How many times have you found yourself in a situation where you wished you didn’t skimp on something or wished you knew better and prepared in advance? Probably a lot. The famous quote goes, “It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.” However, let’s not confuse owning too much stuff and hoarding possessions at a storage unit with keeping certain items “just in case.” Do you really think you’ll need all those leftover cables and old chargers with ports that don’t fit any of the electronics you own? You probably don’t.
For certain life situations and emergencies of all sorts, some things are better held close at hand or somewhere nearby. Keeping emergency items, whether at home or in your car, is a good practice. However, aside from the obvious, such as the first-aid kit, self-defense tools, or flashlight, there are quite a few useful buys and good things to have in your car, home, or purse that one should always have. To explore the options of good things to buy and the best items to have in an emergency, we looked at this thread on AskReddit, which asked fellow community members, “What is your best example of ‘buy it before you need it’?” In the comments section, Redditors left an overwhelming amount of items they prefer to own in case of an unforeseen situation. To optimize the thread and make it more useful, we’ve selected the most upvoted answers to compile a list of things to have just in case.
Below, you’ll find the most popular ‘just in case’ items that Redditors recommend buying and owning to be safe rather than sorry. Do you agree with Redditors’ selections? If you do, give those entries you agree with an upvote. Also, are there any good things to buy and keep close at hand just in case that haven’t been mentioned? If so, share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.
#21
"Batteries."
Diligent_Jury_9956 replied: "Yes! I always find myself running out if batteries and end up can't go to the store."
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13points
#22
"Backup means of heating and cooking that don't require electricity.
I live in Texas. Not going through that again."
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12points
#23
"Snow shovel, better buy one before you have to get your entrance free of snow."
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12points
#24
"Ice scraper. Do you know how long it takes a window to defrost on a car that just started? A lot longer than it should."
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12points
#25
"Put a bag of kitty litter in your trunk now before it starts snowing and freezing."
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12points
#26
"Epi-pen."
notthesedays comments: "Pharmacist here. One of the most obscene things about the recent price-gouging is that this is an item that people purchase because they hope they never need it."
hjonsey comments: "I was in the hospital last month and they gave me a med I was anaphylactic allergic to. It was the first time needing an Epi-pen. I have always kept them on me but never needed them. I was scared but the relief to be able to breathe again is indescribable. I will NEVER not have one on me at all times."
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11points
#27
"Toilet paper. Or as we call them at home. Lifesavers!"
levelup_jar replied: "Yeah, everybody called me a madman for always having 2x 20packs at home, and then covid hit and I was laughing and s*itting without worries."
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11points
#28
"An umbrella."
driving_andflying comments: "Especially one that can stand up to windy conditions while it rains."
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11points
#30
"Generator. My ex-girlfriend said it was a stupid purchase and a waste of money. Ended up using it for two days straight after a wind storm. Had the fridges, fish tank a few lights, TV, and internet going the whole time."
Pineneedlecollada replied: "Yeah, generators are really useful, but you have to take care of them. When I was like 6, there was a really bad snowstorm where I was. The generator hadn't been taken care of for around a year, so it didn't work. Ended up not having power for like 2-3 days. At least it was cold outside so the stuff in the fridge could stay cold. Frozen milk isn't the easiest to drink though.
So now anytime we go back to that place, my dad checks the generator. So far it's helped us every other time."
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10points
#31
"Here in Florida, air conditioning systems are our lifeline. One of the most common failures is the fan motor start capacitor for the compressor. It’s a cheap part ($20 to $50), but it always takes several days to get. Without air conditioning in your home in Florida, not only will it be impossible to sleep, but your house will grow mold indoors in 2 days or less. This is exactly how AC repair companies get to charge $500+; they stock the parts but refuse to sell you the part and charge the repair as an emergency.
So buy one and keep it as a backup."
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10points
#33
"Ear plugs.
Nothing worse than getting woken up in the middle of the night and trying to go back to sleep by smashing a pillow over your head."
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10points
#34
"Security system. My best friend got robbed of around $5k of things."
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10points
#35
"Anything that doesn't have an expiry date, that gets used with regularity, I stock up on. Toilet paper, kitchen roll, dish soap, shower gel, hand soap, bleach, etc."
SisyphusMedia agreed: "This. I was gonna say, 'Everything?' I absolutely loathe shopping. There are at least fifty scrubbing sponges under my sink. I have dozens of boxes of Kleenex, and fifteen or so bars of soap, the list just goes on and on.
My bill at the Mega Membership Mart is typically $500. But I only go two or three times a year. That's about as much exposure as I can stand."
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9points
#36
"If you're a parent or plan on having kids - diapers. It seems like a no brainer but there's nothing worse than looking at your pack and going, 'Eh I think we can last til tomorrow' then sending your son or loading your kid up at midnight for a trip to Walmart because they've pooped way more than you anticipated that day."
9points
#37
"Tire inflator/compressor to keep in your car. And a tire repair kit (not the slime) for bonus points."
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7points
#38
"Printer ink."
melody0505 replied: "Especially if you’re a student."
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6points
#40
"Gas. Had to push my car 1/2 mile down a highway just to get enough to make it to a cheaper location. Didn't take too long to push but it was a harrowing experience being out of a car on the highway with traffic not slowing around you."
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3points
