Backup power is expensive. A decent gas generator will set you back a few hundred dollars, a solar generator can run into the thousands, and a full rooftop solar system with battery storage? That’s a whole different level of “maybe someday.” For most of us, those big-ticket items stay on the wish list forever.
But here’s the good news. You don’t need to drop a mortgage payment on a generator to be ready for a power outage. There are lots of small, affordable things you can pick up that’ll make life a whole lot easier when the grid goes down. Things that will keep your phone charged, your rooms lit, and your family fed while you wait for the lights to come back on.
Before we dig in, it helps to set expectations. With budget backup power, your goal is to keep small electronics running for a few days or weeks. You’re not going to run a refrigerator indefinitely, and honestly, even a big solar generator won’t do that forever. So keep your sights on the small stuff, and you’ll be in good shape.
I came across this particular list over on the YouTube channel, DIY Prepper TV, and it’s a great rundown of low-cost options for anyone who can’t afford a generator right now. You can view the video and list below.
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1. Good Old-Fashioned Batteries
The simplest way to keep small electronics running through an outage is with traditional batteries like AAs, AAAs, and D cells. You won’t have any trouble finding flashlights, headlamps, and LED lanterns that run on them. Think a basic flashlight and headlamp on three AAAs, a pop-up lantern on three AAs, or a Streamlight Siege lantern on three D cells.
Here’s the smart move, though: use rechargeable batteries in the devices you reach for regularly, and stockpile disposable alkalines for emergencies. Batteries aren’t cheap, so if you’re burning through those every time a light dies, that adds up fast. Rechargeables like Eneloops cost more upfront, but they’ll save you a ton over the long haul.
The catch with rechargeables is that once they’re dead, you need a power source to bring them back. If a storm knocks out just your house but the rest of town still has power, you can’t use a standard battery charger, so get a solar battery charger instead. Just pop the batteries in and set it in the sun until the batteries are charged.
USB battery banks are another easy win. Just like regular batteries, they won’t run anything big, but they’ll keep your phone, flashlights, and radios going. Even a small, inexpensive one can pack up to 10,000 mAh of capacity, enough to charge most cell phones two or three times over.
These are handy well beyond emergencies, too. They’re great to toss in an everyday carry bag or take on trips, and they’ll keep something like a camera battery from dying at the worst possible moment.
While you’re thinking about rechargeable packs, don’t overlook the ones you might already have. If you already own cordless power tools, you’re sitting on a backup power option you might not have thought about. Those lithium-ion packs that run your drills and saws can power other things too.
Companies like Milwaukee make LED lanterns and job-site fans that run off the same batteries, and because tool makers are constantly competing to outlast each other, the gear tends to be bright, powerful, and energy efficient. Some lanterns even throw in a USB port so you can charge your phone off them.
You can also grab a power source accessory that connects straight to your tool batteries and gives you one or more outlets. Older ones might only have a USB port, but newer models can run AC devices as well. And if you can’t charge the batteries in the house, there are chargers that plug into your car’s 12-volt port.
None of this is dirt cheap, but if you’re already invested in a tool system, adding a few accessories is a lot easier on the wallet than buying a whole generator.
3. Your Car
Speaking of your vehicle, your car is basically a generator you already own. Every car has at least a 12-volt port, most modern ones have USB ports, and some even come with a built-in AC outlet (a 400-watt plug tucked behind the front seats, for example). That’ll keep your small devices running for as long as you’ve got fuel, which is a good reason to keep a couple of gas cans on hand even if you never plan to bug out.
Want to run something bigger? Connect an inverter directly to your car battery and it’ll convert 12-volt DC power into the 120-volt AC power your home appliances use. Just keep two things in mind. First, what you can run is limited by your inverter’s wattage. Second, you’ve got to keep the engine running so you don’t drain the battery because a dead car battery means you can’t power anything and you can’t start your car.
4. A DIY Mini Solar Setup
Can’t afford a full-size solar generator? You can piece together a miniature version for a lot less. Start with a set of portable solar panels. You can usually find them for under $100. They’re small (often 28 watts or less), but they’ll charge USB devices, and that beats nothing.
You can charge your phone or a flashlight straight off the panel, but the better play is to use the panel to charge a USB battery bank. That way you’re collecting and storing energy the same way a big solar generator does.
Round out the kit with a USB battery charger for your rechargeable AAs and AAAs. Stick to smaller cells here; larger rechargeable D cells can hold 10,000 mAh each, which is a lot for a little portable charger to handle. For extra peace of mind, store the whole kit in a Faraday bag. It protects against EMPs and major solar flares, and as a bonus it keeps everything in one place (charging cables included) so you can grab and go if you ever need to.
If even that’s more than you want to spend, individual solar devices are the cheaper route. Emergency radios like the Midland ER310 have a built-in solar panel that charges an onboard battery. Set it in a sunny window and it’ll top itself off. Small solar LED lanterns work the same way: use them at night, recharge them during the day.
5. Fuel-Based Lighting
Candles and oil lamps have lit homes for thousands of years, and they’ll work in a pinch. However, they won’t put out anywhere near the light of a modern LED, and they’re a real fire hazard. One mistake and you could lose your house.
If you’re going the flame route, a candle lantern like the UCO Candelier is a solid pick. It burns three candles, so it’s almost as bright as a hurricane lantern but without the fumes, and because it’s enclosed, it’s a lot safer than loose candles.
One more thing to remember about any flame-based lighting: it gives off heat. That can be a small bonus during a cold-weather outage, but in the middle of summer it’ll just make a miserable situation hotter.
6. Fuel-Based Heat and Cooking
When it comes to actually generating heat for warmth or for cooking, fuel beats batteries every time. Anything that makes heat eats up a ton of energy and will drain a power station in a hurry, and even a gas generator will burn through a big chunk of its wattage running a heater or stovetop.
For cooking, a butane stove is a little safer to use indoors, while a larger propane stove is great for outdoor cooking. For staying warm, portable buddy heaters work really well and come in a few different sizes.
None of these will replace a big generator, and if you can eventually afford one, it’s absolutely worth having. But when that’s not in the cards, a handful of these small, affordable preps will carry you through most short-to-medium outages just fine.
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