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3 Prepper Essentials Hidden At Your Local Thrift Shop

Foraging isn't just an outdoor activity.

Stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army are home to incredible finds that can save you thousands of dollars per year. 

And today's article will show you the three best items to look for when you're out thrifting.

Helping you maximize your haul, and pick up hundreds of dollars in quality goods - often for as little as $5.

1. Winter Clothes

One nice thing about cold weather is that you can protect yourself from it by putting on more layers.

Having extra coats, gloves, and hats in your car or closet is a great way to protect yourself during an unexpected emergency. If your vehicle slides off the road or the power goes out in the dead of winter - you can always wear another layer.

Look for jackets, flannels, hats, gloves, sweaters, blankets, and anything else warm.

Remember, these are emergency survival clothes.

They're meant to be warm, not stylish.

A $1 ugly sweater or old coat might not win any fashion awards. But it could keep you or a family member from freezing to death.

2. Vintage Books And Reference Manuals

On my last trip to the thrift store, I picked-up a complete medical reference books for $0.25.

New, this guide costs $79.99.

Thrift stores are goldmines for reference books and vintage "how-to" guides.

You can find titles on everything from gardening and fishing, to auto repair and first-aid.

Stores like Goodwill are a fantastic place to build your prepper's library.

3. Enamelware Coffee Mugs And Home Appliances

A Coleman 12-ounce enamelware coffee mug costs $4.99 on Amazon.

At thrift shops, you can often buy whole sets of enamelware mugs and plates for the same price.

Likewise, thrifting is a great way to acquire cheap appliances you can repurpose in unconventional ways. For example, many gardening books will recommend making your own homemade, organic insecticide. 

And most of these recipes involve running natural, albeit unpleasant, ingredients through a coffee maker.

You probably don't want to brew coffee in a machine that made bug spray.

And, you can save yourself $19.99 on your "insecticide coffee maker" by finding an old Mr. Coffee or BUNN for a couple bucks at Goodwill.

Conclusion

Thrift stores are a great way to acquire your emergency preparedness and self-sufficiency supplies. They're always stocked with old winter clothes. Perfect for keeping on hand during a brutal cold spell.

And, thrift shops are a treasure trove of reference manuals and "how-to" books.

Many of these places sell books for $0.25 - $0.50 each, allowing you to buy hundreds of dollars worth of manuals and guides for less than $5,

And finally, thrift shops are a great place to buy enamelware coffee mugs and plates.

These are great for camping, or heating over an open flame. And you can buy whole sets of cups and dishes for the same price as one, single new mug off Amazon.

If you're looking to hone your foraging skills in a non-outdoor environment, give thrifting a try!

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