Low to no cost preps one should start?

[Vodin]

Buy an extra food item at the grocery store. Place it in a cool dark area (Basement/Closet//Under Bed) start up a storage supply. If your short on money even the little things build up example can of beans the price on it is higher than it has been in the past but it will only go higher in the future.

For more ideas let us know what type of environment do you currently live in. House, Apartment, Suburb, City, Stix etc. Not asking you for a detailed location just the general outline so more info can be offered to you and others that are in a similar situation.

[Katrina]

If you have friends or family that have stayed at hotels and took those little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap home with them and are just stuck in a drawer somewhere in their house. Ask them for it and store it. Duh Hubs and I have family and a couple of friends that travel for their jobs and had a ton of that stuff hanging around. I asked them for it and have it in my storage in a couple of small totes. I think we have enough to keep clean for at least a year. LOL It's free and you'd be doing them a favor getting rid of it for them.
Oh forgot, check out the Goodwill and thrift stores. Someone donated a bunch of that stuff to mine and for a couple of dollars I got it all and added to the preps.

[Vodin]

Thanks for that mental note Katrina. When / If you goto fast food shops pick up a few extra packets of condiments.

[LoganSmith]

One thing I do is pick up 4-5 canned goods every time I'm at the grocery store. I prefer to shop at Publix, so whenever I see canned goods on sale (2 for $1, buy one get one, etc.) I ensure I toss a couple in my cart. It's an easy way to keep building up supplies in no time.

I also always make sure I have a decent amount of rice and beans on hand. It may not be tasty, but it sure can pull me through. Also, I've relied on these when times were rough, as there was a 5 week period where all I ate was rice, beans and ramen noodles. I was living on about $3 a week for food, and I made it out the other side just fine and much better financially.

I guess what I'm getting at is: stock up on things as if you may need it if the SHTF, but don't hesitate to crack them open when life gets bumpy. And as I see it, life's fittin' to get a lot bumpier...

[bacpacker]

Picck up some spices you like. Makes beans and rice taste much better. Any kind of food really.

[TEOTWAWKI13]

Places like Publix that do BOGO sales or Kroger that does the 10/$10 sales are a great place to stock up on the cheap. Buy the one, put the free away. Buy 10 put 5 away, etc. This doesn't take long and it really doesn't cost all that much to prepare. Grow your own good. Instead of planting flowers, plant beans or potatoes, etc. A flower bed can become a potato bet.

[4suchatimeasthis]

I store a lot of flavorless things like white rice, beans, and pasta. But, I have found that if I toss a few bouillon cubes into the water (especially with the rice, since it absorbs all of the flavored water), and give a few shakes of garlic powder, and maybe some Italian seasonings, it drastically improves the taste. Sams Club has those huge spice containers, I like the cinnamon, garlic powder, taco seasoning, lemon pepper, etc and they sell the bouillon cubes in those large containers as well.

[momabear]

canning , freezing , and drying wild food . Thats almost free , to use for food or meds and teas .. just can wild greens with fat or meat , i cook them down to get more in . You can add the dried greens to soup or stew for x-tra vitamins...

[momabear]

save money no for more preps and store the ingredients for prep , mine is easy as pie . ok get 3 gal of h2o one hot put one in a pot and one cold , in the pot bring h2o to a boil add 1 cup sugar baking soda wash powers 1 cup borax 1/3 bar of fels-naptha and 1 10th zote soap cook until dissolved put 1 gal hot h2o in a 5 gal bucket add soap h2o with wood spoon mix good then add gal cold h2o and poor in 3 old wash soap jugs with tops let set 24 hr and use 1 cup per load it cost me .50 cent per gal hope this helps you guys out

[momabear]

O.K. this is not so much a cheap thing but it can do so much stuff I think it is a must have , A big cast iron pot , to boil wash in for canning , to boil h2o in to make safe to drink , etc. just think about the things you can use it for and it will last for ever ..