Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

If things suddenly changed in your life and there was a job loss, what would you have wished you had stored? Make a list and look at your storage and determine what you need to beef up on. But don't get anything before making sure it is something your family likes, otherwise you might as well just throw your money away. Also, make sure you have the basics stored because that will bless you the most.

https://www.familysurvivalplanning.com/food-storage-basics.html - this has some great info.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs_G03QYkOE - this is very good.

I do have to say they now say that non-instant powdered milk will last 25 plus years. I know this first-hand as I am now in year twenty-six and tastes as good as ever. I do not have mine vacuum sealed.

I live in Central Iowa and have a basement. I store it just in regular buckets with regular lid, no bay leaves - I save those for my pasta and grains and such, but mind you this is how to in my climate.  Gamma lids are fantastic. I only have two that were gifted to me, as I age I would love more.

Flour - I take it out of the paper bag it comes in as bugs like to live in the corners but in the video she freezes hers which is a good way as well. I buy my flour in the twenty pound size, no room for that in the freezer. I dump it in the bucket, put two bay leaves on top of the flour, and put the lid on, then label and date the bucket, and I store it in basement... huge note here - never store your storage right on the floor!! Put wood on the floor and then the bucket on that. I have gotten five years on the flour so I try to rotate through using my oldest first.

My buckets I had collected from bakeries, most were free but then they started charging a dollar for them. If you can't find any, you can go to Lowe's and get FOOD GRADE BUCKETS ONLY. You can get them and lids but they also have gamma lids separate, this costs to purchase but is good to know this is an option if you cannot get at the bakeries for free or low cost.

https://www.theideadoor.com/home-family-resources/self-reliance/food-storage/everything-under-the-sun/ - this is good, click the X on the note and there is tons of information there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dH1jOuFO9M - she talks about storage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z32C8xwGwfk

https://valleyfoodstorage.com/blogs/inside-vfs/how-to-start-food-storage-essentials-for-beginners

I thought we would dig more deeply into storing food.

Also learning basic skills...

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2017/08/monday-message_28.html

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2019/12/monday-message_9.html

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2021/08/monday-message_16.html

https://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2020/01/monday-message.html

What are some basic skills you are wanting to learn this year? Write in the comments below.

Be sure to be thrifting for things that will help you be frugal.

Looking at things outside the box... Tippy is showing you mats that I picked up for free. They are children's mats to play on but for me, I knew right away what I would use them for and that is to block out projects.

Learn to plant stuff in pots or in the garden. This isn't a fun one for me as I hate gardening all to bits but I know it is a skill so I am still learning even though I hate it. I know it is important for us to be able to have food and to help with the cost as we can all see that the prices are still continuing to climb.

This last year I saved seed for next year, even seed prices have gone up.

Learning to sew is huge. Check out thrift stores for patterns. Also look for fabric either in too big of clothing that you can use the fabric for and even sweaters to reuse yarn for other items you need.

https://www.roseryapparel.com/videos/ultimate-gathered-dress - this gal makes the best dresses out of sheets and tablecloths. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxrCz8wFX1c - we have talked about unraveling sweaters before but here is another.

These are all frugal things to do.

A time may come that every arrow in our frugal quiver will be needed so learning now will help you then.

Missy says keep learning skills, they will help you in huge ways!

Tippy Longstockings says this is the year to start learning these things...DON'T PUT IT OFF!