Once an emergency strikes, the time to prepare is over. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, countless people rushed to stores to buy water, soap, toilet paper, and even Nintendo Switches.

It’s good to have your own store of essentials. Though in an emergency, buying up as many goods as you can is not helpful. Stores and manufacturers can only supply so much in a short period. This impulse to hoard can leave many others without their needs fulfilled. For example, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers or bottled water for those displaced from their homes.

Take time to identify your needs and buy just a little bit more than your immediate needs. In time you will have enough to weather through an emergency when it comes.