Or: How I Ended Up Prepping in the Candy Aisle Next to a Singing Birthday Card

I’m not too proud to admit it—I once bought a pack of glow sticks, a can of potted meat, a travel-sized sewing kit, and a plastic back scratcher all in one trip to the dollar store. The cashier didn’t even blink. Just slid it all across the scanner with that judgment-free professionalism you only find in folks who’ve seen weirder combinations on the regular. I smiled, paid $5.35 with tax, and walked out of there feeling like a dang prepper genius.

See, I’m a big believer that survival doesn’t have to be expensive. It doesn’t need to be shiny, tactical, or wrapped in 600-denier ballistic nylon with a logo that looks like a falcon about to declare war. Sometimes, good old-fashioned duct tape and off-brand ibuprofen will get the job done just fine. And more often than not, you can find the stuff you need not at some fancy outfitter store—but tucked between dish soap and Halloween decorations at your local dollar store.

Now, for the uninitiated, I should clarify—I’m not talking about Dollar Tree turning into REI overnight. I’m saying there’s gold in them dollar-store aisles, if you know what you’re looking for. Sure, there’s junk. A whole lotta junk. But woven into the polyester web of knock-off toys and expired energy drinks, there are some real gems that can make a difference when things go sideways. And that’s what this book is all about.

If we haven’t met yet, I’m Kurt Johnson. I’m a husband to the ever-patient and wonderfully skeptical Trish, and dad to two brilliant girls—Stephanie and Alexandria—who know better by now than to ask why there’s an entire shelf in the garage labeled “Crisis Snacks.” I’m also the kind of guy who gets giddy over a new headlamp and can’t pass up a clearance bin without a quick look. And when I say I prep, I don’t mean I’m digging a bunker in the backyard or hoarding powdered eggs like some doomsday maniac. I prep because I love my family, and I want to be ready for whatever curveball life throws next. (Looking at you, winter storm of 2021.)

Over the years, I’ve learned a simple truth: preparing for emergencies isn’t about spending piles of money—it’s about making smart choices, consistently. And when money’s tight (which it usually is, especially if you’ve got kids, pets, or just enjoy the occasional snack that isn’t made of beans and rice), the dollar store becomes a whole lot more than a place to buy balloons and cheap greeting cards. It becomes a prepper’s treasure chest.

This book is a walk down those aisles with me. We’ll stop in at the shelves with flashlights that kinda work, soaps that definitely smell like something, and mystery meat in cans that might be turkey, but we’re not entirely sure. I’ll show you what’s worth grabbing, what I stash in my bug-out bag, and what’s gotten me through a few sketchy moments—including a power outage during Thanksgiving dinner that had me cooking turkey over tea lights. (Spoiler: it did not crisp up nicely.)

So whether you’re a seasoned prepper, a curious beginner, or just someone who wandered into this book because the title made you chuckle—welcome. Let’s grab a cart (the one with the least janky wheel), head for the aisles, and stock up on some survival smarts one dollar at a time.

And hey—if you see me digging through the bins for candles again, just say hi. I’ll probably try to convince you to buy two.