Power outages happen. There are storms, heavy rains, old infrastructure, accidents, and a near endless list of things that could interrupt our power. So how can you be ready for a power outage? Here are some things to consider.

First, consider buying a small generator. if your home has an emergency generator system, or you have a 10,000-watt manual generator on hand – great! But for the rest of us, a small, 1,000 – 2,000-watt generator will do. These small generators range from $400 – $1,000, but the cheaper ones will usually work just fine for temporary power. You can run some small appliances, lights, etc. They are easy to use and lightweight.

If that is too much for us, then we can always invest in a small portable battery. These are made to be charged and can run small items, like charging your phone or running a light or two. Thes usually cast a little over $100, and only require the technical skill of plugging it in really. It doesn’t run much, but in an emergency situation without power, the simple act of being able to charge your phone is well worth it.