20 Last Minute Items to Hoard in Surplus

I
like
to
think
that
as
preppers
most
of
us
are
already
pretty
prepared,
materially.
But
I
know
that
in
reality
some
people
are
new
to
the
lifestyle,
and
others
are
just
procrastinators.
Still
others
might
be
rebuilding
after
the
use
or
loss
of
their
supplies
that
they
spent
so
long
accumulating.

What
matters
is
that
you
have
the
right
supplies
and
goods
on
hand
when
disaster
strikes
so
you
can
be
ready
to
sustain
for
the
duration.
If
you
are
lacking
these
goods,
then
there
is
a
problem.

But
you
know
what
they
say.
There
is
no
time
like
the
present,
and
if
it
looks
like
disaster
is
looming
or
you
are
sure
that
trouble
is
headed
your
way,
you
can
literally
start
from
zero
and
gather
the
supplies
you
need
in
a
flash
if
you
act
quickly
enough.

Whether
you
are
a
so-called
death’s
door
convert
to
the
idea
of
personal
readiness
or
are
simply
forced
to
play
the
hand
you
are
dealt,
it
is
possible
to
grab
survival
supplies
at
the
very
last
moment
in
many
situations.

To
help
you
or
anyone
else
who
might
be
in
this
sticky
situation
we
have
assembled
a
list
of
20
last-minute
survival
items
that
you
can
buy
in
surplus
to
equip
yourself
for
rough
times
ahead.

It
is
far
from
ideal,
and
I
definitely
don’t
recommend
this
as
a
go-to
plan,
but
sometimes
there’s
no
other
choice.
So
fasten
your
seatbelt
and
let’s
get
going,
there
is
no
time
to
waste.

When
Time
is
Short
the
Pressure
is
On

The
major
and
obvious
problem
with
trying
to
locate
crucial
supplies
when
an
event
is
nearly
upon
you
is
that
most
of
your
fellow
citizens
are
already
going
to
have
the
exact
same
idea.

All
of
the
folks
who
are
caught
short-handed
or
going
completely
without
will
be
mobbing
the
stores,
shops
and
any
other
location
where
they
could
find
those
critical
supplies.

Any
announcement
of
a
major
natural
disaster,
snapping
threads
in
the
fabric
of
society
or
any
other
momentous
event
will
see
people
booking
it
toward
grocery
stores,
department
stores
and
anywhere
else
you
can
think
of
where
those
supplies
might
be
had.

Unless
you
and
you
alone
are
somehow
privy
to
this
knowledge
when
no
one
else
is,
that
means
you’re
going
to
have
competition
and
plenty
of
it.

Accordingly,
speed
is
a
major
factor
in
this
exercise.
You
have
to
get
there
fast,
before
the
bulk
of
humanity,
and
then
get
through
the
store
and
your
checklist
just
as
quickly
if
you
want
to
stand
any
chance
of
getting
home
with
the
things
you
need
in
the
quantity
required.

What’s
worse,
you
must
also
be
careful
that
you
do
not
get
overtaken
by
the
event
itself
while
you
are
desperately
trying
to
gather
supplies.

This
plan
is
purely
reactive
in
nature,
but
that
doesn’t
mean
you
shouldn’t
give
it
any
prior
thought.

Know
in
advance
where
you
are
going,
how
you’ll
get
there
and
the
general
layout
of
the
store
so
you
can
start
putting
together
an
efficient
plan
of
action
while
inside.
Every
second
you
waste
is
a
second
where
grasping
hands
will
be
clearing
the
shelves
ahead
of
you.

20
Last
Minute
Items
to
Get
in
Surplus

The
items
on
this
list
will
be
available
at
virtually
any
grocery
store,
department
store
and
even
many
corner
stores
or
larger
gas
stations.
As
I
emphasized
above,
work
quickly
because
stock
on
hand
will
not
last
against
the
blitz
of
panicked
people
coming
in
to
procure
supplies.

Petroleum
Jelly

Petroleum
jelly
is
an
undervalued
addition
to
any
medicine
cabinet,
and
it
also
has
plenty
of
uses
on
the
workbench
or
around
the
home.

For
first
aid,
petroleum
jelly
is
useful
for
treating
dry
skin
and
minor
cuts,
scrapes
and
burns.
It
is
ideal
for
protecting
exposed
skin
from
high
winds
or
blistering
cold.
Around
the
home,
it
is
useful
for
loosening
and
cleaning
up
a
variety
of
sticky
messes
or
stuck
on
crud.

On
the
workbench,
petroleum
jelly
can
protect
electrical
contacts,
help
clean
up
certain
spills
and
provide
a
barrier
against
chemical
contamination
for
working
hands.

This
is
some
pretty
wondrous
do-all
stuff,
and
though
it’s
usage
has
fallen
out
of
popularity
in
recent
decades
there
is
a
reason
why
your
grandparents
wanted
to
use
it
for
pretty
much
everything.

Whatever
store
you
go
into,
breeze
by
the
pharmacy
section
and
you
should
be
able
to
pick
up
a
couple
of
pots
with
no
problem.
A
little
bit
goes
a
long
way,
so
you
needn’t
overdo
it.

5
Gallon
“Painter”
Bucket

One
of
my
favorite
multipurpose
prepping
tools
is
the
common,
5
gallon
utility
or
painter
bucket
that
you
can
get
from
pretty
much
any
hardware
store
or
hardware
department
in
your
local
big
box
shop.

There
are
so
many
uses
for
these
things
it
isn’t
even
funny.
Obviously
they
can
be
used
as
a
handy
tote
for
whatever
you
want
to
put
in
them,
and
the
ones
made
from
higher
grade
plastic
or
suitable
for
storing
food
or
water.

Another
important
use
for
preppers
is
there
efficacy
as
an
emergency
toilet.
Line
these
with
a
heavy
duty
trash
bag
or
plastic
wrap,
place
some
absorbent
media
at
the
bottom
be
it
sawdust,
kitty
litter
or
shredded
newspaper
and
you
can
do
your
business
before
sealing
the
whole
thing
up
with
a
heavy
duty,
gasketed
lid.

Make
sure
you
take
out
the
liner
and
dispose
of
it
before
it
gets
too
full.

You’ll
be
glad
to
have
a
handful
of
these
and
I’ll
recommend
you
grab
at
least
two
if
you
are
able.
Don’t
forget
the
lids!

Bleach

Bleach
is
another
survival
superstar
item
you’ll
want
abundance
for
any
long-term
survival
scenario.
The
most
obvious
and
common
usage
for
bleach
is
on
laundry
day,
as
it
helps
get
your
white
clothes
and
towels
sparkling
clean
and
smelling
super
fresh.

Beyond
this,
bleach
makes
a
superb
disinfectant
for
surfaces
of
all
kinds
and
there
are
few
chemicals
that
can
rival
its
germ
killing
power
while
remaining
comparatively
safe.

However,
probably
the
most
vital
function
of
bleach
in
our
survival
arsenal
is
as
an
additive
that
can
disinfect
water
of
biological
contamination,
bacteria,
viruses
and
all.
It’s
true,
and
all
you
need
is
common,
standard,
unscented
and
non-thickened
bleach
for
the
task.

The
ratios
are
specific
and
must
be
precise
for
the
amount
of
water
you
are
treating,
but
this
is
easily
accomplished
using
a
small
chart
and
an
eyedropper
or
pipette.

This
isn’t
the
first
thing
most
people
think
of
when
they
imagine
survival
supplies,
so
you
can
probably
prioritize
other
goods
and
then
circle
back
for
bleach
on
your
madcap
trip
through
the
store.

Bottled
Water

Bottled
water
is
one
of
the
first
things
that
leaps
to
mind
when
thinking
about
survival
supplies,
and
you
had
best
believe
everyone
else
competing
against
you
will
be
thinking
of
the
same
thing.
You’d
be
wise
to
prioritize
grabbing
a
quantity
of
bottled
water
as
soon
as
you
enter
the
store.

The
reason
everyone
thinks
of
water
is
that
all
people
everywhere
understand
it’s
important.
Water
is
utterly
fundamental
to
life,
and
going
even
a
few
days
without
water
is
enough
to
kill
from
dehydration.

Although
it
is
true
there
is
water
all
around
us
and
most
environments,
most
of
it
is
not
safe
to
drink
without
treatment,
and
drinking
contaminated
water
can
make
you
gravely
ill.

Getting
sick
off
of
contaminated
water
can
be
debilitating
or
even
fatal
under
the
circumstances
when
medical
help
is
anything
but
assured.

When
snagging
your
water
supply
you
can
prioritize
larger
containers
like
gallon
jugs
or
stick
with
the
old
trusty
multipack
of
smaller
bottles,
or
even
both
kinds.
At
the
bare
minimum,
aim
for
a
couple
of
liters
of
water
per
person
in
your
family,
per
day.

Food

It
follows
that
right
after
thoughts
of
water,
thoughts
of
food.
Luckily
in
our
society
food
is
also
extremely
plentiful
and
though
its
acquisition
is
nowhere
near
as
pressing
as
that
of
water
it
is
still
essential
for
maintaining
energy
levels.

Not
for
nothing,
many
people
start
to
emotionally
capsize
after
a
few
missed
meals
even
when
death
is
several
weeks
or
months
away
from
lack
of
food.

You’ll
want
to
grab
high
calorie,
shelf
stable
foods
for
your
survival
food
supply.
Any
items
that
are
ready
to
eat
with
no
or
minimal
preparation
are
best.

Canned
foods
or
those
that
are
available
in
foil
pouches
are
worth
consideration,
but
don’t
forget
energy
dense
dry
snack
foods
like
nuts,
jerky,
fruit
bars
and
the
like.

If
you
are
picking
up
plenty
of
canned
foods
make
sure
you
acquire
a
good
manual
can
opener
or
know
that
you
have
one
at
home
because
you’ll
likely
be
facing
a
power
outage
under
the
circumstances.

If
you
feel
confident
about
your
ability
to
heat
and
boil
water,
you
might
consider
basic
staples
like
oatmeal,
rice,
beans
and
the
like.

Hygiene
Items

Surviving
isn’t
just
about
having
enough
to
eat
and
drink
while
you
wait
for
things
to
get
back
to
normal.

Life
must
go
on,
and
part
of
taking
care
of
yourself
and
remaining
healthy
is
taking
care
of
your
personal
hygiene.
Omitting
this
critical
but
mundane
everyday
part
of
your
routine
could
lead
to
disaster
in
the
form
of
disease,
infection
and
general
ill
health.

Not
to
mention,
failing
to
take
care
of
yourself
means
you’re
going
to
stink,
stink,

stink
and
drive
the
people
around
you
positively
crazy,
damaging
morale.

Go
back
to
basics
here
on
these
items.
Soap,
deodorant,
toothbrush,
toothpaste,
body
powder
and
any
needed
feminine
hygiene
items
for
ladies
in
the
family
should
do
it.

Toilet
Paper

I
think
everybody
learned
painfully
just
how
desirable
toilet
paper
will
become
in
the
middle
of
a
major
event.
Although
it
is
not
strictly
necessary
to
survival,
it
is
far
more
comfortable
and
more
hygienic
than
using

other
options
to
clean
your
behind
after
going
number
two.

Also,
we
should
not
discount
the
value
of
normalcy
in
trying
times,
and
the
fewer
culture
shock
things
that
you
and
your
family
have
to
deal
with
under
the
circumstances
the
better
off
you
will
be
emotionally.

Pretty
much
any
type
or
brand
of
TP
will
do
here,
but
by
all
means
grab
your
favorite
if
it
is
still
available.

Do
consider,
however,
that
toilet
paper
packages
are
large
and
bulky
and
will
gobble
up
significant
room
in
your
cart
and
you
shouldn’t
overload
on
toilet
paper
at
the
expense
of
having
to
make
two
trips
into
the
store
for
the
remainder
of
your
supplies
or
being
forced
to
drag
two
carts
around,
slowing
you
down.

One
more
thing,
I
highly
recommend
you
grab
an
extra
large
package
or
two
of
baby
wipes
while
you
are
in
the
toilet
paper
aisle.

These
moist
wipes
will
help
you
stay
extra
clean
without
the
benefit
of
water
and
you
can
also
use
them
for
impromptu
sponge
baths
when
you
need
to
freshen
up,
saving
you
even
more
water.

Duct
Tape

Duct
tape
is

a
prepper’s
best
friend,
and
that’s
no
joke,
though
you
have
likely
heard
all
of
the
gags
made
about
this
wondrously
sticky
tape
over
the
years.

As
the
saying
goes,

if
it
moves
and
it
shouldn’t,
use
duct
tape.
Duct
tape
has
only
achieved
meme-tier
status
as
a
readiness
item
because
it
lives
up
to
the
hype,
and
has
innumerable
uses
for
repairs,
improvised
construction
and
even
first
aid.

You
can
use
duct
tape
for
repairing
a
hole
in
your
roof,
splinting
a
broken
limb,
crafting
and
improvised
spear,
repairing
damaged
car
body
work
and
so
much
more.
The
only
problem
you’ll
ever
have
out
of
duct
tape
is
that
you
run
out
of
it
and
I’m
not
happy
unless
I
have
three,
full
rolls
on
hand
at
all
times.

One
more
thing,
the
high-end
so-called
“boutique”
brands
of
duct
tape
are
actually
worth
the
money
owing
to
greatly
improved
adhesive
qualities
and
a
far
stronger
woven
fiber
backing.

As
emergency
supplies,
they
are
definitely
worth
the
money
if
you
can
find
them.
Gorilla-brand
duct
tape
and
T-Rex
tape
are
two
you
should
consider.

Charcoal

It
is
hard
to
overstate
just
how
much
society
can
be
tossed,
turned
and
flipped
upside
down
during
a
major
event,
be
it
natural
or
man-made.

Suffice
it
to
say
you
won’t
be
able
to
depend
on
typical
public
utilities,
particularly
electricity,
and
it
is
far
from
out
of
the
question
that
even
natural
gas
supplies
could
be
cut
or
disrupted.

That
means
if
you
want
to
cook,
you’ll
need
to
have
self-contained
ready
to
go
methods
for
doing
so.
One
of
the
best
is
an
outdoor
grill,
weather
permitting.

Charcoal
is
one
of
those
essential
elements
for
a
good
time
summer
barbecue,
but
it
also
works
as
a
vital
fuel
for
your
backyard
grill.

You
might
not
be
a
fan
of
charcoal
compared
to
propane
when
it
comes
time
to
grill,
but
charcoal
has
an
advantage
and
it
can
be
used
without
a
grill
at
all.
By
digging
a
pit,
placing
a
few
bricks
and
laying
a
great
over
them
you
can
improvise
a
highly
effective
surface
for
cooking.

Grab
a
big
bag
and
call
it
good.

Fire
Extinguisher

Out
of
all
the
possible
disasters
that
could
be
for
you,
the
most
cataclysmic
on
a
personal
level
is
usually
the
loss
of
your
home.

The
total
loss
of
your
home
due
to
disaster
is
comparatively
rare
unless
it
catches
fire,
in
which
case
the
loss
of
your
home
is
all
but
certain
if
you
cannot
put
it
out
at
the
instant.

Considering
the
outbreak
of
fires
is
highly
likely
in
all
kinds
of
disasters
you
must
be
prepared
with
a
fire
extinguisher.

Only
a
modern
fire
extinguisher
has
the
reliability
and
speed
of
use
to
ensure
you
can
put
out
an
incidental
fire
before
it
turns
into
an
out-of-control
blaze
that
will
consume
your
home
and
everything
in
it,
including
all
of
your
survival
supplies
but
hopefully
not
your
loved
ones.

Grab
an
ABC-rated
fire
extinguisher
as
that
will
handle
any
typical
household
fire
not
involving
flammable
metals
and
get
the
biggest
one
that
you
and
your
partner
can
handle
easily.

Trash
Bags

In
a
long-term
survival
situation,
one
of
your
biggest
ongoing
problems
will
be
the
generation
of
trash
and
other
waste.

Garbage
is
a
problem,
mostly
because
it
will
accumulate
and
create
a
significant
health
hazard,
especially
biohazardous
waste
like
food
scraps,
used
bandages,
human
waste
and
so
forth.

Naturally,
you
want
it
bagged
up
and
sequestered
from
your
living
area
at
the
minimum
even
though
the
trash
collection
service
is
probably
out
of
commission.

But
beyond
their
mundane
utility,
trash
bags
have
many
other
survival
purposes.
They
may
be
easily
cut
open
and
worn
as
a
poncho
to
help
protect
against
rain,
used
as
a
water
resistant
patch
or
covering
and
even
employed
as
rain
catchers
so
long
as
they
are
clean.

You
can’t
beat
the
multipurpose
utility
of
modern
trash
bags,
but
strength
is
everything
in
this
matter.
I
highly
recommend
you
invest
in
the
heavy
duty,
tough
contractor
bags
in
the
55
gallon
size.
This
will
give
you
maximum
versatility
while
still
allowing
you
to
use
them
for
trash
day
purposes.

Ammo

If
you
rely
on
a
firearm
for
self-defense,
it
isn’t
going
to
do
you
much
good
if
any
without
ammunition
to
feed
it.

Ammo
is
one
of
those
things
that
dries
up
immediately
in
times
of
trouble,
and
most
of
the
people
who
want
it
the
most
are
extraordinarily
keen
to
any
sign
or
with
of
trouble
on
the
wind.

That
means
more
than
most
items
on
this
list
you
might
find
the
sporting
goods
counter
cleared
out
of
ammunition
upon
arrival.

Under
the
circumstances,
don’t
get
too
wrapped
around
the
axle
about
projectile,
load
or
anything
else.
Most
over-the-counter
ammunition,
even
the
low
quality
stuff,
is
likely
reliable
enough
in
your
firearm
if
you
own
a
high
quality
gun.

By
all
means
you
should
procure
the
good
stuff
if
you
can,
or
your
firearms
preferred
load,
but
beggars
cannot
be
choosers
when
you
are
trying
to
hoover
up
some
ammo
with
seconds
to
go
on
the
clock.

Meds

Various
medications
are
another
item
that
will
disappear
in
a
hurry
once
there
is
a
major
spike
in
immediate
demand
for
them.

Pain
relievers,
anti-nausea
meds,
antihistamines
and
all
associated
over
the
counter
items
will
be
hotly
coveted
in
any
kind
of
disaster
scenario,
and
you
can
expect
them
to
fly
off
store
shelves
so
make
sure
you
swoop
by
the
pharmacy
section
and
grab
some
of
the
usual
suspects.

Also
consider
grabbing
antibiotic
appointments
or
antiseptic
wipes
for
wound
treatment.

If
you
are
able,
top
off
any
prescription
meds
that
you
and
your
family
require.
Depending
on
the
status
of
your
prescription,
this
may
or
may
not
be
possible.
This
is
one
of
the
chief
failure
points
of
any
prepping
plant,
and
another
good
reason
why
you
should
have
an
abundance
of
your
meds
on
hand,
just
in
case.

If,
for
whatever
reason,
you
desperately
need
meds
from
the
pharmacy
but
they
cannot
be
obtained
for
lack
of
personnel
or
problems
with
prescription
fulfillment,
do
what
you
need
to
do.

Rubbing
Alcohol

Rubbing
alcohol
is
yet
another
vital,
multipurpose
component
for
any
well-rounded
prepper
stash.
Its
most
obvious
use
is
as
a
topical
disinfectant
for
the
treatment
of
minor
wounds,
a
usage
that
it
excels
at.
If
it
has
ever
been
used
on
your
wounds
before
you
already
know
how
badly
it
burns.
Nonetheless,
it
is
indispensable
for
the
task.

But
rubbing
alcohol
has
other
uses,
including
a
topical
disinfectant
or
sterilization
solution
for
medical
implements
and
it
can
even
be
used
as
a
hot
burning
fuel
for
an
alcohol
stove
or
as
a
fire
starter
for
stubborn,
difficult
to
light
wood.

Rubbing
alcohol
is
something
that
is
regularly
taken
for
granted,
and
is
not
often
high
up
on
people’s
survival
checklist
of
supplies
but
nonetheless
you
should
grab
this
when
you
swoop
through
the
pharmacy
area
for
other
things.

Bandages

You
probably
already
know
that
you
will
be
the
only
person
you
can
count
on
for
the
duration
of
the
event.

Anything
that
sends
you
and
the
rest
of
society
scrambling
for
supplies
is
probably
going
to
be
pretty
bad,
and
that
means
that
medical
help
from
any
source
will
be
sporadically
available
at
best,
and
will
most
likely
be
in
full
triage
mode
and
busy
elsewhere.

You
must
be
prepared
to
take
care
of
business
if
you
or
someone
you
love
gets
injured,
and
that
means
you’re
going
to
need
bandages
and
lots
of
them.

Rolled
gauze,
gauze
pads,
hemostatic
gauze
and
even
common
Band-Aids
will
come
in
handy.
You’ll
need
to
be
prepared
for
dealing
with
minor
wounds
and
major
penetrating
or
lacerating
trauma.
You
don’t
need
me
to
tell
you
that
any
disaster
can
inflict
a
terrible
toll
on
the
human
body.

Keep
in
mind
that
initial
treatment
of
an
injury
is
one
thing
but
sustained
treatment
includes
the
changing
of
bandages
and
that
means
you’ll
go
through
a
lot
more
than
you
think
in
a
very
short
period
of
time.
Grab
as
much
as
you
can
when
you
breeze
through
the
pharmacy
section.

Gasoline

Gasoline
is
another
product
that
will
dry
up
with
frightening
rapidity
once
disaster
strikes.
It
is
a
funny
thing.

Most
people
believe
that
gasoline
is
extremely
plentiful
throughout
their
town,
probably
because
they
imagine
a
veritable
ocean
of
gas
in
those
giant
tanks
beneath
every
gas
station.

Little
does
the
average
consumer
suspect
that
gas
stations
are
entirely
dependent
on
regular
deliveries
from
tanker
trucks
to
keep
those
storage
tanks
topped
off.

To
make
matters
worse,
most
gas
stations
only
function
when
there
is
electric
power
to
operate
the
pumps.
Cut
the
power,
no
more
fuel,
or
at
least
no
more
easy
access
to
the
fuel
in
those
tanks.

If
you
are
wise,
you
will
keep
your
vehicles
filled
up
but
regardless
make
it
a
point
to
fill
up
your
vehicle
as
soon
as
practicable
once
disaster
appears
on
the
horizon.

Keep
in
mind
that
might
be
your
last
fill
up
for
some
time
depending
on
the
event.
Once
the
logistical
gears
that
ensure
the
production
and
delivery
of
gasoline
grind
to
a
halt,
it
will
become
quite
scarce
indeed.

If
you
are
able,
snag
a
couple
of
approved
gas
cans
from
the
store
and
fill
them
up
on
the
way
out
once
you
are
heading
back
home.

Propane

Propane
is
another
precious
liquid
fuel
that
will
disappear
seemingly
overnight
once
the
s***
hits
the
fan.

Propane
is
typically
used
for
operating
gas
grills
in
America,
at
least
at
the
consumer
level,
but
it
also
sees
significant
use
for
running
certain
types
of
vehicles
and
also
for
operating
appliances
like
radiant
heaters
and
even
certain
tools.

Compared
to
gasoline,
propane
also
has
huge
advantages
when
it
comes
to
storage
life,
and
it
basically
does
not
wear
out
with
its
shelf
life
being
in
excess
of
30
years.

Even
if
you
don’t
rely
on
propane
for
grilling
it
could
come
in
handy
for
operating
a
heater
if
you
live
in
a
colder
environment.

Even
if
you
don’t
need
it
for
cooking
or
heating,
there
are
plenty
of
other
people
who
will
and
that
can
make
a
full
propane
cylinder
a
valuable
chip
for
bartering.

However,
compared
to
most
other
items
on
this
list
propane
could
be
difficult
to
get
in
a
crisis
situation
because
large
cylinders
are
invariably
locked
up
to
prevent
theft
and
other
mishaps.

If
you
are
able
to
get
one
quickly
and
easily,
do
so,
but
if
not
swing
by
the
sporting
goods
section
and
grab
the
smaller
camping
cylinders
off
the
shelf
as
they
will
work
for
the
same
purposes
with
a
common
adapter.

Batteries

There
are
innumerable
devices
around
our
homes
that
operate
on
batteries,
and
many
survival-centric
pieces
of
gear
that
depend
on
them
also.

Most
notably
flashlights,
headlamps,
electric
lanterns,
walkie-talkies
and
emergency
alert
radios
all
depend
on
primary
cells
for
power.

That
means
you’ll
be
depending
on
batteries
for
at
least
some
of
your
survival
gear
and
you
need
to
grab
them
while
they
last
because
they’ll
be
going
quick,
I
promise.

The
battery
rack
is
usually
chronically
under-stocked
in
the
best
of
times,
and
you
better
believe
it’ll
be
picked
clean
like
a
carcass
on
the
side
of
the
road
by
the
time
you
get
there
if
you
don’t
hustle.
If
you
are
able
to
consolidate
battery
sizes
and
types
ahead
of
time,
you’ll
have
an
easier
time
getting
what
you
need.

You
should
also
consider
specialty
batteries
for
hearing
aids
or
other
small
devices.
Picking
these
tiny,
nearly
identical
batteries
out
of
a
lineup
when
the
pressure
is
on
and
you’re
in
a
rush
is
quite
difficult,
so
be
prepared
if
you
or
someone
you
love
depends
on
them
for
day-to-day
life.

Cash

You
better
believe
cash
is
on
this
list.
Cold,
hard
cash
will
be
a
reliable
method
for
taking
care
of
transactions
in
the
aftermath
of
a
major
event.

All
modern
forms
of
payment,
including
credit
cards,
debit
cards,
check,
ePay,
and
everything
else
are
entirely
dependent
on
incredibly
intricate
and
interconnected
information
on
networks,
networks
that
are
utterly
reliant
on
electricity
to
operate.
One
outage
here,
another
there
and
the
whole
thing
goes
offline.

Trust
me,
even
when
the
chips
are
down
money
talks,
and
a
wad
of
hard
cash
might
be
just
the
thing
to
get
you
the
crucial
favor
you
need
to
improve
your
situation
or
get
out
of
dodge.

Naturally,
plenty
of
other
people
will
be
thinking
the
same
thing
you
are
and
there
will
definitely
be
a
run
on
ATMs.
It
is
worth
a
try,
but
you
might
consider
ducking
into
your
bank
to
make
a
rapid
withdrawal
before
things
get
too
hairy.

Baby
Supplies

Parents
who
have
little
ones
hardly
need
to
be
reminded
but
they
have
needs
all
their
own,
but
for
everyone
else,
you
might
consider
grabbing
some
baby
supplies
on
your
mad
dash
through
the
store
if
a
relative
or
a
neighbor
has
a
little
one
that
they
take
care
of,
as
they
might
not
have
been
in
a
position
to
get
everything
required
in
a
timely
fashion.

Baby
food,
diapers,
wet
wipes,
rash
cream
and
all
of
that
make
a
huge
difference
in
babies’
well-being
and
parents’
sanity.

Now,
if
you
don’t
have
a
baby
or
know
anyone
in
your
immediate
circle
who
does
leave
this
stuff
behind
for
the
parents
who
definitely
will
need
it
as
it,
like
everything
else,
will
dry
up
all
too
quickly.

Conclusion

Grabbing
critical
survival
supplies
when
it
is
minutes
to
midnight
should
not
be
anyone’s
Plan
A
response
to
impending
disaster,
but
sometimes
life
throws
you
a
curveball
that
you
have
to
react
to
as
you
are,
not
how
you
wish
you
were.

But
with
a
cool
head
and
a
clear
understanding
of
what
you
need,
if
you
act
quickly
and
get
to
stores
fast
you
stand
a
good
chance
of
grabbing
everything
you
need
in
one
mad
minute
dash
through
the
store.

Let
the
list
above
inform
your
route
and
what
you
put
into
your
shopping
cart
before
it
is
too
late!