So I never believed my wife (bad mistake) when she told me how much junk we have in our garage and sprawled across my office. She has also told me how badly she would like to replace our current carpet. There is a solution to all of this!

I’m going to sell some of our junk for 3 months – making approximately $200/month! You say this is impossible? I say you are lazy! I have already made $158.38 USD from selling crap that I don’t use that has been in my “electronics” box. You can sell some of your crap and make this much money too! Here is how you do it:

1. Take all of your crap that you haven’t used in at least 1 month (minus seasonal items)
   
2. Put all of that junk in one place that you like to spend a lot of time in. The point of this is because you will want to get rid of it quicker.
3. Set yourself up with an ebay account and a paypal account. If you don’t have both of these already – You are fairly far behind for being in the technical age.
4. Find or borrow a good camera to take good photos of your items. I like to use a white piece of paper to set the item on so everything looks clean. This dude is the KING of selling junk on ebay….
5. List the item on ebay and let them do the calculation of how much the shipping will cost. Make the buyer pay shipping, this way you will always be covered.
6. List as many items as you can on a Sunday. When listing, make it for 7 days. This gives your items 7 days to brew and you will have time to package them up Sunday night for shipping on Monday morning before work!
7. The bad part up front is that you will have to wait a little while for you money. Paypal is very secure about this and when they say it’s okay to ship, you are good to ship.
8. Start counting your dollars! Little items here and there can rack up to $200 VERY FAST. I have already sold 5 items in 4 days and I have made $158 already! This is stuff that has been sitting in a box for over a year!

This is actually very simple and if you aren’t doing it. You are either lazy or don’t have any junk to sell! If you need any examples of the type of things I sell, head on over to my ebay page. I will most likely have some piece of junk up for sale!

http://myworld.ebay.com/tacpcraig

Thanks for checking this post out today yall! Don’t forget to subscribe. I will start sending out a monthly newsletter with some extra posts and goodies/contests!

Hello everyone! First of all, I wanted to say that I’m back in action on this blog! I also wanted to apologize for leaving you, I have had a break due to another project and work! I’m back and I am ready to rock my blog! Now let me go ahead and tell you about Pressgram – THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING

I want to start off with talking about Pressgram...this will change the way we upload and share photos…Instagr.am currently doesn’t own the photos completely because they have changed their terms of service again. The problem is that they can change it at any time and own everything. You have absolutely no control over that content. John Saddington came up with the solution.

The solution is basically an app that he is developing that can take the same cool photos and easily upload them to your self hosted wordpress blog! He has started a kickstarter project and I encourage all of you to go visit it and donate! Even if you donate a dollar, every bit will help. For the time being, check out this awesome video that can explain much better than I can!

If you want to learn more about Pressgr.am – CLICK HERE

It is a fact that many people out there who prep are considered “hoarders”. Don’t be like the rest of these people. Learn how to separate the things that you don’t need to sell for the things that you really do need. I will show you how.

Step One:

The first task on this great adventure is gathering a list of all of the items that you don’t even use or want anymore. I guarantee that this will be in the hundreds. This includes extra clothing, old phones and electronics, movies, games, books, hardware, etc.. Organize this list so you can sell effectively.

Step Two:

After taking stock and writing everything down, go look on Ebay for recently sold items that are similar and write down what you can get for it. This is a key step in the process because you don’t want to get less money than what shipping will cost.

Step Three:

Calculate the cost of shipping. When calculating the cost of shipping and the potential revenue of the item. You want to be at least $2 in the positive. If not, you might lose some money on the items. Utilize USPS flat rate shipping when possible. This will save you quite a bit of cash.

Step Four:

Prepare your items for the listing on Ebay. The way I do this is by getting a lamp and a white sheet. Place the item on the white sheet and the lamp directly towards the item. With a digital camera, take a nice photo of it. The better the photos, the more money they will bring in on Ebay.

Step Five:

Collect your cash and wisely spend it on the items you need! Buy yourself a cookie because you rock!

Many preppers out there are stockpiling everything but not checking out their surroundings. This is a critical aspect of prepping in case you have to bug out. I’m here to give you some tips on how to be aware of your surroundings.

For the wise ones out there that want to be completely prepared, you are required to have a game plan in place of areas to go to in case shit hits the fan. You will need to know multiple routes and have them memorized. Our troops back in WWII used to do this before technology was invented. Many troops still do this today with the help of technology and intelligence. Where troops used to look at sand tables, we can use Google Earth.

Google Earth is an amazing tool with a lot of functionality. Hell, you can even print things off of google earth. No more need to buy maps! This is what I suggest of you. Keep a spare map on you just in case. When using google earth, plot important areas on the tool. Plot all routes using the drawing tool as well. This way, you can easily print out different colored maps for your own keeping. Another great thing about Google Earth is that you can look at very current land features around your area.

Another great feature of google earth is that you can download KMZs of other information that might be available on the internet such as fishing areas or fresh water areas. Once you have this information, you can also plot if on your paper map. I frequently use google earth to check out different areas that might be of interest to me in case I have to bug out. When looking for a range, there is also a range tool on google earth that you can utilize. This feature is like a range card.

Another amazing website is Bing’s Map tools. In a lot of major areas, there are some great aerial shots of the land around you with quite a bit of detail!

Application – Here are the uses for Google Earth

1. Reconnasaince
2. Distance planning
3. Bug out planning
4. Alternate route planning
5. Natural resources planning
6. Population density
7. Travel time
8. Feature Data such as stores, religion demographics, agricultural data, crime data

Take these tools seriously – just another free tool at your disposal!

How to pack a bug out bag on a budget

Part 10: Final Supplies

Welcome to the final post in the series of how to pack a bug out bag on a budget! Thank you for joining us on this incredible journey. We have had an amazing amount of patriots that have subscribed. I will be announcing who has won the bag in 3 days. Do you know what that means? If you haven’t commented or subscribed, you will have absolutely no chance at winning this bag! The final part in this series covers all of the smaller items that you want to think about packing in your bug out bag. This part will include the items that I think are necessary but can be expensive.

1. Mylar emergency thermal blanket. These keep your body heat trapped in freezing weather. The material keeps in most of your body heat! It also can deflect heat if you are in an extremely hot area. These blankets have been known to save lives if someone has fallen in a frozen river. These will cost you about a dollar per blanket. Usually you can find a pack of four for $5 shipped
2. Maps of your local area – You NEED to know your local area. These maps can be bought at most gas stations for a measly $2 bucks
3. Reliable compass – On amazon, you can find a reliable compass with a sighting tool for $5 shipped
4. Can opener – I know that your current food source doesn’t involve any cans. The great thing about having an extra one of these laying around is that if you find canned food, you can now open it. $2 shipped
5. iOSAT Pills – In case you live near a nuclear reactor or some type of nuclear disaster/attack happens. You want to be fully stocked up on these. What these pills do is coat your thyroid glands in Iodine which protects radiation from affecting these very important glands. – $9 shipped
6. Protective masks – This will help decrease the possibility of you getting sick in case of a nuclear disaster/attack or viral outbreak. $2 at your local drug store
7. All weather duct tape – Just like paracord, there are hundreds of survival uses for this. – $10 shipped
8. Knife – This is important for self defense and cutting many things including wood! – $10 shipped
9. TOILETRIES – Don’t forget the stuff that you currently use. I would always look for the travel size of everything. You can find everything you need to last you a few days for approximately $4 at walmart – THIS INCLUDES TOILET PAPER

Total cost of the budget bug out bag: $191.38

That’s only $15.94/month for a year!!!!!!!!!

Now I did want to mention some more important items but let’s face it, you cannot get these for cheap.

1. A Glock pistol –  These are reliable and will go bang every time - $550.
2. .22 Hunting rifle – This is perfect for hunting animals – $250
3. Multitool – Check out the review I made on the SOG Power-assist. This will cost you approximately $50 shipped
4. A tomahawk axe – This is perfect for chopping wood and hunting animals – $40 shipped
5. Ammunition for both guns – $150

Total cost with the expensive items:  $1231

Either way, you will be good to go! Thank you again for reading this 10 part series on building your bug out bag. I will be building a page shortly with all parts so you can read them. I will also be making a PDF with reviews! Don’t forget to subscribe or comment to be entered to win the bug out bag!

How to pack a bug out bag on a budget

Part 9: Medication

Many of you are probably wondering how I’m going to go about talking about getting extra medication for your bug out bag. I’m not going to give any illegal advise at all. Also, I’m not a physician – Any medical advise should be asked directly to your doctor. I just wanted to clear that up before we got started. In this day and age, it is so easy to get sick. You will need a good stock of general medicine for your bug out and your final location. This is very important, especially if you rely on your medication.

When it come to over the counter drug and drugs that are prescribed to you, here are the following pieces of advice that I have:

1. Store at least one bottle of acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen. They all do just about the same but have different functions to each. For example, acetaminophen will help keep a fever down. Naproxen will help keep inflammation down. Aspirin is good in case of a heart attack. Ibuprofen is almost the same as aspirin but reacts just a little bit differently.
   
2. Anti-Diarrhea medication is a MUST.
3. Prescription medication is a little bit tougher. When a doctor prescribes you the medication, most likely you will need to take it all. In the case of anti-vomiting pills or high strength pain pills, take as little as you feel comfortable. SAVE THE REST. You can deal without a few. I know when I have had the flu or an infection, I have always left a couple of doses at the end, just so I can save up. I must warn you that you are taking a risk and you should always do what the doctor tells you. I’m just telling you what I do.
4. For women – Take any “that time of the month” relief with you as well.
5. VITAMINS – I absolutely love vitamins! You should already be taking them, take an extra 5 vitamins per month and put them in a safe container. This way, you can save over 60 vitamins per year. This will only cost you 80 cents per month!

When it is all said and done, this really shouldn’t put you out of that much money. At the most, this can cost you an extra $5!

Not bad huh? Stay tuned for Part 10 of the building your bug out bag series! We are coming to a close very soon. Don’t forget to share, comment and subscribe. You can win this fancy bug out bag!

How to pack a bug out bag on a budget

Part 8: Flashlight

So I’m extremely excited about this one. I found a gem of a deal! Flashlights are a definite must for any bug out bag and survival scenario. Hell, even for your home. Multiple flashlights are key to have. Now there are many different types of flashlights out there but when it comes to your bug out bag, you will want a small one that can possibly be attached to other items. You will also want a flashlight that uses common, but small batteries. The flashlight that I recommend for your budget bug out bag is:

FordEx Group 300lm Mini Cree Led Flashlight Torch

This flashlight is only $5.35 SHIPPED!

When it comes to the batteries, having to carry around HUGE D cell batteries would be an absolute waste. This flashlight only needs one AA battery and you are good to go. It also takes rechargeable 3.7v Li-Ion batteries! The output is approximately 300 lumens! Not bad for a small little torch huh? This has a bright, medium and strobe mode. Can you believe that all of these features come in this small price tag? Flashlights like these can range in the hundreds of dollars!

The only issue with this light is the on and off cycles. It can be a little funny to work. If you want to keep it in just bright mode, you have to wait 3 seconds between switching it on and off. If you want to switch between the bright, low and strobe, you have to click between the modes quite fast. That is the only beef I have with this flashlight. It’s so cheap, I will be doing a stress test on this light soon!

When it comes to a survival against another person, the great thing about the strobe function on this light is that it can really mess with someone else. If you have this light attached to one of your weapons, you are good to go! They won’t even be able to see you! Also, in a survival situation, use the light as little as possible, these lights can be so bright, others might be able to spot you with it. Thankfully with the LED function, the heat signature is next to nothing. IR detectors won’t be able to catch you if you just utilized this light.

I think I might order three or four of these!

That’s all I have for today’s post everyone! Be sure to subscribe or comment and you will be entered to win this bug out bag! If you feel that the safety and preparedness of your family is important, share this series of posts with them!

How to pack a bug out bag on a budget

Part 7: Fire

Welcome to part 7 of the 10 part series on building out your bug out bag! Thank you for continuing to join us! Don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you do so, you have the chance of winning this bug out bag that is being talked about in this series! Part 7 of our series deals with fire. Fire is extremely important when bugging out. If you are in a cold area and need to start a fire, this is crucial to survival. The problem is that there are many places that aren’t suited for starting a fire and many don’t have the proper materials.

The first part you will need is a fire starting source. Any fire starter will do. I prefer firesteel but that can get a little bit expensive. I found a fire starter that is great and helps out on a budget! The fire starter that I found is $3 after shipping.

The key to using the fire starter is having a great source of material that can burn easily. A cheap way on going about this is buying a small can of kerosene and soaking approximately 100 cotton balls in it over night. After the cotton balls have soaked – take them out to dry. Once you have given the cotton balls approximately 2 weeks to dry, store the dry cotton balls in a plastic bag. These are HIGHLY flammable and burn for quite some time while you get the wood and other brush in your fire. The kerosene soaked cotton balls can cost you approximately $2 in materials

The next part and the FREE part is finding the extra fiber and starter wood for your bug out bag. The key is looking for porous sticks, dried up moss and cedar bark. Once you have acquired these items, make sure they are dried out. To double check, go ahead and put them under a lamp for approximately 2 hours (UNDER SUPERVISION – this can start a fire). I would get enough for 2 large ziploc freezer bags. This should be more than enough to get your fire started. After all, you are in a constant state of travel. You aren’t building a fire to last for weeks.

I would always buy a backup lighter or ask a smoker for an extra lighter. You can store this in your bug out bag. If you aren’t in wet conditions, having a real flame is always easier. In case you don’t, the method above will get a fire going pretty darn quick.

Total cost in materials: $5

I hope you enjoyed this quick and informative part on fire in our series on building your bug out bag on a budget! Feel free to let me know if you have any suggestions as well – I would be happy to add it in our series and give you credit!

How to pack your bug out bag on a budget

Part 6 – Clothing

Welcome to Part 6 of the 10 part series on building your bug out bag! I want to thank you for subscribing and sharing these posts with your friends! Remember, you have the possibility of winning the bug out bag if you subscribe to our blog! Part 6 of our series deals with packing away clothing in  your bug out bag. This can vary, depending on what part of the world you are in. I will go over everything that you will possibly need for clothing.

No matter where you are at, you will want a range of clothing that will cover every type of weather that you will run into. Clothing is much more important to prepare for because it’s what you are wearing and can get the most damaged. You will also want to keep layers of clothing for every type of season because you don’t know exactly when you are going to be bugging out. The list of items that you will need for bugging out is below:

1. 6 pairs of warm socks – Most likely you already have this many pairs of socks. I would pack these away in ziploc bags to make sure they are dry. – $3
2. 4 pairs of underwear. This is important as you will want to stay fresh. Don’t choose underwear that will “make your butt look good” You want some that give you the flexibility to move around but also keep you warm as well.  I would even suggest biker shorts. $5
3. 2 short sleeve shirts. You will want a white one and a black one. You can find large packs of these at the dollar store for a buck. – $1
4. 2 long sleeve shirts. You can also find these at the dollar store for a buck – $1
5. 2 pairs of regular looking jeans. I know these aren’t the best for moving around but if you need to blend in with the general public in an urban area – this is best. – Free
6. 2 pairs of shorts that you have lying around the house. These shorts should be neutral in color so you don’t stick out. – Free
7. Rain poncho – These are extremely cheap and great in case it starts to get very wet where you are located – 97 cents
8. If you are in a cold area – keep your regular winter coat near your bug out bag in case you need to take it and go – Free
9. Bandana – You can find packs of these at walmart for 2 bucks! The great thing about these is that they can absorb sweat around your head and stay wet – thus keeping you cool on the extremely hot days – $2
10. Warm hat and gloves. These are important to keep warm and keep your hands protected. You can also find these at walmart for a dollar a pop. – $2

Total Cost: $15 bucks! WOOHOO! 

This will cover more than enough for your short journey to your bug out location. I want to stress that the majority of your clothing should match whatever environment you are in. In most cases – you don’t want to wear all of your tactical gear at the time because you will be spotted from a mile away. BLEND IN. I cannot stress this enough. When you get to your bug out location – load up. You will be protecting this. Put your tactical vest on and everything! One expensive item that I will always suggest are some tactical pants. These are great because they will blend in with the crowd, are very durable, and have many compartments for extra storage. If you want any suggestions on those – I will post a blog article on that shortly!

I want to thank you again for visiting this blog. I’m always open to suggestions! Feel free to shoot an email over to email@tacticalbudget.com. I will also be doing more giveaways and Youtube videos soon! Be sure to subscribe for our monthly emails with tips and giveaways! I hope you have had a relaxing but productive weekend!