10 smart survival strategies for the woman living alone

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Gaye Levy

Most preparedness information out there seems to assume that everyone is part of a family with a mom, a dad, three kids and a dog — or, if not that, an extended family that includes brothers, uncles and a grandpappy. Somehow, the picture presented always includes a man.

The truth is that is not always the case. There are a lot of women alone out there who are also preparing, and it often seems like they are left out of the equations.

There are all sorts of reasons that a woman might be living alone. She may have just left the nest and is out there joining the adult world with her first job and apartment. She may be divorced or widowed. She may not have children, or those children may be off raising families of their own. Whatever the case, family-based preparedness suggestions don’t always apply to the woman living alone.

Because of that, I felt it long overdue to step up and address specific survival strategies for the woman living alone. Not that these tips are only for women. Many of them are important for any person who wishes to be prepared, and especially for the female prepper who is living alone.

10 survival strategies for the woman (or man) living alone

No. 1: Be extra vigilant with home security. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure that you have motion-sensor lights at all of the entrances to your home and property. Get a dog. It does not have to be a big dog; my little Yorkie is a great early warning system! Install high-quality locks and be sure you have a fortified door frame. 

No. 2: Learn to use a weapon. If you decide to purchase a firearm, get some instruction and go to the range frequently to optimize your skills. If you aren’t comfortable with guns, your weapon of choice can be something else; just make sure you have a way to defend yourself. Consider pepper spray or a stun gun such as this one that doubles as a flashlight. Heck, even a can of wasp spray has a long range and can do some very painful damage.

No. 3: Take a women’s self-defense class. Classes geared specifically toward women are the best if you need a crash course. Of course, if you’re already a black belt in martial arts, all the better! If you can find a recurring class that lets you spar with a bigger “attacker,” this will help the moves become more natural for you.

No. 4: Learn to use tools. Being able to repair things yourself is a big part of being self-reliant. Practice makes perfect. Home Depot and other home-improvement centers offer workshops each weekend that teach customers how to make something. It is a great way to get your feet wet. Also, if something in your home breaks and is in need of repair, search YouTube for some related repair videos and give it a shot yourself. If you do have to call a repair person, hang out and watch; and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

No. 5: Be careful what you say. Obviously, your closest neighbors will be aware that you live alone. But when you’re out and about, don’t broadcast it. Many a stalker first became interested in a victim in the most innocuous of settings. Court records have shown that some stalkers were repairmen, pizza delivery guys and mechanics who realized that the woman they became obsessed with lived alone. As well, in the event of an emergency, you do not want people to remember that you mentioned having a year’s supply of food in the basement. You don’t want to be a target.

No. 6: Don’t make it obvious your house belongs to a woman alone. While you shouldn’t need to be afraid to be feminine, you might want to tone down the pink girlie stuff in the front yard. You can also purchase a large pair of used men’s work boots at the Goodwill, get them dirty and leave them beside the door as though someone just took them off to go inside. And for heaven’s sake, don’t get those stick-figure families for the back window of your vehicle to represent you and several pets. Be discreet.

No. 7: Learn to change a tire. If you don’t already know how to do this, be sure that you know how to change your own tire. A flat is one of the most common vehicular issues that will leave you stranded. My friend Daisy from The Organic Prepper wouldn’t allow her daughters to drive the car alone until they could change the tire in the driveway using the factory jack. Many women have felt scared and vulnerable on the side of the road while waiting for AAA to come and change their tire for them. It also would not hurt to have a can of Fix-a-Flat stuff. Using that, you can make a temporary repair and get on your way quickly.

No. 8: Be prepared to hunker down. Should a disaster or civil unrest occur, one of the most dangerous things you can do is set out on foot. If at all possible, you’ll be safer if you stay put. Have the supplies you need in place so that you can stay home and wait out the chaos.

No. 9: Avoid attracting attention to your home during an emergency. Your goal is to avoid attracting attention to your home; so no matter how well-prepared you are, don’t be the only house on the street with lights blazing from the windows. Invest in some blackout curtains and even consider lining your windows with heavy black garbage bags and duct tape to keep light from escaping.

No. 10: Plan to fortify your home if complete chaos erupts. In advance of something happening, plan how you will fortify your house. Consider a professional-grade bar for the doors, some decorative grillwork for lower story windows and sidelights, or even some plywood that is pre-drilled and cut to fit windows and sliding glass doors so you can cover them if it’s a major hullabaloo.

The final word

I hope you will take this list and use it to formulate your plan for staying safe during an emergency. While you may not be as strong and scary looking as a 250-pound hunk of macho, you can still defend yourself and what is yours will some advanced planning and training.

Do not be discouraged if you aren’t part of a large family or group. For you, it is still very important to prepare and perhaps even more so. Go ahead and adapt the preparedness information that’s out there to fit your personal situation, and be the hero of your story, not the damsel who needs to be rescued!

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
–Gaye Levy

5 Ways to Increase Your Home's Security

A home is burglarized every 15 seconds in the United States, and over 90% of those robberies occur when no one is at home. If your home appears visible, secure, and occupied, the chances of experiencing a break-in are significantly lower. Below are some of the most effective and proven methods for beefing up your home security without breaking the bank.

1. Invest in Stronger Security
Motion-activated floodlights near any entrances to the home make an excellent deterrent, and window-break alarms provide an inexpensive alternative to a full security system. One area that many people neglect is the front door—most doors aren't reinforced, which means that a single well-placed kick is often all it takes to gain access to your home. The most secure door is one with a double-cylinder deadbolt and reinforced plates on both the door and the frame, both of which can be added to most existing doors at a small cost.

2. Get Rid of Hiding Places
One of the easiest ways to make a thief think twice about targeting your home is to get rid of anything that might conceal them. Tall hedges, privacy fences, and dark yards make it much easier for a burglar to hide from you and your neighbors. Investing in motion-activated porch lights or a timed light will make your home a riskier proposition for would-be thieves.

3. Ditch the Spare Key
Many people keep their spare key under a doormat, flowerpot, or rock, but that's exactly the reason why you shouldn't. Experienced thieves know all of the usual hiding places, turning your spare key into a hassle-free ticket to the valuables in your home. If you are worried about being locked out, then leave a key with a trustworthy neighbor instead.

4. Get a Safe
A small floor safe is one of the most inexpensive ways to protect important valuables. Safes are a great place to store important documents, such as birth certificates, passports, and financial records, as well as expensive jewelry and any cash you might have. Keep in mind that a small safe could still be carried off by a determined burglar, so store it in a place that is out of sight.

5. Use Scare Tactics
A simple and inexpensive way to deter thieves is to use scare tactics. Place a security system sticker on a window in clear view, even if you don't actually have an alarm installed. Similarly, most thieves won't stick around to find out if your "Beware of Dog" sign is true or not! If you are going on vacation or leaving home for more than a few hours, consider leaving a light or TV on to make it look like someone is awake in the house. The majority of thieves are looking for a quick buck and won't target homes that put them at risk of a confrontation.

5 Emergency Items That Should Be In Your Car’s Glove Compartment Right Now

Written by: Nicholas O. How-To 2 Comments  Print This Article

These are the top five survival items that should be in your car’s glove compartment at all times, no questions asked:

1. Flashlight

The importance of a flashlight simply cannot be overstated. If your car breaks down at night, how else are you going to see what you are doing when you conduct repairs? How are you going to signal for help? How can you build a shelter or move around at night without the aid of a flashlight, other than building a fire? Don’t take flashlights for granted. Find a good quality one to store in your car’s glove compartment.

2. First-Aid Kit

Many first-aid kits are so small and compact they can fit in your pocket – and easily in your glove compartment. A good first-aid kit in a survival situation can treat injuries and prevent an infection from spreading – either of which can be quite devastating when alone on a road or in the wild. Plain and simple, you won’t want to find yourself in any survival situation without a solid first-aid kit.

3. Map and GPS

If you know your sense of direction, you hopefully won’t get lost and need to utilize your survival tools in the first place. But if you do become stranded – and you’re in an unfamiliar area — a map will be imperative to finding your way out on foot.

A GPS system can come in quite handy, but always have a paper map as a backup.

4. Mirror

With a mirror, you can signal for help, check your face and back for wounds, and start a fire by angling it at the sun’s glare. It also can come in handy during certain car repairs when you need to see under the vehicle.

5. Paracord

Finally, you should also always keep paracord in your car’s glove compartment.  With paracord, you can set snares, lash branches together when constructing a shelter, make a sling, a splint, or a tourniquet, and tie a knife to a pole to make a survival spear. Paracord is also very light and compact, and should fit nicely in your car’s glove compartment.

Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just these five, but these items are the bare minimum. They are small and light enough to fit in the glove compartment, and they all serve multiple uses.