Yeah, I know that these are difficult times financially for many Americans and folks the world over. I live on a pretty tight budget myself. With basic groceries costing an arm and a leg each month, it’s hard to find the money to set aside to maintain my pantry and buy the preps I want to have. There is a constant temptation to spend less and buy the least expensive item.
However, there are a few things in my preps that I have learned are worth the extra money. Either I was warned by a knowledgable friend, or got lucky, or learned the hard way (aka buy cheap…forced to buy again).
In this article, I am going to share my thoughts on what preps in my collection are worth the extra money. I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts about your own purchases and preps that you feel are worth paying an extra penny for.
Off-Grid Grain Mill
Months before I went off-grid in my first tiny house on wheels, I saved up for a high-quality hand-operated grain mill. At the time, it was a whole lotta dough to buy the mill that would help me make my off-grid dough! I conducted research on what was available and the features I wanted to have. I read reviews. In the end, I spent on a high-end model and never looked back.
The birth of this article came from a recent conversation with a friend. He is an avid prepper himself. I had done a demo for him a while back of my grain mill, using it to grind my own corn into cornmeal before his eyes. Then, I cooked up some corn pones out of the corn meal for us. I could tell he was impressed. Fast forward a year or so, he was telling me that he was looking at a grain mill that he wanted to buy online…for $40. I inwardly winced.
Now, I don’t like to tell folks what to do, especially when they haven’t asked for my advice. I asked him a simple question: Did the mill he was looking at have stone burrs and also steel ones? Turns out both are important to have. Trying to grind my soybeans into flour to add to my Irish Soda Bread became a disaster when my stone burrs got coated in the flour because of the oil content and became ineffective.
I now know that I need to use my steel burrs for grinding certain items, including if I want to make nut butter with them! He just replied that he didn’t know. Call me a sceptic, but I’m just not seeing a long life for a $40 made in you know where grain mill. My own has functioned perfectly for almost a decade. You will have to pry this one out of my cold dead hands, folks. That is how good it is!
Now, I know that this is just my opinion, and peoples’ needs vary, so if you want to compare options, check out this great grain mill buying guide from a company out of Nebraska, who outta know!
Daisy’s recommendations: The Wondermill
Footwear
Quite literally, in an all-out SHFT, your footwear could be your life. If you need to go on the run, do you honestly want to be taping up your shoe with duct tape or dealing with horrifying blisters that could have been avoided?
Many years ago, I didn’t know a good shoe from a hole in the ground. I had a pair of poorly made shoes that I loved that were FAUX patent leather. I tortured a cobbler by bringing them in for repair. At first, he refused, saying that the shoes were garbage. I begged him to glue them together, and he relented, making me promise that I would never bring them back to his shop again.
These days, I wear high-end hiking boots and orthopaedic sandals that have lasted me for years. One high-quality brand has footbeds that I can replace for under $50….and they keep going and going and going. Now, I’m going to admit….the hikers were a gift from a good friend. However, I keep an eye out at ALL thrift shops for a good bargain on high-quality footwear. Despite the fact that I live in a tiny, tiny space, I allow myself some extra pairs of these shoes, boots, and sandals. I know they might come in handy one day.
Knives
Now, if I’m being totally honest, I think it’s good to have a bit of both. But please, don’t be like my mother, using old dull knives with broken handles!
Yes, having some cheaper knives on hand that are more throwaway or that could perhaps be used for trading in a pinch is probably a good idea. I have a few hunting knives like that that I buy when they go on sale for 75% off at the local hardware store. I like to keep a few of these around. However, in my kitchen is a complete set of high quality Wusthof knives, including a cleaver worth over $200 new just on its own. Did I spend big on these? Heck no! I got lucky in a thrift shop one day, after looking for years. You better believe that a few of these knives will be running out the door with me, should I ever need to bug out.
First Aid Kit Items
I’m lucky that I have a cousin who works in home care with the elderly and knows a bit about wound care and nursing. Her best piece of advice was to only buy and keep on hand the highest-quality bandages and first aid items in my own kit. This means that most first aid kits won’t make the cut (ha ha pun intended).
One example is trauma shears. Just take out the ones included in most first aid kits and try to cut something with them, never mind jeans. I don’t cheap out on my first aid kit because it may be needed to save someone’s life. So, yes, I buy separate items like more professional-level trauma shears.
Another example is safety pins. They aren’t very safe if they’re flimsy and bend! I make sure to upgrade to sturdy diaper pins in mine, with the protective covers so I won’t be adding to anyone’s injuries with a flimsy pin.
Another issue with first aid kits is upkeep. Things expire! Particularly, I find that all those little foil-wrapped goodies go dry over time. More than once, I have pulled alcohol pads out of my purse or a kit, only to find them bone dry. Sheesh! Preparing to write this article, I did a thorough check of my own kit and saw that some of the items had expired. Oh, well. Time to spend again. But isn’t it true that peace of mind is priceless?
If you want more tips on what to keep in a good first aid kit, find out from far more expert than me: an old army medic, here. As well, experience taught Daisy about a great addition to her own first aid kit that only costs $8!
Some Preps are Worth the Extra $$$
For my preps, there are certain items where quality counts and is worth paying more for. What are your thoughts on my list above? Would you pay more for these? Do you have your own suggestion you can share with us? Please tell us in the comments section!
About Rowan
Rowan O’Malley is a fourth-generation Irish American who loves all things green: plants (especially shamrocks), trees, herbs, and weeds! She challenges herself daily to live her best life and to be as fit, healthy, and prepared as possible.
