Ask HN: How do you prepare for the worst in life?

[user0x1d]

I feel like this is the forum where I can get relevant answers to this question.

I'm not a lunatic thinking we are on the verge of apocalypse or anything, I just want to minimize as many regrets as I can in my life. Part of it, is being prepared for the worst.

A few examples of how I currently do that:

- I have a fire extinguisher at home - I have first aid at home and know how to apply it - I know how to apply CPR - I have emergency numbers handy - I have jumper cables in my car in case of battery problems while traveling

[nicbou]

I try to increase how much damage I can take before it becomes a threat. For the most part, it means having enough savings to power through and recover.

To me, the worst isn't something you can buy tools or insurance for. These problems are small pebbles for overland travellers. My motorcycle packing list is a -5° to 45°C survival kit. It's meant to handle worse problems in worse places, and it's field-tested.

I'm more afraid about things getting really bad - war, economic collapse, 5 star wanted level, StackOverflow outage - then it becomes a lot trickier. Then you can't rely on anything. Borders shut down, bank accounts get frozen, ATMs and petrol stations run dry, money loses its value, shelves go empty. Then what?

This happened during COVID. It's happening in Ukraine. Even Russians are getting a taste of it. How do you prepare for that?

For everything else, liability insurance, an ADAC membership, a mechanic dad on speed dial, a well-furnished toolbox, your trusty towel, and lots of field testing ought to keep you prepared.

[mod]

Great start. I live in a very rural area, so a lot of my norms might look like prepping to other people.

Vehicles: I cannot cheaply or easily summon a mechanic or tow truck. So I keep tools and supplies to change tires and patch tires. I do some of my own maintenance and repair. I own tools to do that. I keep gas, often in the bed of the truck, but always at home. I keep jumper cables. I keep a battery operated tire inflator. I have a backup vehicle. It runs, but it's not legal on the road currently. I paid $100 for it.

Food: enough food for a while. Without trying, I think I probably have 2 months worth of calories. This is really easy to do with junk food. I also frequently grow a garden, keep chickens, and hunt, which give me a longer runway in some seasons.

Finances: I keep money saved up, and I don't owe anyone a substantial amount. If I lost my income tomorrow, I would have a good year to figure it out, because I live very frugally. My mandatory monthly expenditure is about $400 plus food (electric, internet, propane, insurance, phone). My loans are paid off, my water is free, my property taxes are very low, etc.

Safety: Controversial, but I keep firearms, and in many of the worst case scenarios, I would want to have one. Even if it's just buying me peace of mind, that's worth the minimal investment. The one I would give up last is a pump action 12 gauge, which I think is the most versatile firearm. It can hunt any animal on my continent, and defend me at all ranges I would fight at. It can protect the animals I keep safe, etc.

If your idea of what you're preparing for is flat tires and losing jobs, I wouldn't worry that much. We have systems in place that nearly always prevent small issues from becoming life changing. You can borrow tools, ask for help. I guess I'd just think about life threatening emergencies, in that case, which you've already started.

Personal health: important in any worst-case scenario. You might need to muscle things or people around, you might need to flee effectively, or you might need to focus your attention on the problem exclusively, maybe for a long duration. Taking care of your body is an extremely important step. Teeth, strength, mobility, pain.

[tomcam]

> My mandatory monthly expenditure is about $400 plus food (electric, internet, propane, insurance, phone).

WOW! Where do you live?

> my property taxes are very low

So definitely not in the USA ;)

[loa_in_]

Apart from the logistics, you can prepare yourself mentally for the worst.

Get to know limits of your body while you're in the clear. You heard you can go few days without food, but I highly recommend trying it out.

Practice critical thinking skills. Always be on top of your game. Your mind should be at capacity all the time. Be vigilant on but the laziest of days. Make up something if need be.

Be dependable to yourself. Avoid alcohol, drugs. Teach yourself to get back up reliably and fast. True fear will knock anyone off balance, but some regain composure faster.

Listen. A lot. However you might feel about it, if something happens, unless you're getting teleported away somehow, the world is still going to be there. People you care about, and those you do not. There's no social comfort zone, better rip the bandaid early. I'm yet to meet a person that's unimportant or inconsequential.

Does this sound awfully like work? Good. Plan your downtime and enjoy it as if it was to be your last, as you should anyway. You'll never regret truly living.

[neverartful]

Only scratching the surface here, but there are 2 aspects of worst: there is physical comfort and mental/emotional comfort. Both are important, but in many ways mental/emotional comfort is more important.

Some things in life WILL happen, such as the death of a loved one. Such things are very difficult to bear, but some people adjust easier than others. There are things that MAY happen to you, such as you experiencing divorce, loss of job, failing health, house burns down, etc.

There are things that may happen to a region, most notably very severe weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. Additionally, there are human-caused things such as riots, spikes in crime, terror attacks, etc. There are things that can happen to you personally too.

My thinking is that you have to assess your own situation and think about the calamities most likely to affect you. Then think about what you can and can't do to mitigate the risks and discomfort associated with them.

One of the things that can be very beneficial is to go tent camping a couple of times a year. This is especially enlightening for those that have never done it. You will quickly learn how to make yourself less uncomfortable in the absence of electricity and comforts of home. Hopefully, you pick up a little self confidence to handle the situation.

Educate yourself on practical steps, skills, and techniques that you might apply to situations most likely to impact you (and your area). Practice them occasionally.

Some people may panic with loss of electricity for an extended period of time. It can be helpful to remind yourself that humanity existed for thousands of years without any electricity. However, if you're completely dependent on it and have no confidence to adapt, that reminder may not be helpful in the moment.

There's an incredible book about personal survival and the will to survive. It's "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand and it tells the true story about a WWII B-24 bomber crew that went down in the Pacific and how one crewman (the focus of the book) survives being in the water for an incredibly long duration (something like 43 days) and is captured by the Japanese and then his survival as a POW. It's kind of a long book, but it's immensely powerful.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, faith can be a huge asset to you in troubled times. However, don't wait for the troubled times to start before you start cultivating your faith. An established and well-practiced faith can really help to pull through some of the most difficult situations.

[belter]

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8664353-unbroken

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1809398/

[scantis]

My burial is already paid for, as required by law in my country. It is the basic package, so nobody has to waste money on me later. I always have enough food and water at home to make it through 2 weeks. Also a few liters of ethanol to cook a meal in case everything goes offline.

I am mostly prepared for a Zombie acapolypse, because it is more fun. So I have some signaling pyro, high intensity warning clothing and of course an array of blunt weapons to choose from. Most of them are just usual tools for dual use. I have a rope ladder to leave my apartment through any window and a backpack with some essentials on hand.

Those things might be helpful in many other situations.

[trifit]

You’re doing the basics. Having a 6 months slush fund is also good. Can’t always prepare for catastrophic events better to just be thankful when you got it good.

[pards]

I live in Canada, so I keep an emergency blanket in my car .. one of those silver mylar ones.

My wife and I keep each other's master password in our own password vault.

I have enough life insurance to clear debts and cover my family's expenses for a few years.

My passport is always valid.

I should have a small generator to power the fridge and a few lights but I don't. This is what the "preppers" consider table stakes.

[toomuchtodo]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10906232

http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/prep/

[shoo]

one thing that hasn't been called out yet is building ties with a community who can help look after you, in return for you helping to look after them.

individual people or families can be terribly fragile, communities much less so

[8b16380d]

life insurance if you have dependents