from my point of view with seven years of financial industry experience.  They are, in a sense, my opinion and should not be viewed as legal or financial advice.  My solutions do not fit every situation, so I highly recommend anyone facing money troubles should seek a qualified financial advisor or counselor before acting.  Again, Dave Ramsey's team of financial coaches is the only place I personally would seek out such help for myself. About The Author I am a 30 something prepper who grew up in a very rural area in Eastern Washington where we were taught how to garden, hunt, fish and even to can our own food (Yes! Families such as mine DO still exist!). Even then my prepping tendencies were showing as I was always the oddball who had a two page-packing list to go camping and who had her first car packed to the brim with survival gear. I've spent 4 years in the local Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Group where I learned a variety of wilderness survival skills, radio skills, first aid techniques, and a little bit about law enforcement protocol. After college I worked for a financial institution for 7 years, and currently commute to work full time for a manufacturing firm in the city all the while still taking care of the farmstead. I also write for our local paper about self-sufficient ways of living, and am an amateur photographer. I am proud to call myself a prepper and strive everyday