Running low on survival gear and even lower on your budget? Never turn down the dollar store…you might be surprised at the amazing items you’ll find!
There’s no denying that prepping for and stocking up on your survival gear can quickly become costly. But never fear! That’s why we’re here.
You can save money (and time) by snagging some crucial survival items at your local dollar store. You’d be surprised how many survival tools they actually carry.
Survival Gear On A Budget | Low-Cost Prepping
I’ll cover survival gear (and their uses) that you can pick up on your next visit to your local dollar store. These items include:
- Cotton balls and Vaseline
- Steel Wool
- Matches and Lighters
- Batteries
- LED Flashlights
- Twine
- Aluminum Foil
- Bandannas
- Heavy Duty Gloves
- Socks and Other Under Garments
- Ponchos
- Bleach
- Baby/Sanitary Wipes
- Bottled Water
- Coffee Filters
- Trash Bags
- First Aid Supplies
- Seed Packets For Your Survival Garden
Let’s get started!
1. Cotton balls and Vaseline
Cotton balls covered in vaseline make excellent fire starters! Check out our article DIY Fire Starter: The Cotton Ball to learn more!
2. Steel Wool
Here is another fire starting technique that is guaranteed to get a fire up and going in just seconds.
What you’ll need:
- Steel wool
- 9 V battery
- About 6 inches of toilet paper
- A small tinder bundle
Directions:
Get your tinder bundle ready to go and lay a piece of toilet paper on top of the tinder bundle. Next, touch the terminal end of the 9V battery to the steel wool. It will instantly ignite. Once it’s started, make sure to keep the flame against the toilet paper and tinder bundle, and there you have it! Instant fire!
3. Matches and Lighters
No survivalist should be without matches and/or lighters! Every home, vehicle, and bug out bag should be stocked with them. They make the list of my top five pieces of survival gear.
4.Batteries
Having an assortment of batteries is a must! We need them for everything from flashlights to weather radios…and so much more! However, we all know just how expensive buying batteries can be, so during the next few trips to your local dollar store grab a few packs each time you go.
5. LED Flashlights
LED flashlights are another must-have survival item! Granted, the quality of LED flashlights at your local dollar store won’t the best, but grabbing a few just to have as extras is a good idea. It’s one of those just-in-case purchases.
6. Twine
In a true survival situation, any type of cordage is good cordage. There are unlimited uses for cordage, including building a shelter and fishing. Twine is an ok substitute for the absence of paracord but, in my opinion, it’s great to have both.
7. Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil is one those multi-purpose household items that no survivalist should be without. It can be used for anything from signaling for help to keeping your matches dry. In my opinion, this item should be added to every bug out bag and emergency kit.
8. Bandannas
This is another must-have item for any survival kit. They have so many uses, but my favorite use for bandannas is making char cloth, which is a must-have for any fire starter kit. Plus, it’s super easy to make!
To learn more about how to make char cloth, check out our article How to Start a Fire with Char Cloth | Survival Basics for step-by-step instructions. While this article covers how to make char cloth using denim, you can also use bandannas with the same process.
9. Heavy Duty Gloves
A pair of heavy duty gloves are yet another must-have item for every bug out bag. In a true survival situation, they provide great protection against wood splinters, blistering, and other weather-related injuries.
10. Socks and Other Under Garments
It’s also a great idea to pick up extra socks and other under garments such as thermals. These make great additions to your bug out bag and/or your emergency car kit.
11. Poncho
Ponchos help protect you against the elements in all seasons and are a must-have item for anyone! They can also be used for other things such as waterproof shelters and collecting rain water.
12. Bleach
Bleach can be used to disinfect surfaces and to purify water. Click here for exact measurements and instructions on how to purify contaminated water with bleach.
13. Baby/Sanitary Wipes
These are a must-have for every household and personal bug out bag and will prove their worth in every survival situation. Both baby and sanitary wipes can be purchased at your local dollar store at a great price!
14. Bottled Water
Never leave your home without at least a few bottles of water. Every household, every vehicle, or used individually in every bug out bag and/or emergency kit needs water or some way of making found water safe to drink. Every dollar store across the country carries bottled water that you can purchase at a reasonable price. Make it a habit to grab a pack every time you go shopping, and before you know it, you’ll have an impressive stash of emergency water.
15. Coffee Filters
Coffee filters are getting a lot of attention lately with their many survival uses! Their ability to be everything from a funnel to a fire starter makes them a great addition to every survival kit!
16. Trash Bags
Trash bags are another household item that have multiple uses in survival situations. Check out our article 30 Uses For Trash Bags In Your Bug Out Bag to read more about their many uses.
17. First Aid Supplies
Many of the items you need in a well stocked first aid kit can be purchased at great prices from your local dollar store. If you are looking for suggestions on what items to add to your first aid kit, check out our great articles: First Aid Kit List and How to Make Proper First Aid Kit for some great suggestions!
18. Seed Packets For Your Survival Garden
Let’s talk survival gardening! In the beginning of Spring, you can purchase seed packets at your local dollar store for almost nothing! Consider looking there first before you visit your local garden center, and you may just save a few bucks!
Corporals Corner shows a video on dollar store survival gear:
Have you purchased survival gear from your local dollar store? Tell us in the comment section below.
UP NEXT:
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from SurvivalLife https://survivallife.com/dollar-store-survival-gear/
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