A doomsday prepper who built an “extreme” home bunker stocked with £315,000 worth of emergency supplies says a family of four should have at least £5,000 available to prepare for a potential war in the UK.
Rowan MacKenzie, an estate agent from Missouri, US, said the money would cover a month’s worth of food, water and essential supplies, as well as a portable emergency kit, commonly known as a bug-out bag.
The average UK adult has £19,214 in savings, although the figure varies sharply between generations, according to Finder research published in 2026. People under 55 have an average of just £9,888, while 39 per cent have £1,000 or less saved.
Rowan was once mocked for her intense approach to emergency preparedness. Now, as global tensions rise, she is regularly asked for advice on how families can protect themselves and stay safe.
“I ask myself: ‘If something happened tomorrow and I couldn’t buy anything for seven days, how comfortable would my household be?’ You don’t need an expensive bunker to get started. You need a plan.”
Her list of family preparedness essentials includes emergency cash, power sources such as flashlights, shelf-stable food, medicines and a battery-powered radio.
She has also highlighted mistakes that could prove costly, including telling others where an emergency stockpile is kept or revealing what it contains. In a crisis, Rowan warned, “It’s ‘one man for themselves’ in an emergency.”
A doomsday prepper who built an “extreme” home bunker with £315,000 worth of emergency supplies says a family of four should have at least £5,000 in starter cash if the UK goes to war
A closer look inside Rowan’s bunker, which contains kitchen appliances, cereal, water, utensils and sources of light
Explaining how she arrived at the £5,000 figure, Rowan said: “It really does depend on the household income, so only get what you can afford without breaking the bank.”
“But I would say it should roughly cost no more than £1,000 per person for food and supplies, and that should last around three weeks if rationing is done correctly.”
“That cost also includes bug-out bag materials, aka a portable emergency kit, which lasts for three days in the event of a sudden evacuation.”
However, preparedness is not simply a question of how much money is in the bank. Rowan said households also need a clear plan that can be put into action quickly.
“Is anybody actually ready? Don’t prepare for one disaster; prepare for the consequences disasters have,” she said.
Rowan is now helping other people protect themselves and their families if disaster strikes by sharing a list of essential goods every household should consider buying.
That list includes multiple sources of power, such as flashlights, lanterns and power banks, along with backup equipment for cooking.
Shelf-stable foods, including preserved beans and rice, are also essential, Rowan said. Families should keep at least seven days’ worth per person and rotate supplies regularly.
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A printed list of important contacts, a battery-powered radio, emergency cash and vital documents should also be kept in an accessible place.
Some of the supplies in Rowan’s bunker, including applesauce, spoons and Skittles
Rowan’s family preparedness checklist includes emergency cash, power sources such as flashlights, shelf-stable foods, medicines and a battery-powered radio
Basic medicines, water purifiers, extra fuel and blankets should be taken into account too.
Although her advice seems like common knowledge, Rowan said there are mistakes people should be aware of – ones that even she makes.
She said: ‘Stockpiling food you never eat is a no-go. In an emergency, discovering your family hates half your food store will be a problem.
‘Always make sure to rotate your stockpile; all supplies will have an expiration date or can degrade.
‘Another mistake is buying food but forgetting water, and so is having gear you’ve never used before.
‘An unopened water filter, camp stove, radio or generator won’t be much help if you don’t know how to operate it.
‘You also can’t rely entirely on electricity. So have ways to get around during a prolonged outage.’
The mum also notes preppers often forget sanitation products, such as soap, prescription medications, and necessities for non-human household members.
Rowan’s advice follows Wes Streeting’s comments that the UK is at ‘greater risk of war’ as he urged Brits to stockpile tinned food, bottled water and cash.
But Rowan warned against keeping everything in one place in case of fire, flooding, theft or structural damage that can ‘wipe out a beautifully prepared stockpile.’
‘Also, don’t ever plan for one specific apocalypse,’ she advised. ‘A flexible setup is much more useful than preparing exclusively for one scenario, and don’t ever tell anyone what you’ve got.
‘There’s little benefit to broadcasting the location and extent of your supplies – as it’s “one man for themselves” in an emergency.’
Don’t forget to test out your plan, she added. ‘Turn off the power for an evening, cook using your backup method, use stored water, test communications and see what you’re missing.
‘We know a day is coming soon that we need to be as prepared as possible. It’s not paranoia – it’s being ready.’