It might be a good time to have cash on hand.

[sweetapogee]

22. semi-prepper here...

there is a lot that could be said about this subject, too much for a brief post. The overall idea is to have the resources to sustain basic functions for 6-12 months. In an emergency, that is how much time it would probably take for things to stabilize.

In general terms, and I will probably leave some things out, but what is needed is shelter, food, water, barter items, self-defense and transportation. It ranges from shelf stable foods and some amount of currency, a safe place to stay, communication, lighting, heat and cooking sources, food/water, fuel, tools and repair supplies and an overall plan if things go sideways.

I always say this to people I know who ask, the absolute best thing we can do to prepare for an event like this is to get rid of debt, consumer debt in particular. While not practical for many, living in a paid for home in a rural area with acreage is one of our biggest assets. We occasionally do a dry run where we kill the electricity for a few days and practice managing our place under those conditions. It is a commitment. It took us about 2 years to gather up all the stuff we think would be most useful to have.