Mom-of-three spends 10 years and $20,000 to prepare for doomsday. Now, she's even training her kids
From ancient Mayan prophecies to the recent buzz about a meteorite causing another mass extinction, doomsday predictions have always been a hot topic for discussion. While people endlessly talk about the end of the world, a self-professed "doomsday prepper" has spent thousands of dollars to future-proof her home and family from any potential calamity. A mom of three named Krystal says she has spent more than $20,000 in 10 years, to shield her family from an apocalyptic event. Enthusiastic about preparing for doomsday, she has collected food, medicines, electrical supplies, and more, calling it self-insurance against any disaster.
@charminglyfrugal It’s a crazy world we live in whether it’s weather or something else we prep for everything #prepper #preppertok #shtfprepper #shtf #preppersoftiktok ♬ original sound - CharminglyFrugal
Preparing for the Worst-Case Scenario
Krystal and her husband, Derek, have been preparing for calamities along with their 12-year-old daughter, Lilah, 11-year-old daughter, Kaylie, and seven-year-old son, Colton. She was recently interviewed by YouTube's "Truly TV" where she shared her journey and motivation.
Krystal says she learned to grow food for herself with her grandad, and it was her grandma who first taught her how to preserve food for the future. She is now passing down the knowledge and skills to her children. In addition to that, Krystal shares her tutorials and various aspects of prepping on social media as well.
@charminglyfrugal Five Simple items to prep.#griddown #preppertok #shtfprepper #prepper #shtf #prepping ♬ original sound - CharminglyFrugal
"I prep for anything, whether the grid was to collapse and the power turns off if there's another pandemic, civil war, civil unrest, or World War Three. We always prepare for the worst-case scenario and we always hope for the best-case scenario," she said in the interview.
In for the Long Game
Over the years, Krystal has stocked up on MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) that can last for 25 years. She has also stored her homegrown vegetables by canning and pickling them in jars. She says that her stock can easily sustain her family of five for up to a year and a half.
But she's far from done, as her goal is to get supplies for five years of survival, and after that, she plans to go completely off the grid. She explained that she separates her regular pantry from her emergency supplies, and whenever they run out of stuff they pull it out from their prep stock.
The family has also stocked up on battery-run electronics stored in 'Faraday cages' to protect them from electromagnetic pulses. Krystal also has a full stock of medical supplies from first aid products to antibiotics and inhalers.
Beyond Food and Electronics
Apart from food and electronics, Krystal has also amassed a cache of arms and ammunition. "Civil unrest is one of the many reasons we prep," she says. She shows the safe where they keep their guns which is enough to prepare them for riots or even a full-blown war.
Overcoming Criticism
Krystal says most online viewers think it isn't financially viable to buy so many things and store them. However, Krystal argues that she saved more money by buying one for today and two for tomorrow.
Furthermore, she says that prepping doesn't scare her children at all. She says they thrive on the idea of being prepared at all times. "My husband always thought it was a little extreme," she admits. However, Derek shared that his opinion changed after the pandemic when people scrambled to stock up on things.
Krystal has already taken most things that scare people into account and this is reassuring for her family.
