150 Preps Under $15
Prepping doesn’t require spending a lot of money all at once. One of the most common statements potential preppers and beginning preppers make is ” I would love to prep but I just don’t have the budget”.
Hey, I hear you. I have been really broke too. I don’t always have extra to spend on preps. Some of you may see some of the gear reviews I have done and think that I have some neat extras but the truth is that places send me a lot of those things so that I can give an honest review.
This evening I sat down with my husband Matt and we came up with this list of 150 items that you can pick up for under $15. In fact a lot of these items are under $10. In some cases I have listed how many of something you can get for under $15. For example when I say 12 lbs of peanut butter I am talking about buying 3 containers at $5 each. Maybe you just have an extra $5 so you can only buy one jar. That is still really good. Small investments in preps really start to add up and doing something is better than not prepping at all.
Click here to download a copy of this list that you can print out and have on hand whenever you want it! I am going to make an effort to make articles and lists on this site easy to save or print. You may have some of these items already. The print out has handy checkboxes that you can use to keep track of what you have on hand. If you have any trouble please let me know and I will email you a copy!
It may be worth considering highlighting items that you want to get first so you can just focus on those and check them off as you can afford to buy them. You may want to pull this list out when doing your monthly online shopping or even keep it handy when shopping at stores.
I have linked out to some items. Any purchase you make after clicking on a link I get a small commission for which allows me to maintain this site for you and it doesn’t cost you any extra money. Thank you in advance for your support.
- Matches
- Lighters
- Paracord
- 2 Large Cans of Beef
- 8 cans of Chicken
- 20 lbs of Rice
- 10-15 lbs of Beans
- Flour
- Fishing Line and Hooks
- 2 Large Containers of Parmesan Cheese
- Several Cans of Coffee
- Tea
- Borax
- Baking Soda
- 3 Dak Hams
- 6 cans of Peppered Kippers (An excellent substitute for expensive smoked salmon and trout!)
- Water Purification Tablets
- Blood Stop Powder
- Box of Assorted Bandages
- 12 lbs of Peanut Butter
- Pasta
- 2 Large Tubes of Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- Witch Hazel 2 or more containers depending on the brand
- Bleach
- Oxi Clean
- Broom and Dust Pan
- 12 Bars of Zote Soap
- 15 Bars of Fels Naptha
- 3 boxes of Washing Soda
- Juice Boxes
- Candles
- Canning Jars
- Sterno Fuel
- 20 lbs of Kosher Salt
- Condiments
- Rechargeable Batteries
- Flashlight
- Knife
- Can Opener
- Pens
- Paper
- Disposable Razors
- Wet Wipes
- Dish Soap
- Glue
- Duct Tape
- Hammer
- Screwdriver
- Pry Bar
- Tire Patch Kit
- Bread Yeast
- Brewing Yeast
- A few lbs of nails
- Clothes Pins
- Washboard
- Storage Totes
- Garden Seeds
- Mashed Potatoes
- Corn Meal
- Oats
- Corn Grits
- Cooking Oil
- Light Bulbs
- Flares
- Hand Warmers
- Socks
- Underwear
- T-Shirt Packs
- Gun Oil
- Bore Cleaner such as Hoppes #9
- Cotton Balls
- Saline
- Magnifying Glass
- Small 1lb Propane Canisters
- Propane Cylinder Stove
- Alcohol Stove
- Sponges
- Wash Clothes
- Toilet Paper
- Paper Towels
- Vinegar
- Ammonia
- Alcohol Prep Pads
- Cheap Liquor
- Charging Cables (USB or similar)
- Paper Plates
- Disposable Cutlery
- Tarp
- Safety Glasses
- Ear Plugs
- Desiccant Gel
- Zip Loc Bags
- Used Books
- Aluminum Foil
- Saran Wrap
- Knife Sharpener
- Ferro Rod
- Funnels
- Fuel Stabilizer
- Trash Bags
- Cooler Bag
- Spray Bottles
- Locks
- Trip Wire Alarm ( Combine with string or paracord and stretch across entry points)
- Sugar
- Cat Food
- Feed Corn
- Small Bag of Dog Food
- Charcoal
- Emergency Water Filter
- Nalgene Water Bottle
- Emergency Lantern
- Ratcheting Straps
- Quick Links
- Carabiners
- Rope
- Length of Chain
- Sharpie Markers
- Pickling Lime
- Iostat Radiation Tablets
- Vitamins
- Emergen-C Drink Mixes
- Amoxicillin
- Curad Silver Antimicrobial Gel
- Ace Bandages
- French Press
- Aspirin
- Benadryl
- Ibuprofen
- Tylenol
- Antacids
- SD Cards for storing ebooks, music, pics, and other important data.
- Screen Repair Tape
- Insect Repellent
- Pepper Spray
- Self Defense Keychain
- Poison Ivy Tablets
- Lidocaine Topical Numbing Cream
- Hat
- Belt
- Sunscreen
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Butane
- Zippo Lighters
- Candle Wicks
- Flints
- Bandannas
- Lip Balm/Chapstick
- Mouse or Rat Traps
- Condoms
What would you add to this list of preps under $15? Please share in the comments below!
You can also reach me via email at sam@samanthabiggers.com.
Tuna in oil….13 cans if you shop at the right place. Oil because you can use it for a candle, before you eat it.
15 boxes of Pasta, assorted shapes, when on sale. (or Dollar store)
Dawn dish soap – blue (not for dishes….one of the best soaps for making insect killing spray…only thing I use for flies in the house)
I’m curious about the use of Kosher Salt instead of Salt with Iodine or even just regular salt. Any particular reason for recommending Kosher Salt? I typically only use Kosher for brining meat but will certainly buy if I know why recommended. Many of these I hadn’t thought of so thank you, Samantha and Matthew, for the great list!
Sometimes Kosher is easier to find online for a reasonable cost. During the pandemic, some sizes of salt and varieties have been cost-prohibitive or retailers were not shipping them. A lot of people are shopping from home now. I like that you can use it for canning, brining, and for cured meats when added to other curing agents. I keep several types of salt on hand. Thanks for reading!
In the medicinal area we have found that Dollar Stores are a good
place to buy Hemorrhoid Cream( also works well on insect bites),
Anti Fungal Cream,and 2%Cortisone Cream.
They are all made in the USA and work well.One more thing to look
at is the generic Cold/Flu meds.
I haven’t been to Wal Mart in a long time but they used to have an
88 cent rack and sold ladies absorbent panty liners in a forty count
box for you guessed it 88 cents. Our purpose is for wound bandages.The price has probably gone up but it would be good at
twice the price,
All liquid bleach looses its effectiveness after about one year,where as pool shock used to make bleach as needed is good forever in its
crystal form.
Steramine pills make a very concentrated bleach solution for sanitizing objects and surfaces only.It cannot be used in drinking
water and also has an indefinite shelf until mixed in water.
Of course, your suggestion of an emergency lantern will be powered by the rechargeable batteries. I, of course, would have at least one kerosene lantern. Plus fuel