Field notes
Preparedness Field Notes
Guides
Sourced survivalism guides
Long-form, tested articles on water, food, power and readiness — free of doomsday theatre.
Finance
How to Negotiate Debt and Bills During an Economic Crisis (And Actually Win)
When income drops and creditors won't wait, most people pay what they're told. But creditors negotiate — if you know how to ask. Here's the practical playbook for reducing debt payments, deferring bills, and protecting cash flow when the economy turns against you.
September 27, 2026 · 11 min read
Skills
How to Preserve Food Without Refrigeration: 7 Methods That Actually Work
No freezer, no problem — if you know the right methods. Here are 7 proven ways to preserve food without refrigeration, how long each one realistically buys you, and the easiest place to start this week.
September 26, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Protect Your Electronics from an EMP or Grid-Down Event (What Actually Works)
An EMP or sudden grid collapse can fry every unprotected device you own in seconds. Here is what the research actually says about shielding your electronics, which methods hold up, and what most preppers get wrong before it is too late.
September 25, 2026 · 10 min read
Medicine
How to Recognize a Heart Attack Without a Doctor: Signs Most People Miss
Chest pain is only one sign — and not always the most obvious one. Learn the full range of heart attack warning signs, which symptoms are most commonly missed (especially in women), and what to do in the critical minutes before help can reach you.
September 24, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Reduce Your Electric Bill with a DIY Backup Power Setup (Without a Full Solar Install)
A professional solar install can cost $20,000 or more — but you can cut your dependence on the grid and lower your monthly bill right now with a staged DIY backup power setup. Here's how to do it without hiring a contractor or buying equipment you don't understand.
September 23, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Survive a Long-Term Power Outage Without a Generator: 5 Low-Tech Methods That Actually Work
A generator fails when the gas runs out — usually within 72 hours. Here are five proven, no-tech methods for surviving a week or longer without grid power, drawn from off-grid and Amish practices that have worked for generations.
September 22, 2026 · 10 min read
Security
Kubotan Self-Defense: Does It Actually Work Against a Stronger Attacker?
A kubotan is one of the most carried self-defense tools in the world — but most people who own one have never trained with it. Here's an honest look at what it can and can't do, the techniques that actually matter, and how to build real skill before you need it.
September 21, 2026 · 10 min read
Security
How to Deter Looters After a Disaster: 5 Layers of Home Security When Police Response Is Delayed
After a hurricane, earthquake, or grid failure, police response times can stretch from minutes to days — and opportunistic looting spikes. Here are five concrete security layers that actually work when normal systems fail.
September 20, 2026 · 10 min read
Skills
How to Make a 72-Hour Emergency Plan for Your Family (Step-by-Step)
Most families have supplies but no actual plan — and that gap costs critical time when seconds matter. Here is exactly how to build a complete 72-hour emergency plan, from communication trees to evacuation routes, in one afternoon.
September 19, 2026 · 10 min read
Medicine
Herbal Remedies for Cold and Flu at Home: What Actually Works (and What Doesn't)
When the pharmacy runs dry or you want fewer pills in your body, several plant-based remedies have real evidence behind them for cold and flu symptoms. Here is what the research actually supports, what is folklore, and how to make effective preparations from ingredients you already have.
September 18, 2026 · 10 min read
Medicine
How to Treat a Wound Infection at Home When You Can't Get Antibiotics
When a cut or puncture starts showing signs of infection and a doctor isn't reachable, you have a narrow window to act. Learn which home treatments have real evidence behind them, which warning signs mean you must evacuate, and how to keep a minor infection from turning serious.
September 17, 2026 · 10 min read
Food
How to Cut Your Grocery Bill 50–90% With a Small Home Garden (High-Yield Crops and Real Math)
You don't need a farm — you need the right crops and a system. Here's the actual math on which vegetables produce the most food value per square foot, and how a 5-by-10 plot can meaningfully replace what you're paying for at the store.
September 16, 2026 · 11 min read
Food
How to Store 3 Months of Food Without Refrigeration (The Practical Household Guide)
Refrigeration fails. Here's how real households — not doomsday bunkers — build 90 days of shelf-stable food using proven no-power preservation methods that cost far less than freeze-dried kits.
September 15, 2026 · 11 min read
Water
How to Collect Rainwater at Home for Drinking Water: A Practical Setup Guide
Rainwater harvesting can supply a real share of your household's daily water — if your setup is legal, properly filtered, and sized correctly. Here's how to build a system that actually works when the tap runs dry.
September 14, 2026 · 10 min read
Food
How to Get Enough Protein on a Plant-Based Emergency Food Supply (Without Buying Expensive Specialty Products)
Most plant-based preppers stockpile calories but underplan protein — and that gap shows up fast when stress and physical labor spike your needs. Here's how to hit adequate protein targets using only shelf-stable pantry staples you already know how to store.
September 13, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
DIY Small Solar Power Projects for Beginners: Low-Cost Ways to Start Generating Your Own Energy
You don't need a $15,000 roof installation to start generating your own power. Here are the realistic low-cost DIY solar approaches a prepper household can actually build — plus an unproven experimental concept worth knowing about.
September 12, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
DIY Off-Grid Power Systems for Beginners: What You Actually Need Before You Build
Thinking about building your own off-grid power system but not sure where to start? This guide breaks down the real components, realistic costs, and the foundational knowledge you need before spending a dollar — plus one low-cost resource worth your attention.
September 11, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Reduce Your Electric Bill with DIY Home Energy Generation (What's Actually Worth Your Time)
Grid power costs are climbing and outages are longer. Here is what DIY home energy generation actually involves, which approaches are realistic for a prepper household, and where a low-cost digital guide fits into your planning.
September 10, 2026 · 10 min read
Medicine
Natural Remedies for Upset Stomach Without Medication: What Actually Works
When the pharmacy is closed or you want to skip the antacids, several kitchen-based remedies have real evidence behind them for nausea, indigestion, and stomach cramps. Here is what works, what does not, and when to stop treating at home.
September 9, 2026 · 8 min read
Finance
How to Protect Your Savings During Economic Collapse: 7 Practical Steps
When currency loses value and banks freeze accounts, your savings can vanish faster than your food supply. Here are 7 concrete steps to shield your money before a financial crisis hits — not after.
September 8, 2026 · 11 min read
Skills
Home Food Preservation Without Electricity: 6 Methods That Actually Work
Power outages, grid uncertainty, or simply wanting a stocked larder that does not depend on a freezer — here are six proven, low-tech food preservation methods any household can start using this week, with the science behind why each one works.
September 7, 2026 · 11 min read
Medicine
Trauma Kit Essentials: What Every Kit Needs Before the Ambulance Arrives
A trauma kit is not a bigger first-aid kit. Here is the short, tested list of trauma kit essentials that actually stop bleeding and keep someone alive until help arrives.
September 6, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Protect Your Electronics from an EMP or Grid-Down Event (What Actually Works)
An EMP or severe grid-down event can destroy unshielded electronics in seconds — permanently. Here is what the science actually says about protecting your devices, which methods are reliable, and where DIY approaches fall short.
September 6, 2026 · 11 min read
Power
How to Power Your Home During an Outage Without a Generator (5 Realistic Options)
Generators are loud, expensive, and need fuel you may not have. Here are 5 legitimate ways to keep critical circuits running during a power outage — no generator required, no electrician needed.
September 5, 2026 · 10 min read
Power
How to Keep Food Cold Without Power During an Extended Outage (7 Proven Methods)
A grid-down fridge becomes a liability within four hours. Here are 7 low-tech, no-gadget methods to keep food cold without power for days or weeks — and exactly how long each one buys you.
September 4, 2026 · 10 min read
Security
Palm Stick Self-Defense for Beginners: How to Defend Yourself Against a Stronger Attacker in Close Quarters
When escape isn't an option and a stronger attacker is already inside your space, a palm stick gives you a real mechanical advantage — if you know how to use it. Here's what the technique actually involves and how to build the skill.
September 2, 2026 · 10 min read
Security
How to Secure Your Home During a Power Outage (When Your Alarm System Goes Dead)
Most home alarm systems fail the moment the grid goes down — exactly when break-ins spike. Here's how to layer real physical security that works without electricity, and what to do before the lights go out.
September 1, 2026 · 10 min read
Skills
Survival Kit List: The Complete Checklist for the First 72 Hours
A complete survival kit list organised by the seven pillars — water, food, power, first aid, tools, shelter and communications — with quantities per person, common mistakes, and a build order that works on a real budget.
August 31, 2026 · 11 min read
Medicine
Herbal Remedies for Cold and Flu Symptoms: What Actually Works (And What Doesn't)
When pharmacies are closed or you want to stretch your medicine cabinet further, knowing which herbal remedies have real evidence behind them for cold and flu symptoms can save you a miserable week. Here is what the research actually says.
August 31, 2026 · 10 min read
Medicine
How to Treat an Infected Wound When You Can't Get to a Doctor
When a cut turns red, hot, and swollen and professional care is hours or days away, you need a clear action plan. This guide covers the signs of wound infection, evidence-based home treatment steps, and the natural antimicrobial options with real clinical backing.
August 30, 2026 · 11 min read
Food
How to Grow Enough Food in a Small Backyard to Meaningfully Cut Your Grocery Bill
You don't need acreage to produce a serious share of your household's food. This guide breaks down the real math, the right crops, and a proven small-footprint system that works whether you're renting a townhouse or own a quarter acre.
August 30, 2026 · 11 min read
Medicine
Managing Chronic Medications When the Supply Chain Breaks Down
Millions of Americans depend on daily prescription medications. Here is what to do when pharmacies run dry, power grids fail, or a disaster cuts off your refill — practical steps that could save your life or someone else's.
August 30, 2026 · 11 min read
Food
No-Refrigeration Food Preservation: 7 Methods That Actually Work for Long-Term Storage
Refrigeration is the first thing you lose in a grid-down situation. These proven, no-power food preservation methods — drawn from wartime and Depression-era practice — let you store months of food without a freezer or fridge.
August 29, 2026 · 11 min read
Water
How Much Water Does a Household Actually Need for a 30-Day Emergency?
FEMA's one-gallon-per-person rule is a starting point, not the whole picture. Here's how to calculate a realistic 30-day water budget for your household — and what to do when storage alone is not enough.
August 29, 2026 · 10 min read
Water
Emergency Water Storage and Purification: The Complete Guide
How much water to store per person, how long it keeps, and the four purification methods that actually work when the tap stops — boiling, filtering, chemical treatment and distillation.
August 24, 2026 · 10 min read
Food
Long-Term Food Storage: Building a 90-Day Pantry That Works
Calorie math, the staples that store for decades, oxygen absorbers and mylar, realistic shelf life, and the rotation system that stops your pantry from quietly expiring.
August 20, 2026 · 12 min read
Power
Off-Grid Backup Power: Sizing a System for a Month, Not a Weekend
Load math, battery chemistry, solar array sizing and generator safety — how to build layered backup power that survives week four of an outage, not just the first night.
August 15, 2026 · 13 min read
Field notes by email
Get the next guide before you need it
One email when a new field guide drops — water, food, power, medicine. No spam, no daily noise, unsubscribe in one click.
Field notes wall
Ask about a topic you want covered, or share what has worked where you live.
No comments yet. Be the first to add a field report.