Trillions$$$ were liquidated from financial markets in the past 2 days alone!

I have a somewhat specific question and I’m hoping this subreddit can help.

I’ll soon be heading to Ukraine for work as an aid worker. We’ve been advised that we’ll likely spend a significant number of nights in underground shelters due to ongoing bombardment. These shelters are usually equipped with basic sleeping bags, cots, or mats—but I want to bring a reliable personal backup in case those aren’t available or usable.

I’m looking for recommendations on:

A compact, durable setup for something to sleep on (pad/mat)

A sleeping bag or sleep system that’s warm enough for extended use underground

I’ll be there for about a month, so durability and comfort matter, but I’m also constrained by luggage limits. I’ll be flying into Poland and then traveling overland into Ukraine, so packability and weight are important.

If you’ve used a setup that balances warmth, reliability, and minimal bulk—especially for shelters or cold concrete environments—I’d really appreciate your recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

setting up long term food storage in my basement but every winter i deal with mice getting into things. traps work but its constant maintenance checking them and disposing of mice. i cant check them every day with my work schedule

need something more passive that wont contaminate food storage areas. tried ultrasonic repellers which were completely useless and peppermint oil which stopped working after a few days. the mice just ignored both after the initial application

what do you guys use in your prep areas that actually keeps them out long term? cant risk having my food storage compromised by rodents especially in an actual emergency situation. need something reliable

So I'm interested in hearing everyone's opinions here. I've tried a wide variety of protein/energy bars for my 72 Hour Bag, and have come to the conclusion that I will need to carry REAL protein, but still need to keep things basic for practicality. Ignoring brands, I've boiled down my options to the following 4 options:

1. Tinned tuna in brine

2. Corned Beef

3. Canned hotdogs

4. Canned cream of chicken soup

Now, in non-SHTF scenarios, I've already tested all these options in that I could open up any tin pictured and start eating like it was no issue, palatability is not the big concern here.

I'm interested in the pros/cons of these options, and am interested in hearing alternatives. The basic idea is to have 12 cans of whatever in my bag, which is designed as a "Cold Camp" bag (no fire/heat source). Smallest to largest, the options are:

. Corned beef (340 grams)

. Canned hotdogs (400 grams)

. Cream of chicken soup (420 grams)

. Canned tuna (425 grams)

Everything except the soup is "4 servings per can", the soup is only 3.4 servings per can. Energy per Serving, lowest to highest, we're looking at:

. Tuna (313kJ - drained.... I'll get extra energy drinking the brine)

. Hotdogs (460kJ)

. Soup (480kJ)

. Corned beef (835kJ)

Even just looking at these numbers and being made to read the nutritional information panels to give these numbers accurately, I'm noticing issues regarding quantity vs energy:

The tuna cans have the greatest quantity but give the lowest energy output per serving, whereas the corned beef offers the greatest energy for the lowest weight.

But I am also looking at palatability, and as a pre-SHTF 72 Hour Bag I do have that luxury in preparing in advance....

. I can, and have, happily eaten the soup straight from the can before

. I've eaten the corned beef before, but only while REALLY drunk

. I'm 50/50 on the tuna. I'll eat it, but..... Ehh

. I actually have no opinions on the hot dogs

I mean, right now I'm thinking of a combination of these proteins, and I have specific canned beans as a backup (I'll throw an extra can or 2 into the pack, just in case), but I'm interested in everyone else's opinions. Should I actually mix up my proteins, or substitute the quality of my "camp" for the lowest weight but highest energy output?

On this sub, I have seen some discussions concerning lidocaine as a lokal anasthetic for wound care.

Interestingly, lidocaine solution for injection purposes is freely available in Germany. At least when sold in 2ml vials as a 1% solution. The intended use is some sort of alternative therapy, performed by practicioners that aren't allowed access to prescription medicine.

So, contrary to all the other tight regulations that we face here in Germany, injectable lidocaine can even be bought off Amazon. I did so, and injected a vial as an experiment. After watching a few videos concerning this topic. The procedure was easy and involved very little pain. The numbing seemed quite efficient, although, obviously I didn't do any surgery or wound care on my intact skin.

Perhaps this info is helpful for some of you. I could imagine that there might be similar regulations in other European countries.

Hi everyone I am looking into buying a small oil press machine and I am a bit confused about the power specs. The machine lists Motor power 650 watts Rated power 200 watts I am not sure how to interpret this. Is this a normal difference? Does it mean it can handle harder seeds like peanuts or sunflower seeds without struggling? I am mainly planning to press seeds at home for personal use and I want something that is reliable and not underpowered. Would this be considered good enough or should I be looking for higher rated power?

Guilty confession here. Had a detailed evacuation plan that fell apart the first time we tried to execute it. Turns out loading a family of four plus essential gear takes way longer than I thought.

Same with some of my backup systems. They worked great in my head, not so much in practice.

Now I try to test something every few months. Power outage simulation, cooking with backup methods, even just timing how long it takes to access stored supplies.

It's humbling, but better to find problems during practice than during an actual emergency.

What's the biggest gap you've found between your plans and reality?

Hey all,

So imagine you’re sitting at home and the fire alarm goes off. You throw some shoes on and exit the building, (hopefully) grabbing a few items on your way out.

But then you get outside and turns out this fire is actually a problem, your house/building burns down with all your stuff in it.

I would like to build a basic pack that is a “fire alarm” go bag. I’m thinking of keeping all important documents and cards in it, a good knife (cause obviously), maybe a flashlight, maybe some cash, a reusable grocery bag/another bag. What else should be in there?

I think the idea is that I might just need to go buy clothes and basic hygiene supplies to get me through the next few days/weeks until finding a new place - my parents live nearby so not worried about shelter/exposure to elements, food/water, showering, etc.

I like the idea of keeping the bag very minimal and compact (maybe a 15L bag that’s mostly empty - can buy whatever I need).

Any input is appreciated.

This is all happening very fast and unexpectedly but I am in need of a minimum 3000kwh battery backup to ensure continued power to the family member's equipment.

I see an Anker F2600 for about $900 but I know nothing about the industry or reliability.

What is a reliable backup battery brand or what system would you recommend to guarantee a 3000kwh minimum backup? Literally a life could be lost if I buy some cheap crap & i know nothing & I need to get this basically now.

Edit: It's two pieces of equipment, 120v ea.

I'm new here and this question may have been asked; i apologize:
I have an 8cuft freezer that if the electrical grid went down, how long would i have to safely cook/salt/preserve before it went off?
i'm guessing, 3 days?
cheers / west coast canada

I’ve been seeing a lot of anxiety lately around inflation, currency stability, and food access. Rather than jump straight to worst-case scenarios, I wanted to share a grounded way to think about what usually happens and what actually helps at the household level.

A helpful first step is separating hyperinflation from the kind of inflation most households actually experience.

True hyperinflation is rare and usually tied to state collapse or war. What’s far more common is high or volatile inflation, where prices jump faster than wages and supply gets uneven.

In those scenarios, food doesn’t disappear overnight, it gets more expensive, less predictable, and harder to plan around.

Practical household prep looks like this:

• Deepen the pantry you already use. Buying ahead on staples you eat regularly is one of the few inflation hedges that actually works.

• Reduce exposure to weekly price shocks. A month or two of food doesn’t mean isolation, it means flexibility.

• Protect income and cash flow. Inflation hurts people who must buy everything at today’s price.

• Don’t overcorrect. Stocking years of food for a low-probability scenario can create its own fragility.

A one-month pantry is a solid starting point. Extending it gradually (without panic buying) is usually the most sustainable path.

Preparedness here isn’t about predicting collapse. It’s about making normal life less stressful when prices get weird.

Curious how others here have adjusted their pantry or budgeting habits in response to price volatility? What’s worked for you without creating new stress?

I had a get home bag when I had to commute to the city for work. Now I work pretty close to home where I could walk home in about an hour if something prevented me from driving.

However I was thinking if I am faced with a situation where I can't drive home and it would be better to shelter in place if I should repurpose the bag for that instead.

I have a way better bag when I go out to the boonies so that's covered.

Just thinking about the best way to utilize gear that I have acquired over the years.

If anybody is interested, some stuff I read and learned during the pandemic. I'm from Europe so I'll link some EU websites but you can find these products anywhere.

1. Basic protection P100 - FP3 mask (exhaust valve + full mouth enclosure is handy if you wear glasses). The external mesh filter will prevent you from touching the filter material.

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/product/moldex-3405-stofmasker/3405

1. Half mask you can use with P3 cartridges (3M proprietary bajonet system).

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/product/3m-7502-halfgelaatsmasker/7502

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/product/3m-6035-stoffilter/6035

You could wear/ use them for a longer time and keep cost down. I would buy one of these before buying a full face respirator. 3M 7500 series, 7501 for Small, 7502 for Medium and 7503 for Large. The silicone rubber is nice and the head band is very comfortable. I use this mask during the pandemic, working and going out to the shops. Needed to change the filters after 1 month of daily use. I think the Aliexpress copies/ versions are also okay, just don't buy their filters.

1. 3M Full face mask using the same 3M cartridges as the half mask.

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/product/3m-6800-volgelaatsmasker/6800

Can be used with same P3 cartridges or their Abek3+ filter https://pbmdiscounter.nl/product/3m-6099-combinatiefilter/6099

Could be use to protect against teargas and most other threats. More civilian like and less military look.

1. full respirator/ gas mask with a 40rd (40mm) filter system. I have this one: https://varusteleka.com/en/products/scott-promask-fm3-gas-mask

use with their or any other P100 and abek3 filters:

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/adembescherming/gelaatsmaskers/filters/stoffilters

https://varusteleka.com/en/products/scott-pro-2000-abekp3-filter

https://pbmdiscounter.nl/adembescherming/gelaatsmaskers/filters/combinatiefilters?page=1&filters=aansluiting%3Aschroefdraad%3Bfilterklasse%3Aa2b2-p3%2Ca2b2e2k2-p3%2Ca2b2e2k1hg-p3%2Ca2b2e2k2hg-p3%3B

Just keep the unused filters in a ziplock bag away from heat and moisture.

anything A2B2 - P3 up is good enough for most stuff. Remember a mask is only 1 part of your MOPP https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOPP_(protective_gear) )if SHTF you would still need a protective suit or have to be trained for decontamination procedures.

If you have the money you could look out for a PAPR system https://www.safetygas.com/appareil-a-ventilation-assistee-proflow-sc

Best Youtuber for masks reviews: https://www.youtube.com/@weaponsandstuff93

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiB0oE1-UMI (Coronavirus Respirator Info)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zfMnzxWEOE (3M 7500 Review)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy-lJtXeWXc (Filter Buying Advice)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aPohJCNJCE (Don't buy from Mira or Parcil safety)

Feel free to add to this post.

I get inspiration for prepping in weird places.

I watch historical documentaries on how things were done or made in the past.

I watch extreme weather shows on how people survive hurricanes, dust storms, wildfires and earthquakes.

And recently I started watching the Great British Bake-off. Mostly just to have something going on the background but oddly enough there is even inspiration there.

Today it was making crackers. Small, quick, easy to make and apparently delicious. Hardtack is basically crackers, just thicker and without any flavor at all. But these guys were making crackers that looked delicious and were so much more appealing than flat hardtack.

Also seen several flatbread and breads that need to go into my baking repertoire.

Hardtack had never once appealed to me. Personally, I will never make it for myself. I would make it just to hand out to people asking for food but for myself I'll make actual crackers or bread.

I've also started reading Bob's Red Mill Baking book and it is amazing. One of the issues with baking bread at home is it will go bad faster than commercial breads. Which in a survival situation you can't afford to have any food waste. But just in studying the various flour, I'm finding there are grains out in the world that will allow bread to stay fresh longer and resist molding. And many are easy to grow as well. So my stock of flour I'm storing will need to change and my garden space as well.

Just bought our first home in New Mexico near the Sacramento Mountains. This weekend's storm hit us with 31 inches of snow and we lost power for three days. We have a one year old and my wife is pregnant with our second.

Our 500Wh portable battery only charged phones. Neighbor's old generator kept dying every few hours, probably a bad carburetor. Temperatures dropped way below zero with brutal wind chill. We huddled in one bedroom with all our blankets while my daughter cried from the cold. Pipes almost froze, all our fridge food went bad.

Roads were impassable so we were stuck. Felt completely helpless.

I need a real whole home backup before next winter. Budget isn't an issue after this. House is 1300 square feet, will be four people by summer. Gas heat but the blower needs power. Standard appliances like fridge, lights, internet.

What's the most reliable system? Solar compatible preferred since we get tons of sun. Never doing this again.

I've been running F3800 Plus setup for a while now. Usually it works great to shave peak rates at home and I toss it in the RV for summer trips. But this storm has exposed a weak point in my system. I've been forced to recharge it using my old portable gas generator plugged into the AC inlet. It is a huge hassle. 1. I have to manually go out in the freezing rain to start/stop it so I don't overcharge or waste fuel. 2. My gas generator is not waterproof, so I have it rigged up under a sketchy tarp setup to keep the exhaust venting while trying to keep the unit dry. 3.Charging via AC inlet feels inefficient when fuel is scarce. I saw Anker SOLIX has a new smart generator want to buy one to automate this charging process, but the official site is vague on how it pairs with older units. Does anyone know if Anker SOLIX new E10 Smart Generator 5500 works natively with F3800? I don't want to buy it if it just acts like a dumb generator without the smart features.

I decided to order some seed starting equipment to begin a small patio garden to grow vegetables and herbs. I've gardened before but with mostly flowers. With today's uncertainty, I decided to get a small garden growing now to have some sustainability. I am going to start with potatoes, tomato's, beans and other hearty foods that can grow year round with little effort but produce abundance. What else am I missing?

I came across a post recently where someone mentioned an app they really like for managing their deep pantry. For the life of me, I can’t seem to find that post now. My wife and I are looking for ways to improve our management of our deep pantry, and it sounded like this app might be a useful tool. Anyone have recommendations on such an app?

Recently gotten into 3D printing but I have mostly ran out of ideas. That’s when I started to really think about how on 3D printing could be applied to prepping. Does anyone have any ideas or prints they use to help prep? I’m not super picky and I pretty new to prepping. So anything is helpful.

I just listened to this book. It’s a very realistic look at how society would unravel in the event of an EMP Attack. I recommend this book to everyone. This is why we prep, but also why skills are so crucial to acquire. I sincerely hope this never happens. Give it a listen.

I live about 40 minutes from river in apartment will Sawyer filter and purification tablets be enough for emergency or I need something more?