Practical Prepping Podcast

Episode 526: Ten Things That a Prepper Should NOT Do

Hosts: Mark & Krista Lawley
Date: September 22, 2025

Episode Overview

In this re-edited fan-favorite episode, Mark and Krista Lawley break down the ten major mistakes preppers should avoid. Drawing from decades of practical experience, they debunk myths, address common pitfalls, and provide actionable advice, all while keeping the focus on realistic emergencies rather than sensational doomsday scenarios. Their practical, accessible approach makes prepping less intimidating and more relevant to everyday life.

The Ten Things Preppers Should NOT Do

1. Procrastinate About Getting Started

• Key Insight: Waiting for "the right time" to start prepping is dangerous. Emergencies are unpredictable; you should prepare now, even if it's just buying a few extra cans of beans.
  • Quote: “William Fortune said ‘we never know when the day before is the day before. So we prepare today for tomorrow.’” – Mark (03:39)
• Common Excuses Debunked:
  • Too expensive? Start small (“Start prepping with two cans of beans…79 cents.” – Mark, 04:10)
  • Don’t know where to begin? Use free resources, cross-check several sources for consensus (05:00–06:21)

2. Store All Supplies in One Place

• Key Insight: Keeping all your preps at home is risky due to threats like fire, natural disaster, or being away when crisis strikes.
  • Quote: “One tornado takes it all out or one hurricane takes it all out.” – Mark (06:39)
• Advice: Spread supplies between different areas of the house, vehicles, secondary buildings, and even with trusted family or friends (07:02–07:19)
• Memorable Moment: Mark jokes about burying supplies in a bucket in the backyard, but notes that's not practical for everyday access (09:08–09:14)

3. Keep Preps a Complete Secret from Trusted Loved Ones

• Key Insight: Involve family and trusted friends in prepping. Going alone is risky and less effective.
  • Quote: “If you don’t have anyone that you can trust a little bit, you need to find some new friends.” – Mark (10:18)
• Points:
  • Sharing the prepping mindset can encourage others to prepare (11:05–11:09)
  • Compassion counts—be willing to help others in reasonable situations (12:58–14:12)
  • Don't go full isolationist; prepping is also about building community (15:22–15:29)

4. Avoid Training (Medical, Firearms, Skills)

• Key Insight: Owning gear is useless if you don’t know how to use it, especially in high-stress situations.
  • Quote: “Doing CPR is not the time to get it out of a book…Trying to stop arterial bleeding is not the time to be reading about it.” – Mark (16:05)
• Advice:
  • Get hands-on training in first aid and self-defense (17:05–18:38)
  • Practice using your equipment (e.g., radios, tools) before an emergency (18:49–21:17)
• Notable Example:
  • The Baofeng UV5R radio story—having the tool is pointless if you can't operate it under pressure (18:49–20:58)

5. Obsess Only over Doomsday Scenarios

• Key Insight: Most emergencies are not apocalyptic. Prepare for what’s likely—power outages, illnesses, job loss.
  • Quote: “We have not had to go through a Teotwawki… But we have gone through Hurricane Hugo…the Blizzard of '93, a worldwide pandemic…” – Mark (22:32–22:44)
• Advice: Focus energy on realistic threats, not rebuilding civilization after the "end of the world" (25:23–27:01)
• Reality Check: Local threats (e.g., tornadoes for Alabama) matter more than unlikely global ones (27:09–27:25)

6. Not Have an Emergency Plan in Writing

• Key Insight: A written emergency plan provides clarity and direction in stressful situations.
  • Quote: “Having it in writing actually can focus a scattered mind in that middle of that situation.” – Krista (33:39)
• Pitfalls:
  • Don’t rely solely on digital copies; print your plan (28:53–29:01)
  • Government aid (FEMA, etc.) can be delayed—have a plan to manage the first days after a disaster (30:37–32:16)
  • Don’t assume you’ll react rationally under stress—write down key contacts, shut-off instructions, procedures (32:29–33:47)

7. Fail to Store Sufficient Water

• Key Insight: Reliable water is often overlooked. Utilities can fail or become contaminated without warning.
  • Quote: “The number one thing you need to be storing is water.” – Krista (33:56)
• Points:
  • Don’t assume you can always buy or boil water (35:18–36:07)
  • Store water in advance and have filtration options; boiling doesn’t remove chemicals or heavy metals (36:19–37:12)

8. Go Into Debt for Prepping

• Key Insight: Don’t wreck your finances purchasing gear—prepping isn’t a reason to max out credit cards.
  • Quote: “Do not go into debt for prepping. End of story.” – Mark (37:32)
• Advice:
  • Buy gradually; old, reliable gear is often better than expensive gadgets (38:14–38:31)
  • Don’t try to “keep up with the Joneses” (38:43–38:53)
  • Myths: Society won't collapse so fully that debts are erased (39:15–39:25)

9. Fail to Rotate Consumables into Daily Use

• Key Insight: Regularly use and replace your stored food and supplies to avoid waste and maintain freshness.
  • Quote: “Those foods do not last forever. So be rotating them.” – Mark (42:32)
• Advice:
  • Don’t let stored supplies become a static “untouchable inventory”. Rotate through, restock regularly (41:11–41:34)
  • Even canned foods degrade—old, neglected food can become unusable (42:08–42:32)
  • Start small: “Two cans here, three cans there…” (43:03)

10. Lose Hope, Give Up, or Quit

• Key Insight: Perseverance is essential. Disasters will come, even if you've been lucky so far.
  • Quote: “Do not lose hope, do not give up, and do not quit.” – Mark (43:19)
• Encouragement:
  • You may never face a huge crisis—be thankful—but everyday setbacks (job loss, weather) are enough to warrant prepping (44:36–45:08)
  • Don’t worry about being mislabeled as a “hoarder”; prepping is responsible (45:22–45:44)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mark on trusting others:
  “If you don’t have anyone that you can trust a little bit, you need to find some new friends.” (10:18)
• Mark on training:
  “Trying to stop arterial bleeding is not the time to be reading about it.” (16:05)
• Krista on water:
  “The number one thing you need to be storing is water.” (33:56)
• Mark on debt:
  “Do not go into debt for prepping. End of story.” (37:32)
• Krista on written emergency plans:
  “Having it in writing actually can focus a scattered mind…” (33:39)
• Mark on perseverance:
  “Do not lose hope, do not give up, and do not quit.” (43:19)

Additional Resources & Listener Engagement

• Expanded Notes: Available at practicalprepping.info/404 with the full list and show resources.
• Listener Input: Krista invites listeners to contribute other "Don’ts" they've discovered at the end of the episode (46:19).

Final Thoughts

Mark and Krista bring grounded, family-friendly wisdom that emphasizes practical readiness for real-world situations—not fear-based prepping. Their humor, anecdotes, and straightforward advice make prepping accessible for anyone, no matter where you’re starting.

Remember:
"Stuff happens. Stay prepared.” (46:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments:

• Procrastinating about prepping: 03:12–06:21
• Storing all supplies in one place: 06:21–09:14
• Keeping preps a secret: 09:14–15:29
• Avoiding training: 15:29–21:38
• Focusing on doomsday: 21:38–27:01
• Emergency plan in writing: 28:33–33:47
• Water storage: 33:56–37:12
• Prepping debt: 37:32–39:44
• Not rotating consumables: 39:57–43:03
• Losing hope: 43:19–45:44