I notice that there are some survival and preparedness related blogs out there pimping Amazon link heavy posts for Cyber Monday deals on things that you just don’t need – like large selections of flashlights. I like my flashlight as much as the next guy but once you add shipping you’re better off hitting a big box than getting it off Amazon. Bloggers (myself included) can make small commissions on Amazon sales so we’re often tempted to shoot you over – even when it’s not necessary.
But Amazon is still a good place to get deals on useful things if you don’t stick to their shopping lists which are put together as Christmas ideas. Some of the most useful things you’ll find on Amazon are completely free if you have some sort of compatible e-reader. I have a Kindle with a keyboard myself but an even more bare bones Kindle is available for $80. However you can download software for your laptop or desk top and still have access to the materials.
Here’s some of the free ebooks available on Kindle that you might be interested in. Most are 19th and early 20th century titles digitally preserved by historical societies:
George Washington (Nessmuk) Sears’ classic Woodcraft and Camping
There are hundreds more free books that can be downloaded on a variety of subjects anytime you wish. No need to wait for some contrived shopping day.
And even on non-Cyber Mondays (or any days really) you can save huge amounts of money on outdoors gear. For example the Bear Grylls Gerber Survival Kit is being sold for $33 – over half off.
The Amazon marketplace is a great resource for buying (and selling) a variety of equipment if you keep in mind that with shipping it’s often cheaper to buy something at Academy or Wal-Mart. So don’t get stampeded to Amazon by a blog with an affiliate account for certain deals on certain days. Check Amazon every so often and look for the truly good deals – we affiliate sellers will survive without you.