Don’t Wait to Homeless Prep
Tags: Homelessness, Homelessprepping, Homeless

“Well, I think things are going to turn around once Biden is president. I’ll get my job back, and it’ll be okay. This pandemic won’t go on forever. Things are going to get back to normal this year.”

NO. THEY. WON’T.

People who believe that the economy is going to turn around, stores and malls and schools will open, and things will “get back to normal” are living in a fool’s paradise. The Jews said the same thing right before being shuffled off to the death camps. Why? Because, like most of us, they kept their heads buried in the sand, preferring NOT to seek out more information about the rumors they were hearing. It was “too unbelievable.” There was no shortage of media or Jewish newspapers in prewar Germany. But not one paper reviewed Hitler’s book Mein Kampf. They didn’t want to ‘waste time with such nonsense,’ one scholar says, though some Christians went to town on it. But we know how that worked out. The thousands of Jews who got out of Poland, and Germany, and neighboring countries researched, learned, and quickly and quietly left while they could. Those that couldn’t leave learned to live in plain sight, pretending to be German. Will it get that bad in the US? Yes. The Bible has predicted it for more than 2,000 years. And history repeats itself. It may not be this year or next year, but it’s coming and unless you’re one of the fortunate millionaires with land and no worries, it’s wise to start thinking now about how YOU are going to escape.

Just as the mainstream media deliberately ignores Joe Biden’s fraud and the crimes of the DNC, no one believes the truth when the sugar coating is doing such a great job of what’s about to happen in America. In short, as many small businesses as possible will be destroyed through lockdowns, shutdowns, and various other “controls.” People will then be forced to rely on government checks and “help” — making them easier to control because their checks will be cut off if they don’t comply. No, it’s not a conspiracy theory, it’s a conspiracy FACT. But I’m not here to debate or argue politics. I’m here to make sure YOU and your family are able to weather the coming storm.

Unemployment is at about 6.9 % right now, as of December 16, 2020. It’s not tragic, but it’s only going to get worse. Unless evictions are stayed or extended in January, millions of people will become homeless. Some will move in with friends and family, but others will end up on the street, in hotels, or living in their veheciles. Where will you go if you’re evicted? And evicted in winter no less!

IF a Biden/Harris presidency happens, the first thing the two have said they’ll do is to stop the national oil and gas industry, making us dependent on China and the Arab nations, and paying closer to $8–9 a GALLON for gas. We’ve been enjoying $2.00-$2.50 a gallon gas because we’re oil independent from the rest of the world. That all ends when Biden sells us out to the Chinese even more than he has already done. The American Petrodollar will be crap, and our economy will crash. The Depression we’ll experience will be much worse than that of the 1930s.

I could list a scenario of what will happen, but again, let’s accept that it’s going to happen, and look at what that means to you. First of all, not everyone will survive. Many will commit suicide, turn to crime, drugs, alcohol, or freak out. Don’t let that be you. Many will starve to death. Millions around the world already are. America is not immune to such a fate. How can you avoid that?

PREPARE. PREP. PLAN.

I’m not selling you disaster preparedness foods. I’m not selling you a book. There are too many others doing that right now. You have little or no money and need information. So, here you are. Read and learn.

You may already be homeless. You may have just lost a six-figure income and you’re burning through your savings right now, hoping to downsize or save yourself. WHERE you are doesn’t matter nearly as much as WHO you are, and HOW you can prepare yourself for homelessness. Even if you never lose your house or home, I can guarantee you know others who will. So, how are you going to prep? These are the top five things you need to prepare for:

- FOOD

- SHELTER

- CLOTHING and CAMPING GEAR

- WATER

- INCOME

FOOD

Food prep is great…The thing is, with all that food you have to either store it, cache it in the woods, or find some way to store it until you need it. IF you’re homeless, that’s going to be hard, unless you have a vehicle or storage unit where you can keep it. And then, you have to protect it. So, look at your situation. Do you own land or know someone who does? Are you near any Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land? Do you have a car, van, or RV? I keep hammering that point home in my posts because a working vehicle is the best prepping you can do for being homeless. A car gives you security, warmth, a place to sleep, transportation, and a place to store your stuff. If you’re alone, get a dog. If you have a family, trade-in what you have for the best van you can afford that will accommodate your family. Some people buy used school buses and do amazing things with them. Do your research. Then buy what you can afford, while you can afford it.

If you haven’t already done so, get online and start learning about long-term food storage. Learn to love beans and rice. They’re easy to fix, store, and have tremendous nutritional value. Only store what you and your family will eat or currently eat. It makes it easier to rotate the food and to ensure you’ll eat it when needed. I keep a few weeks worth of canned soups on hand, along with beans and rice. How much you want to prep, and how much you can afford to spend is up to you. I urge you not to stockpile more than you can carry in a vehicle or cache somewhere safe.

- SHELTER

If you lose your home, apartment, or whatever, you’re going to need shelter somewhere. Thinking you can just go to a homeless shelter is a joke. One, there’s an insane waiting list. Two, they’re generally not safe, and Three, the longest you can stay at one is about 30 days max.

Land is the very best thing you can buy, but it’s hard to find small, affordable lots near water and woods for hunting, fishing, no restrictive zoning, and the ability to raise livestock — even if it’s just chickens.

An RV or van, travel trailer, anything you can convert to “housing” is your next best option. Don’t worry about being a carpenter. With YouTube and about $300 or less in tools, you can build out the inside yourself. There are dozens of how-to videos and articles online:

Great article:

https://thedyrt.com/magazine/lifestyle/build-ultimate-car-camping-rig/

https://www.mytravelbf.com/how-to-do-a-car-to-camper-conversion-for-any-car/

Google “convert my car to a camper” and start reading. Look on YouTube for how-to videos as well. All you really need are some plastic bins to hold your stuff (clothes, food, gear) and a comfortable mattress. Depending on the size of your current mattress and vehicle, you can usually fit up to a full or queen size mattress into most SUVs, vans, or trucks. If you have a smaller car, considering buying foam rubber at a foam rubber outlet mall and having them custom cut and fit it. I paid about $75 for my van mattress and it’s awesome! If you can sew, or do upholstery, all the better. Make your own covers, and sell your sewing skills to others. Many people buy those plastic shelving units and combine them with zip ties to make a sleeping platform. If you go this route, buy shelving with openings in the shelf to allow air to circulate so you avoid mold and mildew on your mattress. Cover your mattress in a water-resistant cloth as well.

Sleeping platform made from shelving units

- CLOTHING and CAMPING GEAR

If you become homeless in the winter, seriously consider moving to a water region. It’s hard to stay healthy or comfortable in a vehicle in the winter unless you install a fireplace or heat source, and even then, it can be dangerous. Dress for the weather with camping gear designed to keep you warm. Dress in layers. You can often find great camping clothing at Goodwill and thrift stores -especially those around ski and resort areas. Keep your feet warm with wool socks and your head warm with a wool knit cap. Invest in a good sleeping bag rated for at least 20 degrees BELOW the lowest you expect it to get. So, if it regularly hits 0-degrees Fahrenheit where you are, get a sleeping bag rated to MINUS 20-degrees. You’ll need a closed-cell foam pad (Reflectix will do, and a roll will cover your windows and provide a pad as well. Put it under your sleeping bag.

- WATER

When it’s readily available from a tap we take it for granted. When we’re living in our cars, it’s a different story. Store water for drinking, bathing, and cooking. I use 5-gallon jerry cans and fill them up in public parks, gas stations, etc. I also buy the water jugs at Walmart and fill them up there for a few bucks. There are dozens of alternatives on Amazon, like the “water bricks” which let you stack the water for travel. Empty milk jugs etc. work too, but get sturdy ones as they can rupture during travel and wet down everything in the vehicle. IF you store fuel in similar jugs, don’t use them for food or water. Label them all clearly with a Sharpie or permanent marker.

- INCOME

You need to make money whether you’re housed or not. Find a way to support yourself with your own small business rather than depending on an employer. I am a self-employed freelancer but I have three part-time jobs I got through Craigslist as well. Diversify your income sources so that if you lose one, you still have money coming in. Don’t be picky. It’s money. You can quit a low-paying job when you find a higher paying job. What’s important is to have income coming in. Save it. Put it in a bank you trust, and keep cash on hand as well as on prepaid cards for gas, etc. If you are evicted and have legal issues creditors will seize any money they can from your bank and savings accounts with no warning. They can continue to seize money whenever it is deposited. Go to PayPal, Venmo, or prepaid debit cards while you can. Do NOT connect them to a bank. These alternatives will send you a debit card you can use to access your money after about 60–90 days.

Consider selling as much of your stuff as possible before the market is flooded with used furniture etc. You can replace it later. If you can downsize and simply cut your rent in half by moving to a less expensive apartment or house, do it.

Apply for Unemployment insurance and other benefits while you can. Food stamps, food pantries, Dollar Store food…are all good food sources that will let you use your money for vehicles, maintenance, or land. Learn all you can NOW about what resources and benefits there are.

Unusual ways to make money, find housing. I know of a young guy, in his late twenties, who volunteered at a local fire and rescue squad after losing his job in tech. The squad was happy to get an IT guy. He was single and used the firehouse bunks provided to sleep (while working shifts), eat, and shower. You’ll need to pass a background check and actually work when the bells go off, but it’s a job, and you can get training (free usually) to help you find work at your local hospital.

Join the military. Women, having children isn’t a deterrent. Consider becoming a National Guard Reservist too. Again, housing, healthcare and food plus a paycheck.

I know some of you are laughing at the thought of having enough money for McDonald's, let alone a van, RV, or land. For many of those I’ve talked to, they’re still in a position with good credit, to get those things. You CAN sell everything you own (you’re going to lose if all when you’re evicted anyway) and use that money to buy a used vehicle you can be converting NOW before the price of wood jumps yet again because of Covid.

Keep coming back. Let me know what questions you have about preparing to become homeless.