Your First Emergency Kit: What to Buy and What to Skip
A realistic guide to building an emergency kit without overspending on gear you'll never use.
Most emergency kit guides read like they were written by someone building a bunker. You don’t need a water purification system, a 30-day food supply, and a hand-crank weather radio on day one.
You need the basics — the stuff that actually matters in the most likely emergencies: power outages, storms, minor natural disasters, and situations where you’re stuck at home for 2-3 days.
Here’s what to buy first, what to skip, and what order to build your kit in.
Tier 1: The essentials (get these now)
These cover 90% of real emergencies and cost under $50 total:
Water — 1 gallon per person per day, for 3 days. A family of four needs 12 gallons. Buy sealed gallon jugs, not a filter system. Cost: ~$8.
Flashlight and batteries — One good flashlight and a pack of batteries. Not a candle, not your phone’s flashlight. A real flashlight. Cost: ~$10.
First aid kit — A basic one. Band-aids, gauze, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, any prescription medications you take. The pre-made kits from any pharmacy are fine. Cost: ~$12.
Non-perishable food — Canned goods (with a manual can opener), peanut butter, crackers, granola bars. Stuff that doesn’t need cooking or refrigeration. Enough for 3 days. Cost: ~$15-20.
Phone charger — A portable battery pack, fully charged. This is your lifeline for information and communication. Cost: ~$15.
That’s it for tier 1. Under $50, fits in a single bag, and handles the most common scenarios.
Tier 2: The next level (build over time)
Once you have the basics, add these as budget allows:
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio — For when cell towers are down
- Extra blankets or sleeping bags — If you lose heat
- Cash in small bills — ATMs and card readers don’t work in power outages
- Copies of important documents — IDs, insurance cards, in a waterproof bag
- Basic tools — Multi-tool, duct tape, work gloves
- Hygiene supplies — Wet wipes, trash bags, hand sanitizer
What to skip (for now)
These are common recommendations that you don’t need yet:
- MREs and freeze-dried food — Expensive. Canned goods and peanut butter work fine.
- Water purification tablets — You’re not in the wilderness. Buy water jugs.
- Generator — Great to have eventually, but not a starter item. $500+ and needs fuel.
- Survival knife — You’re preparing for a power outage, not a wilderness expedition.
- Gas masks — Unless you live next to a chemical plant, you don’t need one.
Where to store it
Your kit should be in one place that everyone in the household knows about. A closet near the front door, a shelf in the garage, or under a bed. Not scattered across the house.
Put a note on your calendar every 6 months to check expiration dates on food and water, and make sure batteries are still good.
Make it a checklist
The hardest part of emergency prep isn’t buying the stuff — it’s knowing what you actually need for your specific situation.
HooReady has detailed, prioritized checklists for 24 real-life scenarios — from power outages to hurricanes to road trips. Check off what you already have, see what’s missing, and get links to buy anything you need. Free, no sign-up required.