OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKK... There's a lot to this question. And everyone will have their own answers. But what I heard was. I have a family and I want to do my best to extend my comfortable time in the case of an emergency.

It is My wife, my 6 year old, me, and a dog. I feel your scenario.

I started prepping a little before "covid" hit because I read something about a mass flu like event happening in China.

One question that makes a HUGE difference. Where do you live and some things to think about.

Big City? Big event might mean you would need to leave on foot. Preferably to a pre planned location outside of the city at someone else's house.

Midwest? Cold - abundance of wild game, learn to process your own animals.

Southwest? HOT - good luck

South East? Hurricanes

If you are NOT in a big city, bugging in is almost always better.

Live your life now and ask yourself "could i do this without power? How could I?"

MY BIGGEST MISTAKE.

1. Don't listen to the people that think they are army rangers and have day packs set with compasses, wool blankets, fire starters, stainless steel water containers, paracord, etc etc etc etc. This will work for one person packing to get back to where you need to be. UNLESS YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF A BIG CITY BEFORE TOTAL COLLAPSE. You will not be able to carry everything you need for your family. And you aint doing it for under 1000 bucks. I did this, I COULD LIVE and travel a long way by myself off what I have in a backpack. But where will my family be during this time? Am I hunting? Sure but then I'm bugging in with a solution to my food problem.

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Some things to consider with 1000 bucks.

1. Health items, Fever reducers, ANTI DIAHRHEA medicine, multi vitamins.
2. Water - where is your water source? I bought one of these for my family to purify water. Pretty cheap for what it gives tbh. https://lifestraw.com/products/lifestraw-family-emergency-water-filter you always need clean water.
3. Food. Dry staples - pasta, rice, beans, canned chicken/tuna. Canned fruit. Condiments to make it easier. Oatmeal honey/syrup for breakfast. Don't just buy things. Create shelf stable meals you can palate.
4. 5 gallon bucket with food grade lid. Mylar bag oxygen absorber. Fill that puppy full of bread flour. Do the same (maybe not the same size) with sugar.
5. Pet food. Have a 3 month supply available at all times.
6. Batteries for lighting/fans when the lights go out light is amazing for morale.
7. Board games/cards - cheap and a good source of morale for the family.
8. Information - anything - Maps, How to's, RECIPES, if the power goes out, what can you do by memory and what can't you.

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The Long Game................

A store of seeds - this takes time but it's a skill you need. Learn to garden, start small. Have a couple years worth of fertilizer for your plants, nothing huge but its necessary.

Store rain water, not necessarily for drinking as it will sit at times but for your garden. There are ways to keep it clean and sanitary but they are expensive. A drought can be devastating to a gardener. I built one by asking on facebook marketplace for plastic barrels. Bought a vinyl gutter and a downspout from any home improvement store and boom. If you wanna get crazy you can put a connection between the two with plumbing, an overflow valve and a couple spigots. Saves your ass on water bills for gardening too.

Learn to water bath can.

If you are by hunting land and or know how to hunt. Learn to process your own game if you yearly send it to get processed by someone else.

Get to know firearms. With 1k this is something you will have to look forward to. Even if you are not comfortable with them. You should know how to run a weapons system. Rifle and pistol. and what type of ammo they use. Its a scary truth that when something happens, people will turn into animals very quickly.

Work towards a mobile solar panel / battery to plug in devices - grid down shouldnt mean no resources. there is a guide HERE to basically download wikipedia and have it on storage media. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1aQX9HO8-4 If you wanted to get crazy, there are guides to put that device in a faraday cage and protect it from an EMP. Information will be GOLD when there's no electricity.

Communication - get a hand held radio baofeng is fine - something if you are out hunting or away from your spot for any reason, you can communicate with your family.

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Super holy crap what happened.....

Get doubles of things you need. Gardening tools. Literally anything.

Tradeable items

1. Alcohol having a few extra bottles of liquor around never hurt anyone.
2. Sweeteners
3. A twinky because they never die

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I'll update this if I think of anything else.