If you are uncomfortable using third-party software, consider these in-game alternatives:
However, for true control—editing a specific number of a specific item in a specific crate—the Subsistence Savegame Editor remains the only solution.
Let’s be honest: Subsistence is unfinished. It is a brilliant game created by a tiny team (largely one developer, "ColdGames"). As such, there are bugs.
Is it cheating to use the editor to recover from a bug? No. If a hunter glitches through your solid concrete wall and destroys your BCU, you have every right to fix that.
Is it cheating to use the editor to skip the "Iron Age" grind for the fifth time because you keep dying to bears? Maybe. But who cares? You aren't on a competitive leaderboard.
The reality of modern survival gaming is time respect. You have a job, kids, or a social life. Spending 14 hours mining rock nodes just to build a Tier-3 drill isn't "difficult"; it's tedious.
This is where the editor shines beyond personal advantage.