vintage ones from
the 1960’s and 70’s are heavier and the lids have a rolled edge, another step in the
manufacturing process – which not all lids have – and the later models of Revere
Ware don’t all have rolled edges on the lids.
7. ProPur or Berkey Water Filter – most stainless steel spinning, expanding, and
drawing seems to come from outside the USA – dog bowls, pots, pans, lids, sinks, etc
– you might want to consider getting these if you need them right now. I like the
CEO of ProPur he used to be a Berkey dealer as I was, and separately, he and I were
dissatisfied with the management, quality, and warranty procedures of Berkey – New
Millennium Concepts – So he and I walked away from Berkey – He started
manufacturing ProPur and I buy his products.
8. Dog’s water bowel – Our Shepherd’s like to swim in the kitchen water bowel – water
all over the floor – I found a solution – A 2 gallon CFO frosting bucket from the
bakery dept – we asked them to save us some buckets and they did – about 8 for 99
cents – no lids – I fill the 2 gal round bucket with about 2 inches of water at a time –
so the water stays in the bucket.
9. Toilet Paper – There is no doubt about it – the best value is single ply, 1,000 sheet
rolls by the case – Aldi’s house brand is fine – about $0.60 per roll. Write on the inside
of a new roll the date – to see how long a roll lasts – I expect a roll might last a week
– so a 50 roll case will last about a year.

10. Having friends visit for a few days is now a bad idea. Will they bring everything they
need – towels, clothes, food, a suitcase? When they bring their suitcase into the
spare bedroom where do they put it first – on the floor. Where do they put it next –
on the bed. Where has it been – in the airport, in the taxi, on the floor of the bus,
train, overhear airplane compartment – or on the floor of the stall in the airport
restroom?
11. Lighters Or Matches – stored in glass jars – glass – non flammable spaghetti sauce
jars with gasketed metal lids – I know for a fact that they keep at least 50 years. You
should be able to get boxes of 50 book matches in a package – the kind that stores
used to give out for free when cigarettes were purchased – they are getting hard to
find now – check with your supermarket – call them, don’t drive there – Amazon sell
them
12. Propane torch – for starting difficult fires, thawing frozen pipes, loosening rusted
and seized bolts – The standard Bernzomatic typewith extra fuel cylinders.
13.  Candles – always a fire hazard
14. Kerosene lamps – antique type – work well, but they smell when filled and stored
and when you use them – and a pet can knock it off the table and burn the house
down.
15. 12V LED lighting strips are better – Picture rail – about 12 inches below the ceiling
around the perimeter of the room – 120 VAC light switch and std electrical box – 16
AWG wire is large enough for many applications – Alarm wire red – black with a white
sheath – 500’ rolls on eBay.
16. Digital Fever thermometer – they usually us =e a LR41 small button cell –
replacements are available on eBay
17. Spare disc type cells for your car’s electronic key fob – typically CR2025 or CR2031 –
eBay 10 for about $4 shipped. Your car wont work without one or two.
18. Engine oil – a 6 quart case of two 5 gallon jugs are a good start – 15w-40 for air
cooled lawnmowers, riding lawnmowers, and gas or propane generators.
19. Plastic or metal gasoline storage cans – a generator will use between ½ to one
gallon of gasoline per hour – They are color coded – Red is gas, yellow is diesel, blue
is for drinking water – don't put gas in a blue can the use it for water –
20. Gerber 3” Paraframe knife – $10 used – eBay 2 for 15
21. manual can opener
22. plastic bottles to store water – store if room in freezer
23. Vinegar – Distilled and apple cider – distilled for disinfecting purposes
24. Outdoor grill with propane –

25. Spare propane tanks –
26. Spare well pump and well pump control box – Well pump $150 – $500 – well pump
control box $100 – eBay – didn't but a china pump or box
27. Soap – were 5 oz then 4 ox now 3.2 ox – lever 2000, safeguard, or dial – dial about
$0.50 per bar – dollar store if they have any – call first
28. Triple antibiotic cream for wounds
29. Benadryl for bee stings – colds
30. Activated charcoal for poisonous spider bites – make a poultice
31. Hydrogen Peroxide – cleaning wounds – toothbrushes, and cleaning dental picks –
splinters
32. Nail clippers for splinters
33. 10X magnification loop for removing tiny ticks and finding splinters
34. Probiotics
35. Iodine for wounds
36. Pulse OX – $16 on ebay – get spare AAA cells
37. ZipLoc food storage bags – sandwich bags, freezer bags
38. make own hamburger patties – ¼ pound of ground beef – flatten – about 15
sandwich Ziplock bag will fit in a gallon Ziplock bag – I lie em thin – like paper thin –
freeze them flat.
39. Knife sharpening stone – twin grit for all knives
40. 12V battery charger – my favorite is Xantrex – but very expensive – Shumacher is OK
– 6- 10 amp is the right size for most applications – Expect to spend about $50
shipped from eBay – avoid the china made no-name ones.
41. Spare house key and spare car key if you have a standard old fashioned tuype key
without electronics – cost $1.50 – cost for an electronic key is about $200-750 – way
less expensive to have one before you need it – – otherwise it is off to the dealer or
locksmith for a replacement key – some keys, like Mercedes are dealer only – and
some are no longer available.
42. Wasp spray – for in your car – it shoots 15’ – make sure that if you are attacked that
you don’t spray the attacker in the eyes – it can blind them.
43. Coffee (If You Drink It) – in steel cans if possible – Cain’s Brand in steel cans if
possible – I heard that coffee doesn’t keep well – It lasts years for us when kept cool,
dry, and in a stable temperature location.

44. A Rainwater Collection System If You Do Not Have A Natural Supply Of Water Near
Your Home – be very careful – your roof has a fine collection of jet fuel waste,
radioactive waste form far away sources, chemical pollution, dead bugs, bug poop,
bird poop, and what ever has sprayed on us.
45. A Battery-Powered Radio – Why – how about the radio in your car. Radio reception
from a car radio is much better than an am or FM table radio or alarm clock radio –
because of the outside vertically polarized antenna on the car and the ground plane.
But a vintage stereo AM-FM radio with built in amplifier with external antenna
connector for am and FM should work well – I have an old Technics by Panasonic – we
have a SA-200
46. Water boots – We have had droughts in MO – summer 2020 rained almost every day
for months – mud and water everywhere.
47. Sewing machine, needles, and thread
48. Needles and thread for mending clothing
49. A land line and plain old no-battery phone
50. Spare DVD player – I like the older Sony models with the HDMI cable and the RCA
composite video outputs – used on eBay. Sylvania has a poor reputation
51. Spare TV – We only have non-smart TV screens and they are not connected to the
Internet. Good experience with Toshiba – but connected to separate power switch.
52. Spare Microwave oven
53. Spare refrigerator-freezer
54. Hard Start Kit for your size refrigerator – 412 on ebay
55. A German Shepherd – trained
56. Dry dog food
57. a cat
58. Dry cat food
59. Rat poison
60. 5 gal buckets with lids for storing food
61. ammo cans – mil surplus
62. Tow chain or tow strap – about $10 for a 15’ tow strap
63. Ratcheting tie-down straps – 1” x 16’ long – 4 for about $10 – for holding down loads
in a pickup truck – I usually have at least 4 in my truck
64. Bleach – Plain – gal to shock wells

65. Straight claw hammer – in the car, next to you – in case you have to break a window
to extricate yourself from the car – hit the window in the corner with the claw – with
a swift hard blow – about $5 at HFT
66. 25” 1/2” drive breaker bar with a socket to match the lug nut size on your car – keep
it next to you in the floor – next to the drivers seat – is is for llug nots and tune ups –
in case someone attacking you needs to be tuned up
67. Tire plug kit – $10 – emergency flat repairs -CFO
68. 22 rifle Ruger 10/22, Marlin lever action, or an old Mossberg bolt action will be fine.
If a scope is attached sight in for 50 yards.
69. Ammo is about 3-4 cents per round
70. Revolver – revolver is a good all around choice for the ladies and those who don’t
shoot often – revolvers do not have a safety – so if they are loaded, squeezing the
trigger makes them fire. Be careful – make sure that everyone knows the dangers as
well as how to use that handgun – a 38 special is a great choice – and ammo for the
38 special.
71. Hunting rifle – .308. 30-30 or something similar – with a scope sighted in for about
100 yards.
72. Hunting rifle ammunition
73. Rifle and handgun cleaning kit with cleaning patches, solvent, oil, and bronze
brushes
74. 12 ga shotgun and shells – a pump action is a good choice for many people – but they
have substantial recoil or kick
75. Super glue – great for handcuffs – the solvent is acetone – the old fashioned nail
polish remover
76. heirloom seeds – make sure that you know how to plant your garden
77. Garden fencing for rabbits, chickens, deer, and other animals
78. Lime for the garden – regular AG lime – you don’t need the expensive pelletized fast
acting lime
79. garden fertilizer – 13-13-13 is fine – it comes in 40# plastic bags – stores for years if
cool and dry – out of the sun
80. garden spade – shovel, rake, trowel, pruning shears and weeding rake.
81. Chest freezer if you can find an older model made by whirlpool, Kenmore,
Montgomery wards, Hotpoint, or Maytag
82. rechargable flashlight with a zoom lens – LED – get 2 because the flashlights are
made in china and the chargers and flashlights break

83. Kill-A-Watt meter to determine electricity consumption – generator sizing
84. outdoor 14-16 AWG extension cords – orange type 50’ about $11 and 100’ about $21
at CFO
85. Inverter 1500 watts
86. Automotive jumper cables – 4 AWG or heavier – 6awg is too small of a wire size
87. Spare vacuum cleaner bags
88. Endust for adding static cling to your disposable furnace filters
89. Infra Red flood light style heat lamps for warming your bathroom 125W and 250W
sizes
90. Chainsaw and spare saw chain for cutting firewood for heat
91. air compressor for inflating tires and cleaning parts with air – oil crankcase type with
cast iron pumps are best – oil less type s are very noisy and are not as durable.
92. 22 LR ammunition HV hollow points for hunting small game and 40 gr LRN std
velocity for quieter accuracy
93. An Emergency Medical Kit – tweezers, dental pick, nail clippers for splinters
94. 55 gallon steel barrels with removable lids for rice, grains, dog and cat food
95. Cast iron dutch oven for outdoor cooking on a fire
96. Set of encyclopedia for how things are
97. handyman encyclopedia for how to repair things
98. A book on household wiring – DIY repairs
99. DIY plumbing book
100. Spare toilet flush valve – for when yours breaks – Flushmaster – about $10
101.  Rice – Initially stored in the freezer
102. Pasta – keep it dry and at a stable temp, in the dark – periodically check for bugs
103.  Canned Soup – tomato soup does not last long in cans
104. Canned Vegetables
105. Canned Fruit – doesn't last long in cans due to the acidity of some fruits
106.  Canned Chicken
107. Jars Of Peanut Butter
108. Salt – table salt lasts indefinately – actually it is millions of years old already – store
in plastic jars with plastic lids – salt will corrode metal jar lids.

109. Sugar
110. Powdered Milk – usually comes in plastic bags or cardboard boxes – it oxidizes in
months – put int smaller jars with lids, like clean spaghetti sauce jars – glass
111.  Lighters Or Matches – stored in glass jars
112. Bags Of Flour – in glass jars
113. Yeast – keep in the refrigerator once opened
114. Whole house surge protector – will help protect sensitive electronics
115. Buckets Of Long-Term Storable Food
116. Extra Vitamins – Vitamin B complex, multi-vitamin, D-3
117.  Lighters Or Matches – stored in glass jars
118. Asprin and pill cutter
119. Flashlights Or Lanterns
120. Plenty Of Wood To Burn
121. Extra Blankets
122. Extra Sleeping Bags
123. A set of SAE and metric wrenches
124. set of pliers – vice grips, slip joint, and needle nose styles
125. Pipe wrenches
126. Hand saw, electric circular saw, and Sawzall
127. 24” an 4’ level
128. 16 oz hammer and 2# sledge hammer
129. assorted nails
130. Zip ties assorted sizes
131. spare fan belt for your car
132. distilled water – for topping off car batteries
133. Hair cutting scissors and comb
134. Q-tips for hygiene and automotive repairs
135. An Extra Fan If You Live In A Hot Climate
136. Hand Sanitizer
137. Light bulbs for home

138. Spare fluorescent tube bulbs if you like them, while you can still get them – used on
Craigslist about 50 cents each
139. Spare headlight bulbs for the car – never touch the glass – it will cause the bulb to
fail very quickly
140.  Extra Shampoo
141. Extra Toothpaste – without fluoride – salt and baking soda work well as toothpaste
142. Extra Razors – sharpen against the palm
143. A rubber garden hose with a 4” brass nozzle for gardening and putting out a fire
144. A plan B location
145. Two way radios – Baofeng UV-5r – with two spares for your uninvited guests
146. Extra Batteries
147. Credit cards for all members of the Family
148. Bank accounts owned by multiple members of the family – if you trust them
149. A repair manual for your vehicles
150. A spare tire for your car with a spare wheel
151. Trash Bags
152. Tarps
153. OSB to board up windows and doors
154. 2×4’s to secure doors and windows
155. An Axe
156. A blanket in the trunk of the car, and water, and food that will keep in the heat and
cold
157. spare engine oil in the trunk of the car
158. N95 Masks
159. Seeds For A Garden
160. lime for the garden
161. fertilizer
162. book on gardening and saving seeds
163. book on canning
164. sun glasses
165. leather work gloves

166. blue jeans without rips
167. Leather work boots
168. socks
169. laundry detergent – 35# bucket of wind fresh at sams – 16.88 delivered
170. Canning Jars – and extra lids
171. Extra Supplies For Your Pets – dry dog food in steel drums – rodents
172. An Emergency Supply Of Cash 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100
173. Bible
174. A “Bug Out Bag” For Every Member Of Your Family
175. Dish washing liquid – dawn or Palmolive work best
176. Dishwasher detergent – powder – Electrosol powder
177. Spare towels, sheets
178. Dark curtains to block light form u=inside the windows of your home
179. some silver – I like silver dollars – not collectible just Morgans – at just over spots
180. some gold – not jewelry – just some US gold, Krugerrand, Canadian Maples,
something recognizable by everyone
181. reading glasses
182. Dr. Shealy’s encyclopedia of healing remedies – on eBay – less than $10 shipped
183. A CB radio to monitor truckers traffic
184. A ham radio to listen to international transmissions – and also to transmit – license
for emergency transmissions does not require a ham license – but you won’t know
haw to use that radio without studying the material – I suggest a used HF rig that
does not require repeaters.
185. Assorted nails, screws, nuts, bolts, and washers for repairs
186. String, twine, and rope for tying things up
187. Pens, pencils, paper, and notebooks for writing notes and saving information
188. Cooking bacon – Boil in water first – universal solvent – then pan fry – cast iron
square skillet with square cast iron bacon press – flat skillet works best – not ribbed –
Lodge.
189. Dial soap – yellow – leaves white towels yellow tan – look dirty – it is the soap.
190. Blood pressure cuff – if USB wall plug powered and stops working – try using the
USB port from a powered on computer monitor – it has enough current to power the
compressor
191. Activate charcoal – spider bites and poisonings
192. Vodca – tinctures
193. Baling Twine – emergency tying very strong poly twine.

194. Book on Pickling – The Joy of Pickling – Linda Ziedrich 382 pages < $5.00
195. Book on Canning – Stocking up – Carol Stoner 532 pages hard back about $5.00
196. Book on Dehydration – Mary Bells Complete Dehydrator Cookbook HB 280 Pages
about $11.00
197. Leather Sneakers – Brooks – if you can find them – about $50.00
198. Shoe Horn – used to be free when you bought a pair of shoes in the 1950’s and 60’s
199. Heat Lamp – Infrared – Red dyed lens flood lamp 125 and 150 watts – great to warm
up the bathroom in the winter.
200. Spare Shower control valve – same exact valve as you have now if it is a cartridge
type
201. Spare Kitchen and bath faucet control valve – same exact valve as you have now if it
is a cartridge type
202. DIY colloidal silver – 2 1 oz Canadian Silver Maples – .9999 fine
203. Multi colored electrical tape – for color coding and splicing wires – Y, R, G, Bl, W, and
Black – about $4.00 – Menards
204. Black Electrical tape – $0.50 per roll – Menards
205. Brush-on electrical tape – $6.00 – Menards – Well pump wire, automotive repairs,
trailers, etc. Heat shrink tubing 2:1 $4.00 eBay for about 300 pcs
206. Heat shrink heat gun – about 750 and 1000 degrees F – large frame gun not a pencil
style – 1500 watts – HFT $15.00
207. Toilet – Std height is 15-16” to top of seat – ADH is 17-19” to top of the seat – a way
better choice as we get older.
208. Combat! is an American television drama series that originally aired on ABC from
1962 until 1967. The exclamation point in Combat! was depicted on-screen as a
stylized bayonet. The show covered the grim lives of a squad of American soldiers
fighting the Germans in France during World War II. 152 episodes. Ebay used about
$50.00
209. Maverick – TV series 1950’s and 1960’s
210. Soldering Gun – Mine is a Weller #8200N 100/140 watts $25.00 on eBay used and
was manufactured about 50 years ago – still the best that you can buy.
211. Solder – rosin core radio solder – 60/40 Tin Lead Rosin Core Solder Wire Electrical
Sn60 Pb40 Flux 0.032inches 1lb – maximum thickness – about 20.00 per # on eBay –
DO not buy acid core solder for radio or electrical wiring use
212. Flour – bread flour
213. Yeast for bread
214. Salt for seasoning – also for freeze protection – the ocean does not freeze for two
reasons salty and large moving mass. Corrosive but in an emergency salt solution in
toilet tanks, toilet bowels, and sink drains, etc
215. Caster oil USP – to dissolve cataracts
216. Nylon car tow strap – 2” x 20’ with forged steel end hooks – 28,000 # working load
strength – HFT $12.00

Jumper Booster Cable 6 Gauge 16' 100% Copper – If it does not say 100% copper it is
copper clad aluminum and they need to be heavier gague to conduct the same amount of
current – expect to pay about $50.00
217. Sharpie permanent markers – store the ones in use upside down
218. Pencils – store in bulk inn Ziplock bags – lengthen the eraser shelf-life
219. Headphones – Best in class – overall value Sony MDR-CD-180 – used on eBay – The
ones that you see me using on the one picture of me on the Internet.
220. Rival 3 ½ quart Crock Pot – two vintage styles – non-removable crock and
removable crock – removable uses about 1/3 more electricty and the outer metal
skin is very hot – wasted electricity – the non-removable one heats better, uses less
electricity, but is harder to wash. I prefer the non-removable crock model.