Most people default to buying everything off a shelf because it feels easier. In this episode, I break down why that’s often the wrong move. This is about knowing when DIY actually beats store-bought — not as a hobby, but as a smarter, cheaper, more reliable way to prep. Some things are absolutely worth buying. Others? You’re getting ripped off.

This kicks off a multi-part series on when it makes sense to build instead of buy, starting with a few high-impact examples you can act on immediately.

DIY isn’t about being cheap for the sake of cheap. It’s about value. There’s a sweet spot where building something yourself costs less and performs better than the commercial version. Once you cross into “twice the cost and twice the headache,” it stops being worth it — but a lot of prepping gear lives well below that line.

The trick is understanding where that bell curve is. Not everything should be homemade. But a lot of commonly purchased “prepper products” are overpriced, underpowered, or stuffed with filler just to justify a higher price tag.

Electrolytes are one of the clearest examples of DIY crushing retail. Store-bought packets are wildly expensive for what they are — salt, potassium, and maybe magnesium dressed up with marketing.

You can make a functional electrolyte mix with basic salt and light salt from any grocery store. Add magnesium if you want to dial it in further. For a few bucks, you get hundreds or thousands of servings instead of paying premium prices for flavored water.

This isn’t about being fancy. It’s about hydration, performance, and not burning money on branding.

Most commercial first aid kits look impressive because of item count, not usefulness. They’re packed with safety pins, alcohol wipes, and filler items while being severely underpowered where it matters most — stopping bleeding.

Building your own kit lets you prioritize blood control, real bandaging, and medications you’ll actually use. Containers are fine to buy. Contents should be intentional. A kit that can’t handle serious bleeding isn’t a survival kit — it’s a boo-boo box.

Just because you can build something doesn’t mean you should. Refrigeration is a perfect example. You could technically DIY cooling solutions, but most of them don’t perform well enough to justify the effort.

DIY shines when the materials are cheap, accessible, and scalable. When complexity spikes or reliability drops, buying makes more sense. The goal isn’t ideological purity — it’s effectiveness.

DIY isn’t about chasing collapse fantasies. It’s about being practical, adaptable, and less dependent on fragile supply chains. When you build things that actually get used, prepping stays grounded and sustainable.

This episode is just part one. We’ll keep expanding into more areas where making your own gear saves money, improves performance, and gives you real-world skills you can rely on.

Closing

DIY isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about knowing when doing it yourself is the smarter move. Start with the high-impact wins and build from there.

Listen now, and if you want to support the show and keep weekly episodes coming, join the Survival Punk Army at SurvivalPunk.com.

DIY to survive.

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