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The news tends to be slow during the last week of the year, but on this Christmas eve's morning I'm guessing that a few of my readers are still scrambling for last minute gift ideas, or stocking stuffers, for loved ones.
Each fall, during and just after National Preparedness Month, I make the case for buying preparedness items for holiday gift giving, with my most recent appeal in three weeks ago (see The Gift Of Preparedness - 2019 Holiday Edition).In that blog you’ll find both low cost `stocking stuffers’ along with some bigger ticket items like solar panels, USB Battery banks and crank/solar radios.
With time running short, and most of our wallets running thin, I thought I’d run through my list under $20 preparedness gift ideas. Most should be relatively easy to find on the shelves, even at this late date. Good places to look include the sporting goods section of big box stores, in home improvement centers, or discount stores like Big Lots.
NOTE: Products mentioned here are to provide a general idea of the type of gift, and should not be viewed as an endorsement of one brand over another.
Batteries, and battery chargers make terrific preparedness gifts. Just about everyone uses AA or AAA batteries, and you can either buy a decent quantity of disposable batteries, or go `green’ with a handful of rechargeable batteries and a charger for under $20.
When the lights go out, nothing beats having a couple of good LED flashlights or lanterns. And each year they get brighter, and cheaper. Most run between $5 and $10, and that beats the heck out of cursing the darkness.
A couple of years ago I bought several water filtration systems, one to keep and a couple to give to prepping buddies. LifeStraw ® is now available in the United States and Canada; at just 2 ounces, this personal water filter will reportedly filter 1000 liters down to .2 microns. Not bad for around $20.
I've also recently added the Sawyer Mini-Filter to my preps, again about $20. Both can be found in the the camping supply sections of many big-box stores.
Emergency cook stoves can be had for under $20. A 1 burner propane camp stove costs about $12, add a couple of 1 pound propane cylinders (about $3 each) and you can cook for a family for a week.
When the lights go out, nothing beats having a couple of good LED flashlights or lanterns. And each year they get brighter, and cheaper. Most run between $5 and $10, and that beats the heck out of cursing the darkness.
A couple of years ago I bought several water filtration systems, one to keep and a couple to give to prepping buddies. LifeStraw ® is now available in the United States and Canada; at just 2 ounces, this personal water filter will reportedly filter 1000 liters down to .2 microns. Not bad for around $20.
I've also recently added the Sawyer Mini-Filter to my preps, again about $20. Both can be found in the the camping supply sections of many big-box stores.
Emergency cook stoves can be had for under $20. A 1 burner propane camp stove costs about $12, add a couple of 1 pound propane cylinders (about $3 each) and you can cook for a family for a week.
I also buy a few magnesium fire starters each year (at $4 each) which will end up as stocking stuffers. Harbor Freight often carries these, and while perhaps not as effective as the $15 ones available online, they do a respectable job.
Something as simple, and as utilitarian, as a multifunction `Swiss’ army knife or a `Multi-tool’ make for great preparedness gifts.
For emergency electrical power, I found an 80 watt cigarette lighter inverter for my car. It can power a small laptop, and has a USB charger port as well. Under $20. A few of these will end up in the stockings of friends this year. Automotive stores often have these on the shelf.
And for under $10, you can pick up a cigarette lighter USB charger, that can top off your phone or mobile device.
A combination compass, emergency whistle, and magnifying glass can be had for less than $5, and makes a great addition to any bug-out bag or adventuresome kid's pocket.
Another `camping’ related product that would be useful in an emergency is 550 para-cord, which is light, strong, and can be used for a variety of tasks.
Inexpensive USB Drives start under $10, and can hold copies of important papers and images of credit cards and identification cards.
Often forgotten, but personal protective gear like safety goggles, a box of vinyl or nitrile gloves, or a box of facemasks (or N95 masks) should be in everyone’s emergency kit as well - particularly with concerns over a nasty flu season ahead.
While I can’t predict what the new year will bring - if it turns out anything like 2019- there's a pretty good chance that there are going to be plenty of people who will wish they had most – if not all – of these items on hand before the next disaster strikes.
Because, during any emergency, the advantage always goes to those who were prepared.
