2025 sure wasn’t boring. A lot of people felt uneasy right out of the gate. Prices kept climbing. The dollar felt shaky. The news was louder than ever. Every week there was another warning, another rumor, another “expert” telling regular Americans to calm down and trust the system.
Most of our readers didn’t buy that for a second.
This year, Ask a Prepper made sure won’t provide fantasy or end-of-the-world talk. Instead, we chose to talk about real concerns and real decisions working Americans had to make. The truth is, some folks nearly gave up. But a lot of you stayed, learned, and adjusted.
What follows is the story of how the year unfolded through the articles you read, shared, discussed, and saved. Each one hit a nerve because it spoke to something many fellow Americans were already feeling.
If you lived through this year with us, you’ll recognize the moments. If you missed some of them, this will catch you up.
Starting the Year With Better Habits
In January, we published 6 Prepping Items the Amish Never Stockpile, and it stood out because it was pushing you to rethink your prepping strategy. The article examined a community that has lived without modern systems for generations and asked why we still rely on things they avoid.
The Amish don’t build their lives around convenience, but around durability habits that don’t pile up clutter year after year. By pointing out what they don’t store, the article raised a question that didn’t demand an answer right away, but it stayed there: Are we preparing with purpose, or simply accumulating gear?
Didn’t read the article? Then watch this video instead:
Not long after, we ran Why Everyone Is Abandoning Prepping, and the focus shifted from supplies to mindset. The article examined how something meant to create peace of mind had become complicated for some people.
Too many warnings arriving all at once. At one point, the article noted that prepping had stopped feeling steady and started feeling overwhelming, which helped explain why some people were stepping back rather than leaning in.
Keeping You Updated on Gun Laws
The year tightened when we posted this piece on what guns you need to buy before the government bans them. Gun laws in the United States don’t stay still, and responsible gun owners know that what’s legal today may not be tomorrow. We know that keeping track of those changes is important for our readers who believe in lawful ownership and long-term planning.
The point was simple: they don’t take your guns all at once. They change a rule here, ban a part there, raise a fee, close a loophole and by the time you notice, it’s too late to do anything about it.
Our readers put a lot of effort into sharing current, updated information on gun ownership, so you can make informed decisions based on the rules as they exist now, not as they used to be. That’s why you should check out what guns to stockpile in 2026 for your own protection and peace of mind.
Control and the Illusion of Safety
As spring moved closer, trust in large institutions came up again. 15 items FEMA Doesn’t Want You to Have made a simpler, but powerful points. Large systems function best when people depend on them, and tools that allow households to operate independently don’t fit neatly into centralized planning.
Afterwards, when we published This is How My Grandma Made Antibiotics, something clicked. The article was a reminder that knowledge, especially the kind passed down in kitchens and gardens, is a quiet form of power. The irony? What Grandma knew is now considered “alternative.” Meanwhile, Big Pharma tells us NOT to try THIS RECIPE at home, even if it is cheaper and as good as the very medicines we’re told are our only option.
What Still Holds Value When Systems Fail
As the year went on, the conversation widened. In June, we published a truly valuable piece for our readers. These Items Will Make You Rich Post-SHTF wasn’t about money in the usual sense, but what will still hold great value in a grid-down world.
When systems stall or break, numbers on a screen lose their power, while skills and tangible goods gain it. This piece framed value in terms of what people need and what you can provide, not what you can store digitally.
That mindset felt even more relevant once summer rolled around. In These 20 States Will Go Dark This Summer, the focus was on grid strain, extreme weather, and aging infrastructure – problems that you already know are becoming part of everyday life.
Power outages weren’t treated like shocking emergencies so much as interruptions people should expect and plan for. The real question wasn’t whether the lights would go out, but how long everything would keep working when they did.
Because you gave us a positive feedback for this article, we decided to continue the series with another piece – EMP Aftermath: Here’s What They Don’t Want You to Know. Instead of leaning into worst-case scenarios, the article focused on quieter realities: electronics failing without warning, systems taking a long time to come back online and repairs dragging on.
Our goal wasn’t to scare you, but to help you understand how quickly the grid can fail and why protecting your home from an EMP matters, especially at a time when many countries are threatening U.S. stability.
Questioning What We Think We Know
By early fall, the pace slowed again. The Amish Ways Book Review highlighted why certain low-tech habits endure over time. A slower way of living that holds up under pressure.
This book shows you how to build resilience, simplify systems, and rely less on fragile modern infrastructure. It’s a must-have if you want to stay ahead with your prepping plan. You don’t have The Amish Ways yet? 👉 Click here to get my exclusive 76% discount.
That idea was challenged again later in the year with How Being a Gray Man Can Get You Killed, which questioned the idea that blending in is always the safest move.
Our article didn’t promote attention or bravado, but pointed out that context matters, and that tactics without awareness can become liabilities.
As winter approached, trust returned as a central theme. My father was a FEMA insider showed you how large government systems operate under pressure, by protecting themselves before anyone else.
When resources are limited and decisions matter most, regular people are not the priority. The message was clear: relying on FEMA is a mistake. Families who want to stay safe need to plan as if help may never come, because history proved us that it doesn’t.
Closing the Year With Open Eyes
The year wrapped up with My Worst Fears for 2026, an article that brought together a lot of thoughts that had been sitting in the background all year. It touched on growing strain across everyday systems and how much harder it’s becoming to fix problems once they show up. Rather than laying out predictions, it focused on the bigger picture shaping what comes next.
Many of you told us the article captured worries you’d already had in the back of your mind. The tone stayed grounded and practical, encouraging you to think ahead, pay attention, and make choices while you still have time to do so.
As a way to close out the year, it captured what 2025 ended up being about for many people: paying closer attention, understanding limits, and taking responsibility before those limits become unavoidable.
Also, make sure you won’t miss our special message on how to face the realities of a new year:
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community
Dear readers, thank you for standing with us throughout 2025. Your support and trust are what allow this platform to continue growing and bringing people together around shared knowledge and values. Every moment you spend with our content helps shape a community that becomes stronger with time.
Thanks to you, we can keep doing the work we believe in and moving forward with purpose. This journey wouldn’t exist without your presence, and we’re truly grateful to have you with us as we continue building something meaningful together.
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Howdy from an undisclosed location high in the desert swamp,
Happy New Year.
I learned something valuable I knew but, just didn’t see much of. Kids can be a very valuable asset and not in the equipment sense. They are a little people blessing from God and don’t overlook their intelligence. I was helping make a dinner and my grands were standing on chairs stirring, mixing, talking just a real help. I was asked several times if I had something because we ran out and the store is jammed. I went and got it. The second trip to the, I got it closet, my oldest grand followed me. She watched me get it and looked at the shelves. I saw the question face forming and told her tomorrow I will explain but now? We don’t have time. Don’t tell anyone this is here and when everyone gets here do not run get something yourself. Okay? Agreed and several times the opportunity to run get something happened and she didn’t budge. We made do or didn’t really need it. The next day I set the tent up in the yard. I had been saying we would camp and we did. They were great in pulling this or stick that in there and hey, down here this goes… Three people carrying basic equipment in and it turned into one trip. We were set. It was 45 and they loved it. Slept all night and did it again the next night. That morning, we had a sit down and go through their pack I had put together for them. Surprisingly they still had the plunder. Whistle, mug, compass, shaker light, signal mirror, paracord… We went to the park so they could test hear the whistles. How far can these be heard? They walked apart waving when they heard and crossed their hands over their head when they couldn’t. I showed them how to use a signal mirror and they flashed at each other and got it. I showed them how to find south by looking at trees. They both got it and showed me the correct NEWS directions. They are 6 and 8. There was about 15 people at the park and only one young man took note of what we were doing. No one wondered why the whistles or even looked. No one looked and we did a very good training. I told them this. Shh. Don’t tell anyone we do this. I am deaf and don’t realize my voice volume. I wasn’t loud but I wasn’t discreet either. The man asked me what are we doing? We was interested not being intrusive. I told him and the grands showed him their packs. He was amazed at them telling him how to do this or use that or find south by the moon at night or trees in the daytime. He looked at his girl playing and said they’re about the same age but their maturity is different. She’s just playing. These girls are confident in their demeanor. I had to agree. Now I did tell them go play and the kid came out immediately which is great. But when we went to leave they grabbed their pack and we left. The man asked me all sorts of questions and how he thought he was loony to think about being prepared and certainly wasn’t expecting little kids to be proficient at these things. Me? I didn’t realize the extent of what they learned and remembered. I was thrilled!
Grandparents reading this. YOU have a special spot in grandkids minds because you are their daddy’s dad. That is an awe moment for them and now you take them to places their dad played, went to school or this was his room!
The freeze of 21 in Texas was an eye opener to my DIL. She didn’t mind me taking them hiking in the woods and such but didn’t get the whole be ready for anything logic. She had to leave their house because of power out, 25 degrees and snowing. She brought clothes and the dog. Everything else I/we (my wife took credit grrrr) we had. Blankets, mats, mattresses, food, water and didn’t have to go anywhere for several days.
Now she is a closet prepper.
The grands loved the snow and cold. We had a big adventure in it and came back in. Red noses and a yak yak story told at kid volume. We went back out…
Don’t underestimate kids abilities and willingness to help or learn.
Back to the closet. I showed them both and we pinky swore not to tell anyone about this. (If they do, no big thing.) I haven’t shown them other places. Just this closet. I explained why and if they remembered wearing a mask and stores closed and all? They both did and started telling their side. My DIL was listening and surprised at their perceptions, their opinions and frank honesty. They remember no school. They remember no church. They remember a lot, and it affected them. So, this closet has the basic cooking stuff and some of my canned stuff. Jelly, hot sauce and shelf of general stuff. Some canned chili and stews…
Back to the man at the park. He watched kids playing and told me he bet my kids could get everyone from here to town. I nodded. That’s what I want them to know. How do I walk to get help and what do I need to go that mile? I’m deaf. If I fall or need help they know how to help me. Sanitize a cut and put 6 band aids on. 1 to cover the nasty gash and the others to make sure it doesn’t fall off. I smiled. He looked at me and said I am so starting this today. i told him keep it fun and a reward system. Let her completely wrap you in gauze. He laughed at that and so did I. You will be surprised at what they can do. He just nodded. He asked what is the next thing you see to prepare for? I said the next election cycle will get ridiculously stupid with violence and shut downs. I think it will get ugly. He nodded again. “I’m happy I found someone else who thinks this and you helped me realize I am not ready at all for a shazbotting thing.” He shook my hand.
Remember the Alamo
Remember Pearl Harbor
Remember 9/11
Remember North Carolina
Remember your grands can be almost as awesome as mine
Remember to have your soul prepared
For me..using this ask a prepper site as kind of a knowledge base to guide me throughout 2025 i feel has made me a better prepper and more prepared than i have ever been.Keep climbing that old mountain one step at a time .
I appreciate that the articles spur the readers to share their knowledge or perhaps just a different view. The more information we have, the better we can measure and weigh our methods. I have always held onto the belief that “just because it’s different doesn’t mean it’s wrong”. What works for one may not work for another and a view from a different window just might make things click.
Chaplain Dan, kudos to you and your grands. You are passing down knowledge and a wonderful experience to the kids that they will remember forever and hopefully pass on to their own in the future.
Ask-a-Prepper has been the one prepping and survival mainstay site, providing volumes of knowledge for everyone on a daily basis to prepare for any adverse situation that may arise. The information provided in any given article may not always be completely pertinent to your individual needs, but you can generally pick up on something out of each article that you were unaware of and apply it to your own prepping. Occasionally you may think that the information is out of date or incomplete, but you will always be able to pick up on something you were not aware of.
The reference books that are offered on this site are all great knowledge, providing a wealth of information through actual experiences and generational tidbits handed down from our parents, grandparents and folklore. If you were fortunate to have grown up in the 50’s and 60’s you experienced basic prepping from the everyday occurrences, the way you had to make do with what you had, recycling and repairing clothing, or what you could modify to perform a task. You didn’t have the abundant selection of foods and goods we have today. Back then if you had a job that paid $3.50 and hour you were walking in tall cotton. $1.25 to $1.50 was the average wage in most places. Sure bread, butter, milk and meat was cheaper but if you were buying a house, it was still a struggle. You baked your own bread, ate a lot of soups, beans, rice, chicken and hamburger. A fast-food cheeseburger, fries and a coke could cost you 75 cents. Gas cost you .25 cents/gallon, and you got your oil, water and tires checked. You pay $4.25 to $5/gallon now and no service. You may soon be paying over $8/gallon. Yes, it’s all relative, but the point is, much of the old ways that we learned from our grandparents is still very much in play today. You just need to be open to the old ideas and put them into play in your prepping plans when you can. The information provided on this site is easily downloaded and can be printed to make your own selective emergency prepping and survival manuals. Choose the articles that best fit your needs to keep as quick reference in a binder because when the SHTF or and EMP hits, your computers, tablets and phones may very well be totally useless. Printed paper, books, manuals and a pencil and paper may be your only quick reference to your survival information. Keep prepping but don’t let it overwhelm you. Rotate and update your stored food, water and medications when possible. Build your inventory based on your own personal needs and uses. It’s a waste of time and money to stock items that you will never need. When products go on sale, pick up one or two extra items that you normally eat or use. Over a relatively short period of time your pantry will grow exponentially and not break the budget. You can survive a long time with just the basic foods if that’s all you can afford. The Red Cross can provide a list of items to stockpile for emergencies for each region of the country. Not everyone will prepare for the same emergencies depending on where you live. Keep your prepping & supplies secretive and obscure and in multiple locations, if possible, to avoid loss from theft or damage from the elements.
Above all, TRUST NO ONE. Your friends and even in some cases your extended family will eventually become your enemy when they have failed to prepare and realize you have what they need. The way things are shaping up around the world, unfortunately history has a tendency to repeat itself. It appears we are headed for some hard or difficult times. The only person responsible for yourself and your family is you. Stay alert, be safe and keep on prepping.
One thing I neglected to say, and it may not sit well with some readers. My point is this, constructive criticism on an article is helpful and, in some cases, very beneficial, but please don’t use this site for your political soap box. It is truly difficult, we all have different views and political beliefs, but this isn’t the place for those debates and the berated name calling. Have a little courtesy and respect for all who share this site and the aap staff for the information it provides. Have a safe and prosperous 2026 to us all.
Right on target Oregon Chuck!
Good words.