ATLANTA (CBS Atlanta) - Preparing for a zombie apocalypse does pay off, but it’s hard work. Although battling the hordes of eBay bidders and gathering everything piecemeal could be one preferred method, an Illinois-based company has created an easier way.

Optics Planet created a one-stop solution for zombie battlers everywhere called Z.E.R.O.

Z.E.R.O., short for Zombie Extermination, Research and Operations, is a kit that contains everything someone would need to keep alive in the end times. Initially priced at $31,375, the kit has been discounted to $23,999 with delivery available to the customer’s home or armed complex.

Okay, I wanna say two things about this…neither of which is directly related to zombies (sorry).

1) I’ve had some dealings with Optics Planet. Neither dealing resulted in a completed transaction. Problem? Well, let’s put it this way: call them to make sure that when they say they have something available and ready to ship they really, actually, honest-to-Crom have physical possession of that item at that time and at that location.

2) There is virtually no kit of anything….first aid, ‘survial kit’, whatever….that is as well thought out and as economical as anything you could put together on your own from stuff you sourced on your own. The trick in putting a kit of any type together is to have the knowledge and information to put the kit together properly. In my experience, especially with the internet, knowledge and information is pretty much free these days.

Now, I can understand the appeal of just writing a check and being done with something, but if you put your own kits together you have a better idea of what you can and can’t do because in the process of putting together that kit you have to weigh the merit, value, and utility of every piece of gear. That, my friend, is how you gain knowledge. Sure, you can start off with someone elses recommended list and that works fine, but there really is no cookie-cutter solution to your needs. So while a pre-made kit of anything is a great place to start, it should never be the end of the equippage process but rather a beginning.