And that's true, trying to buy this stuff in a lump sum would be extraordinarily expensive. But you have some level of most of these things in your home already. A quick home inventory will tell you where you are.
And these are only suggestions and should be modified or at least evaluated on your circumstances.
For me right now in an apartment, the best I can do on the subject of water is what I call Better in the chart. We've just added a backpacking water purifier that will last for about 500 liters. It is really good since it is small and lightweight. That is the best we can do right now. But we can dream big for later.
| Kind | Good | Better | Best | Ultimate |
| Water | 3-14 days stored | 15-30 days stored + small purifier | Long term water purification system | Utility independent water source: spring, well, river, lake, rainwater cachement |
| Food | 3-14 days stored | 3-12 months stored | Small garden + canning supplies + hunting supplies | Permaculture garden or farm |
| Shelter | House or apartment | Tent or camper | RV or family’s house | Secondary residence |
| Energy | Candles, Flashlights, Batteries, UPS, Outdoor Grill | Camp stove, Oil lamps, Car inverter | Generator and fuel. | grid independent alternative energy system (wind, solar, microhydro, &etc.) |
| Financial | Emergency fund | No Credit Card Debt | No debt but Mortgage | Debt Free |
| Communications | AM/FM Radio | Weather radio + FRS/GPRS/MURS 2-ways radios | shortwave radio + CB or Amateur 2-way handheld radios | Amateur Radio with alternative power |
| Medical Training | Basic First Aid | Advanced First Aid | EMT, Nurse | Doctor |
There are other things that I haven't included. Defense is a big one. For some people a baseball bat, mase or Taser might be best given the limitations of their jurisdictions. Other people think a handgun is best and others still an arsenal of one of every calibre rifle with 10,000 rounds of ammunition is best. So you'll have to use your best judgement on that subject.
Then there is a lot of other skills and equipment like car repair, woodworking, metalworking, and so on.
