Time to Change Out Your Go Bags

It’s getting colder so now it’s time to update your 72 hour kits. Swap your warm weather clothing for lots of layers. Eat up your food water and get it replaced too.

I use October and April as my preparedness months. Some of the things I do are; change out my water storage, swap batteries in the smoke alarms, bring food up from the basement that is getting close to expiring and change out the food and clothes in the 72 hour kits.

Don’t be afraid to use your 72 hour kits. The more you use them, the better you can tailor them to your needs. Just don’t forget to replace what you use right away. Kids hungry at the soccer game? Pull out some granola bars from the car kit. That is what it’s there for. The city does not need to be in ruins before you dig into your bag.

If you need help building a 72 hour kit you can send me a note. I am going to be building kits for sale too. I will be starting a new website that you can purchase quality items for your kits. Remember, don’t buy cheap stuff to put in your kits… your life may depend on that $1.99 pocket tool. Will it do what it is supposed to do when you need it? Or would you rather have a good $40 tool that is made to do what it should?

I also want to thank all those that take the time to read this blog. I have had great response to the site. Any information or feedback you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Fire Starter

If you don’t have steel and flint in your emergency or backpacking stuff, I hope you’ll add it after reading this.

I’ve had a Cochlan’s magnesium/flint stick in my 72 hour kit for quite a while. I use the file on my multi-tool to shave off magnesium and when you spark it you get a cool fireworks show. It works great. But I have found an even easier way to start a fire. Easier than a match or lighter.

Flint and steel are a tried and true way to start fires. Add cotton balls dipped in Vasoline and you’ve got the best fire starter I have seen. I roll 6 cotton balls in Vasoline. Get them covered all around and then put them in a sandwich bag.

Tonight I put one of the cotton balls out in the driveway and lit it while it was raining. One strike of the flint and it fired right up. In the rain, it burned for ten minutes. I blew on it several times to see if it would go out. I’m sure if I blew hard it would have, but under normal wind conditions it stayed on fire. Give it a try, but don’t burn the house down.

Let me know if you want a flint stick and I’ll get one for you.

Thanks for visiting my site. One day I’ll make a living out of doing this stuff.

No I’m not done.

I haven’t forgotten this site. I have been looking for some great things to post. Keep checking back. I’ve found some new things to add when I get some time.

I Got Gas!

Now that gas has gone down a little in price, it would be a good time to store some. I recommend storing AT LEAST five gallons. Don’t buy a five gallon can though. Get two 2.5 cans instead. It is very difficult to fill your car with a five gallon can. It takes too long and is very heavy.

Make sure and rotate your gas storage every six months. When you need to fill you car, use your stored gas and then take the empty can and refill it. DO NOT let the tanks on your cars get below half. You don’t want to be one of those poor saps waiting in line for hours to get gas when an emergency arises.

I personally have six 2.5 gallon cans, one 5 gallon can and one 2 gallon can with oil (for two stroke tools). DO NOT store gas in your car. This is for obvious reasons. Store it in a cool place where prying eyes can’t see. I have lost many gallons of gas due to theft. If you have a truck, make sure and keep at least one can with you. I have used it a few times for myself, but mostly to help people stuck on the side of the road with a dry tank.

What are you waiting for? Go get gas!

Cushion

I know I haven’t posted in a while but I that doesn’t mean I was not thinking about this site. I have been trying to decide what to post next. This next assignment may take a while to complete but I feel that it is urgent and with some hard work, most of us can do this within a week or two.

An emergency fund is critical in helping to get out of debt. When trying to get out of debt, things always creep into our lives that cost money. Broken cars or washing machines, stitches for the kids or even a broken bone. The thing is that if you don’t have the money on hand, you have to borrow and that usually sets you back a few months on paying down your debt. (When I say “your” that means me too.) It seems that every time an emergency comes up it costs around $1000. So I suggest that we keep $1200 on hand in cash to cover any (most) emergencies that may come up. That should cover any taxes and such on a $1000 bill.

If you ever have to use your emergency fund it is critical that you immediately replenish your stash. Working overtime, ebaying, yardsale-ing and odd jobs are a quick way to make up the funds.

When debts are paid and things are going good you may want to increase your reserves. Cash is what I recommend keeping on hand but if you don’t feel comfortable with that, open a separate checking account and don’t use it unless you have to. I think cash is a better idea in case of power outages, evacuations, or any other event that would keep you from getting to the bank to withdraw money.

This is a principle taught in the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover series. If you haven’t had a chance to look it over. I suggest that you do. www.daveramsey.com .

If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know.

Given the Circumstances

Due to recent news headlines, I am putting a challenge out to all who have any type of debt. Do something this week to earn some extra money and put it all toward your debt. Ebay, yard sale, side jobs, beg (but don’t borrow or steal) some extra cash to help knock down that debt.

People brag about how this is a free country yet there are so many Americans that are slaves to banks and lenders. Borrowers are working to make lending institutions rich.

With all the crap going on and with the possibility of Obama being president, it (the crap) is going to hit the fan sooner or later. The best way to prepare for anything that might happen with government and the stock market, is to be financially free.

I sat down and figured out what our living expenses could be if we lived frugally and had no debt. $1200 a month would keep us housed, clothed and fed (including keeping both vehicles for transportation). That is mind boggling to me. It sure is a motivator for me to bust my butt and get out from under this black cloud of slavery.

Hopefully there are some of you who this will not pertain to. For you I recommend doing the same thing but take the money and apply it to your emergency fund, savings account or investment account.

I think these financial “events” are going to open up doors for those that are prepared and are ready for the opportunities that many will not be able to take advantage of because of their financial “slavery”.

Final words from Greg: Work to get yourself and your family free from institutionalized slavery (debt). Keep your eyes and ears open to what is going on around you and the world. You will not escape misfortune because you are not aware of it. Be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that will be presenting themselves now and in the near future. Our forefathers have been through a lot tougher times and we need to learn from them what to do and what not to do. Study and research times like the depression and see who failed and who succeeded and why.

I may be insane but I am excited about the turmoil. I think I am the only one who is looking forward to put what I have done to prepare to use. If anyone has any great ideas on pinching pennies, paying down debt, financial advice, or just wants to liberal bash, I am all ears.

One more thing: If you haven’t already, check out www.daveramsey.com There is a lot of good advice and suggestions on how to get out of debt. The snowball program he pushes is amazing. I have some of his books and videos if you would like to borrow them.

Some more stuff for your pack.

Start thinking about food you can live on for three days. You may not want to do any preparation so you can eat on the go. It is also nice not having to pack additional items to prepare food. I personally can live on Clif bars, water and vitamins but you may not. Jerky, tuna, crackers, granola, and trail mix all are great foods to pack. I recommend bagging each meal in a gallon ziplock bag and labeling them for each day. i.e. Breakfast Day 1, Lunch Day 1 etc. etc…

Don’t forget water. I like to pack 8 or more 16.5oz bottled water. They are easy to stash in your pack and are easy to distribute if needed. At least one member of the group (family) needs to have a way to purify additional water. You will be suprised at how fast you can go through water, especially when someone is sick or injured. 

I also recommend packing a few additional meals in each pack. These can be used in case you are really hungry or I’m sure you are going to see some kid whos parents aren’t prepared who is crying because she is hungry. Being able to help others will make you feel better especially in such stressful situations.

Again, please let me know if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions.

Put in your pack.

This week is an easy one. Go through your closet and drawers and find clothes to put in your 72 hour kit. You don’t need a change of clothes for each day. I DO recommend having (at least) a change of socks and underwear for each day. Nothing makes you feel better than a clean pair of tighty-whities and fresh socks.

Here is what I pack in each of my 72 hour kits:

1 pair pants. Try to stay away from cotton if at all possible

1 pair shorts

4 pair socks

4 pair underwear

1 pair tennis shoes

1 long sleeve shirt

2 short sleave shirts

1 packable windbreaker/jacket

1 belt

Gloves you can work in

Sunglasses and extra perscription glasses

Hat

Update your clothing every six months to adapt to weather conditions. I prefer Memorial Day and Labor Day as the best time to re-pack my 72 hour kits. Make sure and change out your water, batteries and food at that time too.

A Doozie!

This next assignment will be a doozie but it will help get you into the survival mind-set. Go one week without going to the grocery store or eating out. Eat only what you have at home. Can you survive if you couldn’t go and buy what you need? You will be suprised at how much food you have in the pantry that goes un-noticed. Crack open some of the food storage and learn how to prepare meals with it.

Let me know how it goes and if you learn anything.

Get out!

This may be easy for some and not so easy for others. What I want you to do this week is organize an evacuation plan for your family. This may seem simple but there is a lot to think about.

First of all…is it easy to make your way out of the house if you can’t see? You may need to rearrange furniture and for some of us (take a deep breath) clean house. If there is too much clutter or furniture in places that make it hard to get out, you need to move it. Feng Shui preparedness style.

Next you need to make sure everyone in the house knows how to get out. Run fire drills for family home evening. Set up road blocks that simulate fires in different areas of the house. Block the main exit and practice alternate escapes. Do fire drills durring odd times of the day and night. If you have kids, set off the fire alarms and see what their reaction is. You will be suprised. Many children can sleep right through a fire alarm. Others will panic and freak out. They need to be familiar with that sound and know what to do.

Teach your children what gas smells like and what to do if they smell it. They need to notify an adult immediately and if they are home alone, they need to get out of the house and go to a neighbors and call the fire department. Make sure you know where to shut off the gas and know when to shut off the gas. Know where the electrical panel is and how to shut off the main dissconect.

Have a meeting place outside the house and another a few blocks away (in case the neighborhood is evacuated). A SWAT stand off, gas leak, flood, fire or any other event could really confuse everyone. If you have a secondary meeting place then everyone will know where to go.

If you have children, make sure they know mom and dad’s first and last names. If they are old enough, they need to know their address and phone number (mom and/or dad’s cell phone). Have this information in their 72 hour kits.

Have an out of state contact. Make sure everyone in your group knows who that is, and how to contact them. Sometimes it is easier to make out of state calls when there is a local emergency. Don’t forget to let your out of state contact know what you are doing. (You don’t want to suprise them.)

I cannot emphasize how important these steps are. No matter where you live, you can be evacuated at ANY time. Don’t forget to grab your 72 hour kits on the way out of the house. You don’t know how long it will be before you may get assistance. Make sure your children have meeting places and the out of state contact information in their backpack and/or with their school teachers.

Share your plan with your neighbors and give them the information for your out of state contact. This can be helpful in a number of situations.

If you have any questions or additional information, please let me know.