Why it matters
You don’t need to buy it all at once. The guides list a lot of good things, but most of them can wait.
Start with water and food, then add other items over time as your budget allows.• Every item in your checklist shows where it fits: Now, Bit by bit or When you can.
The ladder
Ask these questions in order. Stop at the first yes.
- Could someone in your home be hurt without it in the first few days? Get it now. Water, food, medications, a flashlight, and anything a baby, an elder or a pet depends on.
- Do you already have it, or something that does the same job? Mark it have. No purchase needed.
- Is it free? Do it now. Writing the family plan, saving maps offline and learning the safe heat rules cost nothing.
- Does it get used up or need rotating? Add it bit by bit. One or two each time you shop.
- Everything else waits until when you can: comfort items, bigger one-off purchases and long-term projects.
The short version: protect people first, use what you have, then spread the rest out.
Examples
| Item | Pace | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stored water | Now | Someone could be hurt without it |
| Manual can opener | Now | Your food depends on it |
| Meeting places | Now | Free: just agree on them |
| Hand sanitizer and masks | Bit by bit | Used up, so add some each time you shop |
| Games and puzzle books | When you can | Check home first; they’re for comfort |
| Power station | When you can | A bigger purchase to save for |
| Container garden | When you can | A long-term project |
Look around your home first
Before you shop, check what you already have. Spare phone chargers, bandages for a first aid kit, and the warm clothes at the back of the closet all count.• So do canned food, granola bars and clean water containers.•
Spend a little at a time
A few tips for building a kit on a budget.•
- One or two items at a time. Spread your purchases over weeks or months, and shop the sales.
- Multi-use items first. Things that help every day and in an emergency, like a power bank, are never wasted.
- Share the cost. Split bulk buys with family or neighbours, or build a shared kit for your building.
Used gear is fine as long as it works. Dollar stores, thrift stores and garage sales are good places to look for flashlights, radios and a spare bag.•
One place where spending a little more pays off: good quality batteries with a longer shelf life, or rechargeables you can use again.•
As you read the guides
Keep the ladder in mind as you read the guides. Each one suggests things to get, and none of them expects you to get it all at once.
You don’t need a full kit to begin. Start with a case of water.
Sources (2)
- Get prepared for emergencies on a budget, Government of British Columbia
- Build an emergency kit on a budget, Canadian Red Cross