Welcome to ETS.

Funding limitations stop many of us from preparing the way we would like. First thing I would do (in keeping with a short discussion in another thread) is determine my monthly/annual budget and how much I can realistically put into a preparedness effort. One thing you might think about is whether the equipment will be dedicated to emergencies or can be used day-to-day. Dual use gear makes more sense to me. Can you afford to buy stuff you'll never use other than in an emergency that may not happen... ever. I can't justify it either.

MRE's are over-rated IMO. Yeah MRE's last a long time, but so do many canned goods at a fraction of the price. Don't get caught up in buying "stuff" that some guy is selling for "survival". Buy more of the food you eat now, rotate it so you have enough to get you through a hard time. How much room in your home do you have for a pantry? Doing this you can have supplies for a much longer period and it's what you eat now. That's what we do. I bought some MRE's years back and considering the price it was a waste of money.

That's a start. Look at water storage too, basic needs of life -- shelter, water, food.