"Have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year." (President Ezra Taft Benson)
"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)
If we could know what is ahead of us on our path it would be easy to plan for but we do not know. This does not mean we do not plan, it means we plan more than ever.
When you get groceries buy something extra...a bag of rice, a bag of beans, or a can of veggies or fruit. This is a painless way to put a few things ahead as it will add up and benefit you down the road.
As I have looked at current recipes it seems they take so many ingredients and are basically very costly to fix. Look for more frugal recipes that you already have in your file. Work at being more frugal, this will help you get a few things ahead.
Did you happen to see the TV clips from China with people panicked with the new virus trying to get food and the shelves were bare? This is a scene repeated over and over again.
If you have some things ahead you will not be in this situation and will not only have food for your family but you can help others as well.
I find that these cookbooks have the best and most frugal recipes in them. Look for the older ones because getting the newer cookbooks has the more expensive recipes in them.
I also keep a binder of recipes we try and like. I have it divided up - main dish, breakfast, etc. so I can find the recipe easily again.
I just saw this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB_YMvyFK0A&t=562s. If you haven't got the money for a big vacuum sealer this is a great thing. She shows how to use it. I wouldn't store long term in those bags but this is a cheaper option. I still think using the canister lets you use any jar, not just canning jars. I have some dried carrots in a Smucker's jelly jar, that being said if you cannot get the large canister perhaps this would work on a smaller one?
Being able to throw food in a jar and seal it has helped me save so much money over the years. I was blessed to find mine at yard sales. I have seen them at thrift stores but I never have seen this version before.
Have you ever gotten chocolate chips, put them in a jar and after a while they get a whitish look to them? They are starting the breaking down process, well when you vacuum seal them they stay fresh.
Not wasting is frugal. When your budget is very tight you need to look for ways to not spend and not waste. Making what you have go further is very necessary.
How are you coming with your skill building? (Gus says he's working on his cuddling skills)
Learn to work on your skills even if it takes working around obstacles and even when things seem to be holding you down...ahem Gus :p
https://www.thebalanceeveryday.com/frugal-living-4161963 - this has some frugal info.
https://flowingcents.com/55-simple-frugal-living-tips-to-save-money-in-2020/ - some more frugal thoughts.
https://www.simplelifeofacountrywife.com/ways-live-frugal-life-save-money/ - scroll down to the tips.
https://savingandsimplicity.com/75-super-frugal-living-tips-cut-household-expenses/ - this has tips as well.
I think you will find helpful ideas here from these sites, you might even already do a lot of them.
Great advice, as always. Building a stockpile to serve your family/household for a year is a big job. It takes a long time (unless you are very wealthy and can just go buy a year supply of everything). It took me about 4 years of constant shopping, tweaking, inventorying, preserving, making lists and updating them to get to having 12 months of everything we need, but it feels good to know it's there. What feels better is because our food is mostly ingredients, I know I can stretch what we have to last longer or feed more if necessary. Now it's 'maintenance mode' and I do a big shop once a year to restock, unless something is on a super fantastic special. The only thing we don't have a year supply of is prescription meds - we can only get 3 months ahead, but I make sure we are always ahead with them for my husband.
ReplyDeleteYes if one goes out to get a yrs supply at once it would not fit in their vehicle I think it is something people don't think about it fitting in and is heavy work too so you are doing great!
DeleteSounds like a good idea. Every time I shop, I buy what I need for the week, plus extra for stock-up, especially if it's a bargain. It's a lot easier and cheaper to take care of my family when I already have what I need on hand. But I could do better, especially at emergency preparedness. Great post. 😊
ReplyDeleteI one time went to a food storage display they had built a box in a rectangle to set in front of the couch the top was a door type lid but had maybe plexi glass in it this box was filled with first aid supplies it really gave a nice feel to the room they said it was a good conversation starter I bet it was
Delete😻😻👍👍
ReplyDeleteMeow from my cats
DeleteI agree that it's a big job, and I've been at it for awhile, now, too. About prescription meds: I'm on Medicare, and have mail-order thyroid and blood pressure meds; prepper sites recommend you get a year's supply, but no prescription insurance coverage will fill a year's prescription all at once. I will be asking my physician to write a year's order, to fill at a local pharmacy without insurance. Many of America's drugs are manufactured in China, and some have had quality and/or supply chain problems. Of course, thyroid issues can change and dosage along with it.
ReplyDeleteYes meds are hard to get ahead on
DeleteI love all the links you shared. Thank you. That picture of you & Gus is just the cutest. I love the picture of him watching TV.
ReplyDeleteHe is quite the cat he likes to watch star trek and podcasts I thought that was too funny when the news logo came on they should hire him
DeleteI have about 6 months worth of food for 6 people and 2 dogs. I am assuming my daughter and fiance would come here. I have an extra months worth on prescription drugs. Our insurance allows us to get our prescription 3 days early so that is what I do. We live near a large water source so I have several water filters. I do have some water stored in the house but not enough. We are also debt free except for our house. We have an emergency fund too. I try to add a little to the pantry every time I go shopping. I did not run out and buy everything at one time. It is my own little store that we eat out of so it is always being rotated.
ReplyDeletePerfectly put we all need our personal little stores
DeleteHI BECKY: OBTUVIMOS UNA TARJETA ALIMENTARIA QUE ENTREGA EL GOBIERNO A LAS FAMILIAS QUE ESTAN SIN TRABAJO, O CON PROBLEMAS ECONOMICOS, REALMENTE NO SE SI ME AGRADA O NO ESTA AYUDA, SE QUE VA A SER DE GRAN UTILIDAD PARA MI FAMILIA YA QUE CON ELLA PODEMOS COMPRAR VARIOS ALIMENTOS, CADA TARJETA TIENE UN VALOR DETERMINADO PARA GASTAR, A NOSOTROS NOS DIERON MAS DINERO YA QUE TENGO 3 HIJOS MENORES DE EDAD CON DISCAPACIDAD Y MI ESPOSO ESTA INCAPACITADO PARA TRABAJAR, AUNQUE TRABAJA IGUAL, SE RECARGA TODOS LOS MESES, ES UNA AYUDA ECONOMICA GUBERNAMENTAL. ASI QUE POR UN LADO ESTOY UN POCO TRANQUILA, PERO POR EL OTRO NO ME GUSTA DEPENDER DEL GOBIERNO, NOSOTROS SOLO DEPENDEMOS DE DIOS Y DE LA CAPACIDAD QUE EL NOS DA PARA HACER FRENTE A LOS DISTINTOS PROBLEMAS QUE NOS ENFRENTAMOS DIARIAMENTE, TAMBIEN CREO QUE DIOS NOS BENDIJO CON ESTA TARJETA, ALGUNOS ME DICEN QUE SUERTE, PERO NO ME SIENTO TAN FELIZ POR ESTO, IGUAL LA VOY A USAR PARA EL BENEFICIO DE MI FAMILIA. ¿PUEDE DARME SU OPINION? GRACIAS Y BENDICIONES.
ReplyDeletei am glad you have the card i know you will stretch it as far as you can never feel bad about it.....it never makes us less of a person we work with the circumstances that we are in. i say you are doing a great job!
DeleteESOS FIDEOS QUE ESTAN EN EL FRASCO SON NUESTROS FAVORITOS, NOS ENCANTA HACER ESTOFADO CON CARNE EN EL INVIERNO Y LE AGREGAMOS LOS CODOS, ASI LE LLAMAMOS AQUI. SALUDOS.
ReplyDeleteyes we use meat and pasta too glad you are here.
DeleteI recently found your blog, and enjoy your motivating posts. With the virus in China, I am more motivated to start preperations for a food supply. I have a vaccum sealer machine that just sits in a drawer.
ReplyDeletetime to get it out and do some vac sealing i have four bags of choc chips i will be doing today
DeleteThe photo of you and Gus is just precious!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to be able to do some of what you recommend but I just don't have the skills to do so. We do stock up on things so I guess that is better than nothing.
We all just do the best we can building skills could be for example to hem or sew on a button stocking up on supplies is huge you are doing a great job
DeleteHOLA BECKY: HICE UNA NUEVA PUBLICACION EN MI BLOG ¿PUEDES PASAR? GRACIAS.
ReplyDeleteGreat post thank you for sharing I put a link to your blog in this week's message
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