Survival Gear: More $2 Items that Could Save Your Life

Last May, we did a post on emergency preps for two dollars or less. Since many would say that we are in worse economic territory now than we were a year ago, it seemed only fitting to consider “Cheap Preps, Part 2.”

When checking the cost of survival equipment, pricey gear seems to be the new normal. But the frugal shopper can still find real bargains that could prove to be lifesavers at the right time and place.

Here are some more preparedness items hovering around the $2 mark:

Bread In A Can
Yes, it’s a weird product. No, you may not find it in every store. But a rodent-proof, bug-proof, waterproof metal can of bread with a three-year shelf life might just be worth looking for. Plus, it packs 1,040 calories per loaf (full can). This can of rich, heavy brown bread costs about $2.50, so scrounge the couch cushions for that extra loose change. This is often a surprise favorite when I have a survival food sampler during my classes. And it’s not that bad…I just hope none of us ever have to live off the stuff.

A Case Of Stick Matches
While windproof lighters may be the ultimate fire starter, I will always have a use for stick matches. A case of 10 or a dozen boxes of stick match will usually run you less than $2, and provide you with 300 or more matches. Sure, we all want to light a “one-match” fire, but I’m not too proud to say that I have lit fires in wet weather by using a little pile of match sticks like kindling. And once it’s empty, the little cardboard matchbox can be used as tinder.

Hand Sanitizer
A pint of sanitizer could be the difference between a really nasty skin infection and getting out of a jam relatively unscathed. It can also mean the difference between you catching some pathogen from processing game or treating somebody’s wounds. Gross, but true. Consider the sportier bottles instead of the pump option, which has a tendency to leak everywhere, especially in fluctuating temperatures. Two dollars worth of sanitizer can really cut the crud you are exposed to, and can also be used as a flame accelerant thanks to its high alcohol content.

Sports Tape
This first-aid box staple is great at keeping your dressings and bandages in place. It’s also strong and sticky enough to be used to hold things together, or to make improvised butterfly sutures.

Got some other $2 survival gear ideas? Share your bargains in the comments.