Preparing for a natural disaster or emergency situation is absolutely essential. During an emergency, you may not have access to modern medicine or local shopping facilities. In fact, you may not even be able to leave your house. While storing up on the right items can save your life, stocking up on the wrong things can be deadly. While many people choose to stock up on the important items, there are a few common mistakes that you need to know about.  
 
Stocking up on perishable foods  
Everyone loves fresh fruit, right? It makes sense that people would be tempted to try to stay healthy by stocking up on perishable foods, but the truth is that fresh food items will not last long when the power goes out. Instead of loading up your freezer with fresh meats, consider picking dried cuts of jerky or canned meats. Also consider stocking up on canned vegetables and fruits as well as dehydrated fruits. You'll still get to eat the foods that you like, but you'll be able to relax knowing that they'll last you throughout the emergency.
 
Hoarding useless items  
Things like balls of string, forks, and backpacks can be useful in small numbers, but there's no need to stock up on dozens of these items. Ask yourself how useful an item will really be during an emergency before you decide to save it. Many people make the mistake of storing up on large numbers of items that they plan to barter with other survivors during an emergency, yet stock up on items that no one will actually need. Make sure that what you store will be useful.
 
Not keeping enough cash on hand  
If you find yourself in an emergency situation, you may not have electricity. Keep in mind that during a power outage, your credit card will not work. ATMs may not work, either, so you'll need to have cash on hand before an emergency strikes. In general, it's a good idea to keep enough money to last you a few days. Always keep small bills since it may not be possible to break a larger bill.
 
Going into debt to prepare  
While it might be tempting to spend a lot of money to prepare for an emergency, you should never go into debt. Instead, stock up on a few extra items each time you go to the grocery store. This way, you'll gradually build up your food storage and survival kit without having to spend a lot of extra money. You can also take advantage of store sales to get emergency items at a lower price.
 
Remember that preparing for a natural disaster or emergency situation requires you to think about what you may need when none of the normal utility services and supplies are available.

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