Most people think it's strange that I maintain a years supply of food and keep a reserve of purified water on hand for emergencies. Usually, I hear comments like: "I didn't think you were one of THOSE people." I know what they mean by "those people". They mean "kooks", but I try not to let it bother me. Most people have traded in their reality for reality TV, and are in denial of the fact that we're in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the great depression, yet they complain about the rising cost of food and have no idea what they can do about it.
I'm not sure exactly when being prepared to survive started to become equated with "crazy", or "paranoid". I remember my grandparents used to keep a cellar-full of home-canned foods, and always kept their pantry well stocked with dried foods and other staples. Nobody every called them "one of those people" or thought they were "kooks".
But, they lived through the Great Depression, and knew all too well that just because times might be good right now, that doesn't mean it's always going to be that way. And as everyone knows these days, times are NOT good, and they're going to get worse.
Food prices keep going up, and the unemployment rate shows no signs of of going down. In the meantime, the Obama administration keeps telling us that the economy is recovering, as they continue to spend like crazy, inflate our currency, and plan to RAISE taxes on January 1st! If you think these tax increases won't affect you because you don't own a business, or your tax bracket isn't that high, think again. It'll affect you at the cash register when you buy your food and other necessities.
It has never been more imperative to start putting safeguards in place to ensure the safety and survival of yourself and your family. Building a personal food bank will protect yourself from skyrocketing food costs, or an unexpected job loss.
One of the things that you can do to to prepare for an unforeseen financial crisis is learn how to can and preserve your own food, and how to build a personal food bank to ride out tough times. If you're afraid of being labeled as "one of those people", ask yourself if you'd rather be one of those people who plan ahead and survive, or one of those who scoff and struggle later on.