10 Smart Ideas My Redneck Neighbor Taught Me

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I found this great story from a Redneck “non-prepper” and thought you guys and gals might get a kick out of this! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Lessons From My Redneck Neighbor We All Can Learn From

My Redneck Neighbor, Eddy

Most neighborhoods have “those neighbors” you can’t really avoid. Part of living in suburbia, however, is learning how to deal with them, ignore them, or learn to like them. These could be the neighbors with the obnoxious children, the dog that barks all night long, the guy with 846 piercings, the annoying 93’ Civic hatchback, or in my case: Eddy.

Eddy is one of those guys the other neighbors have categorized as “the doomsday guy.” He has a large beard, always works out in the yard, talks to the neighbors about the end days of America. Also, about how you won’t be supported if you’re not ready and we can’t rely on the government for anything.

Although I have mixed views on the approaches he takes with his redneck life, I have learned a few things from him. And they could be very helpful for the success of a suburban family, should some catastrophic event occur.

Idea #1: Get a Decent Pocket Knife

Any young boy most likely had that moment around the age of 7 when he wanted a pocket knife. What would be done with this knife? That was usually the question that finished the discussion with a “no” from mom or dad.

There are a few very general uses that a pocket knife can bring a normal suburban person. For instance, you may find yourself in a situation where you need to cut something very strong or screw something tighter. Perhaps open a package, need a paperweight, or even protect yourself. If you are not up for carrying it around, just keep it in the glove compartment of your vehicle for emergencies.

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Idea #2: Buy Land

Lucky for Eddy, he has a 1-acre lot that gives him plenty of space to do everything. He has plenty of space to do everything he desires with his land: have a chicken coup, a couple dogs, a large shed, a garden, and a space to have the grandkids play. He is never short on space for the things he wants to do. The land enables him to succeed in becoming more prepared for the future.

Eddy suggests if you do not own land, you should purchase some, even if it is somewhat of a drive away from your home. Many towns outside large cities sell 1-acre plots of land for fairly cheap. “If you do not want or decide you don’t need the land later on,” he says, “you can just sell it as if it were an investment.”

Idea #3: Plant a Garden

Eddy loves his garden. He doesn’t only garden in the ground, but he has even started a system of above-ground small-farming called hydroponics. Although a section of his yard looks a bit like an eighth-grade science experiment. The fruits and vegetables he produces are unbelievably fresh.

The salad he prepares almost tastes different than a salad I would make at home because of the textures and taste. Instead of going to the store to buy spices and herbs, he uses his own for flavoring in the meals he cooks. If you are interested in some modern ways to perform small farming at home, check out aquaponics (which involves fish farming) and hydroponics.

Idea #4: Store your Food

When I think of doomsday preppers, I usually think of a guy in a bunker underground eating packages of MREs (meals ready to eat). Eddy suggests that humans can easily live off rice and beans, so he has sealable 5-gallon containers he pours rice and beans into.

Since Eddy is on an average budget, he simply picks up a large bag of rice and a large bag of beans when he shops for general groceries. By slowly accumulating food each week, he has developed an enormous food supply storage in just a few years! Among the fruits, vegetables, rice, and beans, Eddy can sustain himself for a long period of time.

Idea #5: Buy a Truck

Growing up in the city, I have had no interest in buying a truck, but Eddy makes a good point: you can transport nearly anything. He suggests a car does great on gas mileage in most cases, but you pay for it when you need to transport a lot of material or something large. SUVs limit your overhead space, so he argues against these as well. Buying a truck with a trailer hitch on it sets the average person up to succeed. Two top trucks you can get your hands on today are:

• Ford F-150: Best all-around truck purchase of 2013 due to its wide range of engine choices, long-lasting durability, and well-designed interior.
• GMC Sierra 1500: Best truck in its class for its range of powerful engines and strong towing and hauling capacity. Although it falls short with its interior design, it compensates with its drivability.

Idea #6: Get Out of Debt

Eddy studies the U.S. debt crisis and banking system a lot and he believes it is going to crash and burn. “They can spend all the money they want but I’m not going skydiving without a parachute with them,” he suggests.

By paying off your debt, it not only frees you from the debt that you have accrued, but it enables you to save more money for later on in life when you might really need it. Here are three techniques he applies to conserve money on a monthly basis which saved him thousands of dollars:

1. Get rid of the cable bill. By eliminating the cable bill, Eddy saves $50 per month. He still has his internet bill but does any work or information gathering from his computer.

2. Pay an extra payment on the mortgage and pay the payment bi-weekly. Eddy will have his 15-year mortgage paid off in 12 years and 6 months because of the interest he saves by paying half of his payment twice per month and by adding an extra payment onto his mortgage every year. His mortgage is about $2,000 a month but by paying $1,100 twice a month, he will save a ton of money and be debt-free quicker.

3. Keep your vehicle for 10 years. Eddy has savings for his next truck. Every month, he puts away $250 for his next truck. Instead of getting a loan and paying the extra interest he spends that money he could save elsewhere. He also avoids higher insurance premiums due to not having a lien on the car. By taking this approach, he is able to keep his “car payment” lower than if he financed a $30,000 vehicle every 5 years.

Idea #7: Store Your Water

“Does water expire?” That is usually the first question most inexperienced water savers ask when trying to decide if they’ll start. The answer is yes but there is a way to keep it fresh.

By putting a teaspoon of bleach in the water for every 7 gallons of water every year, you can keep water fresh. It is suggested you store a gallon of water for every person in your household each day. Also, always have a week’s supply in case of emergency. Eddy has purchased 55-gallon water barrels and stores them in his garage with fresh water. Those 55 gallons of water would sustain a family of four for 2 weeks! Online, these cost just around $60 and it is a purchase you can forget about and have peace of mind.

The solution to water survival is this ultra light water filtering device.

Idea #8: Buy Bullets

You can imagine that Eddy has a gun or many but I am going to twist this suggestion up a bit. Buy bullets and lots of them.

The bullet market has become increasingly popular because of a tight grip from the U.S. government around the firearms market. Since this is the case, I see an investment opportunity. Bullets are becoming more expensive because there is a current increase in demand and decrease in supply and the price is not expected to go down.

If you can get your hands on bullets, your return of investment will only increase as more people want to purchase bullets and the government does not allow more bullets to be produced or brought within U.S. borders. You might just be able to get a 400% return! Now that’s a great source of retirement income and it doesn’t matter if you can shoot a gun.

Idea #9: Buy a Survival Kit for Your Friends

Imagine yourself in my neighborhood, sipping on lemonade, listening to the neighbors ridiculing Eddy for his lifestyle choice, and all of a sudden a serious earthquake destroys the town. Transportation to and from the area is limited and the food is scarce. You are stuck waiting for help for two weeks.

Eddy has over 20 survival kits, not for himself, but for the people running to him now all of a sudden in need of his help. Instead of saying he cannot help, he has these survival kits to keep his neighbors sustained until help can reach them.

Idea #10: Exchange Knowledge

Eddy agrees if we do not share knowledge with each other then others will be left behind. By teaching yourself, your family and friends will know how to take care of themselves as well. If the comforts of daily life were stripped away due to lack of electricity, gas, food, or water, you are empowering them to succeed.

By spending time with Eddy, I learned a handful of techniques such as these I will now be able to put in my brain’s library. Let’s only hope I will never have to test this information out!

For awesome survival gear, you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

Watch this hilarious redneck camping guide video from Rhett & Link and get a good laugh:

Preparedness is Key. These are 10 great ideas to get you on the path to being prepared. But these are just the first steps. They're only a fraction of what you need to do to make sure you are ready for whatever life may throw at you. The good news is, you are not alone and you are not crazy if you think being ready is an absolute necessity! There are literally thousands of others just like you who are already in the know and learning more every day.

What do you think about these survival ideas from my redneck neighbor? Share your thoughts about it in the comments section below!

Up Next: 10 Amazing True Survival Stories Too Incredible To Be Real

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Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on June 20, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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