Bug Out or Shelter In?

I'm still struggling with this concept.  Do I bug out, or shelter in?  I suppose it would depend on the situation.

There has been a lot written on this subject, and most say you need to pick a scenario and plan for that scenario.  But, I'm a bid ADD.  I have so many scenarios running through my head that I can't keep track of what I might need for each individual happening.

I live in a neighborhood that is fast becoming rent land.  When we moved in, just three years ago, the majority of the neighbors that I new were older.  Several have died, leaving their houses to be bought by someone else.  Across from our alley, is still a bit influential, meaning a bit higher income.  Our street is the dividing line.  Across the street are a lot of houses that are rented out, not owned.  I'm not saying all renters are people who wouldn't make it owning their own house, but usually when you have a lot of rentals, the property values drop.  I have so many people on government assistance in my neighborhood that I constantly get calls from Democrat candidates.  I also got a flyer on my door a while back about the government handing out free cell phones if you were on government assistance of any kind.

That being said, if SHTF ("Stuff" Hit The Fan), I basically live in a neighborhood of takers.  I don't let it be widely known that I'm a prepper.  I park in the back when I unload groceries, and make sure I don't get a LOT at one time.  We don't use our garage to park our vehicles in, so I don't have to open the garage door and let them see the stacks of bottled water.

I suppose I'm preparing for both.  We have bug out bags prepared and all in a trunk that we can grab and throw in the truck.  In our garage is a little room for storage.  We have all of our camping gear in that, so it's easily grabbed.  If we need to bug out, we're prepared.

When it came time to purchase a new (to us) vehicle, we bought a 4-door truck.  It will seat 5, meaning the four family members with a pet carrier between the kids.  Can't bug out without the family dog and cat. 

As for what is in our bug out bags?  I have shorts and long pants, short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts, 3 pr underwear and socks, those fluorescent vests that construction crews use, some basics for survival, like flashlights, maps, etc.  Everyone but my handicapped son has something to start a fire with.  We have a family bag that has the cooking pots, and pet food.  We also have 72-hour kits in the family bug out bag, so that no one has to carry their food and clothing.  We all have a regular backpack for these items.  Me and my husband have a bit more survival gear in ours than the kids.  I say kids, but my youngest is 13 and a Boy Scout.  My oldest is 22, though mentally about 8.  We also have a sling backpack ready to throw all our meds into.  If things turn south quickly we can get out of dodge.  I also have accumulated from thrift stores frame packs for each of us, as well as canteens and we have a couple camel backs (for water).

As to sheltering in, we just got really good windows installed.  We have extra doors that my husband has picked up off the street that people were throwing away.  What would that be used for, you ask?  If we had to we could block a broken window, board up all windows so no one can see it, whatever.  We have our food storage so we wouldn't need to run to the store.

You can't prepare for every disaster one can think of.  I picked a couple....economic collapse that only involves prices sky-rocketing (which is a shelter in situation) and my neighborhood turning nasty when they can no longer use their EBT Food Stamp cards (the bug out situation).  I also have a friend who is about an hour and a half away, out in the sticks, who knows if SHTF we're coming to his house.