You can look at prepping as you would insurance. You need it, but you hope you never have to use it. You have insurance to protect you from a catastrophic event such as a home fire, flood or windstorm. Insurance is costly but you cannot afford to be without it. Prepping is insurance, it is a hedge against possible future events. Some may be prepping for events that seem highly unlikely in some people’s minds. However, the point is people are preparing, they are insuring themselves and their families, ensuring their family’s survival.
To some it may be a harsh reality to see your supplies languishing for month’s even years and nothing has happened. Some people may begin prepping for the excitement, because in some cases, people do look for things to happen, and may become disillusioned when nothing does happen. You begin to wonder if you should continue. You had homeowners insurance for 20 years, for example, so you should cancel the policy because nothing has happened as of yet? No, you do not cancel because nothing has happened yet, you keep coverage in place.
The Mayan calendar predicted the end of the world, and when someone hears the end of the world is coming, they may think the end comes all at once. Who really knows, the Mayan’s calendar may have predicted a long goodbye for this world. The world as a whole could be ending in stages as we all sit here or the world as only you know it may be ending in stages.
Russia is flexing its muscles so what land grab is coming next. How far will Russia go and how far will others go to stop him. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime. Remember Russia has a nuclear arsenal, and controls a large portion of the world’s natural gas supply. Essentially parts of the world needs Russia, and Russia knows it.
Prepping is hard work and you must work at it on a daily basis. Inventories need to be checked for expiration dates, spoilage, insects, rodents and so forth. You also have to keep up with current events. You have to do threat assessments almost daily because more and more possible threats are emerging. Is the fact that Malaysian flight 370 is missing and shrouded in mystery a new emerging threat, no one knows for sure, but the possibility is there?
Prepping cost money, as does any insurance policy and the cost is based on the risk. If you have numerous speeding tickets, your risk is high and so your insurance cost rise. If your home is located, in tornado alley or along a fault line your risk is high and costs go up. You will need to spend money to prepare for a disaster. There are ways to reduce costs of course but keep in mind in most cases you do get what you pay for. Prepare properly from the onset and go slow to reduce the economic burden.
Gizmos and gadgets are only as good as the person operating them so along with spending money you have to expend some of your time as well. You need to train and practice. It is not enough to have a pantry full of food and water you need skills and knowledge as well.
Those that got into prepping on a whim or for the excitement of it are now probably feeling let down because why prepare for something if nothing ever happens. Where is the excitement, it is fun in the beginning but when it turns into work then some will bail out, they will cancel their survival insurance policy.
You have to weigh the risk. It only makes sense you do not prepare for an earthquake if your area has never had one. You insure against risks that are more likely to happen, just like an insurance company knows someone with three speeding tickets in a year is more likely to run their vehicle into a tree, so that person pays for that risk.
Ask yourself if you can afford not to prepare, just like you would ask yourself if you could afford to rebuild if your home was destroyed and you did not have insurance.
Prepping is many times about the questions you must ask yourself and once you catch yourself lying to yourself, it is time you began prepping.