What one thing would you bring if you had to be shipwrecked on a deserted island? Which things would you save in a fire? What would your most prized possession be in a zombie apocalypse?
It’s important to be prepared in times of emergency. But what constitutes an emergency? What kinds of things should you prepare for (setting aside alien invasions and zombie infestations—trust me, if you’re prepared for the regular emergencies, you’ll be prepared for these, too)?
- Losing your job. This may not seem like an emergency, but if you’re one of the 38% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck, losing that paper is going to be a serious disaster when your bills arrive. There are some great financial tips on what to do next here, but the best way to prepare is before you lose your income. Squirrel away money every month to pad up your savings—use automatic transfers every month if you have to. You’ll most likely need to have enough cash saved up to cover a few months’ worth of expenses, and not worrying about paying your bills will help you focus on your job search.
- Natural disaster. Wildfires, earthquakes, floods…these are the kind of things that require serious preparation. Lazy Man and Money has a great list of what you need to do to prepare for any of these, including uploading important photos online and buying an emergency kit (or assembling your own using these handy Red Cross checklists for any disaster imaginable). Ready.gov also has a family emergency plan guideline that will help you and your family prepare.
- Zombie apocalypse. Since the Centers for Disease Control and Homeland Security both have preparations, it’s best you do, too. The good news is that the same stuff you’ll need to prepare for a natural disaster will work, according to the CDC link.
What other disasters you worry about and how would you prepare for them?
Image via IvanWalsh.com via cc.
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