How to Build a Family Emergency Kit on a Budget

We can’t always predict when an emergency is going to happen, but we can prepare ourselves in case one does occur. Having a well-stocked emergency kit is one of the best things you can do to help prepare your family, whether you’re going to hunker down at home or evacuate.

Starting a new emergency kit from scratch can be expensive, though. How can you build an emergency kit without breaking the bank?

Stock Up on The Basics

First, what do you need for an effective emergency kit? According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, you need the following for a basic emergency kit:

Food — Enough food to feed each person in your family for a minimum of 72 hours.
Water — You’ll need about one gallon of water per family member, per day. Plan for about half of that water to be drinking water and the second half to be used for bathing, washing and other hygiene-related needs.
Ways to Stay Connected — Battery-powered or crank radios, cell phones and other forms of communication help you stay connected to family members and first responders during an emergency. Make sure you also bring chargers and extra batteries for these devices.
Light — Flashlights, lanterns and extra batteries or fuel.
Tools — If you have to evacuate, having a basic toolkit to turn off your utilities (water, gas, and electricity) and to execute basic repairs if you get stuck on the road can be invaluable.
Maps — It may sound old school, but if cell towers go down, you might not be able to use your phone to navigate. Keep an atlas or at least some local maps with your emergency kit.
Medications — Make sure you have filled prescriptions for any necessary medications before an emergency. In some states, you can get an extra 30-day prescription if a state of emergency is declared.
First Aid — Keep a well-stocked first aid kit, both in your home and in your emergency kit, for any minor injuries. You don’t need to be a paramedic or have an ambulance-quality kit. It’s likely that you’ll be able to survive with the basics until you can get medical attention if necessary.

Keep your emergency kit up-to-date — be aware of expiration dates on things like canned food and over-the-counter medications and replace them as needed.

Prepping on a Budget

How do you pull all of this stuff together to prepare for the possibility of a disaster?

Be patient and watch for sales and price drops. Prices are changing all the time, so if you see something that you want to add to your emergency kit that is currently too expensive for your budget, wait a few weeks and come back to it. The price may have dropped, allowing you to add the item to your kit while still staying within your pre-set spending limits.

For food and other items, watch for sales at your local grocery stores. Some stores will hold bulk sales once a month or once every few months. You can get canned goods for as little as $0.70 each with some of these sales. Consider buying in bulk at wholesale retailers or online from restaurant warehouses.

For big-ticket items like generators and other equipment, you can keep an eye out for Black Friday sales. They’re a nightmare if you’re trying to get electronics, but if you’re looking for a generator or other heavy equipment, it can save you a few hundred dollars on the overall price tag.

Preparing for an emergency isn’t an option — it’s a necessity, especially if you live in a disaster-prone area. Take some time to build a good emergency kit — and an evacuation kit to keep in your car as well.