3 DAYS

OK let's start small here let's think about 3 days lights go out, no heat, how are you going to feed yourself and stay warm? Water,food, shelter are nonnegotiables.

First off water you need 1 gal. per person per day. I hear grumbling there's no way I drink that much water in a day, maybe not but you would like to wash off your hands and face, maybe rehydrate a little food. You can buy this in 1 gal containers in the store or fill up empty soda bottles from the tap (milk jugs tend to become brittle over time so if it's all you have for now use it but try to rotate it out before too long) I like to buy some of it in smaller bottles so that they can go into a:
BACKPACK:
here is a list of things needed for 72 hours. You could pick this up and go if you needed to.
• 1 Emergency Thermal Sleeping Bag ( these also come as emergency blankets that you can wrap around yourself)• 1 Tube Tent• 1 Poncho• 1 Whistle• 1 AM/FM Radio• Waterproof Matches• 1 Pocket Knife• 1 Heavy Duty Flashlight• 1 One Person First Aid Kit• 3 1200 Calorie Bar• 1 Toothpaste• 1 Toothbrush• Toilet Paper• 1 Tissue Pack• 2 D Batteries• 2 AAA Batteries

All of these things can be found a any "big box" store with the exception of the 1200 calorie bars, they are sold by shelfrelience.com for 2.80 each I have never ordered anythng from these folks and have never tasted one of these bars, I prefer MRE's (these can be had on ebay) but I wanted to give an example that was small and light. If you buy MRE's they are about 4.00each meal . I would suggest either way you round it out with some granola bars and/or GORP (good old rasions and peanuts) maybe some instant coffe or coco (MRE's come with this) when you are scared/stressed/cold you need more food besides it is always comforting to have a warm drink.

Put all of this stuff into a backpack (if you don't have one around go to goodwill don't spend money on something nice)
You might also consider putting in bug repelant, for summer time and also a comb I know it is not a survival item but keeping your moral up is important too.

Now if something happens and you loose power/gas/water you will be good to go for at least 3 days. By that time either the lights will be back on or hopefully you will have found help or help found you.
It's also not a bad idea to have one of these kits in your car.

OK this will get you 3 days..next post I will cover 1 month on the cheap.

(see wasn't that easy?? you didn't have to cook anything or grow anything or sew anything at all)