A Better Hurricane Kit: Items You May Not Have Considered

Want to make sure you have the best hurricane preparedness kit? Check out these items you may not have considered and find tips to help you keep it budget friendly!

Many of us are already familiar with the basics to include in a hurricane preparedness kit. Here are some additional items you may not have considered. During Hurricane Michael and the weeks following, there were a number of things I really wished I had on hand and many more that I have thought of since. Building your kit can certainly get expensive, especially if you’re on a tight budget. So, be sure to add items throughout the year as you can. This will also help you avoid the long lines at the stores when a storm is on the way and to be ready to hunker down or evacuate more quickly.

Tips for Affording Items for Your Kit

Building your kit can get expensive, especially if you’re already on a tight budget. Add one or two items to your shopping each week so you can easily work them in. If you shop less often, add a few more. You can even take advantage of BOGO offers to save money. Just add the “freebie” to your kit! Also, don’t be afraid to ask for bigger ticket items as gifts. You may really want that hot new item, but you’ll be ecstatic you got the weather radio with auto alert feature instead if you ever need it!

Make Use of “Bonus Money”

I also use cash back rewards programs like Ibotta, Fetch, and Rakuten in order to save up for things that aren’t in my normal budget. It’s a slower option, but it’s almost like getting free money to use on the things you need! Most programs will give you a starting bonus and reward you for inviting others as well! Another way I save money is by purchasing discounted gift cards for the stores that have what I need. There are a few options out there, but the one I’ve found easiest to use is Raise.

In order to make my money go even further, I use rewards credit cards in order to build up cash back or travel points. The travel points can also come in handy for evacuation! I have a few, but Capital One has provided outstanding customer service and has the simplest platforms, both mobile and online. They have been especially understanding when I missed my payment due to the hurricane. They also occasionally offer additional bonuses, including interest free periods. Just be sure to only use this option if you can pay everything off each month. Otherwise, you might find yourself in bigger trouble.

Food

When we think of food for our kits, we tend to think only of canned foods. Here are a few other items and tips for what to eat:

• Jelly Pots – Individual pots or packets of jelly can often be found at diners or fast food restaurants that serve breakfast. They are especially handy to have on hand for anyone at risk of low blood sugar. They do not require refrigeration, have a fairly long shelf life (but don’t last forever). They’re great for making PB&Js! Packets of honey are another awesome addition!
• Peanut Butter & Other Nut Butters – A great source of filling protein and many types do not require refrigeration.
• Canned Tomato Soup – This was the true winner of my stock of canned foods. It was also about the only thing I could manage to eat for days. It was tasty even though I had no way to heat it (think gazpacho!), hydrating, and light but filling. I had it with cheese crackers (grilled cheese wasn’t exactly an option) and could finish the open can before it spoiled.
• Cheese or Peanut Butter Crackers – A quick and easy way to give your body some energy when you don’t feel like eating! These sandwich cracker snack packets are shelf stable and inexpensive.
• Canned Pineapple and Pears (In Their Own Juice) – An excellent source of hydration as well as the vitamins and nutrients you need to keep going. Don’t forget that the juice can be used as additional fluids as well!
• Good and Cheap Cookbook by Leanne Brown – A great resource anytime, this cookbook is available as a free download. The recipes are designed to use pantry staples, especially canned foods, like those eligible for the SNAP and DSNAP (Disaster SNAP) programs. This can be particularly handy if you find yourself cooking over a camp stove or living in a camper after a storm where fridge space is extremely limited.

Food Safety

Ways to keep your food safe or know when it isn’t:

• Fridge thermometers for fridge & freezer – These are cheap insurance to avoid food poisoning and they work inside coolers, too. Just be sure to put them the furthest away from the cold source as possible so you know the highest temp inside.
• Plastic Bottle Filled with Water – Don’t throw away that empty bottle! Fill it 3/4 way full with water and place it upright in your freezer. Once frozen, lay it on its side. If your freezer defrosts beyond a safe level, the water will move to adjust to the new position. This is also a great way to know if your freezer lost power while you were evacuated. Even if it refreezes, the ice will show that it melted at some point. I keep one in the freezer at all times just in case!
• A Large Cooler with Multi-Day Ice Packs – Having this ready to go just might save the perishable food you already have on hand in the fridge. It will also give you a way to have something cool to drink when the power is out.

Medicines/ First Aid

• Emetrol – This over-the-counter anti-nausea medicine can be invaluable in times of distress and settle your tummy enough to be able to eat something.
• Multivitamins – You may not feel much like eating or food may be scarce. These will help keep you from wearing down your body as badly.
• Antiseptic Spray – An antiseptic spray, like Bactine, is great to have on hand. It can soothe and treat abrasions. You also don’t have to have clean hands to apply it like you would need for ointments.
• Sunscreen – Recovery work after a storm tends to require hours working outside in the hot sun. The last thing you need in that situation is a sunburn.

Tools

• Fluorescent Orange, Black, or Red Spray Paint – In case you need to make a sign to ask for assistance, particularly if the water rises and you have to move to the roof.
• Axe – Similar to the spray paint, you may need to be able to cut through the roof in the case of extreme flooding. An axe can also come in handy for wrangling large limbs downed by wind if no chainsaw is available.
• Tire Inflator/ Compressor & A Plug Kit – An inexpensive portable tire inflator that plugs into the socket in your vehicle is worth its weight in gold. Sharp debris can be scattered everywhere after a storm and surprise flats are another complication you don’t need. In the weeks after the hurricane, I found 13 nails and screws in my tires. I think every car in town that survived the storm now has a new set of tires.

Additional Supplies

• Bike Helmets, Safety Goggles, and Blankets – When debris is flying through your house, you need to be able to protect yourself. The strap on a bike helmet keeps it in place. The safety goggles (with a strap) and blankets can protect you from shattering glass and other airborne dangers.
• Battery Powered Carbon Monoxide and Natural Gas Alarms – If you have natural gas in your home or will be using a generator, these are an absolute necessity.
• Battery Powered or Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies – Communications systems may not be available or you could be trapped inside your house. Encourage your neighbors to get a set as well. Be sure to coordinate a channel to use in case you need help.
• A Cheap, Basic, Unlocked Cell Phone with Pay as You Go Sim Cards for Other Providers – These are in case your network is knocked out and other providers have some sort of service available still. Make sure to charge it in advance!
• Garbage Bags – You’ll want plenty of garbage bags on hand in both kitchen and contractor sizes. A necessity for clean up, but they can also taped together for makeshift tarps, to cover broken windows, as ponchos (cut a hole in the center of the seam), and for buckets (see below).
• Notebook or Small Notepad with Pen in a Zip Top Bag – After the storm, there will be a lot of information and supplies lists to write down. The plastic baggie will keep them dry.
• Paper plates/ Bowls/ Utensils – It may be difficult to wash dishes and you may not have easy access to clean water. Keep these in zip top bags as well.
• Gloves – You’ll want to have work, dish, and disposable gloves on hand for each person (forgive the pun!). Use the work gloves for picking up yard debris. The dish gloves will help keep your hands clean while you sort through wet items. They can provide an extra layer of protection against hidden broken glass and mold as well. Naturally, you’ll want to use disposable gloves for treating wounds. These should also be used when dealing with anything that may have been exposed to sewage or other toxic substances.

Bonus Idea for Flood Prone Areas

If you live in a flood prone area, you’re likely familiar with using sandbags to protect your property. You may want to consider these water-activated flood barriers instead. However, the water can ruin your vehicle as well. This can be especially devastating if you don’t have full coverage for your auto insurance. In the least, it’s a hassle to suddenly be without transportation.

Consider getting lift ramps, like these, for the front of your vehicle to try to keep the engine above water.

This racing ramp style lift provides instructions for a DIY option.

Or, if you have the money to spend, here are some options that can raise it higher They may be more expensive, but they’re still less than a new car:

Or these:

The Items No One Likes to Talk About

• 5 Gallon Bucket with Lid – You can cut a hole in the lid to create a makeshift latrine. Place a kitchen size garbage bag in and then place the lid on. It may not be the most comfortable thing to use. However, it’s good to have a back up plan in place for when the lines are backed up!
• Identification Paper in Zip Top Bag In Your Pocket – I realize this sounds dire. I’m not trying to sound like Chicken Little. The reality is that even lower category storms can be devastating and deadly. Hurricanes are about more than just the danger of the winds. Flooding and tornadoes are also common elements. We’ve recently seen dozens of people rescued from roof tops once again. We’ve watched the tragic search and rescue efforts for the Tennessee floods. So, be sure to have your identification written on a piece of paper, inside a plastic baggie, in your pocket. It needs to include your name, address, social security number, and contact information for your next of kin Ideally, your next of kin should be someone out of the area if possible. If you have one available, use a safety pin to secure it to you as well. This is to make it easier for search and rescue if you’re unconscious or if the worst happens. More importantly, you’re doing this for the ones you love so they aren’t left wondering.

*Please note: The referral links may provide me with compensation in the form of credit or points. These include the links to Ibotta, Fetch, Rakuten, Raise, and Capital One. The provided product links are not currently affiliate links and I do not receive any compensation for purchases of these products. I will update this notice if/ when they are. However, I have NOT personally tested the linked products on this list.