What we are experiencing at this moment is being referred to as “the calm before the storm”.  All over the country, businesses are temporarily shutting down, stores are being boarded up and National Guard troops are being deployed.  There has never been a presidential election like this in modern American history, and most Americans are anticipating some sort of nightmare scenario. In fact, the final Yahoo News/YouGov poll of the 2020 campaign found that a whopping 77 percent of all voters expect that “violence will break out” after the election…

Yet most voters (51 percent) also expect Trump to refuse to concede if he loses the election — and more than three-quarters (77 percent) worry that violence will break out in the coming days.

How did it come to this?

When I was growing up, I never even considered the possibility that there would be violence after an election.  That was the sort of thing that happened in uncivilized areas of the world, and it was inconceivable that there would be rioting, looting and widespread chaos after one of our peaceful elections.

But now look at how far we have fallen.  Everyone knows that violence is probably coming, and preparations are being made for it from coast to coast.

In Washington D.C., authorities are expecting vast numbers of protesters, and a “no climb” fence will be put up around the entire White House complex…

With Election Day preparations in full swing across the country, the White House will have a “no climb” fence installed this week around the entire complex, a law enforcement source told Fox News on Monday.

In other major cities, entire city blocks are being boarded up with plywood in anticipation of widespread violence…

Businesses across America are boarding up their windows ahead of potential chaos following tomorrow’s election as special police units prepare to tackle looters and rioters and foreign governments warn people not to visit the US for fear of civil unrest.

In cities all over the country on Monday, retailers, offices and art galleries were putting plywood on their windows to protect their inventory ahead of tomorrow night’s election and the mayhem it might spark, no matter which candidate wins.

Some of the retail chains that have announced that they are boarding up stores include Tiffany, Saks Fifth Avenue, CVS, Target and Macy’s.

There are still some retailers that have chosen not to board up their stores, and that is a huge mistake.  During past riots, looters have largely bypassed the stores that were boarded up and hit those that were unprotected instead.

And once looters start rampaging through a store, the losses can be catastrophic.  Just check out what looters did to one Walmart in Philadelphia a few days ago.

Yes, it can cost a lot of money to board up a store.  According to one expert, the price tag can run as high as $31,000…

Tom Buiocchi, CEO of ServiceChannel, an online platform that connects retailers with local contractors, said 750 stores have requested orders on the platform to board up their windows around the country since October 27, with the most in California, New York and Illinois. The cost to board up stores has ranged from $124 to $31,000, depending on the size, according to Buiocchi.

So it is not normally something that you would want to do, but these are not normal times.

And it is interesting that Buiocchi says that the most requests are coming from “California, New York and Illinois”.

Needless to say, stores in those states are not boarding up their windows because they are afraid of Trump voters.

If the results of the presidential election are contested, or if Trump ends up winning, many believe that we could witness a temper tantrum on the left that would be absolutely unprecedented.

We all remember the riots that erupted in the aftermath of the tragic death of George Floyd earlier this year, and now law enforcement authorities all over the nation are bracing for another round.  For example, we are being told that the NYPD’s elite Strategic Response Group is preparing “for the worst”…

Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio claiming on Monday morning that there was no specific threat, the NYPD’s elite Strategic Response Group – which consists of a group of 600 cops on bikes – is preparing ‘for the worst’.

“We’re hoping for the best this week but we’re prepared for the worst. People have gotten emboldened out there.”

There have been rumors that Trump Tower could potentially be a target, and so hopefully officials in New York are aware of this threat and are ready to respond rapidly.

Elsewhere, thousands of National Guard troops have already been deployed all over the United States.

In fact, the Army Times is reporting that at least 3,671 troops have been deployed so far…

At least 3,671 Guard troops have been committed to the effort. The size of the authorized deployments ranges from 1,000 in Texas and Massachusetts to a single soldier in Wyoming. Some states are yet to determine how many troops will be activated, and many states have merely alerted selected units in anticipation of possible post-election unrest.

All of the troops currently activated are on state orders and are under the control of their respective governors.

Sadly, I expect that number to grow much higher in the coming days.

Unless a Biden victory is declared on election night, there will be violence.  And the longer we have to wait for a winner to be finally declared, the worse the violence will become.

In the end, if Trump is ultimately declared to be the winner, many on the left will be absolutely convinced that the election was stolen from them and we could potentially see months of violence.

I wish that this wasn’t true.  I wish that all Americans could understand that violence is not going to accomplish anything.

But we have already seen horrific rioting, looting and violence all over the country throughout 2020, and everyone knows that this election could possibly be the spark that takes things to an entirely new level.

In just a matter of hours, what we are potentially facing should become a lot clearer.

Let us hope for the best, but let us also prepare for the worst.

***Michael’s new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.***

About the Author: My name is Michael Snyder and my brand new book entitled “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America” is now available on Amazon.com.  In addition to my new book, I have written four others that are available on Amazon.com including The Beginning Of The End, Get Prepared Now, and Living A Life That Really Matters. (#CommissionsEarned)  By purchasing the books you help to support the work that my wife and I are doing, and by giving it to others you help to multiply the impact that we are having on people all over the globe.  I have published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream and The Most Important News, and the articles that I publish on those sites are republished on dozens of other prominent websites all over the globe.  I always freely and happily allow others to republish my articles on their own websites, but I also ask that they include this “About the Author” section with each article.  The material contained in this article is for general information purposes only, and readers should consult licensed professionals before making any legal, business, financial or health decisions.  I encourage you to follow me on social media on Facebook and Twitter, and any way that you can share these articles with others is a great help.  During these very challenging times, people will need hope more than ever before, and it is our goal to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as we possibly can.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Many cities are anticipating election chaos and violence after the election takes place on Tuesday, so business owners have been boarding up their windows to prevent as much damage as possible. Small businesses are being systematically destroyed and this could be the end for so many more.

Regardless of the outcome, businesses are concerned about the public’s response to the winner. From San Francisco to New York, major cities are taking precautions and shuttering their doors and windows to prevent theft and damages. After a spring of economically disastrous lockdowns and a summer of protests, looting, and rioting, storefront businesses across the country are bracing for a potential wave of social unrest related to the election.

In Chicago, several businesses along the Michigan Avenue shopping district have boarded up their windows in preparation for Election Day, Adam Skaf, a spokesperson for the Magnificent Mile Association, told NBC News. The group also partnered with the city government to participate in an auxiliary command center on Election Day, when it will share real-time information to businesses.

Walmart has also taken a controversial step. The store said this week it would remove all guns and ammunition from its sales floors as a precaution, after seeing some “isolated civil unrest.” Walmart announced Friday it had reversed that decision, however.

Another Secret Model: A Contested 2020 Election

While President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that he will refuse to participate in a peaceful transition of power in the event he loses to former Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and others have suggested the Joe Biden refuse to concede no matter what.

This election has been promised to be chaotic at best. Prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.  You cannot control the actions of others, but you can prepare for the rabid hoards of people that are likely to take to the streets the night of the election and for days, if not weeks afterward. Be where you want to be and make sure you are safe. This has been promised to be ugly, and with so many Americans impoverished thanks to lockdowns, people are going to feel backed into a corner, and they may think fighting is the only way out. 

Texas Governor Orders 1,000 Troops For “Post-Election Disturbances”

Don’t Vote for a Psychopath: Tyranny at the Hands of a Psychopathic Government

The post Cities Across The Country Board Up Windows Ahead Of The Election first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don't Say We Didn't Warn You.

Are you ready for the political change headed your way? Before that happens, make sure that you take care of these immediate action items as soon as you can!

Don’t Ignore These Immediate Action Items

The defining election of 2020 is upon us. Hopefully, you have been preparing for potential chaotic outcomes. Things like food storage, security, first aid, backup power sources, community and emergency water should have all been handled months if not years ago. These things take time and are pretty much impossible to take care of in this short period of time.

However, there are some immediate action items that you can take care of in the short time we have until the election and whatever might come of it.

1. Community Security Meeting

The first thing you should take care of is a simple but effective community security meeting. We are in a unique situation where more people than ever before understand the potential for chaos in this nation. We just saw it in action all over the nation in the summer.

Set a security meeting for this weekend and invite as many people as possible from your neighborhood to come. Discuss these important things:

• Potential chaos in your area
• Creating a phone tree for communication when chaos ensues
• Discuss how the community will react to violent attacks on properties
• Discuss a community leaflet or email to inform everyone

2. Fuel and Power

 

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The potential for chaos means that things like power and fuel could be affected. What would you do if the gas pumps were out for a couple of weeks? What would you do if your power were out for a week, too!?

Do you have the tools to turn the power back on and backup fuel stored to make sure you can drive? What about fuels like propane and kerosene? Do you have backups if you use those kinds? Now is the time to bolster your fuel and power capabilities.

3. Fire Readiness

The single most effective weapon that rioters use to get their point across is fire. The night sky glows when there are riots in town. Buildings burn, cars burn, and people get scared. Intimidation in numbers is the reason for all of this.

Rodney King said that the riot is the voice of the unheard.

If your home is targeted, will you be able to respond effectively to something like an incendiary weapon? If a Molotov cocktail comes crashing through your window, do you have access to a fire extinguisher to put that fire out?

What if you cannot put the fire out, do you have a planned fire drill for escaping both the fire and the angry mobs outside? All these need to be implemented and/or practiced before election day.

4. Pre-Positioning

Prepositioning of caches and survival items is all particularly important. There is a bit of risk involved if you are not positioning things on a bunch of lands that you already own. However, there is also a lot of risk in storing all your preps in one place.

The prepositioning of shelter for evacuation, firearms for protection, food for consumption, first aid for treatment and whatever else you might consider should all be done NOW. You might have been concerned about people finding your caches in the past. If you are going to be changing positions and you cannot take all your preps with you, it is time to consider prepositioning,

Let’s look at a few great containers for prepositioning gear and preps in.

• PVC pipes
• 5-gallon buckets
• Ammo boxes
• Large expensive but effective waterproof containers

5. Evacuation

While the bugout is always a hot topic in our circles, sometimes a good old-fashioned evacuation is all you need. You just need to get out of dodge for a while to let things cool off. Do you have a plan to evacuate if the going gets tough?

You should plan on taking all your important documents and proof of ownership along with you on an evacuation. Remember what we discussed earlier about the fire. You could return home to find that there is not much left for you to sift through. That is, of course, the worst-case scenario.

Another important aspect of evacuation is knowing when to go. If you wait too long, you could lose your opportunity to road closures and violence. Always better to be early. Discuss some “triggers” with your family to decide when you should hit the road.

Triggers are things like, “If rioting is happening in 3 or more locations in and around our community.”

Be Prepared

On Tuesday, November 3rd, there is going to be a particularly important election at a very strange time in our nation. People are going to be high strung from a nightmare of a year, and they will be ready to pop! If you live in a densely populated area, then you need to be prepared for some level of chaos.

At this point, you are going to struggle to fill all the buckets of even base-level preparedness if you haven’t already. Instead, you should focus on these five immediate action items and be prepared to act in the worst-case scenario.

Do you have anything you want to add in this list of immediate action items? Please write them in the comments section below! Let’s all be prepared come Election Day!

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We are experiencing yet another gun-buying spree (source, source, and source). Predictably, AR-15s are…

This article %Is the M&P 15-22 Worth Buying?% appeared first on %SHTF Blog – Modern Survival%.

This article was originally published by Brandon Smith at Alt-Market.us. 

The issue of censorship by major tech companies is a precarious one, and I’m becoming increasingly suspicious of the nature of the debate. There are some complexities, but it can all be boiled down to this:

Big tech social media conglomerates argue that their websites are like any other private business and that they are protected from overt government interference by the US constitution. In other words, they have a right to platform or de-platform anyone they choose. Of course, this is the exact OPPOSITE of what most leftist groups have argued in the past when it comes to private businesses refusing to cooperate with people they disagree with on basic principle, such as LGBT activists, but let’s set that hypocrisy aside for now.

Social media companies have decided that the people they want to de-platform most are conservatives, along with anyone else who disagrees with hard-left ideologies such as social justice or the handling of the pandemic situation. Statements or content that run contrary to leftist philosophies are simply labeled “hate speech” or “conspiracy theory” and are erased.

Conservatives argue that big tech is a monopoly with far too much power, that social media should be treated more like a public resource or “town square” and that these companies are violating the free speech rights of conservatives by specifically targeting them for censorship. Many conservatives are also demanding that Donald Trump and the government step in to regulate or punish such companies for these actions.

The truth is that both sides are right, and both sides are wrong. The real solution to the problem requires a radical change in how we view the institution of corporations and how they interact with government, and it’s a solution I doubt ANY political official will consider, and that includes Trump.

Let me explain…

Social media and big tech do in fact represent a monopoly, but not in terms most people are familiar with. Instead of acting only as an economic monopoly controlling market share, big tech is also a political monopoly controlling the majority of communication platforms. If only one political and social ideological group dominates every major social media and digital information outlet, this in my view represents a completely unbalanced power dynamic that does indeed threaten the free speech rights of the populace.

Rabid censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop scandal, a scandal that is supported by facts and evidence that big tech has chosen to bury because it’s inconvenient to them rather than a violation of their community guidelines, is just one more example of the incredible danger that social media monopolies present.

Obviously, there is the issue of private property rights to consider. I fully support and defend private property rights and I do believe that a business has the freedom to refuse service to anyone for any reason. Just because you open your doors to the public does not mean the public now owns your labor. You should have the right to refuse labor whenever you wish.

If a business refuses a customer based merely on personal bias, then word is going to get around quickly and that business may lose a large number of potential buyers in the future (this is happening right now with multiple alternative social media companies on the rise). The free market should determine the fate of that business, not state or federal governments.

Government itself is an untrustworthy entity that craves a monopoly of power, and by handing government the authority to micromanage the policies and internal practices of web companies we might be trading the big tech monster for an even more dangerous governmental monster.

Who is to say that the government will stop with sites like Facebook or Twitter or Google? Maybe they will exploit their newfound powers to go after smaller websites as well. Maybe they will attempt to micromanage the entire internet. Maybe they will start dominating and restricting conservative websites instead of the leftist conglomerates we intended, and then we will be doubly screwed.

If you value freedom and the Bill of Rights, then this debate leaves us at an impasse. Both sides (perhaps conveniently) lead to a totalitarian outcome. The thing is, the publicly presented argument is a contrived one, a manipulated discussion that only presents two sides when there are more options to consider. The narrative is fixed, it is a farce.

The public has been led to believe that government and corporations are separate tools that can be used to keep each side in check. This is a lie. Big government and big corporations have always worked together while pretending to be disconnected, and this needs to stop if we are to ever defuse the political time bomb we now face.

To solve the social media censorship debacle we need to examine the very roots of corporations as entities. First, corporations as we know them today are a relatively new phenomenon. Adam Smith described the concept of a corporation as a “joint-stock company” in his treatise ‘The Wealth Of Nations’, and stood against them as a threat to free-market economics. He specifically outlined their history of monopoly and failure, and criticized their habit of avoiding responsibility for mistakes and crimes.

Joint-stock companies were chartered by governments and given special protections from risk, as well as protection from civil litigation (lawsuits). But, they were supposed to be temporary business entities, not perpetual business entities. The point was to allow for the creation of a joint-stock company to finish a particular job, such as building a railroad, and once the job was finished the company was dissolved and the government protections were no longer needed. Smith knew that if corporations were ever allowed to become permanent fixtures in an economy, they would result in disaster.

This is exactly what happened in 1886 when the Supreme Court allowed companies like Southern Pacific Railroad to use the 14^th Amendment, which was supposed to protect the constitutional rights of newly freed slaves, as a loophole to declare corporations as “legal persons” with all the protections of an individual citizen. Not only that, but with limited liability, corporations actually became super-citizens with protections far beyond normal individuals. Corporations became the preeminent force in the world and it was their relationship with governments that made this possible.

This fact completely debunks today’s notion of what constitutes free markets. Corporations ARE NOT free market structures. They are, in fact, government-chartered and government-protected monopolies. They are SOCIALIST creations, not free-market creations, and therefore they should not exist in a free market society at all.

The alternative option to corporations was for businesses to form “partnerships”, which did not enjoy protection from government, limited liability or the ability to form monopolies. When the owners of a partnership committed a crime, they could be personally held liable for that crime. When a corporation commits a crime, only the company as a vaporous faceless entity can be punished. This is why it is very rare to see company CEOs face prosecution no matter how egregious and catastrophic their actions.

Today, certain corporations continue to enjoy government protections while also enjoying government welfare. Meaning, these companies get a legal shield while also basking in the advantage of tax incentives and taxpayer dollars.

For example, Google (Alphabet and YouTube) has long received huge tax breaks and is rarely if ever forced to pay in full for the massive bandwidth the company uses. In fact, YouTube was facing bandwidth affordability issues until it was purchased by Alphabet and Google, then it no longer had to worry about it – Google gets over 21 times more bandwidth than it actually pays for because of government intervention.

The same rules apply to companies like Twitter, Facebook, Netflix, Apple, etc. All of them enjoy extensive tax breaks as well as cheap bandwidth that makes it impossible for small and medium-sized businesses to compete, even if they operate on a superior model or have superior ideas. Many times the corporations pay no taxes whatsoever while smaller businesses are crippled by overt payments.

A truly free market requires competition as a rule, but the current system deliberately crushes the competition. Again, we live in a socialist framework, not a free market framework.

Now that we understand the nature of big tech and what these companies actually are (creations of government), the debate on social media censorship changes.

How? Take for example the fact that public universities in the US are not legally allowed to interfere with free speech rights because many of them survive by consuming taxpayer dollars. They are PUBLIC institutions, not private. Why then are we treating major corporations that survive on endless taxpayer infusions and incentives as if they are private businesses? They are not – They are publicly funded structures chartered by the government and therefore they should be subject to the same rules on free speech that universities are required to follow.

Said corporations will surely argue against this and will attempt to use legal chicanery to maintain their monopolies. Trying to dismantle them could take decades, and there are no guarantees that government officials will even make the attempt? Why would they? The relationship between government and corporations has been an advantageous one for establishment elites for decades.

Instead of challenging the corporate model in the Supreme Court, an easier option would be to simply take away all welfare and tax incentives for any big tech companies that refuse to allow free speech on their platforms. If Google had to pay normal price for the bandwidth it uses, the corporation would either implode or it would be forced to break apart into multiple smaller companies that would then compete with each other. More competition means lower prices for consumers along with better products. The threat of losing tax incentives would mean more large companies would refrain from censorship.

Donald Trump as president could conceivably make this happen, but he will not, and neither will any other political official. The partnership between government and corporations will continue, I believe because there are other agendas at play here. The establishment WANTS the public to argue in favor of tech totalitarianism on one side and in favor of government totalitarianism on the other side. They aren’t going to allow any other solutions to enter the discussion.

The only available strategy left for fighting back against big tech is to continue leaving their platforms and building our own. This will take many years to accomplish. The point is, there is a more permanent option, but it requires a complete deconstruction of the socialist government/corporate framework now in place. To confront the power dynamic between governments and major conglomerates is to confront one of the fundamental sources of corruption within our society, which is why it won’t be allowed. And when the system refuses to police itself, public upheaval becomes inevitable.

The post There Is A Solution To Big Tech Censorship – But No Politician Will Touch It first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don't Say We Didn't Warn You.

This article was originally published by Mass Private I at Activist Post. 

The Feds are using the pandemic as an excuse to ID and track millions of innocent Americans’ cellphones inside their homes.

This past August, a Motherboard article revealed the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had signed a $476,000 contract with Venntel, a cellphone data mining corporation.

Motherboard went on to explain why the Feds signing a contract with Venntel is so troubling.

The news highlights how law enforcement agencies continue to buy data that may in some cases require a warrant or court order to obtain.

What Motherboard is saying is that the CBP is using Venntel to monitor Americans’ cellphones without a warrant.

“This new contract raises even more concerns about the cozy and ongoing relationship between the federal government and these data brokers, which operate in the shadows and can amass mountains of sensitive personal data without any restrictions,” Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, and Chairwoman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform said.

What makes this even more disconcerting is how law enforcement can use Venntel to monitor every cellphone in a ‘certain house.’

If you search a certain house, you’re only going to get three or four different signals out of there. I think from that standpoint, you could definitely try and identify specific people, the first [Venntel] source said. I think that was part of the goal in using it for government customers and things like that, is that you’re able to identify devices, and then you can do device searches to see where else they might have been, they added. A second person who has worked with the company [Venntel] said the data in a geofenced area is not going to contain 100 percent of devices in that location, and that identifying someone would be laborious.

Five U.S. senators were so horrified about law enforcement secretly monitoring millions of innocent Americans’ cellphones that they sent a letter to the CBP demanding an explanation.

As revealed by public contracts, CBP has paid a government contractor named Venntel nearly half a million dollars for access to a commercial database containing location data mined from applications on millions of Americans’ mobile phones. CBP officials also confirmed the agency’s warrantless tracking of phones in the United States using Venntel’s product in a September 16, 2020 call with Senate staff.

The letter asked what legal analysis did the Feds use to justify creating a national cellphone location tracking program?

The senators also requested the inspector general investigate any legal analysis CBP’s lawyers performed before the agency started to use this surveillance tool and how CBP was able to begin operational use of Venntel’s location database without the DHS Privacy Office first publishing a Privacy Impact Assessment.

It is hard to imagine a more invasive national public surveillance program than what the CBP is conducting right now under our very noses.

The Feds don’t care if we know that they are secretly spying on our cellphones inside our homes

A recent Vice article revealed that the CBP is refusing to justify to Congress how it is legal to ID and spy on Americans’ cellphones inside their homes without a warrant.

“CBP officials confirmed to Senate staff that the agency is using Venntel’s location database to search for information collected from phones in the United States without any kind of court order,” the letter signed by Wyden and Warren, and addressed to the DHS OIG, reads. “CBP outrageously asserted that its legal analysis is privileged and therefore does not have to be shared with Congress. We disagree.”

As the Vice article pointed out, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is also using Venntel’s data to ID and monitor Americans’ cellphones without a warrant.

Allegedly, the CBP and the IRS cannot tell what nationality a particular person is based only on the information provided by Venntel, but they can track a particular person’s movements throughout the country.

The CBP’s admission that it is not restricting its personnel to only use Venntel near the border sends an unmistakable message to Americans everywhere: law enforcement treats everyone like a suspected criminal.

There simply is no justification for a so-called democratic country treating millions of its citizens like suspected criminals. Our country is on the precipice of becoming a full-blown surveillance state.

The post The Border Patrol Is Monitoring Millions Of Americans’ Cellphones Inside Their Homes first appeared on SHTF Plan – When It Hits The Fan, Don't Say We Didn't Warn You.

You might have steel wool lying around the house. But do you know that it might save your life someday? Check out this list of survival uses for steel wool!

Survival Uses for Steel Wool

Steel wool has officially been around since 1896, and you’re probably familiar with it as a great tool for cleaning pots and pans. The steel wool scouring pads that you keep under your kitchen sink are actually soaked in soap to enhance their cleaning abilities, but you can purchase standard steel wool in a variety of grades and for a multitude of uses.

Standard steel wool is made of thinly shaved, flexible fibers of low-grade carbon steel wire, aluminum, bronze or stainless steel. It is called “wool” only because of its fuzzy appearance. Super fine steel wool is grade 0000, while the coarsest steel wool available is grade 4.

Survivalists and Preppers will want to stock up on standard steel wool in a variety of grades. Not only is it inexpensive and will last for years, but it has tons of practical uses, especially in a SHTF situation.

1. Start Fires

All you need to start a fire is some steel wool and batteries. A 9V battery works best, but multiple AA or AAA batteries will achieve the same end result. Just rub the battery leads with the steel wool and add some tinder as it sparks. Cotton balls make for great tinder to ignite the flames.

2. Remove Rust

Your vehicles, tools, and firearms can all become susceptible to rust, which can be removed with steel wool. Steel wool is one of the most popular ways to remove rust from guns.

3. Sharpen Scissors

Scissors are a great tool, especially when you’re asking children for their help with tasks. But once they become dull, they’re close to useless. You can keep your scissors sharp by using them to cut through steel wool.

4. Maintain Gardening Tools

When your household is totally self-sufficient, you’ll be spending a lot of time tending to your garden, which will be your primary source of nutrition. Maintaining your gardening tools in top form will be a priority, and you can do so with dampened grade 000 steel wool.

5. Repel Rodents

Rodents are one of the biggest threats to your food stockpile, but you can use steel wool to keep them at bay. Just stuff steel wool into any entry cracks or holes that the rodents are using to access your home, and keep it in place with duct tape. Chewing on the steel wool will cause the mouse or rat to die, and your food stores will be safe from contamination.

6. Tighten Loose Screws

In a true SHTF situation, there will be no more stopping by the hardware store and replacing items as they break. You’ll be repairing what you have again and again. Even as you screw into a hole that is getting too big, you can use steel wool wound around the screw to hold it in place.

7. Hide Your Steps

If you’ve left rubber heel marks on a vinyl floor, some water and steel wool will remove the evidence that you traveled through the room.

8. Cleaning Your Knives

The same way that you can clean rust off of your firearms, you can use steel wool to clean your knife blades. Just be mindful that rubbing steel wool on the edge of the blade can dull it; this application is for the sides of the blade.

9. Remove Scuffs from Sneakers

With interrupted supply chains and the demise of society, you’ll want to keep what you do have, in good shape. Your tennis shoes can be easily cleaned up with grade 00 steel wool and water.

10. Finish Woodwork

Grade 0000 steel wool is great for removing dust particles on a piece of wood furniture prior to its final coat of shellac or stain, or to finish the piece with a distressed look. Chances are that you’ll be learning how to build your own furniture if you’re handy, and it may become a business opportunity for you.

11. Clean Glass

Not sure about you, but Windex is not in my Bug Out Bag. Grade 0000 steel wool with water can be used to scrub glass windows and windshields when they get dirty. Steel wool will even remove especially offensive stains like tree sap or adhesive glue.

12. Remove Crayon from Wallpaper

If your children are becoming restless inside while you work outside, and they take their artwork to the walls, don’t freak out. Steel wool with water can be used to clean wallpaper, but remember to be gentle and only wipe in one direction, not scrub.

13. Polish Real Brass

Not for use on plated brass, but real brass can be polished using grade 000 steel wool, salt, and lemon juice.

14. Clean Your Tires

WD-40 on some grade 0000 steel wool will have them looking good as new.

15. Prevent Clogged Drains

You may not have access to a plumber when SHTF, so before everyone takes their bath or shower, cover the drain with steel wool. It allows the water to make its way through, but hair and debris will get caught and can be easily removed without clogging the drain.

There are some Preps that provide a myriad of uses, and steel wool is one of them. Now is the time to stock up, and be sure to purchase a few different grades so you don’t unintentionally damage the items you’re cleaning or repairing.

Do you have other survival uses for steel wool you’d like to share? Please let us know in the comments section!

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worst of it or is there another crisis looming on the horizon? If we do see some other type of disaster or disruption to our lives, are you going to be prepared this time?

Prepping is awesome, but do you know what’s more awesome? Shopping for items at a hugely affordable price. Here are some dollar store prep ideas and so you don’t burn a hole in your pockets!

Dollar Store Prep: Prepping the Affordable Way

Prepping can easily become very expensive, very quickly. Even if you bargain shop and clip coupons, stockpiling supplies for consumption, shelter, filtration, food preservation, protection, and medical care add up.

But if you’re a savvy shopper, you can find a myriad of useful items right at your local dollar store. Canadian Prepper made an entire video on the subject, showing everything he bought for right around $100 USD, and many of the items have multiple uses.

While you may be sacrificing some quality vs more durable counterparts found at hardware stores, having something will always be better than having nothing.

We’ve categorized all of the items to cover the areas that Preppers focus on.

Shelter

Humans require shelter to shield us from the harsh elements. If you ever find yourself having to make due in the wilderness, you will need to be able to create a shelter that provides both protection and heat.

If you get creative, items from the dollar store can do just that.

1. Insulation film – Helps to conserve heat
2. Shower curtain liners – Effective shelter materials
3. Nails
4. Tarp
5. Zip ties

Food Preservation

Without electricity, you can kiss your refrigerator and freezer goodbye – leading you to rely on time-tested food preservation methods. Canning and salt preservation have both been used successfully for centuries.

1. Glass jars- you can reuse condiment or jam jars if canning jars aren’t available
2. Iodized Salt

Consumption

Possibly the most-prepped item is food! You and your family need to eat every single day (preferably several meals each day), so you’ll need huge reserves of food. You’ll also need the right tools to be able to cook over open flames.

1. Cast iron frying pan – Doubles as a weapon, will last forever if you take care of it
2. Oven mitt – Look for durable silicone options
3. Can Opener – nothing fancy, a good old fashioned one will do
4. Canned Meats – chicken, salmon, tuna, sardines
5. Disposable kitchen items – Paper plates, bowls, cups and plastic utensils
6. Cooking Fuel
7. Dried Food – Most dollar stores stock freeze-dried fruits, including pineapple, papaya, peaches, and apples, which will last for many years and provide you with soluble fiber in your diet; as well as dried beans for half the price as in other stores
8. White Sugar
9. Instant Coffee
10. Cutting Board
11. Knife – be sure to check the quality, if it looks cheap skip it
12. Baking tin
13. Aluminum foil

Cleaning Supplies

If our infrastructure were to crumble, there would be no more running to the store for soap, dish soap, laundry detergent, and other cleaning supplies. But hygiene would continue to be critical in maintaining your health. So, the time to stock up is now.

1. Steel wool – Cleaning knives, metal tools, and cast iron pan
2. Toilet paper tablettes
3. Bleach or calcium hypochlorite, which has a longer shelf life than bleach
4. Baking soda for hygiene – Toothpaste, soap, deodorant, cleaning, prevents odors, treats minor burns
5. Soap
6. Body Cleansing Wipes
7. Sponge
8. Rubber gloves

Fire Starters

Being able to start a fire is debatably the most important skill you can develop. But to simplify the process, stock up on firestarters, matches, and lighters that allow you to save valuable time before cooking your meals.

1. Petroleum Jelly
2. Cotton balls – Soak in petroleum jelly for instant fire
3. Sharpener – Use to make tinder to light fires
4. Candles – Melt the wax with jute twine to create a fire starter
5. Matches
6. Long Match – Even easier to light fire
7. Barbeque Lighter

Security

If you don’t protect what you have, you will become a target. Even the appearance of security or simple tripwires can deter criminals from attempting to enter your space.

1. Dummy Cameras
2. Wire – Make snares and a perimeter alarm system
3. Prybar
4. Reflective safety tape
5. Reflective safety vest

Water Filtration & Storage

Water is right up there with food for most-prepped items because you’ll need a lot of it. Ideally, you will have effective water filters that you can use to fill and refill containers. Some of these supplies can be picked up at the dollar store.

1. Hot water bottle bag/water bladder – Durable and flexible water container
2. Coffee filters – Use as a water filter

Attire

Your SHTF wardrobe will likely be very different from your current wardrobe: it will need to be durable and protective. You’ll need to stock items that will shield you from every type of weather, and physical labor.

1. Clothespins – Hang-dry clothes
2. Space-saving storage bags – Use when packing your Bug Out Bag
3. Rain ponchos
4. Insulated soles – Are essential for cold climates and can be paired with socks to keep your feet warm
5. Backpacks – cheap kids backpacks are great for disguising your emergency supplies
6. Work gloves
7. Bandanas – Work as a prefilter and a mask
8. Sewing equipment

Must-Haves

There are some items that every household should have, and you may as well save a few bucks by buying them at the dollar store.

1. Bucket
2. Bungee cord & carabiners
3. Wd-40
4. Duct tape
5. Superglue
6. Utility light
7. Safety pins
8. Razorblades
9. Boxcutter
10. Clamps
11. Scissors
12. Flashlights
13. Rubbing alcohol – Sterilize, make hand sanitizer, and light fires

Multi-Use Items

Certain Prepping supplies have so many uses that you’ll want to stock up on as much as you can afford. These also make for great barter items.

1. Cheesecloth – Can be used for: water filtration, food preservation, fire/char cloth, medical gauze, straining fruit, pine resin glue, making a tea bag, cloth/toilet paper, bug net, making a pandemic mask
2. Metal Strainer – Can be used for: water filtration system, cooking, dehydrating food, catching small fish for bait
3. Contractor Bags/Garbage Bags – Can be used for: poncho, sleeping mat when filled with leaves, hauling water, pillow, disposing of contaminated materials
4. Inspection mirror – Can be used for: tactical applications, medical applications, signalling for help
5. Vinegar – Lasts forever and has 1000 uses
6. Mesh netting bag – Can be used for: washing laundry, carrying food, creating a fishing net
7. Magnifying Glass – Can be used to start a fire and has medical applications

Medical Supplies

Medical supplies will become like gold when society crumbles. Left on your own, you’ll want to have a very comprehensive first-aid kit to treat any ailments you might experience.

1. OTC Medications – You can purchase small dosage packs that can be used for bartering or stored in your Bug Out Bag
2. Band-Aids – Choose a variety of sizes
3. ACE bandages
4. Epsom Salts
5. Nail cutters
6. Hydrogen peroxide
7. Lip balms
8. Aloe vera gel

Gardening Supplies

Being self-sufficient is critical when SHTF, and it all starts with a bountiful garden that you can harvest each season. The dollar store can provide you with the tools you need to get started.

1. Seeds
2. Seed Starter Trays
3. Planters
4. Gardening Gloves
5. Gardening Hand Tools
6. Watering Cans

Odds & Ends

It’s mind-blowing to think of all the products we use on a daily basis for hygiene and comfort. While you can’t stock up on all of them, there are a few you won’t want to live without.

1. Sun reflector – Can be used as a mattress
2. Pregnancy test
3. Feminine products
4. Condoms
5. Toothbrushes
6. Sunscreen
7. Marker/signboard – Make a sign
8. Hair elastics
9. Jute twine – Use as cordage
10. Glow sticks – For signaling
11. Games – Playing cards and dice
12. Heat Packs – To keep hands warm when chopping wood
13. Shammy Towel – Always works as a beach towel
14. Shoelaces
15. School supplies
16. Diapers & Wipes – Even if you don’t need them, they make for great barter items

You will likely find plenty of other essentials at your dollar store, but these 100 should get you started without breaking the bank.

Did that fire you up for a shopping spree at the dollar store soon? Let us know what you think of these 100 dollar store prep ideas in the comments section!

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