Frequent readers will know that I am a huge fan of Amazon.com for purchasing preparedness stuff – as well as all kinds of other items. Low prices, huge selection, and free shipping on most orders is what has be coming back month after month.
Amazon offers a Prime membership which provides benefits such as free 2 day shipping on most orders and thousands of TV and movies that can be watched on a computer, many game systems and Roku boxes.
What follows is a list of the Top 50 Budget Preparedness Items found on Amazon. The order really doesn’t matter. The point is for the budget-minded or someone looking to generate ideas – Amazon offers some great deals. Besides – clicking on any of the following links and making a purchase helps support this website.
When you visit an external link on this page and then make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Read my full advertising disclosure here.
50. Magnesium Fire Starter – The silver portion of this product is magnesium which is a basic metal that self oxidizes (burns even when under water), and it gets incredibly hot, hot enough to start other metals on fire.
You’ll shave a portion of that off with a knife and into a small pile on top off kindling and such. The amount that you shave off is dependent on how wet all your tender and kindling is.
49. Smith’s 2-Step Knife Sharpener – Small and portable knife sharpener. The thing just works. Great for a tackle box or survival kit.
48. P-51 Can Openers – A classic design that just flat out works. Don’t get caught with a can and no way of opening it.
47. Classic Survival Tool – Pretty cool multi-function tool which includes can opener, knife edge, screwdriver, ruler, 4 position wrench, butterfly screw wrench, saw blade, 2 position wrench, key chain hole, bottle opener, and direction auxiliary indication.
46. Esbit Folding Pocket Stove – Super portable stove which is excellent for boiling water in a jiffy with fuel cubes (included).
45. Mosquito Head Net – Keep those critters out of your eyes and ears – and still be able to see.
44. 300 lumen mini flashlight – Alright, probably not 300 lumens but these lights are bright and well worth the few dollars they cost.
43. Ultralight 3.9 oz. Folding Backpacking Stove – I have a couple of these and they can boil water within minutes. Awesome!
42. Mini-Compact 9V Battery Flashlight – What a fantastic idea and works incredibly well. A full 9V battery seems to last forever.
41. 2-pack Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery Packs – these are erect for recharging your cell phone when there is no outlet or USB available.
40. Black Widow Slingshot Powerful Strong Hunting Catapult – a classic “toy” that.
39. “Rite in the Rain” Pocket Notebook – all-weather notebook
38. Car Battery Terminal Cigarette Lighter Adapter Clip On Cable – very useful and you never know when you might need it. Cheap!
37. Grand Trunk Ultralight Hammock – one of my favorite hammocks. Light and great quality.
36. Baofeng UV-5R Handheld Ham Radio – one of the best deals on Amazon….PERIOD!
35. Lee Fisher Bankline – spool of 745 feet – Paracord is not the end all of cordage.
34. Tenergy CR123 Batteries – Pack of 12 High performance lithium ion batteries at budget prices.
32. Windproof/Waterproof Matches in Sealed Case – The ultimate “Just in Case” survival item.
31. Pack of 10 Emergency Blanket – A classic preparedness item.
30. Cyalume Lightsticks – Pack of 10 – Great soft light source and morale booster for kids.
29. Emergency Mylar Survival Shelter for Two People – perfect for a survival kit of vehicle trunk
28. ProForce Commando Wire Saw – another classic survival item with many uses
27. Portable Aqua Water Purification Tablets
26. Ian Sinclair CardSharp 2 Credit Card Knife – Really unique razor sharp knife the size of a credit card when folded.
25. Trustfire XML CREE 1000 Lumen Flashlight – 1000 lumens? No – closer to 500 or so. Regardless – this is a super bright and economical flashlight.
24. LifeStraw Water Filter – Perfect high performance water filter at a price anyone can afford. Stock up on several.
23. US Army Survival Manual FM 21-76 – Classic survival manual that should be sitting on the book shelf AND in the pack.
22. 11200mAh Battery Pack – Perfect high capacity battery pack for charging a variety of items such as cell phones and tablets.
21. 32 GB Flash Drive – back up family photo’s and important documents and take them on the go. Inexpensive insurance.
20. Pocket Fisherman – portable fishing system that many of us grew up using. Flat out works!
19. SE – Sling Shot – brings back so many childhood memories.
18. Adventure Medical Sol Two Person Survival Blanket
17. Plano Ammo Can – It’s not a military surplus 50 caliber can but it is lightweight and very useful.
16. MTM Survivor Can Underground Storage Container – affordable method to cache supplies.
15. Daisy .177 caliber pointed pellets – 250 pellets in one small, portable package.
14. Mora Outdoor Knife – legendary quality carbon blade.
13. Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System – weighs 2 oz. and filters up to 100,000 gallons.
12. SAS Survival Guide – world’s premiere survival manual.
11. Patriots: A Novel of Survival of the Coming Collapse – a standard book which all others are judged. There is a survival manual built in within the pages of this novel.
10. Smith’s 2-Step Knife Sharpener – very small and portable knife sharpener. Perfect for throwing in glove box or survival kit.
9. Cold Steel G.I. Tanto 7″ Knife – simply awesome knife. Super rugged with a carbon steel blade.
8. Emergency Whistle – can’t go wrong for around a buck.
7. UST Wet Fire Tinder – works fantastic.
6. Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot Sight – Inexpensive and rugged red dot sight with great reviews.
5. Mess Kit – basic cook set. Lightweight and portable.
4. Emergency Rain Poncho – pack of 4
3. 9′ x 12′ Poncho – inexpensive and available in varying sizes. So many uses.
2. 100 Feet of 550 Paracord – Next to a knife, probably the most useful survival supply that exists.
1. Toilet Paper – Yup – toilet paper. If the S hits the fan your gonna need lots of toilet paper. Amazon has awesome deals on toilet paper.
Any additions?
Rourke
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Thanks Rourke- good list- always good to go over lists.I am happy to share that we have most of the list but I just ordered the slingshot and ham radio from Amazon. My husband will like the slingshot for his birthday and I have been wanting one for a long time.(so we can share it smile!) Arlene
PS Isnt it good that despite losing her beloved Grandparents when their plane crashed that the 16 year old girl
was able to survive because she had watched survival programs !!! Here its 38 in the mTs and 50 where we live at night.Very strange for July. Just got our first tomato from the garden.
Thanks John….always good to do this once a year…I’m going to get my pack out of the car and go thru it again….for the fourth time since I created it….I’ll make sure and review my equipment and get as close to complying with your list as possible. Rusty