How To Raise Money For Your Prepping Activities

By Timothy Gamble (August 27, 2018)

Prepping can be expensive. I wish I had a magic solution to the problem of how to raise money to buy food,  supplies, guns & ammo, take courses, and make other preparations, including buying your own homestead or retreat (a goal of many preppers), but I don't. No one, not even Uncle Sam, is giving out free money for people to become more self-reliant. The only ways to raise money that I know of entail sacrifices of time, talent, effort, or property. Here is my list of ways to raise money:

• Get a raise, or more hours, at your primary job. This is tough to do, I know, but it is a great way to raise extra money if you can pull it off. And it is certainly easier now, during good economic times, then it will be after the next recession hits (and there will be another one eventually).
• Get a second, or third, job. I worked a second job for years at a B. Dalton Booksellers (during the 1990s), mostly on weekends. It only netted me about $60/week, but over the course of a year that is more than $3,000. In more recent years, I've worked part-time Christmas jobs at places like Khol's and Wal-Mart, which netted me a nice chunk of extra cash for a couple months' work. A second job will pay off a lot of debt or buy a lot of supplies.
• Do odd jobs. Can you sew, tutor, mow lawns, bake, babysit, or do "handyman" jobs? Do you have crafting skills? Post or handout fliers around your community. 
• Start your own "Man-and-a-Truck" business. If you have a pick-up truck or van, you can rent it & yourself out for a lot of odd jobs involving moving or hauling. Most people don't have a truck, yet most people will need to haul something somewhere at some point. And they probably need an extra pair of hands (or two). If you also have a dolly or hand-truck, you'll be especially popular.  Posting flyers around town and word-of-mouth are great ways to promote your business.
• Collect money owed to you. If you loaned money to a friend or relative, it is time to collect. Asking a friend or family member to pay back money you've lent them is uncomfortable, and may lead to some icy Sunday dinners at Grandma's, but it is your money after all. And you need it.
• Cancel your subscriptions. Most newspapers and magazines will refund the unused portion of your subscription when you cancel. It might not be much, but every little bit helps.
• Hold a yard or garage sale. Get rid of your junk and unclutter your life while making some cash. If you live in an apartment, maybe there is a nearby flea market where you can sale your stuff, or ask a friend if you can hold the yard sale at their place.
• Sell your stuff online.  Over the years, I've had a lot of success selling my stuff on eBay, both big ticket items and little. 
• Sell big-ticket items in your local classified ads. This is a great way to sell individual items such as ATVs, exercise equipment, furniture, electronics, and so forth.
•  Rent out a room. If you have a spare bedroom, consider renting it out. If you rent an apartment, consider taking a roommate. Be careful who you are renting to, of course, checking references and so forth. And be sure to use a written contract!

Remember: The single most important thing you can do to survive any future chaos is to start taking responsibility for your own life now.

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