If you plan on a container Now may be the time.

    The shipping company Hanjin has filed for bankruptcy and sent the shipping world into a panic over non-payment.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/even-businesses-that-dont-rely-on-hanjin-could-be-caught-in-cargo-crisis/ar-AAiI11c?ocid=spartanntp

   Now if they can't pay to off load I don't think they will be paying for empty's to be returned to port.  I believe these ships will be off loaded at customer's expense . But how may empty's will be scattered nation wide and abandoned? If you have dreamed of a container but its price has been out of reach the price may be dropping.

  

   Container's are versatile in use from a tiny home ,hunting shelter, a buried bunker or just storage. It may be time to check price and availability shortly.

Do you have a grab and go bucket?

     Yesterday I posted about the shelf life of kruesteaz pancake mix. Because i had found an old one in a grab and go bucket.I have 4 grab and go buckets to go with our bug out bags.In these buckets i have packed calories for 2 weeks plus each.The idea behind them is if you have to bug out and abandon your supplies what is the best bang for the weight and risk.I use blue Wal Mart buckets for most prep's but the grab and go's are orange home depot buckets.In packing a bucket I don't duplicate what is in our bags and concentrate on food.

1. 10lb kruesteaz pancake mix
2  4lb sugar
3  3 lb rice
4  2  1 lb can hams
5  small bag of bullion cubes
6  3 cans tuna
7  3 to 4 lb pintos used as packing peanuts
8  small jar peanut butter 
Believe it or not if you pack tight you will have room beyond this for other items.Always look for compact calories maybe raisins dried fruit candy nutella.This bucket is to get you to where you are going not a forever plan.Remember what you have cached what is at your destination and plan accordingly.

P.S. Some people have a problem with using pintos loose as filler.
I normally would but in this case i have a bigger problem with wasted space.

A cache that holds a 1/2 ton and is livable.

     Most of us would love to have a shipping container buried somewhere as a fall back.A concrete bunker is a dream for the average prepper.Even if we have a house and a nice lot we cant put in anything this big without drawing attention.We need to think outside the box.Or in this case inside a box literally.
    
     OK if you have read my posts you know i love teardrop campers.Most teardrops are outfitted to be comfortable to sleep in and provide storage for camping gear.If you do a web search for homemade teardrops you will find a lot of plans for a 4x8 teardrop.Now what is the connection between a cache and a teardrop ?

     Imagine a 4ft wide 4ft high and 8 ft long box.This is how a teardrop starts then we add curves and a hatch make it aerodynamic to tow.Forget the curves and hatch think 4x4x8 storage crate.For what we need it takes 5 sheets plywood 10 2x4s 5 tubes silicon 2 gallons paint and a roll of 6mil plastic.Around here the cost will be 150$.I think most of us can build a crate to this size.Use the 2x4s as bands on the outside on both ends and the middle run 2 on the inside in the corners that will be the roof for strength.Caulk all seams inside and out paint  inside a light color use the rest in multi coats on the outside.Cut a hatch door in roof or side depending on how it will be buried.
    
      OK lets assume you built this 4x4x8 ugly thing.Dig a hole 5x5x9 a person can dig this hole by hand in 2 or 3 days easy (OK not easy but cheaply) get someone you TRUST to help you lower it in.Line the hole with plastic taping seams and carefully not to rip it.Once in the hole cut a 4inch hole for an air tube .Back fill the hole make a lip for the door.

     Now you have a grave with an air hole and door right?Had to get that in before comments were made.What it can be is a place that is 128 cubic feet of storage.In one end load a row of 5 gallon buckets they will go 4 wide 3 high make another row that's 24 buckets of food.Now make a shelf 14 inces off the floor add 8 buckets on top of it.OK you have 32 buckets put guns solar panel fishing rods on top I hope you stuffed the gaps between the buckets with items.You will still have 6 foot of floor space to sleep on so add a foam mat some led tap lights pillows a CD player a jump pack for a little power.

     This isn't a perfect answer but it is doable at a low price.It give you a second place for preps it is warmer and cooler than a tent it is a place to hide till trouble passes.I will not bug out to the woods but i will not fight to the death for a house.This gives me an option to hide and reclaim whats mine later and still have my supplies.Mine will be under a mower shed .

      I wrote this to make people think.Even when bugging out isn't possible plan on a fall back.We all want to thrive but never forget first we must survive.

What is a cache?

     A cache is a place to hide and position items of use and value for future needs.But is that all it needs to be?Can it be a shelter can it be a safe place hidden to?
      I think we have all thought about a survival retreat in the woods.Usually our mind goes to a cabin with a wood stove a well right out of a Danial Boone book.Now in today's world if we had this it would be broke into looted used as a meth lab or a dozen other things if we didn't live there.

     Now we have all read about PVC caches Bucket cache and others.I have several of these myself but due to size they are limited in what can be stored and provide little shelter.The PVC cache is usually for 3 or 4 days food some ammo and a few other items. A Bucket cache will hold a weeks food for 2,ammo other items to help for a short period.Here are a few pics of typical tube and bucket caches

   These are useful but are limited in scope.The good thing about them is they are away from our houses and hidden.As preppers most of what we have is in our homes and at risk if SHTF happens.
      Most preppers will refuse to leave their homes the idea of "bugging out" isn't an option.For some it due to age others its health.For most its "This is my castle" i have all my prep's in the basement,garage,shed.I feel the same way but if the  Feds or a zombie hoard comes you will die.At best you will flee and lose most of your supplies.Then you are down to what you hid in buckets and PVC caches.
     I want something safer with more options.I want it for the house or on other property.I don't want to have it found and robbed to crackheads or government flunkies (little difference both are parasites).I want capacity to have a chance.