Important Tips To Preparing for a Hurricane on a Budget.

Preparing for a hurricane is so important that even the little things you do will benefit you and your wallet.

In 2017 you have seen what hurricane season can do to a country as we saw in recent weeks. Preparing for a hurricane is crucial, and the things that you can do to get prepared don't have to bust your budget.

Let's recap:

• Hurricane Harvey
• Hurricane Irma
• Hurricane Maria

The thought of a hurricane approaching is terrifying and evacuating sometimes is not an option for everyone, and this is just a fact. We know hurricanes are dangerous and but at least we have some time to get ourselves prepares.

One thing is clear is that if you are located in areas that are affected by hurricanes you need to make sure your home is prepared even if there is no hurricane in sight.

How Preparing For A Hurricane Early Saves You Money

Early planning is key and waiting until the last minute to make sure you are preparing for a hurricane can affect you negatively.

Why?

The reasons you don’t want to wait last minute to prepare for a hurricane are the following:

Timing

If you wait until the last minute to prepare for a hurricane, my friend, you won’t be alone. Be prepared to deal with the crown and the lines.

If you think that a quick trip to get water when a hurricane is approaching will take the usual amount, think again.

You will be spending more time shopping to get your home prepared during the last minute. The time you spent purchasing things you should have bought earlier could have been spent on other important last-minute preparations like sealing windows, and prep the outdoor of your home.

Forgetfulness

Let’s be real here when you know there’s a hurricane going you go from relaxing to hurrying to get everything you need to get done.

Anxiety level is up, and emotions are high, and without having a plan or being prepared early, you are bound to forget things and sometimes that could be substantial things.

Take the time to plan ahead when hurricane season begins and write down a plan. By doing this, you will be able to look at your plans and lists and not forget what you need. A plan and a checklist will help you stay focus.

Out of stock

Believe me when I say that stores and company do try to keep hurricane-related items in stock as much as possible but the reality is that it is impossible.

If a store carries ten pallets of 24 pack bottled water and generally they sell about 4 to 5 pallets a day with a truck bringing 4 every other night (this is an example). Imagine the rush when cases of water are being sold on pallets in one day!

Of course, the stores are going to order but imagine the District warehouse getting bombarded to the expected high volume of orders.

Companies will do their best to get supplies in, but you and I know that when hurricanes or any other weather disaster comes stores will run out of essentials quick.

Overpay

Now that we mentioned that you would find out of stock on many items sadly I will tell you that you will overpay for items when you go shopping the last minute.

The truth is that not many people are noble and will see an opportunity to make a quick buck by taking advantage of the situation.

This is why it is so important to plan ahead and stock up on hurricane essentials as early as possible.

If you see a deal on items, you are going to need like battery and water, stock up! Some of these essentials are important in any emergency situation.

If you see anyone taking advantage and inflating prices such as for water and gas make sure you report them because this is called Price Gouging, and it is against the law.

*If you are in the state of Florida check out this site where you can report these issues or call 1-866-966-7226.

As you can see early planning when preparing for a hurricane doesn’t have to bust a budget. Preparing for a hurricane can help you save money and time when you do it right

Other ways of preparing for a hurricane on a budget are:

Check your insurance coverage

During the beginning of hurricane season take the time to go over your home insurance and make sure you understand your coverage.

You might even take the time to shop around if you need to or upgrade your home insurance. One thing you need to keep an eye on and understand about insurance when it comes to hurricanes are there:

Flood insurance

We all know that during a hurricane water damage is the culprit here but this is where it gets tricky, and you need to understand.

If your home gets damaged due to a storm surge, water coming from a flooded river or flooded lake, the chances are that this is not covered under your standard home insurance.

To receive coverage for these types of water damaged you need a flood insurance policy. If the area where you reside is a flood-prone area and you still owe on your home (mortgage), federal law might require you to get flood insurance.

All the information is important, and if you take the time to check your home insurance coverage, you can take care of these matters and not worry about when a hurricane is only days away from hitting your area.

Beware of dangerous floods during hurricanes. Turn around, don’t drown: https://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsDrowningRisks/index.html

Another important information regarding flood insurance is that most of them require a 30-day waiting period, again planning ahead is important!

Check your deductibles

Another thing you should each year is to make sure you understand your home insurance deductible when it comes to hurricanes.

A deductible for insurance due to a hurricane is typically between 2% to 5% of your home insured value it all depends on your personal insurance.

Knowing the amount, you might have to pay out of pocket and to have a plan on how to pay this amount again, will help you financially if a hurricane affects your home.

You will know how much you need pay out of pocket with no surprises. As always make sure you speak to your home insurance provided always.

Inspect and maintain the outside of your home

Another way to prepare for a hurricane is to inspect your home, and this starts by looking at your home foundation for cracks.

Check your home roof and for leaks and all doing this will prevent more damage to your home during a hurricane.

Also look around your yard for anything that can be a potential threat during a hurricane. Things like low-hanging branches and items that can become potential missiles during a storm should be taken care of too.

If you have a tree in your yard that has a broken limb, don’t wait days before a hurricane to take care of it. Do it the minute you see it and have it removed.

Clean your home gutters and drains while inspecting the outside of a home too. A gutter full of water will cause water to come inside your home in areas such as your attics.

Cover your AC unit with an AC cover to protect it from debris from the hurricane.

While shopping throughout the rest of the year keep an eye on these items and buy them this is so important because you won’t be rushing to the store when a hurricane is approaching.

Check out these money-saving posts:

• 8 Tips On How To Not Spend Money This Month
• Spring Checklist: 7 Home Maintenance Tips
• 6 Tips For Keeping Your Home Clean After Spring Cleaning

Surge Protectors 

Surge protectors are inexpensive and are a great way to protect your electronics during a hurricane. Add a surge protector to your heating system, and your heating and air condition system will reduce the risk of surge damage.

Plywood

You know that if you live in an area that gets hurricanes here and there stock up on plywood when they go on sale.

Don’t wait until the last minute to buy plywood as mentioned above you might not find them or will find them at a higher price.

Stock up on emergency supplies

We should know what emergency supplies we need when it comes to natural disasters and waiting for the last minute is something I don’t recommend you do.

If you are not sure at what hurricane emergency supplies you need below are links to help you out. All you have to do is click the link, and you will find the information you need. We have partnered with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you with this information.

• Emergency Preparedness and Response

Fire extinguishers

Make sure your fire extinguisher is working properly and make sure it is up to date.

Another important thing you must do when preparing for a hurricane on a budget is to create a plan and not just a plan.

Write down emergency numbers

Make sure that you write down all emergency numbers don’t save them on your phone or anything electronic. Write it down and let everyone in your family know where it will be located.

Write down a hurricane plan

Again, the CDC has a great resource on how to create a hurricane plan that we suggest you read and implement.

Most importantly when you create your plan make sure that everyone in your family is included and knows and understands the hurricane plan this is so important

With these plans make sure you include our pets too, and another resource of information can be found when you click here.

But just some quick important tips below when it come to your pets:

• Make sure that your pet is wearing a collar and tag with up to date information.
• Microchip your pets.
• Keep a leash or carrier near the exit.

You can also download these free checklists too to help you in emergency situations:

Family Emergency Kit Checklist

Emergency Action Plan Template

Conclusion

Preparing for a hurricane doesn’t have to break the bank or bust your budget. When you plan ahead, do simple things like cleaning your yard and little house maintenance when a hurricane is near you worry about other situation and focus on keeping your family safe.

Planning ahead, having emergency supplies year-round, and keeping and maintain important papers such as home insurance will help you to reduce cost and any financial surprises that might happen if a hurricane will affect your area.

The resources here are free or low cost and always remember to focus on the safety of your family above all.

Your turn: When it comes to preparing for a hurricane on a budget what other tips do you have for us? Share it on comments we like to know.

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Joyce @ My Stay At Home Adventures

Latina mom of 4 married to wonderful Greek gentleman. Living in southeast PA and trying to juggle family and a household while trying to earn an income from home. Follow my stay at home journey as I discover how to earn money and save money so we can continue to live debt free.

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