New to preparedness? You don't need a bunker, a big budget or a free weekend. You need a few calm first steps, taken in the right order. Start here.
Step 1: Five free things to do this week
- ☐ Make a plan at the kitchen table. Who lives here, who needs medications, and where you'd meet if you couldn't get home.
- ☐ Write down important numbers on paper, including your utility's outage line and a contact who lives farther away.
- ☐ Find your home's main water shutoff. Our shutoff guide takes about five minutes.
- ☐ Start storing water: 1 gallon per person, per day, for at least 3 days (plus pets), in clean, food-grade containers you already have. Label them with the date.
- ☐ Gather what you own (flashlights, batteries, a first-aid kit, blankets) into one spot everyone knows.
Step 2: Your starter checklist
- ☐ Water for 3 days per person
- ☐ No-cook food for 3 days per person
- ☐ A light for every person (not candles)
- ☐ A way to get news and charge phones when the power is out
- ☐ A first-aid kit and a few days of daily medications
- ☐ Warm layers, blankets and a poncho
- ☐ Copies of documents in a waterproof bag, and some cash in small bills
Want the full version? Read How to Build a 72-Hour Emergency Kit or Prep on a Budget.
Step 3: Pick a starting point that fits your budget
Everything below is optional. Use what you already have first, then fill the gaps one item at a time.
Under $50: Light & warmth
For the first outage night: see in the dark and keep hands warm.
- FLATEYE FR-500 Rechargeable Flashlight: $19.99
- POWERPAW 501 Rechargeable Hand Warmer: from $30.00
About $49.99
Under $150: One person, 3 days
A ready-made kit with 3 days of food and water, plus a second light.
- Preppi GoBox 3-Day Emergency Kit: $125.00
- FLATEYE FR-150 Rechargeable Flashlight: $21.99
About $146.99
Under $400: Kit + backup power
Food, water and first aid, plus quiet battery power for phones, lights and Wi-Fi.
- Preppi GoBox 3-Day Emergency Kit: $125.00
- Jackery Explorer 300D Power Station (288Wh): $209.00
- FLATEYE FR-500 Rechargeable Flashlight: $19.99
- POWERPAW 501 Hand Warmer: from $30.00
About $383.99
Prices as listed when this page was written; the product page always shows the current price. Preppi kits are final sale, so check full contents on the product page. Our own items ship free on U.S. orders of $80 or more; partner-shipped items show their shipping cost at checkout.
Shop by situation
Most families begin with one situation. Pick the one that feels closest to home. Each page walks you through calm first steps, links our Prep Guides, and shows a small set of chosen items.
Light, warmth, backup power and the fridge. When the Water Stops
Storing water, your shutoff, everyday filters. If You're Stuck in Your Car
A trunk kit, warmth and a charged phone. Growing Your Own Food
Mushrooms, hens, bees and a pantry you filled.
Step 4: Keep going, one category at a time
- Kits & Bundles: ready-made kits for adults, kids, dogs and the car
- Flashlights & Lighting: a light for every person
- Solar Power: power stations and solar panel kits
- Water Collection & Filtration: everyday home water filters
- Food Storage & Canning: Mylar bags, vacuum sealing and canning lids
Not sure what fits your home? Send us a note. We're a small, woman- and minority-owned online store, and we're happy to help you choose.
Ark Prep · Preparedness, designed into the everyday.