Bio: This article was written by Mark Solomon, who enjoys writing about financial self-reliance and survivalism. Mark is an outdoorsman who enjoys driving to the mountains, so he’s always on the prowl for the best deals on tires to the best discounts on electronics and gadgets.

Battery power has provided many conveniences to our lives, many of which we have taken for granted. When it comes to putting together your own emergency preparedness kit, there may be some portable battery operated devices you may have overlooked. You may be thinking that you don’t exactly have the budget to purchase items you may not use often, but you’ll see that you can stock your emergency kits without draining your online savings account.

Below is a list of the most essential (and some less needed but still pretty damn cool) battery powered items you should keep handy in the case of an emergency.

Non-essential but pretty awesome battery powered devices, could do without but would be nice to have:

Portable Camping Shower ($25-$50) – If you happen to be nearby a clean water source (such as a river or a lake) and the water lines have been cut off to your home, a portable camping shower is useful when you need to get a stream of flowing water. Most devices are powered by standard D batteries and can be found for cheap at any outdoors specialty retail stores, such as REI.

Battery Powered Socks/Gloves ($20-$100) – Using the same concept of an electric blanket, these battery powered accessories are equipped with heating pads to help keep your hands and feet warmer during the winter months. Definitely nice to have when the weather is colder, but not necessarily essential.

Battery Powered Ipod Charger ($40-$200) – Some gadgets have been developed to power your USB devices, such as cameras or Ipods. Some devices are run off of standard AA batteries, other larger devices with multiple USB inputs may use multiple D batteries.

The Essentials:

Flashlight/Battery Powered Candles (Varies, inexpensive) – This is a given. If/when the power goes out in the middle of an emergency, you’re going to be glad you have these around. Battery powered candles can be found cheap and provide a good source of stationary light and can be found virtually anywhere for cheap.

Portable Radio ($10-$100) – This may also sound obvious, but a portable radio may be your only source of contact to the rest of the world in the middle of any unrest. Make sure you have an AM tuner, since FM signals normally can only reach 50-75 miles from the source of transmission. Like flashlights, portable radios can be found virtually anywhere.

Portable TV ($30-$100) – This falls along the same line of having a radio as a source of communication. While many local TV stations may or may not still be broadcasting news, it would still be useful to have a visual of what’s going on in the rest of the world. NOTE: Also be sure to invest in a battery powered digital TV converter (an extra $30-$40).

Battery Powered Cell Phone Charger (~$20) – A number of manufacturers (Samsung, Sanyo) have developed battery powered cell phone chargers to ensure you can charge your phone wherever you may go. Landline phones are ideal, but if there is no service available, a fully charged cell phone would suffice. Many of these nifty devices are powered on standard AA, C, or D batteries and can be found online or at a local electronics retailer such as Best Buy or Target.

2 Way Radio/Walkie-Talkies ($20-$150) – Many commercially available 2 way radios are powered on standard AA batteries and can have ranges of up to 10 miles. The more professional radios can reach as far up to 36 miles, but will cost accordingly. These are especially useful if phone service is not available.

GPS ($40-$200) – If you end up having to travel anywhere during an emergency, it would be good to know where exactly you are and what direction you’re going in. Luckily, GPS units have become quite common in the past decade, so you can easily find one for an affordable price at any major retailer.

Battery Powered Fan/Air Conditioner/Heater ($10-$100) – Even in the middle of an emergency, Mother Nature will still be as extreme as she’d like to be. Therefore, you’ll be glad to have portable fans and air conditioners going to keep cool during the hot summer months or a portable space heater to gather around in case disaster strikes during the colder seasons. Fans are common enough to be found at any retailer, however a quick search on Amazon will find you a portable air conditioner for no more than $100.

If you happen to have access to your vehicle:

Portable Stove ($20-$100) – Yes, battery powered stoves/hot plates do exist! That is, if you’re close to your car battery. There are plenty of stoves that are powered through your vehicle’s DC outlet, and some that may even be connected directly to your car battery. If you’re looking for a portable stove that doesn’t require your car battery, the compact Sierra Zip Stove allows you control over a flame using a battery operated fan. There’s no telling whether the gas lines or power lines will still be available in an emergency, so these will prove to be handy. Alternatively, a wood burning stove would also be sufficient.

Portable Microwave Oven ($200) – There aren’t many choices for a battery powered microwave ovens out there, but the WaveBox Portable microwave oven should be sufficient. This device can be found through various online retailers and are powered directly through your car battery or through your vehicle’s DC power socket.

And finally…

Batteries! – Considering your new collection of portable gadgets, be sure to have an extensive supply of batteries to ensure you will have a constant source of power. Be sure to keep a variety of batteries available (AA, D, 9V, etc) so you can guarantee to be able to power any type of device.

What other battery operated devices do you believe are essential in any emergency preparedness kit?