Half a million people were left in the dark by "Snowmageddon," the early-February storm that blanketed the mid-Atlantic region with up to 3 feet of snow. Wonder how many of those people were fumbling for flashlight batteries and dining on dry cornflakes?

Nobody had expected to be snowbound for a week. It happened anyway.

Object lesson: You need to be ready. If a natural disaster or even just a really big windstorm happened, how would you eat, drink and stay warm? And where would you go to the bathroom?

The Department of Homeland Security recommends having enough supplies to survive for at least three days after an emergency. And right now, while there isn't an emergency, is the time to get those supplies.

On first glance, the basic emergency supplies list is daunting. But you probably already have some of those items, and you can use frugal hacks to get the rest cheaply or maybe even for free.

Here's how.

Easy does it

The American Red Cross has an even longer list of suggested emergency items. Because every family (and every disaster) is different, you simply pick what works for you, and you don't have to get it all at once. California reader Kelly A., who blogs at My Friend Kelly, likens the process to building an emergency fund.

"You accrue (items) little by little," she says.

Until you can get specialized gear, Kelly suggests using things you already have: comforters instead of sleeping bags or a hibachi instead of a camp stove.

Instead of buying bottled water, reader Elise G. stores emergency H20 from the tap in plastic milk jugs that have been washed and sanitized with a mild bleach solution. Refill every few months; use the old water in the garden or maybe to rinse shampoo out of your hair (or the dog's).

Your emergency food stash should require little to no preparation or cooking. It should also taste good, so choose things you'd eat anyway. (This also makes it easier to rotate and replace the stock.) Some obvious choices are peanut butter, dried fruit, granola or protein bars, crackers and canned meats, fish, stews, fruits and vegetables.

If you would have a way to heat water, store some flavored rice, noodle bowls (pricey, but they do go on sale), instant soups or oatmeal, plus bouillon cubes, tea bags, instant coffee or hot chocolate mix.

Watch for sales and, if possible, use coupons and/or rebates. A few examples from my own recent shopping trips: granola bars for a penny apiece, hot chocolate for a nickel an envelope, dried plums (yep, prunes got an image makeover) for 40 cents a bag, 12 ounces of peanuts for 69 cents and a 9.25-ounce bag of M&M's for a buck. This weekend I'll be getting tuna for either 50 cents or free, depending on whether the store doubles coupons.

'Shake lights' and hand-cranked radios

Watch drugstore ads. I've gotten hand sanitizer, baby wipes (aka "shower in a pouch"), painkillers, batteries, energy bars and crackers free or nearly free with coupons and/or rebates. Check clearance bins, too.

Readers in hurricane country store disposable plates and utensils in case of prolonged outages. "TexTaxpayer" gets these items for 90% off at post-holiday sales. If you must use candles, then these sales may also yield votives for pennies apiece. Burn your candles inside wide-mouth jars set high up, where kids or pets can't knock them over.

Flashlights are a much safer choice. "Shake lights," which you charge with vigorous shaking, are swell because there's no need to stockpile batteries. I want one of those. For now I have three ordinary flashlights; I get their batteries free by trading empty ink cartridges for credit at office supply stores. (These stores also sell hand sanitizer, which disappears quickly if there's no water; stock up.)

Hand-cranked radios also don't need batteries. You can get these at the Red Cross Store or other online shopping sites, or in discount and electronics stores. Some of these radios have built-in flashlights and other features; some will even recharge cell phones. Because relatives in other regions might be going crazy with worry, it would be nice to be able to call and tell them you're OK.

If money is tight, start working now toward free gift cards with an eye toward buying flashlights, radios or any other emergency gear you need. Or just ask for them, suggests Red Cross spokesman Paul Hundley: "Great Christmas gifts come in small packages."

Polypropylene and Pine-Sol

Don't neglect the dollar stores, where you can buy useful items like disposable dishes and utensils, baby wipes, hand sanitizer and — this is important — a manual can opener. I'd steer clear of the batteries, though.

While living in Alaska I bought polypropylene long johns and a down vest at a thrift store, and they're just as warm as if I'd paid retail. When yard-sale season starts up again, watch for sleeping bags, camp stoves and the like.

And now for an icky but potentially serious topic: toilets. I grew up in a rural area, and when bad weather was predicted, we filled the bathtub and buckets so we'd be able to flush if the water stopped flowing. That's still a good idea.

If a city's sewer system shuts down, sanitation will quickly become a public health issue. (Picture everyone in New York City emptying chamber pots out the window.) For as little as $8 you can buy luggable loos or just a toilet seat that snaps onto a 5-gallon bucket you already own.

Here's how I'll do it, if I have to: Use the bucket but put soiled paper into a garbage bag, then flush the contents of both (little by little) once the emergency was over. It wouldn't hurt to sprinkle in some pine-scented cleaner to make the bucket less, um, aggressive. (Hi, there, all you Alaska Bush residents!)

A few more tips

Some miscellaneous suggestions for making it through snow, hurricanes, tornadoes or earthquakes:

• Keep some money on hand, mostly small bills. No electricity means no debit or credit sales at any stores that manage to stay open. (See "An emergency fund out of thin air" for ideas on squirreling away cash.)


• If the power's out, go to bed early to conserve batteries. A little extra shut-eye won't hurt. Can't sleep? Tell stories. Plan your dream house. Rehearse how you'll propose to your girlfriend. Rehearse how you'll accept or reject your boyfriend's proposal. Whatever.


• Winter storm on the way? Boil some eggs. It's quick protein, Red Cross spokesman Jonathan Aiken says. If the power stays on, "it's time for egg salad."


• Think outside the potted-meat can. The health-food section of your supermarket has a variety of instant products. A dish of hummus with pita chips and sun-dried tomatoes from a dollar store could make your power outage a little classier.


• Stores that stock up for winter storms or the hurricane season may offer deep discounts afterward. Aiken saw $6 propane canisters marked down to $3.


• Ask for a discount for buying canned goods by the case. Supermarket managers may be particularly happy to do this for the store brand, according to reader Elise G.


• Your water heater is a backup source of drinking water. Turn off the water supply valve and the gas or circuit breaker first.


• Chocolate is not a strict necessity, but a little treat is a good thing to have. Watch those post-holiday sales for your favorite candy; last week I saw Valentine-themed Hershey's Miniatures for 94 cents a bag.

No one wants to think about disasters, let alone prepare for them. It's especially disheartening if you're barely making ends meet. Take inventory of any supplies you already have, even if that's just a book of matches and a spare can of beans. Then set yourself a challenge: How can I get what I need without spending much?

Notice a couple of sleeping bags at a neighbor's yard sale? Propose trading them for lawn mowing or homemade baked goods. Check out The Freecycle Network and other online swap and giveaway sites; if you don't see what you need, post a "wanted" ad. If there's a buy-one-get-one sale on peanut butter, stash the free jar.

Peanut butter and hard-boiled eggs may not be your idea of a great dinner, but they beat no dinner at all. Alex Agosti, the director of emergency preparedness for the Red Cross in Philadelphia, urges people to do whatever they can — and to start doing it now.

"While I understand we live in difficult times and everyone's stretched, I would hate to see people say, 'I can't afford to do this,'" Agosti says. "Some preparedness is better than no preparedness at all."

Save money today

Fast food: Batch cooking requires a lot of time initially, but the time (and money!) you save later is so worth it. For some ideas and recipes for everything from shepherd's pie to lumpia, see "What's your favorite big batch meal to cook and freeze?" on the Smart Spending message board.

Tech talk: Should you buy a smart phone, an iPod or a GPS device? Maybe not. MSN Money columnist Liz Pulliam Weston, who cheerfully admits that she's a late (sometimes too late) adopter, talked to an expert and shares some tips on "How to avoid Jurassic technology."

Cheap grub: Grocery prices getting you down? The Smart Spending blog offers "28 tasty tips for supermarket savings" plus an idea for what to do with the money you save. (Hint: It has to do with credit card debt.)

Related Links:

How to make an inventory of your home

How to start an emergency fund

Before a hurricane hits: Making my home inventory