If you ever find yourself in a tricky situation, an ordinary pill bottle might be all you need to survive!
While a pill bottle survival kit can never replace, say, a generator or a water purifier, it might be the only thing that stands between you and a disaster.
Plus, a pill bottle survival kit has the advantage of being small and discreet. You can easily carry it on your person at all times.
That way, you'll be ready for anything at anytime, and no one will ever think twice about the pill bottle in your purse or your pocket!
Having a few simple survival tools close at hand could make a huge difference for surviving an unexpected emergency, like getting locked out of your house in the cold, or getting stranded somewhere on your own.
Scroll through below to learn how you can make your very own DIY pill bottle survival kit at home!
First, start with a plain old plastic prescription bottle that you no longer user.
Most of us recycle these or return them to the pharmacy. However, next time you get a large one, clean it out and keep it.
Take off the label to remove identifying info, or leave it on if you want to disguise your kit more thoroughly.
The bigger bottles that you get with some types of antibiotics work well, because they hold a lot and can double as a drinking cup in a pinch.
Next, you'll want an itty-bitty pen light, the kind that is tiny enough to put on your keychain.
Pack this flash light in first, because it will be one of the larger items, and you want to make sure you have room for it.
A flashlight is good for lots of different situations, from finding your way in the dark, to scaring off a wild animal that gets too close.
If you have one of those promotional boxes of matches lying around, cut out the strike strip. Place it in the bottle for later use, or glue it to the inside of the bottle lid.
You should also tuck a few matches into the bottle, preferably in a spot where they won't get broken or damaged.
In addition to providing light, you might need matches to start a fire at some point, for cooking or for warmth.
If you're in a survival situation, the last thing you want is a blood sugar crash that might leave you woozy and incapacitated.
Keep a small hard candy in your pill bottle survival kit to stave off any sudden bursts of hunger.
It won't feed you in the long term, but having a hard candy to suck on can give you a quick burst of energy if needed, and it will help you focus your energy and adrenaline as you figure out your next step.
Tear off a sheet of aluminum foil and fold it up as tight as you can.
A one-foot long piece of foil can be folded up pretty tightly, but start with a smaller sheet of foil if you can't fit it in your bottle.
Packing tin foil might sound strange, but it's incredibly useful stuff. You can use it to help repair small electrical circuits or to boost the signal on an antenna or radio.
If you have a spare battery around, you can also combine it with the foil for a simple fire starter.
Tuck a few bandages around the edges of you kit to cover up and protect any minor wounds you pick up — even a hangnail can be deadly if it gets infected.
Having a couple of ordinary bandages or butterfly stitches might make a huge difference in a bad situation, by protecting openings in your skin and keeping them from getting worse.
If you can get the kind with built-in antibiotic ointment, that's even better.
You should also make room in your bag for one of those little wipes that you get to clean off your hands at a barbecue place.
Hoard these little napkins up any chance you get, because they are super useful.
That's because most of these wipes are disinfectant, antibacterial wipes. That means that they can help with all sorts of situations, from cleaning a cut in a pinch, to wiping down and disinfecting eating utensils or something to drink out of.
As a general rule, it's a good idea to keep a safety pin handy. Even in non-emergency situations, these little tools are helpful for wardrobe-related disasters like a torn hem.
However, in a survival situation, a safety pin becomes even more important.
They can be used to fasten tents and bandages, and if you have an injury like a bad splinter or gravel in a wound, you can use a sterilized safety pin to remove it.
Here's everything all laid out. It might look like a lot of stuff, but with a little bit of clever packaging, it should all fit inside your prescription bottle.
Try to start with the biggest items, like the flashlight and the hard candy. Then, wrap flexible items like the bandages and foil around the edges of the bottle.
Last, wedge the smallest items, like the matches and pin, into secure spots where they are unlikely to break or bend.
When all is said and done, you should have a complete pill bottle survival kit that can easily be stowed in your purse, in your glove compartment, in your coat pocket, or in your backpack.
If you can, it's a good idea to make several of these little survival kits and stash them in various useful spots. That way, if you switch bags or winter coats, you'll always have one handy!
Will you try out this survival trick? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with anyone who could use this simple and genius survival kit.
