It's always all about the mind set; with the situation I find myself in currently, money is tight. Tight like I haven't seen before, at least not on my regular paycheck. What I've found is pretty simple:
1) Slow and Steady: If its that important to prep, do without where you can to build up an inventory. Build towards three days supply first, then towards a week and so on. Slow and steady, a can at a time if needs be.
2) Outside the Box: Think about other ways to prepare: can you collect seeds from the tomatoes your neighbor passed you? Are there berries growing locally, and if so can you pick and store them? Can you collect tin to raise a little side cash?
3) Study Up: Preparedness takes not just supplies (food, water, ammo, etc) but MENTAL preps. Can you check out books from your public library on: canning, power generation, gardening, trapping, hunting, security? How about accounts of people who have had to survive dire situations (such as the Philippines right now, Haiti after the earthquake) for an extended period of time?
There are a lot of ways to prepare... not all of them require expending money that you may or may not have.
