Emergency kit suggestions provided by:

I priced out the items recommended by Ready.gov to determine what the minimum price for an emergency kit might be.

Item:	Price:	Buy From:
Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation (need 48 small seal packets of water)	$52	Amazon.com
Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food	$6	Amazon.com
Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both	$30	Amazon.com
Waterproof LED flashlight and extra batteries	$8	Amazon.com
First aid kit	$20	Amazon.com
Whistle to signal for help	$8	Amazon.com
Dust mask	$15	Amazon.com
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities	$34	Amazon.com
Manual can opener for food	$12	Amazon.com
Local maps	$20	Amazon.com
Cell phone solar charger	$50	REI.com
Sleeping bag	$25	Walmart.com
Fire extinguisher	$38	Sears.com
Knife	$32	Amazon.com
Emergency fire starter	$5	Amazon.com
Multi-tool	$40	Amazon.com
Chemical light sticks	$10	Amazon.com
TOTAL	$405.00

***Important note: this kit does not include a change of clothes, work gloves, cold weather gear, extra cash, prescription medications, or even a bag or Pelican case for holding all these supplies

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The emergency kit that I priced-out above is only for one person and the cost still comes to more than $400! In another post I’ll further explore the cost inequities of emergency preparedness and less-resilient populations. In the interim, it might be best to slowly (and affordably) build your kit.