There is a big difference between “I can’t afford a generator” poor and “we are splurging by adding cheese to Raman noodles for dinner” poor.

Too many people might not start prepping because looking at the cost of ‘recommended items’ can be intimidating. Regardless of your own economic status, lets get a discussion going about some of the things that ‘poor’ or low income people can do to start or continue prepping.

Some suggestions may be specific while others more general.
Here are a few ideas to get it started:

Acquire survival & preparedness knowledge (Library, Internet)
Research your area for foraging types of foods
Become proficient as a gardener (seeds are cheap)
Become proficient with food preservation (e.g. canning)
Save all plastic water, juice, pop bottles, etc and fill with water
Free 5-gallon buckets & lids at grocery stores, bakeries, donut shops
Save your food jars/lids from spaghetti sauces, pickles, etc. for storage of ‘things’
Save old clothes to cut up for wash cloths, rags, etc.
Check local paper or Craigslist for free stuff
Buy a few extra cans of food each grocery store visit
Always look for the items on sale
Barter and Trade for stuff
Before you throw anything away, ‘think’, “What else could I do with it?”
Many churches regularly provide free meals
Look for a local food pantry
Visit yard/estate sales, you might find ‘treasure’
Try to reduce as many monthly bills as you can
Drive around looking for trees filled with fruit, ask to pick some…
Eliminate ‘indulgent’ expenses (e.g. Starbucks, smoking, alcohol)
Cut your own hair (or your partners hair)
Borrow tools, etc. from neighbors where applicable (instead of buying)
Visit thrift stores for great deals (clothes and all else)
Before buying it, do you ‘want’ it or do you ‘need it’?
Learn how to cook ‘poor meals’ to save money
Learn how to cook!
Learn how to make a fire
Search for online ‘free’ prep books

Source:http://modernsurvivalblog.com