© 1999 Michael S. Hyatt
More than one person has written to me saying, “I really had some momentum on my stockpiling, but then I got lazy and started using what I had accumulated.” This is easy to do when you are having to choose between grabbing a roll of toilet paper from your stash or driving to the store. If you’re like most people, you’ll tell yourself, “No problem. I’ll just replace it next time I go shopping.” But guess what, you don’t — and there are a hundred reasons why you don’t, starting with a simple lapse of memory.
I would strongly urge you to establish a policy on this with your family. Say it out loud so everyone is clear: We do not use our emergency supplies unless there is an emergency. No exceptions! (Actually, there is an exception to this: food we are rotating on a disciplined schedule.)
How can you keep from lapsing into bad habits and “eating your seed corn,” so to speak? Let me suggest three ideas:
1. Go Y2K shopping at least once a week. Gail and I run our household budget, using a cash envelope system. (Thank you, Dave Ramsey!) One of the categories we allocate to is “Y2K Preps.” Why? Because I want to make sure that we are working incrementally toward our goal. I also want to make sure that we are segregating our expenditures and not making the mistake of using Y2K money to buy the stuff we are using now.
Believe it or not, before we started doing this, Gail was reluctant to spend money on Y2K preps. There were just too many pressing needs that seemingly used up our available cash. But, once we started putting money in the envelope — surprise, surprise! — there was money to spend. Amazingly, now I nag her to spend this money and hassle her when she doesn’t.
2. Do your Y2K shopping separate from your regular shopping. You need to get into a different mindset when you are thinking emergency preparedness. (It’s the difference between long-term thinking and short-term thinking.) You might even go to different stores. Regardless, I think it helps to change gears and focus on Y2K shopping without any other distractions.
3. Store your Y2K supplies separate from your other supplies. This is critical. If you have easy access to it, chances are, you’ll use it. If you use it, you’re not stockpiling, you’re consuming. It’s as simple as that.
If necessary, rent a storage unit. You can also put your Y2K supplies in a corner of your basement or in some other area specifically designated for these items. It really doesn’t matter, so long as you get them “out of sight and out of mind.”
It’s kind of like the difference between a savings account and a checking account. I have a certain amount automatically deducted from my payroll check and put into savings. And, unlike my checking account, I can’t simply write a check to gain access to the money. Instead, I have to actually go down to the bank and make a withdrawal. In other words, it’s easy to put money in but difficult to get it out. This is exactly what you want to do with your Y2K stockpiling. Make it easy to put in the supplies, but hard to get them out — until you really need them. That’s when you’ll be glad you didn’t eat your seed corn.
