Doomsday prepper with 'extreme' home bunker reveals war essentials you should start stockpiling now - including £5,000 in cash

A doomsday prepper who built an 'extreme' home bunker with £315,000 worth of emergency supplies has revealed that a family of four will need at least £5,000 in starter cash if the UK goes to war.

Estate agent Rowan MacKenzie, from Missouri, US, said the money would buy one month's supply of food, water, and supplies, plus a portable emergency kit or bug-out bag.

The average UK adult has £19,214 in savings, but there's a huge discrepancy across generations, according to 2026 research by Finder. Those under 55 have just £9,888, while 39 per cent have £1,000 or less.

Rowan, who was mocked for her intense preparedness, said she's now constantly being approached for advice on how to stay safe as tensions escalate across the globe.

'[I ask myself]: "If something happened tomorrow and I couldn't buy anything for seven days, how comfortable would my household be?" You don't need an [expensive] bunker to get started. You need a plan.'

Rowan has created a list of the 'must-haves' for every family, including the cash, power sources like flashlights, shelf-stable foods, medicines, and a battery-powered radio.

She also revealed the mistakes that could cost you dearly - including sharing the location and contents of your stockpile - with Rowan warning: 'It's 'one man for themselves' in an emergency.

Explaining the logic for a £5,000 nest egg, Rowan said: 'It really does depend on the household income, so only get what you can afford without breaking the bank.

'But I would say it should roughly cost no more than £1,000 per person for food and supplies and that should last around three weeks if rationing is done correctly.

'That cost also includes bug-out bag materials, aka a portable emergency kit which lasts for three days in the event of sudden evacuation.'

But it's not just about the amount of money in the bank – as Rowan said that preparedness is about having a 'plan' that can be actioned quickly.

'Is anybody actually ready? Don't prepare for one disaster, prepare for the consequences disasters have,' she said. 

Rowan is now trying to help others safeguard themselves and their families in case disaster strikes, as she shared the essential goods everyone should buy. 

These include a collection of different power sources like flashlights, lanterns, power banks and backup cooking devices.

Rowan advised that shelf-stable foods like preserved beans and rice are a must, with at least seven days' worth per person, in rotation. 

A printed list of important contacts and a battery-powered radio is essential, as is the aforementioned emergency cash and vital documents.

Basic medicines, water purifiers, extra fuel and blankets should be taken into account too.

Although her advice seems like common knowledge, Rowan said there are mistakes people should be aware of – ones that even she makes.

She said: 'Stockpiling food you never eat is a no-go. In an emergency, discovering your family hates half your food store will be a problem.

'Always make sure to rotate your stockpile; all supplies will have an expiration date or can degrade.

'Another mistake is buying food but forgetting water, and so is having gear you've never used before.

'An unopened water filter, camp stove, radio or generator won't be much help if you don't know how to operate it.

'You also can't rely entirely on electricity. So have ways to get around during a prolonged outage.'

The mum also notes preppers often forget sanitation products, such as soap, prescription medications, and necessities for non-human household members.

Rowan's advice follows Wes Streeting's comments that the UK is at 'greater risk of war' as he urged Brits to stockpile tinned food, bottled water and cash.

But Rowan warned against keeping everything in one place in case of fire, flooding, theft or structural damage that can 'wipe out a beautifully prepared stockpile.' 

'Also, don't ever plan for one specific apocalypse,' she advised. 'A flexible setup is much more useful than preparing exclusively for one scenario, and don't ever tell anyone what you've got.

'There's little benefit to broadcasting the location and extent of your supplies – as it's "one man for themselves" in an emergency.'

Don't forget to test out your plan, she added. 'Turn off the power for an evening, cook using your backup method, use stored water, test communications and see what you're missing.

'We know a day is coming soon that we need to be as prepared as possible. It's not paranoia – it's being ready.'