Learning your area

If shtf, you don't necessarily have to bug out. Many people will do that, and you might find yourself relatively alone where you are. One of my biggest prep tips would be, know your area.

Take a moment or two to walk around and actually look at your neighborhood. Remember when you were a kid and you knew your town/woods/fields/neighborhood like the back of your hand. You could disappear and no one had a clue where you went to. You knew all the great hidey holes, shortcuts, which fences you could leap in a single bound, and whose dogs were lickers rather than bitters. Well, now is a good time to throw out all those adult inhibitions and rediscover all those things.

Where is the closest store? Not the one you shop at, but the closest. It might get raided, before you can get there, but I bet they will have left something that you can use, behind, like non food items.

Locate all your alley ways, and take note of the dogs in the area. Some of these companions will bug out with their owners, but some will not. Know all your short cuts to and from your house, find several different ways, so that you never get into the habit of using the same path. More than likely you won't be alone, and the odds are your new residents weren't as prepared as you were.

Take note of gas stations, hospitals, clinics and veterinary clinics. These places could come in handy, just as your locals bars could. Liqueur isn't just for drinking.

You will also need to take a moment to get to know your neighbors if you haven't yet. This is very important. If these people stay, more than likely they will be suspicious and that will not be a good time to get to know them. Start now. Bake a batch of brownies and take it to them. Don't ask too many questions, don't snoop. Make it friendly and calm. Don't announce that you are a prepper at the first meeting. That needs to come later in a casual chat.