Sustaining your family

An amazing news on the status of many friends right now is a foreboding or feeling of impending incident that is on the horizon. Some could be the after effects of disappointment on politics not going as planned but what if it's more?

In many of the blogs, messages and even on Pinterest I have seen a surge in prepping or become self sufficient. This is a topic that I have been interested in for sometime, which in some respects has kept me quiet about the subject due to opinions of others that I could be a religious nut (which to some level I am), in a cult, radical or militant (No gun hoarding here!).

So where do I fall? I believe in preparing for the uncertainty of the times we are living in. Whether it be from crazy storms or economy collapse or a future war (Oversea or on our soil). I see no reason that one shouldn't know simple ways to get along if the power goes out for the weekend or longer.

I have wrote on Preparedness in older posts, check out my Labels!

Where do you start?

The easy stuff-
Candles/Lantern
Matches
Flashlights
Extra batteries
Spare clothes
Easy to prepare food
Battery operated Radio/Hand crank NOAA Radio
Hand crank for cell phone
Blankets
Child needs
Womanly needs
Water
Gas/Kerosene/Lamp Oil
Generator
First aid kit
Can opener

The longer the outage or problem on top of the above items you may want to add other things.

Check out your local library/thrift/antique shop for books on:
Homesteading
Living off the grid
Prepping
Herbs/gardening
Canning
Farming
Small scale/backyard farming
Blogs
Pinterest- OH MY GOSH SUPER ADDICTING. Watch for the time warp. I swear I lose hours drooling over the ideas that I will never do. BIG CHEESY GRIN!

Call local Extension Center, State Park, Boy/Girl scout (kids) for information outdoor skills, canning or survival. Don't break the bank these things! Start small! Buy a few extra canned goods or dry goods a week if you can swing it. Start canning all year around when produce/meat is on sale. Look to yard sales, rummage sale/thrift/antique stores to find things you needs. Freecycle.org is great to find things and to also get rid of the clutter in your home.

I can't see paying hundreds or thousands of dollars on some of these homesteading/survival seminars. Educate yourself. There are a ton of blogs on these subjects! Network in your area with like-minded folks. Be safe and keep aware of local and world wide events once in a while.

Now as long as it's not zombies we are all good! Joke around here. My biggest fear, besides my ex, is zombies...

God bless!

Mel

Are you prepared?

Around our house we have been in survival mode. Scary to say, but nowadays this is something you should think about. Our economy is so shaky right now do you have a plan if something hits the fan? Could you live without your cell phone?
What if the ATM's or banks close?
Do you have enough canned food that you can survive on?
Can you make a fire on your own?
Can you survive a natural or man made castrophe?

Ok, I'm not talking zombies! Though the CDC has a good hand on surviving this type of attack, I have a fear of zombies. But seriously, if something natural happens or if our economy continues to spiral, we should be prepared.

It's not hard to do! I will cover this over the next few weeks here or there. So to begin...

 

YOUR PERSONAL GO KIT / SURVIVAL KIT

 

 

   Let’s talk about National Preparedness Month. What essential items are you going to need if a major storm or some other event devastates your area?  Below are listed some suggested items you should have on hand and is not meant to be all inclusive.  Your personal situation will also drive what you will need to keep you going until the situation stabilizes.  

• Food for at least 2 days such as energy bars, canned meats, jerky, candy etc. The type of stuff that you like.
• Water - put at least a 12 pack in the trunk or your car.
• Flashlight & spare batteries - there may be extended power outages.
• Blankets
• Gasoline - Keep it filled.
• Money – power and telephone outages can cause ATM’s and card readers to stop working.  Get some money now (possibly $ 200 or $300).  Be prepared for several days of a cash only economy.
• Battery powered radio with weather band and spare batteries.
• Your medicines - if you are close to the end of a Rx get them refilled, get the over the counter products that you use; aspirin,  etc.
• A change of clothes, extra socks, sturdy shoes.
• Keep your cell-phones charged.
• Have essential telephone numbers for your family, doctor, co-workers.

 Next time I will show you our pantry, it's small, since we live an apartment, but we have enough food to cover us for at least 30 to 60 days.