How to Prepare for Food Shortages, Hard Times on a Shoestring Budget: Preppers’ Advice

Many online “preppers” have said that only a small percentage of Americans prepare for potential food shortages and civil unrest.

A storage room stacked with food is seen at a preppers ranch in Mathias, West Virginia, on March 13, 2020. Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

Most people don’t bother to prepare for uncertain times until it’s too late. It’s the “ant and the grasshopper” parable written on a human scale.

“The problem is that while fear is a great motivator, it isn’t conducive to smart decisions,” said Diane Vukovic of PrimalSurvivor.com, an online personal preparedness website.