Wouldn't Prepping Also Fall Into the Category of Hobby

[mtnlioness]

I'm know there are tons of people out there that have hobbies from collecting stamps to whatever floats their boats. Isn't prepping Just a practical hobby vs. say collecting dolls or something? We all have the freedom to choose our own entertainment activities and collecting food, fuel and other items that will benefit our familes seems like a reasonable hobby to have.

[Diesel]

Absolutely, have said that before.. the time, money, research and passion people put into it def makes it a fav pastime and hobby

[Morgan101]

It could certainly be considered a hobby; a very practical hobby. I have discussed it with acquaintances just to test the waters. Asked if they watched Doomsday Preppers, and measured the response. I have gotten a surprisingly positive response. When you explain it in practical terms, nobody wants to be sitting on the curb like the Hurricane Sandy victims. They realize they should have something put away.

[m38]

Wikipedia "1.An activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure."

What I've found out in the last year or two is that all of my extended family, with one exception, are preppers. Only we all have different reasons for doing it. Most are focussed on the natural disaster/bad weather problems. One is certain of tyrannical government overthrow. All are very interested in self/group defense that comes from exposure to possible predation, or isolation from civil agency support.

But we all like being able to put up some extra food, and we all have other supplies to help ourselves when things get bad.

GOOD HOBBY!! :)

[RICHFL]

A prepper is not a person who does this as a hobby. It is a major life style change we all have to go through. Each year you would look forward to your vacation and spend time and money finding that perfect location to spend your 10-14 days away from work and the day to day life style you are use to.

Preppers are people who spend full time; every available hour of time; researching, training, maintaining, and expanding their efforts year by year. I have been doing this since 1995 and still do not feel I have a complete retreat ready for the disasters I'm preparing for. I have not been on a vacation since 1993. All my money not needed to run our household is used in preppering. Christmas is a time of giving and we do exchanging new items that we want in our stockpiles.

It is a total life style change that you have to embrace. You never finish, since there is new technology coming out every year. New types of clothing, body armor, weapons, types of food storage, vehicles, electronic equipment, etc.

Calling it a hobby is like saying that a.22lr single shot pistol is enough protection in an urban environment, in the middle of a riot!

Sorry did not mean to put anyone down. Just want everyone to understand how serious this life style is.

[NRAamy]

Amen. Oops, sorry...that's religious.

[Bue]

Amen. Oops, sorry...that's religious.

Religious is ok :D

[Chefsimms]

I know I collect fire arms and ammo…I have always said that they would be worth more than the stock market…and I think that is proofing to be true

[mtnlioness]

I call this my hobby but it depends on how much time and energy a person wants to throw into their special hobby. I'm sure there are many of us that take this "hobby" as seriously as is spoken of above. We have a camp that is not to far away from here but it is mobile within a couple of hours to bring home and use for other things sround here should the need arise. It (prepping) is as serious as a heart attack and yet my better half and I do take a day here and there to live today just for todays sake. We are fortunate to be able to have this available to us and have recently found the camp puts us closer to some of the prep supplies then our BIL does. There are stores near there that are not available close to us and would make a trip there just for the trips sake difficult. LOL we don't have any seats behind the driver and passenger seats in our van because of using the van like a truck. It sure makes us happy when we get to fill up the back, bring it home and add to our inventory. We are just thankful all the way around to have started this life style seriously 4/5 years ago and not just beginning in this moment. No we haven't been at it as long as many of you but having it as our "hobby" and both of us being available all day every day to work on things makes it so alot gets done as we approach each new step. Now if we could just get more like minded people together in this new area we moved into it would be wonderful. It is a hobby that is fun for now. It is great to learn all the new things we can learn and keep our minds as sharp as we can as we age. It is super for me to be able to teach my better half so many of the things I learned on the farm growing up with two parents who lived through the depression and had to depend on survivalist techniques to live. Life style called "hobby" is a great way as was said above to be able to talk to people and we hope it will open doors here for us to find others.

[dalewick]

Remember, the government will not consider Prepping as a Hobby, especially as it pertains to firearms and ammo. but I would recommend that if questioned by the gov, (after getting a lawyer first thing), to inform them that this is not prepping but you have a number of hobbies such as collecting and shooting guns, hunting, trapping, fishing, canning food for culinary arts, scientific/environmental experimentation of alternate energy sources, gardening, etc. You get the idea. They won't be honest and up front if there interrigating you, so don't feel as though you need to divulge or expand on anything asked. Practicing a sustainable living lifestyle is always a good explanation for our lifestyles. Just sayin.

Dale

[myakka]

Dale, that is even more true for me I think, since I was into sustainable living and backed into these activities.
(That and it is sort of a natural outgrowth of responding to emergencies.)

[Mortblanc]

I am a prepper because my life has been filled with small natural disasters that required shelter, fuel, food and other provisions. some were only a day or two but some lasted for weeks. The duration of the disasters, being beyond my control, has motivated me to spread the gear out and have more of it.

Every winter the power goes out during an ice storm, every spring a tornado touches down close enough to remind me they are there and occasionally we get an inland hurricane and flooding that locs up the grid.

The garden, livestock, 4wd vehicles, guns, ammo, knives and camping gear and choice of my home location are just hobbies.

[Applejack]

So far the only disasters we have gone through is 7 or 8 days with no electricity. My daughter and her family have gone 10 days with no water or electricity. so we now have a whole house generator to help. but the day will come that the generator will not be an answer. I still feel that the rising prices and a colaspe of the government at the rate it is spending money things are going to get a lot worse. I find it hard to prepare for the unknown, and I don't think anyone knows for sure if what they have will be enough so we just have to be ready for anything and everything as best we can.
Aj

[Zeke]

I look at prepping as a hobby/way of life. I used to collect stamps and racing card but sold them. I put in more time in to those hobbies than prepping mainly because I no longer have the funds to put into this hobby/life style. But we enjoy this far more than collecting stamps or cards, and the benefits are a whole lot better. At least with prepping the stuff we collect we can use and get our money worth right off the bat instead of trying to sell to someone and getting less than what u paid for it. And the added benefit we can use the stuff collect without worrying about losing value.

Zeke

[imro]

I have to disagree .Real prepping is a lifestyle (self sufficient)I been doing it for many years and it is now paying off.We are completely self sufficient and go to grocery store if there is big special.Otherwise I just laugh at the prices of groceries.we cook,bake ,preserve,smoke,can our own food.just like farmers years ago.There is a different between hobby farm and real farming.You can not survive on hobby but you can survive on real thought out prepping.
Imro in northern Ont. Canada