April Week 2: Toiletries and Pasta

This week we are collecting toiletries and pasta! Toiletries include shampoo, conditioner, face lotion, body lotion, soaps, deoderants, hair and makeup supplies, aftershave, shaving cream, razors, etc. This does NOT include toilet paper. We collect that in June. These items can be expensive to purchase in quantity on a small budget, so be sure to look for sales at places like Target, Walmart, and Walgreens. Make a goal to purchase at least 1 extra each time you have to replace a lotion etc. This will help you to grow your storage without breaking the bank!

Pasta: I love pasta! It stores well, it doesn't got bad, and it doesn't really matter what brand you buy because dry pasta is pretty much all the same. (some will argue that point.) Pasta is pretty much flour, water, salt, and sometimes an egg. Easy to make, even easier to buy and store! Pastas should be stored in airtight containers. They can get bugs if left to sit, but storing them in containers helps that problem. I usually buy the cheapest pasta on the shelf. Buy packages of spaghetti, fettuccine, macaroni, egg noodles, rotini, and penne. Buy other shapes that your family will like and to add variety. We like to make shrimp salad with canned shrimp and small pasta shells. I love creamy mac and cheese with the larger, ribbed noodles. There ares so many things you can do with pasta, so many ways to serve it, that it pays to stock up!

Good luck!

**Now until Tuesday, Smiths is having a case goods sale again. Also, Bath and Body Works is having a sale! **

Lazy bones!

I have been seriously lazy and lacking in keeping up with this blog each week. SO, let's try this again...

March week 4: spices!

This week(end) we are gathering our spices. Spices are important to have because they add flavor and variety to our food. When purchasing spices for storage, it is important to look at the shelf life! Spices will stay fresher in the freezer than they will on the shelf. Once they are opened, they loose their flavors much quicker than if they stay sealed. So, purchasing the huge bottle of italian seasoning at the local warehouse club may not be the best thing when, 3 months down the road it is flavorless. If you choose to go that route, separate the spice into smaller containers that you can freeze. You can also buy spices at the dollar store that will store on the shelf. Good luck!

Spices:
Pepper
Taco seasoning
Cinnamon
Ginger
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Season Salt
Paprika
Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Dill
Nutmeg
Cloves
Dry mustard
Cream of tartar
etc....

March week 3: Baking mixes

I'm such a slacker. My weeks are going by 2 at a time it seems. Anyway, for those of you who stocked up your first-aid and medicine chests in January, you can move on to this week's item: Baking mixes.

I make a lot of things from scratch, but sometimes it is nice to have quick mixes on hand. During times of hardship, having something comforting, like brownies or cookies, can keep the kids from feeling insecure. (yeah, I know. I shouldn't comfort with food, BUT it truly makes a difference when there is no money or a disaster.)

Baking mixes:
Boxed Cake mix
gelatin
pudding
pre-made cookie mixes
muffin mixes
pre-made potato mixes
pre-made box mixes for side dishes, dinners, etc.

Because these things are typically in cardboard boxes, it is VERY important to keep these in a cool, dry place. A plastic tote is excellent, because you can stack a TON of mixes in a small space. Most of these items will also have expiration dates. This is because there are oils and leavening in the mixes that will no longer work if left too long.

Good luck!
Next week: spices

The value of preparedness

In the last few months, and recent days, there have been devastating natural disasters that have tested the people of the world and their preparedness. The massive earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the widespread blizzards and power outages on the eastern coast of the US, and the severe storms in Europe have shown us how important it is to be prepared. Many of us have been preparing in the event of job loss, disability, or economic factors. These personal disasters will often times still leave us with the luxury of running water and electricity. Natural disasters are not so kind. They often leave their victims not only without their homes, but without clean water and electricity. These people often lose all their belongings. I have asked myself the question recently, "How would I cope? Could I cope? Would my family be prepared?" The brutally honest answer to that is no! We have some food storage, but no emergency kits. We have camping gear, but not organized into a 72-hour evacuation kit. We have money in the bank, but not in cash for an emergency. These are things that we need to be aware of as we prepare our homes and families for emergencies. We are doing this, not just "in case" we lose jobs or have medical problems, but for all unforseen disasters that may befall us. Now is not the time to panic and hoarde like squirrels. Through careful, thought out planning we can each have what we need to sustain our families through crisis. I pray for those affected by the natural disasters we have had, and pray that we may all be "safely gathered in" as we are directed by the First Presidency of the church.

March Week 1: Solid oils and Juices

Last week completely got away from me! This week will will try to do 2 in 1!

Last week we were supposed to be stocking up on solid oils, like shortening, margarine, and butter. Margarine and butter have to be refrigerated and should be purchased in small amounts. These items will spoil if unrefrigerated, and have a tendency to absorb the smells around them. Shortening or lard is good for cooking, frying, some baking, etc. It can be stored quite a while IF it is stored properly. To properly store solid shortening, it needs to be kept in a cool, dark, and dry place. Cool is key! The oils will go rancid if they are stored in a warm place. During summer months, check your canisters frequently to avoid spoiled oils.

This week, we are looking for juices. Fruit and vegetable juices in the bottle can be stored up to their shelf date. These will need to be used and rotated regularly. Frozen concentrate can be kept longer. Before you run out and buy a freezer full of frozen juice, remember you have to have electricity to keep it frozen! If there is a lengthy power outage, how are you going to keep it frozen? Try to balance between both frozen and bottled.

Good luck, and happy storing!

February Week 3: Peanut Butter!

It's peanut butter jelly time!!! This is my favorite week. I don't even eat peanut butter very often, but this is my favorite week! Gather as much PB as your budget will allow. Remember, we are only buying what we have budgeted for food storage! In the last few weeks, there have been some really good coupons in the paper for peanut butter. Walmart and Winco both have excellent prices on this item. Also check coupons.com for more PB savings!

Storage:
Peanut butter must be stored in a cool, dark place to keep the oils from going rancid. Be mindful of the expiration dates on the jars, and only purchase what you will use by those dates! Because we don't eat PB very often, I only stock 4-5 jars at a time. Remember to replace the jars you use, and rotate according to expiration date. Happy shopping!

February Week 2: Personal Items

Once again, sorry for the lateness! This week we are collecting personal items. This includes toilet paper, soap, body wash, razors, lotions, Shampoo, hair products, toothpaste and brushes, girly products, etc. These are just as important as collecting food! What would you do without toilet paper for a month? 2 months? How about soap or toothpaste? It's not a pretty thought! So start collecting!

Storage ideas:
Store these items in plastic storage boxes. Sort little items into smaller boxes, then put all of them in a larger box. Toilet paper and other paper products need to be kept dry and off the ground.

February Week 1: Canned meat

Yay February! I hope we all made it through January and now have a nice little stockpile going! This month we start out with canned meats. I will admit, this is NOT my favorite category. I am not a fan of Spam, viennna sausages, or corned beef. However, chicken chunks and tuna are good things to have on hand. If you like Spam, stock up! Remember, buy things you will use and roate into your current supply. Also, if you use something from your storage, replace it! Stash $5 or so in your safe place to keep for an emergency. You will be glad you did when you really need it!

To buy:
Canned chicken chunks
Canned fish; like tuna, salmon, etc.
Canned beef
Spam
Vienna Sausages
Corned beef
Other canned meats you will use

*If you choose not to buy a lot of this week's item, use the extra money to add to our previous weeks' lists.

January Week 4: First Aid Kits

Ugh! I'm such a slacker! This week has been crazy busy, so forgive me for being late posting!

This week we are working on our First Aid kits. What we are looking to build is a basic home kit that can be used to take care of minor injuries. The following items are recommended in a home kit:

Disposable gloves
4"x4" sterile gauze
3" roll of gauze bandage
First aid scissors
Adhesive tape
Elastic (Ace) Bandage
A variety of adhesive bandages (Band-aids)
Tweezers
And a storage container for it all

Other items that are useful:
Antiseptic wound wipes or liquid
Topicl pain-relief spray or ointment
Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin, etc.)
Anti-inflamatory meds (ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.)
Burn gream or gel
Hydrocorisone cream
Instant cold packs
Alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
Cotton balls
Q-tips

Some of these items will have expiration dates, so it's important to keep an eye on those. Some of these items can be found at the dollar store or in trial sizes.

Emergency First Aid kit for Car, Home, Boat, Camper, etc.:
An emergency first aid kit is used ONLY for emergency, life threatening situations and should be kept fully intact and replenished if used.
Disposable gloves
Disposable breathing barrier for CPR
Sterile dressings: 5"x9", 4"x4"
3" roll guaze dressing
First aid scissors
Adhesive tape
Hand sanitizer
Phone numbers of emergency personnel and poison control

The emergency kit is a basic kit that will allow you to administer aid until emergency crews arrive. I also keep a blanket available in my car in the case of an emergency or accident where someone is in shock. Hopefully you never have to use it, but if you do you will have what you need!

Good luck and I will post earlier next week!

January Week 3: Medicine Chest

This week we are focusing on our medicine chests. As we come out of Cold and Flu season and head into spring, we want to make sure our medicine chests are full of the medications we will need. Stockpiling hoards of medication can be hazardous if we aren't careful. Medications have expiration dates which should be followed. Medications can lose the effectivness or increase in potency over time. It is important that we keep our medicine chests full and stocked with newer medications.

Things to include:

Pain Killers: Ibuprofen, asprin, tylenol
Cold remedies: Nyquil, cough syrup, dayquil
Other: Imodium, pepto bismol, cough drops, Ipecac (optional), Claritin, allergy meds, other frequently items

January Week 2: Detergents

This week we are collecting detergents. I have a hard time collecting this one because it can be really expensive! However, imagine what would happen if you had to live for 3 months on everything you had in your home. Would you be able to wash clothes as needed or would you run out? I would run out.

Currently, Smiths had Tide detergent, liquid or powder, for $11.(sale through Tuesday) If you buy $25 of participating Proctor and Gamble you get $5 back. Essentially you could buy 2 Tide, and 1 Zest or Ivory soap ($3), use coupons from the proctor and gamble insert 2 weeks ago, and get those items for around $15 instead of $25. I don't know if it would be cheaper at Wal-Mart or not. Good luck, and happy shopping!

-Laundry Detergent: about 156 loads per person
-Stain treatments
-Bleach: 1 Gal. per person
-Dishwasher detergent
-Liquid dish soaps

*purchase what you will need, according to your BUDGET! Don't go into debt for storage items!*

Wednesday, Jan 6th-Jan. 12

Smiths Food is having their case goods sale as well as a mega meat sale. For those who have are going to be stocking up on their popcorn, if you have a few extra bucks it may be worth your while to grab a case of vegetables, peanut butter, honey, or soups!

Happy shopping!

Sunday Paper coupons

In yesterday's paper, there are coupons for microwave popcorn. I will be using mine to add to my short term storage. Also, there are coupons for peanut butter and jelly. In a few weeks we will be collecting peanut butter, so hang on to those coupons!

January Week 1: Popcorn

This week, we are going to stockpile some popcorn! You can choose whole kernel popcorn, microwave popcorn, or both. As a family, we chose whole kernel popcorn because it stores better, lasts longer, good price to quantity, and it can be used in an air popper, stove top, or campfire if needed. Microwave popcorn has to be used by the expiration date to avoid the oils in the bag going rancid.

Purchasing:
Set asides a specific dollar amount, and purchase that much popcorn. We bought the great big bag of popcorn at Sam's club last year and haven't hardly made a dent in it. It fits in a 5 gallon bucket, and then some!

Storage:
At Wal-Mart, you can purchase the big 5 gal. buckets for about $6. Regular sealing lids are abut $2. These are good if you are going to just fill up a bucket and leave it for a while. You will need to purchase the little green lid lifter, it's about $2. There is another lid that I like MUCH better. It seals on the bucket, and then a 2nd part in the lid can be unscrewed for easier access to your storage. The lid is about $6 also. So, for a 5 gal. bucket of popcorn, you'd spend about $12 to store it.

If you just want to purchase individual bags, keep them on a shelf where they won't get wet, or in a plastic storage tote.

So far, I have not seen any coupons or sale ads for whole kernel popcorn. Keep collecting your coupons, because next week we are on to cleaning supplies!

CHALLENGE: Get a $5 bill and stash it somewhere. Make sure you remember where you put it! This is the start of your emergency cash stash.