- About 20 million Americans are bracing for major disruptions to public services.
- When preparing for a weeks-long power outage, there's one place many “preppers” like to go: Costco.
- From gold bars to toilet paper, wholesale clubs are the perfect disaster preparedness solution.
As modern life becomes more comfortable, it can also bring increased anxiety.
For a growing number of Americans, this means preparing for the possibility of major disruptions to public services as a result of a natural disaster or other doomsday scenario.
An analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency data suggests that about 20 million Americans could survive a full month on their own, including people who identify as part of the online “prepper” community, which includes dedicated individuals who have stockpiled years' worth of supplies and built shelters.
When it comes to stocking up on food in case the power goes out for a few weeks, there's one place that many preppers like to go: Costco.
A recent New York Times feature on the stockpiling community of Fortitude Ranch included photos of a well-stocked pantry, including multiple bottles of Kirkland Signature vitamins and antacid tablets.
“I'm heading to Costco this week to pick up some supplies for my stockpiling,” one user posted on the r/preppers sub-Reddit in February. “My plan was to pick up a few bags of rice and some canned goods for long term storage. Is there anything else I should consider when going to Costco? Thanks in advance!”
The list of supplies in the reply was lengthy: butter, protein bars, coffee beans, medicine, and (of course) boxes to store it all.
But that's not all. Need a generator? Costco has them. Need toilet paper and bottled water in amazing quantities? Sure.
The wholesale club also sells bulk gold and silver bars and coins, which are hugely popular among those concerned about the collapse of the financial system. (One ounce silver coins are currently worth about $30.)
There are also ready-to-eat meal kits available in a variety of sizes, including one that contains 130 meals that will last for 25 years and costs $63, or if you're on a budget, you can purchase a pallet version of 36 kits containing more than 13,000 meals for $6,000.
Of course, stockpiling requires a significant amount of disposable income, because it necessarily involves purchasing supplies and do not have Use it.
Still, John Ramey, founder of a popular preparedness website, told The Times he expects business in this area to grow.
“As the world continues to go on the wrong track, the market for preparedness will continue to grow,” he said.
