Prep & Save- The New way to get your preps

Prep and Save:

Photo Credit: Coupon ClosetOnce I decided to start prepping my inner gear head took over my planning. I found myself trolling gear sites looking for that perfect bag, knife, or new gun accessory.  I was preparing as if I was going to become a Navy Seal overnight and not as a responsible father.  Don't get me wrong,  I am and always will be a certified gear junkie, but I have found ways to ensure that I am also being a responsible father.  All the gear in the world won't do you any good if your basic needs are not met to keep you alive.  Furthermore, if you do not train with your gear it will be next to useless when it counts, but more on this later.I started to realize that I needed to stock up on every day preps that my family would need to use in the case of a grid down situation or a natural disaster.  For this you can coupon clip, shop at wholesale stores, and spend hours looking for online deals.  I still recommend doing this, but as a busy Dad I needed an easier way to make sure that the supplies I needed would find their way into my home and caches.  I wanted a set it and forget it style process that wouldn't leave me broke at the end of the day.That's when I found Amazon Subscribe and save!  Now you still have to work at this but it allows you to sign up to buy items on a time line for which you receive a discount on that product.  For example you can sign up to get batteries every 3 months, wise food grab n go bucket every month, bleach every 4 months and medical supplies monthly.

WARNING:

You have to take the time to set it up and it will continue to send you these items until you stop it which can get costly if you forget.  It wouldn't be the end of the world as these items should be things that you can use daily around the house but would come in handy in a SHTF situation.  Also they send you an email before shipping out your subscribe and save box with price changes as they are always in flux.  Check the prices and adjust your products when needed.

How To Get Started

First of all, take the time to create a list of items that you would like to stock up on and set goals for how much you feel you will need to have on hand.  For example, if you wanted to stock up on AAA batteries and you want to have 200-300 on hand you could set up a subscribe and save to spread it out over the next few months. By spreading out your purchases you stretch your cash flow so you can stock up on multiple items.Next, find the battery package  you want and divide the package count into your goal number.  for example, 300 batteries divided by 48 count pack = 6.25. Therefor, I would set this subscribe and save up for a delivery every month and would be fully stocked in 6.25  months!  I would recommend that you  set a google calendar reminder to then turn off the subscribe and save feature on that item.  I tear through batteries as I have three kids and they love toys that require batteries! Therefor, I might just adjust the batteries to come every two to three months so I can always be sure to resupply.Since there are so many items to choose from I thought I would give you a few suggestions.  Here are my suggestions fora few  subscribe and save preps:

Suggested Subscribe & Save Preps:

House Hold

• Bleach
• Batteries
• Gallon Zip Lock
• Food Saver products 
• Soap
• Fire Starters

Personal

• Deodorant
• Tooth Paste
• Razors
• Mouth wash
• Tampons
• Soap
• Condoms

Food

• Grab and Go food buckets
• Water
• Rice
• Pasta
• lentils
• Pasta Sauce
• Broth
• Tuna
• Gatoraid
• Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar

Medical

• Bandaids
• Neosporin
• Israeli Bandage
• Gauze
• Allergy Meds
• Stomach Meds
• Cold Medications

Don't forget to also check out Amazon's Daily Deals page where you can find even further savings for your preps!

Why Should I Start Prepping?

Why Should I Start Prepping?

I will refrain from listing all the wars, economic depressions, and natural disasters here, as I hope to paint prepping in a different light.  We do not need to prepare because of fear, we need to prepare because it just makes sense!  We need to relearn how to provide for ourselves and our families.  Here is a small list of preps that we all do as a apart of everyday life:

• Medical & car Insurance
• Renters or Home Insurance
• Life insurance
• We hope to save for the future through investments 401 k’s and more
• Education: We go through years of education in the hopes of landing our dream job

And the list goes on…If spending money on all of these things makes sense to do “Just in Case” you get sick, crash your car, lose a job, or get hurt. Then I believe having food, water,tools, clothing, and basic survival skills makes sense “just in case” there is a problem out of my control one day.  What do I have to loose…nothing but my life or worse, one of my family members!For example, what if a hurricane tore through my city tomorrow and wiped out all the houses for a few blocks around me? After realizing I had made it through the storm, I believe I would be very glad that I had  chose to save water and food for my family.  Those supplies would be enough to live on while we sat back and waited for help to arrive.  However, if I was unfortunate enough to have my house and preps wiped out by the hurricane, then I would be glad to have purchased home insurance (If they actually paid me).  Some may argue that being prepared is a waste of time because in a disaster situation everything would be gone and we would be dead or unable to use them.  I won’t lie this is a possibility, however, I think I might just prepare enough supplies  ”just in case” I am blessed enough to make it through whatever comes my way!

10 Reasons Why I should start  Prepping

Original Author

1. Job Loss:  We all have experienced or seen what a tough job market it has been over the last few years.  If you stock up while times are good, you can use your supplies when things get tough.  Imagine if it took you 3 months to find a new job?  it would be hard to supply food, household supplies and keep up on your bills.  If you prep you should have a few months of food, water supplies, house hold items (soap,hygiene products, and more).  You could ease the stress and burden a little for you and your family.
2. In House Store:  I hate having to run to the store because I am one item short for dinner.  What a waste of gas and time!  I try to buy 2-6 extra items whenever I shop, maybe more if there is a great deal on.  You will be surprised on how big you're in home store can get in just one month!  The key here is to buy items that you will use on a daily basis, there's no reason to have 25 lbs of grain if you don't like it or know how to use it.  After your store fills up with items you enjoy, start stocking up on basics like baking goods, salt, spices, evaporated milk etc.  Purchasing items you use makes it a lot easier to justify the extra expense to your spouse if they are not yet on board with prepping. My wife has grown to love our pantry and the ease it affords us at dinner time.  This means that you will spend a little more as you build up your pantry, but once its done your grocery bills will shrink down a bit.  Then all you have to do is maintain the home store as you use your products.
3. Auto Trouble:  Your car breaks down on your way to the mountains on a family trip, do you even have blankets in your car?  Do you have games for your kids?  A restless child, in a car with an angry spouse is my idea of hell!  So why not have a 72 hour kit, basic survival items, blankets, extra clothes, a few kids games, and some extra personal items to help the time pass?
4. Kids Break down:  My kids often randomly pick a time to break down and freak out.  It comes in handy to have some extra snacks and games on hand to distract them and calm them down.  A quite car alone is worth prepping!
5. Need to evacuate:  Flood warnings ring out in the middle of the night and a knock at your door ( if your lucky) and you're asked to leave your house in 5 minutes...what do you grab?  Do you have an evacuation checklist, a bug out bag, evacuation route, and documents ready to go?  When you walk out that door at four in the morning you very well may come back to nothing.  Will you be ready?
6. Commodity Lock Down:  An added benefit to the home store is that you lock in today's prices for tomorrows dinner.  With droughts, Artic chills and other crazy weather patterns our commodities will shoot through the roof.  Start paying more attention when you purchase items and watch bottle water goes up and down, canned goods, produce and anything else on a stores shelf fluctuates with the commodity market and the price of gas.  If I make 10% on my canned goods business and gas goes up by 2% I am going to pass that on to the consumer to protect my bottom line.  Knowing that you can save money in the long run by spending a little more each time you shop will help you to justify stocking up your home store.  Today's price will most likely be better than tomorrows.
7. Natural Disaster: If mother nature decides to flex her muscle and you make it through the storm will you be ready?  Do you have the supplies and know how to purify water, build shelters, and take care of any medical needs? Ask yourself, do you have the ability to protect your supplies? Can you protect the lives of   your family in the absence of the police?  The truth is we live in a time of storms and natural disasters. I think we all have seen how devastating they can be on a community.
8. Power Goes Out:  Today, we depend on others to provide us with light and heat. They make this miracle happens through the use of computers and our grid.  This equipment can break down or be attacked by hackers at any moment.  Anyone that owns a computer can agree that stuff just breaks.  So if the power went out for 3 days would you be ready to keep your family warm and fed? Do you have supplies to keep everyone comfortable while your local municipality figures out the problem?
9. Cuts Happen:  Every time that you get sick do you have to go to the store to get supplies?  Do you have children that like to rough house? Do you cook and fix things around the house?  Well if you do all these things you should ask yourself to really examine your medical supplies.  No one is asking you to have an operating room in your house. However, you should have supplies to stop bleeding, help with burns, or to take care of an ear infection.   Start with a first aid kit, then buy supplies to supplement from there.  I took two months to build up my medical supplies. I went after each paycheck and bought supplies for first aid, colds, natural medicines, and general hygiene products.  Remember if you keep it clean you keep it healthy!
10. Peace of Mind:  Prepping is a process, however there is a point where you feel like you have accomplished closing the gab between being vulnerable and prepared.  Set goals that are obtainable and that help you prepare for whatever you think can affect you where you live.  Maybe you think its crazy to prepare for a hurricane in Montana, ok so don't! Maybe you just want to be self-reliant in-case the grid goes down...maybe you just want to prepare.   Either way set your goals, create your checklists and move through them.  I started with 2 weeks of food and now have a few months. You just have to start the process, learn from those around you, and walk down the path of preparedness!

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Paycheck 9- Food Preservation

Food Preservation

Food is a huge part of our lives  both for nourishment and social interaction.  food brings us together and can ultimately tear us apart.  A hungry man is a dangerous man.  This is why it is crucial that you start learning how to preserve food and how to store it safely.  If you are going to take this mission on you will need to read books, watch YouTube videos, and learn from someone that knows what they are doing. 

It's not rocket science so don't shy away from it.  You just need to make sure you follow proper guidelines and techniques when handling and storing food.  The entire point behind prepping is to stay a live so don't let your own preps kill you! On a positive note, food preservation is a fantastic skill to have and it is very fulfilling.  I love eating a pasta sauce on a cold winter's night that came from my summer garden! So go out and grow it, hunt it, and then preserve it!

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Preps To Buy

• Kosher Salt (10 lbs.)

• Sugar (20 lbs.)

• Curing Salt (10 lbs.)

• Pickling Salt (5-10 lbs.)

• White Vinegar- a Few Gallons

• Apple Cider Vinegar- a few gallons

• Molasses (5-10 lbs)

• Powdered Fruit Pectin

• Canning Jars (in an assortment of sizes), lids and rings

• Food Drying Racks You can also make these yourself

• Pressure Canner

• Food strainer

• Canning rack

Pantry Preps

• Mylar Bags (in different sizes)

• Oxygen Absorbers

• 5 Gallon Buckets & Lids

• Desiccants

• Plastic Food Storage Containers

• Food Vacuum Sealer with plastic liners

• Heat Clamp or Iron- (Curling Iron will work) this is to seal your mylar bags

• Food Saver ( If you have the extra cash)

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Prepper Projects:

1. Research: Begin researching and finding resources to have on hand for the different food preservation methods. There are some great resources for preserving food on different homesteading websites and even homesteading magazines. Check Out Our YouTube Channel for suggested videos!

2. Food Preservation: Practice makes perfect! So, start practicing today. You need to learn about canning and growing food.

3. Garden: Start a garden so you can grow food to preserve for later use. If you’re limited on space try the Square Foot Garden Method!

4. Food Storage: ind a safe, dry area in the home to store your longer-term food supplies. Those who are tight on space can use creative methods such as shelving units high in their closets, extra bedrooms, under the bed or closets. As long as the space is dry, is free from temperature fluctuations, and is large enough to store the food it will work. It is best not to use a garage or attic for a food storage area due to the drastic temperature fluctuations that occur in these areas of the home.

5. Food Supply: Make a list of what types of long-term foods you plan on storing for your long-term food supply. Those that have family members with special dietary needs should do further research on which types of foods they will need.

6. Practice using your food storage tools on short-term foods to ensure that you understand how the  tools work. If you have leftovers use your food sealer to store them for later use. Dehydrate meats into jerky or preserve fruits in a dehydrator for latter use!

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Prepper’s Tip

Where To Purchase These Products?

• Amazon- For smaller scale purchases

• Sorbent Systems– For Food Storage Items

• Latter Day Saint Food Storage Warehouses

• Mountain House

• Wise Food

• Patriot Supply

• Winco

• Azure

• EBAY

• Costco

• Your Back Yard!!! Start your survival garden today!

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Paycheck 10- Pantry and Fuel Preps

Pantry and Fuel Preps

Pereping your pantry full of foods your family likes to eat is a great start for anyone wanting to become more prepared.  However, it's really important that you stock up on ways to cook and heat the food in your pantry.  Here are a few suggestions to buy for your preps on this paycheck.

Food Preps

• White rice in bulk quantities

• Beans in bulk quantities

• Wheat in bulk quantities

• Oats in bulk quantities

• Sugar in bulk quantities

• Salt in bulk quantities

• Bouillon granules in bulk quantities

• Powdered milk in bulk quantities

• 2-gallons of cooking oil

You can buy a lot of these items at Costco, Sams club or Winco Foods. I recommend Winco as they seal everything you need for food storage including the food grade buckets and mylar bags. You can see a list of their bulk food items on their website.

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Fuel Preps

• Metal fuel storage containers
  
  

• Seasoned fire wood (ample supply)

• Fuel of choice to run generators, appliances, provide electricity for 1-3 month duration (if legally allowed to do so)

• Fuel for cooking (ample supply): This can be camp stoves, propane, wood, fuel pucks etc.

• Fuel Pucks

• Survival Fuel Tablets & Stoves

• Alternative cooking source (a solar oven, Korean cook stove, Volcano Stove, reflector oven, Dutch Oven, Rocket Stove, propane grill or stove)

• Propane (you should set a goal to have a few tanks on hand)

• Long burning jarred candles (You can never have to many …maybe add a few candles to your Amazon Subscribe and save)

• Extra wicks for candles (can be purchased on Amazon or Ebay)

• Solo Stove

• Matches (Normal strike anywhere and Water Proof)

Always go back through your supplies and make sure you have extras of everything. Remember the old prepper saying that “Two is one and one is none…”

If you have only one way to filter water, one way to stay dry or only one type of fuel you are setting yourself up for failure. If you have a few extra bucks add a few redundancies to your preps every paycheck.

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Prepper Projects:

1. Food Calculator: Calculate the amount of food your family will need for a month long disaster.

2. Food Storage: With the food storage items purchased on your last paycheck, begin assembling Mylar bags and storage containers and pour food contents in and seal for long-term storage. Have a print out on hand on the directions for packing food long term to ensure that you are storing food correctly. Don’t forget oxygen absorbers!!!

3. Ensure that food lids are sealed correctly!!!

4. Store sealed food containers in a cool, dark, and dry area of the home.

5. As a reminder, remember not to forget your pets in your long-term food storage plans and ensure that you have packed enough food away for your pets. Dog and cat food can also be stored in food grade plastic containers for long-term use. You can buy bulk at WINCO!!

6. Read about the different types of fuel and decide which fuel choice(s) are best for your family.

7. Find an appropriate area outside of the home where the fuel can be stored.

8. Ensure that you rotate your fuel regularly and check to make sure there are no signs on leaking.

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Prepper's Pro Tip:

Need an excuse to dig or purchase a fire pit?  Well your families back yard fire pit can become a great place to grill or cook in an off grid situation.  Practice cooking on open flame as it's an art form and a little different than your BBQ.  This is a great way to spend some time out doors with your family. 

****Just remember if you’re in a truly off grid situation you may want to be careful cooking outside, as the smells can attract those that are hungry and unprepared. I bet a steak would smell great to someone that is starving!

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How To Start A Fire

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