Hello! David found some good sales at Zingo's this week, so I'm listing the ones that may be worth your consideration (as well as your gasoline, to drive there!). We plan to call ahead and order large quantities of some of these -- if you want to do that, call 302-368-2310. I will be picking up ours on Saturday, and would be happy to get yours as well (just let me know). Happy Hunting!
Richfood Toasted Oats Cereal -- 89 cents for 14 ounces (Not as good as cheerios, but definitely a good price).
Homelife Whisper Soft Facial Tissues -- 89 cents for 160 ct. box (No idea on the quality, but a very good price).
Richfood Grape Jelly of Jam -- 89 cents for 32 oz. jar (We prefer the jam: easier to spread).
Richfood Peanut Butter, creamy or chunky -- 89 cents for 18 ounces (We stock up on this at 99 cents, so hey!).
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Personal Experience -- a Deadline.
I'm starting to feel that I'm talking to an empty room, shouting at a black hole, mumbling to myself. And it occurred to me that today, on our "fifth Sunday," is three months from the next "fifth Sunday" in October, when I will be speaking to the combined RS/Phd. SO, I decided to document and drive a three-month process to ... what? Get prepared? "Get" my food storage? The church's category is HOME storage, so I guess that works. I know I always work better when I have a back end -- a deadline -- when it needs to get done by.
I'm close to completing the 72-hr kits (with only water bottle carriers & blanket velcro attachments to add); the 2=week in-home (with no utilities) is pretty straightforward. I guess it's the 3-month and the "longer-term storage" that get cumbersome, expensive, and overwhelming. But, I have three months (13 weeks!) to plan it, buy it, make it, learn it, and GET IT. Then I can share what I learned and how I did it, along with develop some tools to help simplify that process for others. Sigh -- it sounds harder to teach others (read: get them hopeful and motivated enough) than to do it for myself.
I'm close to completing the 72-hr kits (with only water bottle carriers & blanket velcro attachments to add); the 2=week in-home (with no utilities) is pretty straightforward. I guess it's the 3-month and the "longer-term storage" that get cumbersome, expensive, and overwhelming. But, I have three months (13 weeks!) to plan it, buy it, make it, learn it, and GET IT. Then I can share what I learned and how I did it, along with develop some tools to help simplify that process for others. Sigh -- it sounds harder to teach others (read: get them hopeful and motivated enough) than to do it for myself.
Friday, July 15, 2011
July Sales
As a (hopefully) helpful side note, these are some food-storage type sales going on through the 21st of July:
Zingo's has Richfood Frozen Vegetables on sale 2 for $1.
Acme has Hunt's Pasta Sauce for .79cents (if you by ten and get $5 instant savings :>).
ShopRite has canned tomatoes 12/$6.99 (limit two sets of 12);
Kleenex boxes for 99c (limit 4 per variety); and ShopRite canned vegetables at 12/$4.68 (with a limit of two sets of 12).
Happy Hunting!
Zingo's has Richfood Frozen Vegetables on sale 2 for $1.
Acme has Hunt's Pasta Sauce for .79cents (if you by ten and get $5 instant savings :>).
ShopRite has canned tomatoes 12/$6.99 (limit two sets of 12);
Kleenex boxes for 99c (limit 4 per variety); and ShopRite canned vegetables at 12/$4.68 (with a limit of two sets of 12).
Happy Hunting!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Joplin, Faith and You
I'm trying to figure out how to help everyone (myself definitely included) to believe and act on the reality that we need to be prepared: spiritually as well as physically, with a little social/emotional strength thrown in there. My calling is specifically on food storage, but I have a hard time separating "food storage" from its context of all-around provident living and general preparedness. "Mere physical preparation is not enough to get [us] through."
I know that faith is the first step. Faith is not just about belief, but also includes doing something about what we believe (remember, Joseph Smith said that faith is a principle of action!).
One of the Joplin church members said: “For me, being prepared means … I don’t need to worry,” she said. “I know that if I’ve done my part by preparing myself spiritually, having food storage, and being willing to share with neighbors and others, I have a sense that I’m going to be okay—that the Lord will bless me whatever happens.” She describes action: the prayer, study and obedience that prepare us spiritually; devoting the time and energy to prepare temporally; and opening our hearts and hands to give freely where needed. ("Other ward and stake leaders say that even if members didn’t end up using their home storage or emergency supplies themselves, having those things put them in a position to help others who needed it.")
I'm not sure how to motivate or inspire anyone out there to get up and get going on this, so I'm going to start my own journey and report what I've found. Now that Girls' Camp is over, I'm going to get moving! (Won't you come along?)
I know that faith is the first step. Faith is not just about belief, but also includes doing something about what we believe (remember, Joseph Smith said that faith is a principle of action!).
One of the Joplin church members said: “For me, being prepared means … I don’t need to worry,” she said. “I know that if I’ve done my part by preparing myself spiritually, having food storage, and being willing to share with neighbors and others, I have a sense that I’m going to be okay—that the Lord will bless me whatever happens.” She describes action: the prayer, study and obedience that prepare us spiritually; devoting the time and energy to prepare temporally; and opening our hearts and hands to give freely where needed. ("Other ward and stake leaders say that even if members didn’t end up using their home storage or emergency supplies themselves, having those things put them in a position to help others who needed it.")
I'm not sure how to motivate or inspire anyone out there to get up and get going on this, so I'm going to start my own journey and report what I've found. Now that Girls' Camp is over, I'm going to get moving! (Won't you come along?)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
15 More Minutes
Take another 15 minutes, and visit the church website. Click on provident living (bottom left), and then the Home Storage link (under Family Living). This will take you to the text of the church's brochure. (Or click this link: http://providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,1706-1,00.html ). Read over it with a prayer in your heart. You will notice that the first thing they ask you to work on is your regular food, then water, then money (okay, a "financial reserve"), and lastly, the longer-term stuff that we all think of whenever "food storage" is mentioned. Let's rewrite our attitude: this isn't (just) about food -- it's about being prepared and living providently! Remember, the Lord will help us to obey.
That said, we started with water mainly because it's so easy. Now, let's think about food. I'm in favor of it! But we're starting small and easy, so if you're already too busy, just pick up double of your canned goods during your shopping this week. If you're strapped for cash, your first step could be to organize what you do have (and make note of what and how much). Another option, if you can't think of where to start, is to email or phone me and just have a conversation. (I am very nice.) The trick is to just get started by doing something. Today, you've read the church's brochure, read this blog entry, and thought about things. So far, so good.
That said, we started with water mainly because it's so easy. Now, let's think about food. I'm in favor of it! But we're starting small and easy, so if you're already too busy, just pick up double of your canned goods during your shopping this week. If you're strapped for cash, your first step could be to organize what you do have (and make note of what and how much). Another option, if you can't think of where to start, is to email or phone me and just have a conversation. (I am very nice.) The trick is to just get started by doing something. Today, you've read the church's brochure, read this blog entry, and thought about things. So far, so good.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
15 Minute Challenge!
The Lord asks us to "prepare every needful thing," and we all know that is a daunting task. It occurred to me today that the Lord knows it, too! That's why He prefaces that commandment with another: "Organize yourselves." If you haven't taken the time yet to sit down and just get started, this afternoon will be ideal. Give yourself 15 minutes (budget it! set a timer, so you'll know you will only allow yourself that much time) with a pen and paper. Read my previous blog (on possible scenarios), and ask the Lord to guide your thoughts as you focus on the needs your family has. Start broadly. For example: do you get thirsty? do you eat? do you cook? do you wear clothing? do you ever wash (clothing, yourself, the dishes)? I'm guessing the answer to (hopefully) all of these is YES! So you have needs. Write them down on your paper. It's possible that your time is up now. If it is, put your paper somewhere that you can find it again, and come back to it next week. If you're a fast thinker/writer, go one more level and start to write your sources: how you currently meet those needs. Water from a well? Artesian? Food from your garden? Costco? etc. Clothing from Goodwill? from JCPenney? and so on. This might feel silly, but it starts to make you aware of all the pieces of our lives which you (and I) take for granted. You are drawing the big picture, and starting to fill in the edges. By now, I'm certain your time is up. Come back later, and feel happy with yourself! You have begun the process, which is the most difficult and important step. (Remember, we're not supposed to run (or prepare :>) faster than we have strength and means provided, but we are commanded to be diligent.)
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Major Areas of Basic Preparedness
Now that we can survive for longer than three days, :) we can start to plan. There are countless scenarios which cannot be specifically foreseen. However, we can lump them together into the types of situations we might find ourselves in, and prepare accordingly. Here are some major categories, along with descriptions and comments:
Emergency Evacuation -- you and your loved ones need to leave your home quickly, and should be able to carry and provide what you'll need for at least three days. (This could be caused by severe weather, chemical exposure accidents and anything in between.)
There's a lot more to actual emergency preparation than just a 72-hour kit. I have some resources for you if you want to pursue this first; keep in mind that the leaders of the church have encouraged us to start with more basic preparations. If you feel strongly about starting here, consider working on both areas at the same time.
The second item on the church brochure is water storage, which fits in to this category. I started with that (on the blog) because it is inexpensive and simple to get started, plus it happens to be the most essential thing to store. Let me know if you'd like info & suggestions beyond that as you prepare against this situation.
General Adversities -- you have utilities, but your ability to shop/spend is limited. (This could be personal, such as a loss of employment or unexpected bills; or it could be regional in nature, as in a truck strike, crop failures, political & economic turmoil, etc.) Prepare with three months' storage of the food and supplies you use on a normal day-to-day basis, as well as some financial reserves (third item on church's brochure).
This is the first item on the church brochure. There are several steps to pull this together: inventory, menus, shopping/ gardening, using long term storage items (including recipes and skills). I will address these in upcoming blog posts.
Longer-Term Difficulties -- your situation lasts beyond a reasonable time frame. (!) Prepare to extend your resources with grains and other foods that store well for long periods of time (fourth item on the church brochure). You can supplement your regular diet and help smooth the road as you work back toward stability.
I've listed these scenarios in order of URGENCY, but also clarified the church's recommendations for PRIORITY. Your first step (now that you have at least a few gallons of water) should be to prayerfully consider your situation. Ponder the needs you might have, the resources (in time, money, space and knowledge) that you have, and the impressions you receive. Decide what your next step will be -- more water storage? a few more cans of food on the next shopping trip? a visit to your basement? a menu-writing, recipe collecting session? Do SOMETHING this week, even if it is only to comment on the blog to share suggestions, ask questions, or just to vent. :> Also, feel free to call/email to me to chat. Personally, I'm off to rework some menus.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Storing Water: Let's Begin!
The first thing is to get something to store our water IN. Start with what you already have, like 2-liter plastic soda pop bottles and/or 2 quart juice jugs with screw-on lids and/or glass canning jars. You can also buy 5-gallon heavy-duty plastic containers (reusable; these usually come with a spout) or mylar storage pouches (in varying sizes -- impermeable to odor, gas and light). Many people invest in 55-gallon drums with a siphon.
Store away from sunlight and strong chemicals (fuels, detergents, pesticides, etc.).Hot water heaters, soft water tanks and the toilet tank (not the bowl :>) can also be used for other (non-drinking) uses. To sterilize, boiling for 5-10 minutes is safest. Iodine tablets have a 3-5 year shelf life (unopened).Consider buying a water purifier.
Please add a comment if you have any other ideas for storing in, and ask a question if you'd like more details about containers, sanitizing, or other info.
Thoughts on Water Storage
When you think about it, water storage is amazingly symbolic. The Savior asks us to drink of the living water, but how can we if we don't know where it flows or how to reach it? Similarly, He gives us the parable of preparing and storing our oil so that we may attend the wedding, but how can we if we don't know where to find the oil, or how to store it? These are physical descriptions of spiritual realities, which we can apply back again to our temporal world.
He will provide what we need as we begin this process of diligently seeking, preparing, using and doing all that He has asked. We may need knowledge, we may need transportation, we may need money, we may need time, we may need encouragement (or all of these, and more!), but most of all we need faith: faith in our Savior and faith that He, the giver of all good things, will not ask of us more than we are capable of doing. Our obedience will be as a well of living water (literally and figuratively).
He will provide what we need as we begin this process of diligently seeking, preparing, using and doing all that He has asked. We may need knowledge, we may need transportation, we may need money, we may need time, we may need encouragement (or all of these, and more!), but most of all we need faith: faith in our Savior and faith that He, the giver of all good things, will not ask of us more than we are capable of doing. Our obedience will be as a well of living water (literally and figuratively).
Sunday, May 22, 2011
WATER, Water, Everywhere...
So, yesterday I lifted the handle of my faucet and it just kept going! I pulled it right off (and sort of threw it against the back wall by accident). Luckily, we have a wet bar (you can imagine how handy that has been with all our entertaining :>), but you can't let anything go down that drain. So we've been filling pitchers to rinse dishes, and finding it extremely inconvenient to work without easy water from the faucet.
It got me to thinking: what if the problem wasn't the faucet, but the water supply itself? What if NONE of my faucets would magically dispense potable water at the touch of a finger? I realized that the jugs of water I have downstairs in my basement would come in very handy, and that they would run out very quickly.So I'll be adding to this post (later, I promise) the information I have about water storage amounts and methods. Please beat me to the punch, and let everyone know what you have learned and/or done along this line.
It got me to thinking: what if the problem wasn't the faucet, but the water supply itself? What if NONE of my faucets would magically dispense potable water at the touch of a finger? I realized that the jugs of water I have downstairs in my basement would come in very handy, and that they would run out very quickly.So I'll be adding to this post (later, I promise) the information I have about water storage amounts and methods. Please beat me to the punch, and let everyone know what you have learned and/or done along this line.
Current Sales I'M interested in :>
Pathmark (through 5/28) has Pork Loins for $1.79 lb.
ShopRite (through 5/28) has London Broil for $1.99/lb (limit 1); Hamburger (80% lean) for $2.49/lb (limit 1-- is this a good price? I rarely buy it, and I'm trying to figure it out); and Turkey Hill Ice Cream for $1.77 (limit 4).
Acme (through 5/26) has Kraft Mayo/Miracle Whip 30oz. for $1.99; Chicken Breasts for 99c/lb; and corn on the cob 10/$2.
Zingo's (through 5/28) has Oscar Mayer hot dogs 2/$3; Heinz Ketchup $1.49/40 oz. (I want to compare this to Costco, to see if it's better or not); Breyers Ice Cream for $1.090; Graham Crackers for $1.79; Honey Bunches of oats cereal for $1.99; Chicken Breasts for 99c/lb; and Campbell's Pork & Beans (not my favorite) for 33c.
There are other items in the ads, but these are what stuck out to us. Please add anything that you've noticed which seems to be a good deal.
ShopRite (through 5/28) has London Broil for $1.99/lb (limit 1); Hamburger (80% lean) for $2.49/lb (limit 1-- is this a good price? I rarely buy it, and I'm trying to figure it out); and Turkey Hill Ice Cream for $1.77 (limit 4).
Acme (through 5/26) has Kraft Mayo/Miracle Whip 30oz. for $1.99; Chicken Breasts for 99c/lb; and corn on the cob 10/$2.
Zingo's (through 5/28) has Oscar Mayer hot dogs 2/$3; Heinz Ketchup $1.49/40 oz. (I want to compare this to Costco, to see if it's better or not); Breyers Ice Cream for $1.090; Graham Crackers for $1.79; Honey Bunches of oats cereal for $1.99; Chicken Breasts for 99c/lb; and Campbell's Pork & Beans (not my favorite) for 33c.
There are other items in the ads, but these are what stuck out to us. Please add anything that you've noticed which seems to be a good deal.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
WELCOME!
Hello, everyone! I'm hoping this blog will help us learn about, share, and work on the Basics of Family Home Storage. I'll post and add links to the best of my ability -- and I'm counting on YOU to comment and contribute as well. Please leave questions when you have them. We're all in this together. :>
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