Best Budget Preps You’ve Actually Used?

[AquaFern1028]

Curious about the best low-cost preps you’ve actually put to use, not just stocked and forgotten. For me, a Berkey water filter knockoff and my Food Saver have paid for themselves many times over. Hard as it is to resist fancy gear, the basics seem to get the most real-world action. What frugal purchases have really pulled their weight for you? Any underrated tools or supplies you’d recommend?

 

[OrbitJazz21]

Funny enough, dollar store tarps and some cheap paracord have saved my gear (and my sanity) more times than any of the pricey stuff. Used 'em for rain catchment, makeshift shelters, even a blackout curtain once when the power was out. Those solar garden lights you stick in the ground—super handy inside during outages, way cheaper than fancy

 

[ChamomileCraze]

Hard as it is to resist fancy gear, the basics seem to get the most real-world action. What frugal purchases have really pulled their weight for you?

Couldn’t agree more—fancy gadgets mostly gather dust while the basics keep proving their worth. One budget thing I use all the time is plain cotton bandanas. They’re cheap, endlessly useful for first aid, filtering, sun protection, even tying up herbs from the garden. Old glass jars make great storage for dried goodies and medicines too. Simple things really do get the most use when life throws a curveball.