Personal Safety On A Budget!
Contrary to popular belief learning self defense and getting an emergency kit together does not have to take a lot of time and money. Here are some of my favorite tips you can do that are free or cost very little money when it comes to developing your personal safety and preparedness plans.
1. Start by increasing your level of awareness during everyday activities. Just spending a few minutes off of Facebook and your smart phones can be the difference between spotting a threat ahead of time and making a phone call to police after your purse or wallet has been jacked.
2. Install some security measures at home like an alarm system. Put up some cameras around the house strategically. One good location in the front of the house where the camera is visible as you walk up but in a place where most people wouldn’t be able to tamper with it. Even putting up an alarm company sign in the window is a huge crime deterrent. At a glance, if a thief is casing your neighborhood, they will pass up the house with if they see evidence of an alarm and surveillance system monitoring the home. There are several companies that provide security monitoring for a low monthly fee.
3. Start assembling your emergency kits and grab and go bags with things you already have around the office or at the house. You will be surprised at all the stuff you put together. I am talking about canned goods, travel size toiletry items you collect from your vacation hotel stays, band aids and gauze for your first aid supplies, spare clothes and shoes from the pile of clothes you have been meaning to donate, and the list goes on. Buy a little extra food or ammo each time you go to the store. Make survival products a bonus treat for your kids instead of a candy bar for doing the chores they are supposed to do. You will have your kits assembled before you know it.
4. Come up with some code words or names to signal your family members when something is wrong. An example would be calling your spouse by a different name before you enter the house to let them know a bad guy is threatening you at the door. That way your partner can get ready to catch the bad guy off guard.
5. Come up with your family evacuation and communication plans in case of an emergency and practice them. People tend to freeze and panic during an emergency when they have no plan. Imagine there is someone trying to break through your kitchen window at night. Do your kids know to go to the safe room? Does your spouse know how to get to a strategic spot in the kitchen or adjoining room to give you guys the advantage over the intruder? Do you carry a firearm on you while you are at home? If not, how fast could you get to your firearm, get it out of the safe, load and make it ready, and point in at the bad guy? Coming up with your plan costs you nothing but is one of the most valuable parts of your preparedness for any threat to your safety.
If you are finding yourself really counting pennies just think how important your family’s life is to you. Most everyone can find some luxuries to do without every month. Find somewhere cheaper to do your hair and nails, instead of buying your kids a new video game every month put that towards a monthly allowance for martial arts training. If you like to get $150.00 massages every week try buying a foam roller for $20 bucks and learn some self myofascial release techniques. Workout at home instead of paying on that gym membership you never use. How can you simplify your life without totally going Amish? Think about it and look at your budget.
What is your life worth to you? Come to one of my workshops and for a really low cost one or two day event you’ll walk away with years of my training and experience with tens of thousands of dollars. I have resources for you and dozens of tips that you can implement right away that cost you absolutely nothing. You’ll keep receiving this information when you train with me.
The bottom line is take advantage of the resources being offered to you. There really are no excuses when it comes to your safety. Your life comes before all else. Get gear and get training, you don’t have to do this alone. Please share your strategies and things that work for you to keep you safe and prepared without breaking the bank.
To Your Surviving and Thriving,
MaryAnne Morcos, The Urban Survival Chick
