To start, you could plan a budget for buying emergency supplies that deal with water. A reliable water storage system, such as a 55 gallon barrel or smaller buckets throughout the house, is essential. Water is something that people often forget to store or procrastinate, perhaps because it’s usually so accessible; we have a hard time imagining what life would be like without a working, clean water supply, and it’s also hard to estimate how much water we’re actually using. In fact, water should be the first item on your list of goals, because it is the most crucial item to have available during an emergency. Evaluate both portable and stationary water sources. You could also plan out a budget and save up to buy a great portable water filter or purifier. There are also different types of prepackaged water you can purchase, such as water in pouches or foil-lined cardboard “juice boxes.” These small containers are excellent for small children and babies.

Another step to reach your preparedness goal is to set up a schedule of certain things you want to buy each month Maybe you want to be prepared by having 72-hour kits for everyone in your family. Perhaps you want a total preparedness package consisting of 72-hour kits and a year’s supply of food storage for each member of your family. These kits and packages can cost a pretty penny, but when broken down into “baby steps,” the cost becomes quite manageable.