When it comes to keeping yourself alive depending on the situation doing some peculiar things might be necessary. While you may never be in an extreme situation, being prepared is always a good idea.

Below I am going to go over some of the more interesting and overlooked tips for when you’re in tricky situations. These things might come in handy when you’re out of candles, stuck in the woods, or perhaps just a little colder than you might want to be. How many of these have you heard of before and which have you tried if any?

14 Survival Tips That Might Save Your Life:

1. Crayons will easily burn for 30 minutes each.

If you need a makeshift candle or something to start a fire with using a crayon is a good idea. These little guys will burn for a full 30 minutes each and are quite easy to carry. That being said, make sure your crayons are wax-based otherwise they might not be as useful as you’d hope.

2. Tin cans can be used as miniature stoves when necessary.

Cutting holes in tin cans can provide you with a miniature stove to place over your fire that will cook your food and do-so whether it’s windy or not. While these do not last forever they can be handy for the uses you get out of them. In some situations, they are the best options on hand.

3. Grass actually makes great insulation when you’re cold.

When you’re getting cold and stuck outside perhaps putting grass under your jacket is a good route to go. This will work like insulation and keep you warmer. Sure, it might be uncomfortable but spending the night in the unknown already isn’t as fun as you might want it to be.

4. You can make a slingshot out of condoms or burn them since they’re quite flammable.

By finding your own frame or creating one you can tie condoms together to make a slingshot that works relatively alright. While it might not be as ideal, it will provide you with something to shoot small animals with when food is needed. That being said, they make great material for fire building as well when in a pinch.

5. Tampons can be used to stop bleeding.

While tampons won’t stop life-threatening bleeding, they can help. You can use it on minor wounds when needed and for a number of other things (the plastic shell can even work as a makeshift bobber when fishing) but know your limits. Because tampons are sterile though, using them to absorb blood, in general, be it a mere cut or something else is a good idea.

6. Pantyhose can help keep bugs away because of the material they’re made of.

Because of the material pantyhose are made of they work wonders on keeping bugs away when used properly. You can even use them as a base layer when in water to keep leeches off of you. While it might not be as comfortable as you’d want it to be, it helps tremendously.

7. Putting chapstick on scratches helps keep bacteria out.

If Neosporin is nowhere to be found, you might at least want to clean your scratches and place a little chapstick over them. This will seal them on a small level that will keep most bacteria out of them and prevent infection through that. Be sure to use a different stick than the one you’re using on your lips and all should go over just fine.

8. You can put toothpaste on bug bites to help stop them from itching.

Because toothpaste is meant to decrease swelling and redness in our gums, it also does this when we place it elsewhere. You can put it on minor bug bites and the menthol within it will if nothing else at least soothe you to a certain extent. Sure, it’s sticky but it makes your itches go away.

9. When you’re feeling really down, chocolate is a great morale booster.

When everything is too much and you’re losing hope taking a tiny piece of that chocolate bar might be enough to keep you going. While it might not seem like much, in the worst situations chocolate becomes gold.

10. You can filter water with a T-shirt and some bottles.

Yes, placing dirty water in one bottle with a piece of T-shirt feeding from that bottle to another (empty) bottle can as time passes work to filter the water. While this takes several hours and is not going to get it as filtered as you may need it to be, it can in some situations provide you with some decent drinking water. That having been said, boiling the clean water after is a good idea.

11. Cat litter can in extreme situations be used as an emergency toilet.

While this one might sound gross, if you’re in the situation and have some extra litter lying around it is good to remember. Would you ever opt for this route or would you pop a squat outside somewhere? I for one think it would take a lot for me to steal litter from miss kitty.

12. You can use coconut oil to treat burns, small wounds, and even brush your teeth with it.

We already know how beneficial coconut oil can be for our health but for those who don’t use it, it really comes in handy for many situations. When you can’t get your hands on anything else cleaning wounds with it or using it to brush your teeth is a good idea. Wouldn’t you rather brush with coconut oil than nothing at all?

13. Egg cartons can be used to start quick fires when it’s windy out.

When you’re trying to start a fire but it’s windy outside you can put some twigs and so forth inside of an egg carton and light it on fire. This in itself will get things going quickly and leave you feeling much warmer and able to do what you have to do upon completing the fire itself.

14. Duct tape can be used for almost anything and is a staple, do not forget it.

You can use duct tape to fix clothes, keep your feet warm, hold things in place, seal containers, and so much more. You should never go without a roll present in your home. While it might not be something you currently use often, it is something that will come in handy.