Online resources for preparedness

Any given day will find me looking at least once or twice online at some survival topic or another. Various blogs, podcasts, YouTube channels, and the like are in my regular rotation, with more being added all the time. My Amazon wishlist is constantly growing as I add new items or reading material to it. And then there are just conversations with friends by email, Facebook, or here. I figured it was high time to mention a few of those I use regularly. I'll be adding to this on as time goes on, so check back once in a while. And please share yours in the comments below.

Podcasts
When on the road, whether in a car or plane, I like listening to podcasts about as often as I do music or NPR. They're a great way to soak in information while I'm otherwise occupied.

The Survival Podcast - When this podcast began 4 or so years ago, there wasn't much out there, and what was out there was sporadic. Since that time, Jack Spirko has inspired others and actually makes his living now off this (mostly) daily show. The motto of the show, "Helping you live a better life if times get tough, or even if they don't" sums it up nicely, and fits my personal thoughts on the matter of preparedness. Episodes cover everything from gardening, solar power, financial lessons, firearms, buying property, and a mind boggling number of other topics. Some cherry picking is good here, and while some of the early episodes have poor audio quality, they have good info. You can search for topics of interest, but you'll likely find his easy, no-nonsense style of broadcasting pulling you in more and more. Highly recommended

The Preparedness Podcast - I have less time than I once did to listen to podcasts while commuting, as I now mostly work from home. While I was, I would occasionally listen to this podcast to supplement the one above. Another point of view, not too far off from Jack's, but they do sometimes disagree. I find this one has less rants and stays on topic more, but can pound a topic too hard. I like it, but only tune in once in a while now. Worth Checking Out

Forums
There are a lot of these, and they vary in approach and point of view. Some of them are far to one fringe or another, honestly. I use forums largely as place to get a number of options all at once. I've tried to be more active in some of these in the past, but I honestly find I don't have the time to keep up.

TSP Forum - This is the forum of the above mentioned Survival Podcast. The community Jack has built is fabulous, and the moderators keep flaming and trolls to a minimum. There is a TON of information here, with real world successes and failures to draw on. Honestly, this is now the only one I check in on, I haven't found a need to venture to others. Highly Recommended

Survivalist Boards - This board has been around a long time and has quite the following. It's pretty decent, though some topics get derailed and there are the "grizzled veterans" that way in on everything. It's still a nice place to go in and poke around, especially if you have a specific topic in mind. Worth Checking Out

YouTube
I've been spending more and more time on YouTube and, no surprise, there are a lot of channels out there dedicated to preparedness and survival. Here's a few to which I subscribe

Analytical Survival - I added this one a while ago but only recently realized how cool it really is. Each episode is essentially a PowerPoint presentation on a specific topic. Topics vary. A recent favorite of mine was on creating Emergency response Protocols for the house, along with a link to what the host created. Highly Recommended

- This is not really a survival channel, but instead deals with alternate energy and DIY projects. I personally tie those 2 together, but some don't. I enjoy the straight forward approach and the fact that the host shows every step along the way. Highly Recommend The Nutnfancy Project - You may have noticed that I like gear. I also like getting reviews about it before I buy. That's how I found Nutnfancy. It really is mostly reviews, with occasional other topics. The items are gear, knives, and guns, with a strong pro-2A bias, so it may not be for everybody. Worth Checking Out

Bug Out Vehicles - I originally added this as his early posts were around getting out in a SHTF scenario. He's since gone towards an odd mix of useful info and...Armageddon fan-fic? I still tune in sometimes to see what he's got going on, but earlier videos are better. Maybe Stop By

The Survival Bookshelf - Analytical Survival turned me on to this channel and I love it! The host has a good way of breaking down the books he reviews, gives you a chance to peak at what is inside, and then lays out whether you should get it. He also recommends other books that might supplement or compliment the book. Finding this has inflated my Amazon Wishlist dramatically! Highly Recommend

Blogs
I actually don't follow a lot of survival blogs, but that's something I plan to fix. You can look to the right here => to see a few I recommend. I'll be adding to this list moving forward.