Building Community in Dark Times | Episode 504

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

The world feels heavy right now. Between political assassinations, economic chaos, and nonstop bad news, it’s easy to get dragged into the dark places—especially if you’re doomscrolling algorithms that push you toward the extremes. That’s exactly why community is more important now than ever.

Prepping has never just been about stockpiling beans and bullets. It’s about building a safety net of people who’ve got your back when things get rou...

ear buds

Situational Awareness: Look Up, Pay Attention | Episode 503

Why Awareness is Your First Line of Defense

People spend hundreds on gear, but the cheapest and most powerful survival tool is free: your awareness. Too many folks walk around glued to their phones, blasting music in earbuds, completely oblivious to the world around them. That’s not just careless—it’s dangerous.

Whether it’s crime, accidents, or even larger collapse events, being tuned in to your environment is the difference between reacting in time or becoming another statistic.

Phones Do...

Be Safe in Uncertain Times | Episode 502

A Country on Edge

Since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, something has shifted in the air. It feels like there was a “before” and now there’s an “after.” Tension was already building, but now the unease is thick enough to cut. People are angry. People are tired. And I don’t see things trending in a good direction.

I’m not claiming to be a prophet, but I can read the signs. The economy is shaky, the housing market is insane, and inflation is ea...

The Assassination of Charlie Kirk | Episode 501

A Dark Turning Point

On September 10, 2025, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at Utah Valley University. A sniper fired from a rooftop, hitting Kirk in the neck in front of thousands. He was rushed to the hospital but didn’t make it. The weapon, a bolt-action rifle, was later recovered nearby, but the shooter is still at large. 

Update: The Shooter was caught.

This wasn’t a random act of violence. It was targeted. It was political. And it...

episode 500

What Built Survival Punk | Episode 500

Looking Back on the Road That Led Here

Episode 500 feels like a milestone—and it’s the perfect time to share the story of what built the Survival Punk philosophy. Prepping isn’t just something I read in a book or picked up from watching TV. It’s something forged in the fires of real life, hard lessons, and a stubborn streak of DIY that’s been with me from the start.

Lessons From Hard Times

I’ve been homeless more than once in m...

The Fragile Supply Chain

The Fragile Supply Chain | Episode 499

When “Just in Time” Becomes “Too Late”

For decades, the global economy has run on razor-thin margins. Factories don’t store parts, stores don’t store food, and warehouses only keep enough on hand to keep costs low. It’s called just-in-time delivery—and it works great until something breaks. When one link in the chain fails, the whole thing collapses faster than most people realize.

We saw it in 2020. Grocery shelves went bare. Baby formula disappeared. Even toilet paper became a panic item. That...

coffee

Coffee for Preppers | Episode 498

Why Coffee Deserves a Spot in Your Preps

When disaster strikes, some people panic because the lights are out or the internet’s down. Others panic because they didn’t get their morning coffee. Let’s be real—coffee is more than just a drink. It’s comfort, it’s morale, and for a lot of us, it’s the fuel that keeps us moving. That’s why coffee deserves its own episode of the Survival Punk Podcast.

In this one, I dig into how to store coffee long...

The Prepper’s Paradox | Episode 497

Preparedness is supposed to bring peace of mind—but what happens when it works so well that you start letting off the gas? That’s the core of what I call the Prepper’s Paradox: the more prepared you get, the less you panic. That’s good for your stress levels, but it can also cause complacency if you’re not careful.

The Fear That Fuels Prepping

Most of us don’t start prepping because everything feels fine. It’s fear that kicks us into gear...

health for collapse

Health for Collapse | Episode 496

Why Your Health Matters More Than Ever

When people think about prepping, they usually picture stockpiled food, water filters, and bug out bags. But here’s the truth: if your body breaks down, all the gear in the world won’t save you. In this episode of the Survival Punk Podcast, I dig into the often-overlooked side of preparedness — taking care of your health for a slow collapse.

It’s not about six-pack abs or becoming a bodybuilder. It’s about lowering your risk of medical...

Slow Collapse Skills: Side Hustles & Bartering | Episode 495

When the economy grinds down into a slow collapse, survival isn’t just about food and gear—it’s about money, opportunity, and creativity. This episode continues the Slow Collapse Skills series by digging into side hustles and bartering, two lifelines that kept people alive during the Great Depression and will matter just as much in a modern Depression 2.0.

Why Side Hustles Matter Now

For most of us, one income isn’t enough anymore. Home prices are insane, food prices are...

Slow Collapse Skills: Repair and Reuse | Episode 494

When people think collapse, they imagine running out and buying new gear every time something breaks. But in a slow collapse—what I call Depression 2.0—that’s not realistic. Money gets tight, imports dry up, and new products get scarce. That’s when one of the most valuable skills kicks in: repair and reuse.

Why Repair Matters in a Slow Collapse

In a Great Depression-style scenario, you won’t have the budget (or maybe even the access) to just replace broken items...

Slow Collapse Skills: Growing & Preserving Food | Episode 493

When people think collapse, they picture mushroom clouds, zombies, or Mad Max chaos. But the more likely scenario isn’t overnight anarchy — it’s a slow collapse. Prices keep creeping up, jobs get shaky, and shelves don’t always look as full as they used to. That’s Depression 2.0. And in that kind of world, the skill that matters most is putting food on your own table.

In this episode of the Survival Punk Podcast, I kick off a new multi-part series on the skills that...

Cash Is Still King | Episode 492

When we talk collapse scenarios, a lot of people rush straight to gold, silver, crypto, or barter. And while all of those can play a role, let’s get real — cash will still be king for a long time, even in a slow grind collapse.

We’ve seen this before. Roman coins are still being traded and sold centuries later. Confederate money was worthless politically, but collectors and traders still bought and sold it. Cash has a way of sticking around because people are comfortable with it. Even if the...

The Hidden Costs of Convenience | Episode 491

Convenience is everywhere in modern life — but is it quietly making you weaker? In this episode of the Survival Punk Podcast, I dig into how our obsession with shortcuts, fast food, apps, and tech reliance erodes not only your independence but also your resilience when things go wrong.

Cooking vs. DoorDash

Fast food and DoorDash might feel like time savers, but they come at a steep cost. Not just to your wallet, but to your health and skills too. Learning to cook, even simple mea...

When Your Family Isn’t On Board | Episode 490

Prepping Alone in a House Full of Doubters

Prepping is hard work. Stockpiling food, learning new skills, staying ready for anything—it takes time, money, and energy. Now imagine doing all that while the people closest to you think you’re crazy. Welcome to the world of prepping when your family isn’t on board.

It’s a problem more common than you’d think. Some of you listening know the eye rolls when you bring home a stack of...

food hedge

Food Preps as an Inflation Hedge | Episode 489

Beating Rising Prices with Smart Storage

Inflation is hitting everyone hard. Grocery prices keep climbing, and what used to cost a dollar now sits closer to three. Prepping your pantry isn’t just about emergencies—it’s also one of the smartest financial moves you can make. Food storage acts as an inflation hedge, giving you the power to lock in today’s prices and stretch your dollars further tomorrow.

Stock Market vs. Stocked Pantry

Over a 20-year span, the stock mar...

bug out bag mistakes

Why Most Bug Out Bags Fail | Episode 487

The Bug Out Bag Myth

Scroll through YouTube or a prepping forum and you’ll see endless bug out bag loadouts. Guys showing off their tactical packs with 80 pounds of gear stuffed inside. Looks impressive, sure—but if you’ve ever humped one of those packs more than a hundred yards, you know the truth: most bug out bags are doomed to fail.

Too Heavy to Carry

The number one failure point? Weight. Most people build a fantasy bag, no...

5 free preps

5 Free Preps You Can Do Right Now | Episode 486

Prepping on a Budget

Inflation is crazy, the world’s uncertain, and there’s no shortage of saber-rattling and noise out there. But prepping doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, some of the best preps you can make won’t cost you a dime. Today, I’m breaking down five free preps you can do right now to tighten up your readiness without spending a penny.

1. Take Stock of Your Inventory

Most preppers don’t actually know...

prepper myths

Prepping Myths You Should Stop Believing | Episode 485

Prepping Myths That Need to Die

Every community has bad advice that gets repeated so often people start treating it like gospel. Prepping is no different. Today, I’m breaking down a couple of the biggest myths floating around Facebook groups and forums—the kind of nonsense that keeps people weak instead of making them stronger.

The “Don’t Tell Anyone You’re a Prepper” Myth

One of the most common mantras I see is: “First rule of prepping—don’t tell anyone you’r...

Liberty and Mesh Networks with Cory D. Gray | Episode 484

Why Communication Is the First Step Toward Liberty

When systems go down, whether it’s from disaster, censorship, or collapse, the first thing people lose is communication. Without it, communities are blind and disconnected. In this episode of the Survival Punk Podcast, I sit down with Cory D. Gray from Kingdom Business Lifestyle to talk about one of the most powerful tools for resilience and liberty—mesh networks.

Who Is Cory D. Gray?

Cory is a free...

The Recession Question: Looming Crash or False Alarm? | Episode 483

Cutting Through the Noise

Everywhere you look, someone is screaming “recession.” Some say we’re already in one. Others shrug it off and point to the stock market hitting record highs. So who’s right? More importantly—what does it mean for you as a prepper?

This week on the Survival Punk Podcast, we’re cutting through the hype and looking at the facts. Some numbers point toward a slowdown, even a looming crash. Others show resilience. Let’s dive into what’s...