Top 5 Reasons for Emergency Kit Buyer's Remorse

One could hardly think that actually preparing yourself and your family for the worst could be a bad decision, but often times emergency kit buyers feel they got it wrong. It's the same as buying anything else really. People often second guess themselves after they purchase a product. We've all done it at one time or another.

You bought something and then you wonder, did I do the right thing? Should I have gotten the larger one or the smaller one? For most of us, it's the most natural feeling in the world. You leave a restaurant wishing you had ordered the fish instead of the chicken. You hear about someone who got a better deal than you on the same product. However, price has little bearing on how we feel after the purchase. We can feel just as bad if it's a $10 or $100 purchase. Unless you do a good job of pre-purchase research, you may always wonder if what you bought provided the requisite quality, convenience or service for the value.

Here's a look at the top 5 reasons for emergency kit buyer's remorse.

1. Paid too much. It is possible to pay from $10 to hundreds of dollars for various emergency kits now days. Most often the pricing is based upon the quantity and quality of items in the kit and the kit packaging. Having more items is not necessarily bad given it is hard to know exactly what supplies you and your family will need in an emergency. So, buying a 4 person kit for a family of 3 shouldn't cause you concern. Having items of higher quality is also not a bad thing; however, you don't really need top of the line supplies to store for 30 years waiting for a disaster to use them! But if you have trouble carrying a backpack, then an upgraded roller-bag to carry your kit may make sense. Doing the requisite research should alleviate this post purchase concern.

2. Paid too little. We'd all love to buy the best of everything, but budgets and lifestyle don't always allow for this option. We are wired to believe that paying more money equals better quantity, quality or service. Sometimes yes, but not in every instance. Some retailers actually use this mindset to justify inflated pricing even if there is no perceived better quality of their product. Again, you're purchasing an emergency kit which you hope you'll never need. As long as your kit has the requisite survival items (i.e., food, water, first aid, shelter, lighting, communications) you are better off than with nothing. For example, you can buy headlamps from $5 to $100. Now they have various light bulbs, power requirements and functionality, but in the end they all provide light for you. No need to buy top of the line for emergency supplies, unless you're planning on visiting a remote island soon.

3. Should have bought more kits. Since the government encourages you to have emergency kits at home, work and your car; having only one at home can leave you feeling under-insured. Sure, if budgets allow, you'd want a kit at home for your family, a small one in your cars and something at work too. But if you have at least one, it's a start. You can always buy additional kits or supplies later for your cars and office. Again, focus on getting the most critical survival items first (i.e., water, food, first aid). You may have extra water bottles in a cupboard, or food, or extra bandages lying around the house. Throw them in a bag in your car and you've added some insurance for a potential disaster while driving!

4. Should last more than 3 days. Once you've gotten your 72 hour kit you begin to wonder if that's enough. Most of the country would serve themselves well with 3 days of emergency supplies. Folks in the southeast generally plan on 7-10 days without outside support due to their exposure to hurricanes. Again, you can build your supply cache up over time. Stay focused on the critical supplies first, and add items as you can afford. Considering that majority of families in the U.S. do not have any emergency supplies, a 3 day supply is a great start and you should congratulate yourself on having a 72 hour emergency kit.

5. Can't find room for it. With storage facility use at an all-time high in America, space in our homes is at a premium! Having a five gallon container full of emergency supplies may seem cumbersome and difficult to store. The reality is most homes have some room under hanging clothes in a coat closet. You can pile stuff on top of your container as well since you don't get into it every day. You do however, want to make sure that your kit is either in your "safe room" or very close. A small backpack is usually not too hard to stuff in the trunk of your car. With its flexible size it can be squeezed and stuffed into the smallest spaces. Remember, you don't need to store a 30 day emergency supply just 3 days would be fine. But if more lets you sleep at night, consider a garage sale to open up some storage!