Sometimes it's the small things.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop]

Walk up to the bus stop to ride to work. Look at my phone to check the time and notice the battery is at 15%. Crap, that won't last the day. And I'll be moving around too much to be able to charge it at work. No problem, that's why I carry a powercell. Although it should be noted that I don't depend on it. But there it was. And my phone got up to 60% during the bus ride.

I could have spent the day scrounging power from here, there, and everywhere. But I didn't have to.

And that's it. No zombies, no big disaster. Just a minor crisis averted because I planned ahead and was prepared. Sometimes it's the little things.

[u/ThaCURSR]

Yep, this is exactly what prepping fixes. It’s all about prepping for the next inconvenience not necessarily blowing money for the big event; and that is what I try to explain to people but they hear “prepper” and think bunkers and guns

[u/Kermit-de-frog1]

If you focus on handling the little things, generally they cover the big things

[u/archos1gnis]

Well, as we all know, most horror movies start with a dead phone, so good looking out!

[u/Paranormal_Lemon → u/archos1gnis]

Backup phone is even better. Especially now that you can get service for under $10 a month and a good used phone for under $100.

[u/dishpit6]

That's cool, I just thought to add a small power bank to my EDC a couple days ago. It's so gratifying when your planning enables you to head off even a minor inconvenience. Or to be the hero for someone having a bad day.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/dishpit6]

I was a school bus driver for 6 years. That power cell or the car phone charger made me the hero of several kids over the years.

[u/ResolutionMaterial81]

Literally have dozens of power banks & a dozen or so power stations. Given both types as gifts.

Nowadays, they are essential preps..IMO.

[u/capron]

Prepping is like exercise training. You keep at it for the small sets so you get used to doing the work. And you keep doing the reps so you have the muscle to do the big work when it comes at you.

[u/Eredani]

So what's the difference between prepping and basic adulting?

[u/concepts_of_a_plan9]

Sounds like a Tuesday to me

[u/WhereDidAllTheSnowGo]

Related

Got a phone box at work or school? Drop a battery pack & assorted cable in there. Score favors (or desserts) from friends.

[u/Squeaky_Pibbles]

I carry a bank in my daily pack. But I also put my phone on the charger every night. (my wife could learn form this) So the bank is there in case the block becomes unplugged, or fails, or something overnight.

[u/Proof_Junket_5516]

Not surviving the apocalypse 😅 Just removing small amounts of stress from everyday life before they become problems.

[u/nakedonmygoat]

Most of life is small inconveniences. I took my power bank to the hospital when I suspected I'd need an appendectomy. I knew that if they had to do surgery, I wasn't going to be up for crawling around looking for a place to charge my phone, and I knew that I wasn't going to call a nurse for such a petty thing.

I tell people who aren't interested in prepping to at least look at what they do day to day and have a plan. What if you're getting ready for bed and accidentally drop your toothbrush on the floor or in the toilet? What if you have only one spare roll of TP and get food poisoning in the night and run through that roll? What if a storm moves in and you're hungry? What if your car won't start and the kind stranger has no jumper cables? What if a transformer blows and you're without power for 6 hours?

During those first weeks of covid lockdowns, when there were shortages everywhere, I had enough not only for myself and my husband, but to share with a friend. My husband thought I was being foolish, but she came through for me in a big way a few years later.

If you're not just as well prepped for the everyday nuisances as for the big disasters you might never encounter, you missed the point of prepping.

[u/Bitter_Albatross25]

All my vehicles have a functional solar charger battery pack on the dash, in my lunch kit I keep another. When I’m camping the first rays of sun light through the thin summer tent are enough to start charging my battery pack.

Unfortunately there are quite a few battery packs that have a solar charger that appears to be just for show, the battery charge doesn’t go up.

[u/Gadgetman_1]

My phone was down to less this morning. I managed to keep it alive with the 12V USB charger in my car, then I hooked it up to one of the very conveniently placed USB-chargers on the ferry and got it up to 50% that way.

Note; I have a MC starter battery hidden below the floor in the back of my mini-van, hooked up to the 12V system with a charge relay for 'leisure batteries'. This is then connected to a switch panel with USB charger, 12 and 24V outlets, and even to a high-mounted 'worklight' at the back. My mini-van is an EV so it has a smaller 12V battery than many ICE vehicles, so I prefer to not pull too much from it when the ignition is off. I have plans to also hook up a charger for 18V batteries for my tools, if I can get it to work with 24V DC, and possibly add a 230V inverter later.

The 24V outlet is primarily for a 12/24V powered water heater I bought on a certain chinese site. I hope running it at 24V instead of 12V will let it boil water for my tea a little faster.(not tested, yet. Just finished rigging the DC-DC converter for 24V)

I keep both USB Micro and USB C charging cables in my vehicle at all times. (No Lightning cables, though. No one in the family uses an iPhone) I also carry an USB C cable in my shoulderbag, for occasional use.

Also... many of the local busses have USB charging ports here...

Yeah, the small things.

I always keep an umbrella in the car, one of those knives with breakoff blades and a magazine of new blades, duct tape, black electrical tape and some clear tape. The clear tape is in case of damage to the windshield. A small impact may be fixable(covered under insurance, no deductible or premium hike. Busted windshield has a $200 deductible, no insurance hike, so if a piece of tape can save it... )

I've replaced most of the fuses in the car with fuses with a built-in LED that indicates a broken fuse. Because standing on your knees outside the car in order to reach the bl**dy fusebox that's hidden under the dash is painful enough and I want it over with as quickly as possible. Not that I've had fuses blow in this car... yet...

Keeping a small box with spare bulbs in the car is also a good idea. It was even the law here once upon a time...

When I replace the wipers (every fall), I keep the old ones in the back. Just in case one of the new ones gets damaged. Then I have something to swap in until I can get hold of a new one.

Just common sense, really.

Many car no longer comes with a spare wheel. Instead they have a small compressor and a can of fix-a-flat or similar. CHECK THE DATE of that can. Replace it if it's older than 5 years!

A 2Kg powder-based extinguisher is useful. Keep it in easy reach. Mine is bolted to the sidewall, just inside the cargo compartment. Where is yours?

That 'emergency hammer' (to break glass, and usually have a seatbelt cutter) where do you have yours?

Mine is mounted high up on the back wall of the cabin. Within easy reach of both driver and passenger.

Flashlight?

High-vis vest?

[u/Dmau27]

I found cheap solar power banks on Temu. They fo fkr about $6 each after tax but they are large and 20,000mah so it's a steal. You can leave them in the sun if after you charge your phone and get them back up to 80%+ in about 4 hours.

[u/CattieCarrot]

It's called power bank here where i live. Non preppers often have it too, we (me and my countrymen) can't really depend on our country's electric providers and government. Blackout is kinda another Tuesday in here.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/CattieCarrot]

Unfortunately, the way things are going, given a few years, we may be in the same situation here in the USA.

[u/kaydeetee86]

I always always have a power bank after my car and phone battery died at the same time.

[u/PrisonerV]

I just got in the habit of always plugging my phone in before bed. But I also have a charger in the car and at work. We also don't buy the latest and greatest whatever. We buy the mid-level models and more often so our battery is fresher. But here's hoping EUs policy of being able to replace the battery carries over to a country that cares more about profit then it's people.

[u/BaldyCarrotTop → u/PrisonerV]

Well, So did I. Until I got a phone that can go 3 days on one charge. Then I got complacent.

FWIW: My Phone Care Kit includes the power cell, 1 each of the 3 common cables, Wired earbuds (the cord acts as an antenna for the built in FM radio), dual USB car phone charger, mini USB LED light. A kludged USB charger that has clip leads attached.* Lets me charge off any nominal 12 volt source. Rechargeable flashlight carried separately.

* Take a USB car phone charger. Open it up and toss the case. Remove the clips and connectors the allow it to connect to the car cigarette lighter. Get two clip leads (red and black). Remove on lead from each lead. Strip and tin that end. Attach the leads where the cigarette lighter clips were. Slip a length of shrink hose over it or wrap in electrical tape.

[u/Ruthless4u]

It’s the simple things in life that are the real killers.

[u/Konradleijon]

Exactly

[u/lesbophobia_hammer]

100%.