This isn't meant to be a post about politics. I'm not a political debater and I think everyone has the right to support whichever candidate or issues they believe in (that's what makes this America!) but I told DH the other night, after watching some of the debate, that if our current president gets re-elected for another 4 years I am going to start seriously stocking up on food and supplies. Empty me a section of shelving in the garage because I'm going to be filling it up.
This is, of course, going to have to be a gradual process, as money allows. I'm going to have to get serious about getting back into coupon and deal shopping to stock up on what I can get free or for cheap and stock up on the rest during good sales. I'm going to start doing some research on the best way to store certain foods, especially bulk type items. Our one neighbor we are pretty good friends with (a single guy in his 50's) probably seriously has enough emergency food stored in his shop to feed us all in the event of some type of disaster (natural or economic). He has purchased pallets of Emergency foods and supplies.
Maybe other families have seen an improvement in their lives the past 4 years, but ours has continued to decline after the recession hit. Before the recession hit (not Obama's fault at all) I was making 20% more a year in annual income then I do now. That bonus was gone January of 2009. Thankfully it was never any money I planned in my monthly budget (but that extra $11k a year was SO nice to have and was really starting to make a difference in our lives!). But since then, for us anyway, it has just gotten worse. The healthcare insurance premiums for DH and the kids went from $188 a month to $422 a month. In one year! (I constantly compare rates with companies - they all went up) Then 2 months ago, thanks to the new healthcare laws, the insurance company dropped the generic prescription coverage that came with the plan, so I went from paying $15 on 2 of DH's meds to now paying over $200 for these meds a month. Overall, my family has seen an increase of $436 a month in out of pocket healthcare costs - a month. I thought this new plan was supposed to cost less and help us?!! I could switch to a plan that covers the prescription (though at higher than $15 a month copay) but would cost me an additional $300 per month (and that was just for DH!)
I just don't see it all getting any better and personally feel it's going to get worse. I'm not going to be a "doomsday prepper" but I am going to get serious about having several months supply for us (and the pets). At least if I lost my job we'd still be able to eat. If a natural disaster causes the electricity out we have a generator that can run our well, so we'd still have water. We purchased quite a few 5 gallon water jugs last year. We need to get some type of camping stove or propane bbq, I guess. Our "doomsday prepper" neighbor has a HUGE generator (seriously the size of a small car), so that is good too.
So, occasionally I will be posting about my progress in getting stocked up. I'll be interested to see how long it takes me. I imagine a couple of years before I could get it all done, cost-wise. I'm going to get a supply going no matter who is elected, but I'm much more scared for our future if we have another 4 years like we have had the past 4 years. If the past 4 years has worked for you, that is great - then that is who you should support, no question, but for me personally, it's costing me more and more.
Off to start reading the coupon blogs........(gotta start somewhere!). If anyone has tips on stocking up and also how to keep it organized (that will be my main challenge!) please let me know. I'm all ears.
I keep a few months supply of food - not dehydrated food but real food that we eat every day. I have old bookshelves in the basement and we store it on that. I also grind my own wheat, oats, dried corn for cornmeal, barley, millet etc... so have 5 gal buckets of that. I haven't found that coupons are helping me with food much anymore. I just wait for sales which to be honest are more like the old regular prices. For example, peanute butter - ugh! I still use coupons for toiletries but don't get a whole lot free anymore. Good luck with your stockpiling!
ReplyDeleteAnon - I agree about the sales and coupons. I thought maybe it was just me loosing a bit of interest in it all, but really there just haven't been as many coupons and sales on things I use as there used to be. My family loves peanut butter and the price is ridiculous. It was on sale for $5 for Jif awhile back and I stocked up on the max 3 limit, but even that didn't last long at our house.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get the wheat and oats you grind yourself? We don't live in a farming area, so I've never seen buying something like that to do yourself. How long does it store for?
It is tuff all over. I find that couponing doesn't really help me because I buy off brand. So I end up leaving them on the shelf for those that have to have name brand. I always Cherry Pick the weekly ads as well and that helps. I buy non perishable in bulk when I can, but I live in small space, so not alot of storage.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the stocking up! Hope things look up for all of us.
When I stock up on anything I make sure to write the exp. date really big in sharpie on the front and the top. This makes sure that we use that first. It has been a Godsend on those months where we have only eaten from our stock pile.
ReplyDeleteI do make sure I only buy things we like because its not a bargain if no one eats it
Find a local farm that sells veggies and can. I just canned 21 quarts of potatoes, 14 pints of carrots, made my own pork and beans and canned that, made homemade chicken soup and canned it, salsa, cocktail sauce, making chili tomorrow and canning that. I have extra shelves in my laundry room closet to store my jars and I marked each batch with month and year, rotating it as I take one out. My DH hunts, so lots of venison for us, which the potatoes and carrots are mainly for, lots of roasts. I'm not a doomsday person either, but I am trying very hard to get at least a 6 month supply of food, then I'll work on 9 months and so on.
ReplyDeleteI have only been using coupons for toiletries lately too. We don't eat the processed stuff for the most part anyway. If I come across sauces, marinades, etc, I stock up as much as possible.
j udy (glad you are back!) - good idea on marking the cartons with the date.
ReplyDeleteAngie - I have never canned in my life! Is it hard or just time consuming? All that stuff you canned sounds delicious and so smart to have all that in storage. I'll have to do some reading up on canning and how to do it.
Not Judy but I am a Master Food Preserver with my local county extension service. Canning isn't really hard but it is a science. In order to do it safely you need the right equipment, tested recipes and some time doing the prep work. That said, it is fun and so rewarding to see it lined up on a shelf - knowing that you can put a meal or dessert together in a matter of minutes. Often times it can be healthier to since many foods can be canned without salt or with low salt and the ingredients in your home canned product are generally easily pronounced and it will have no preservatives like store processed.
DeleteSarah
Oops, meant Angie not Judy.
DeleteSarah
Sarah is right on the mark. It isn't hard at all, but a lot can go into prepping with slicing, dicing, (crying because of jalapenos and onions, LOL). It can be a small investment in the beginning to get going, but in the end, it is much cheaper. I have a water bath canner for high acidic foods (tomatoes, etc), $17; pressure-canner for low acidic foods (can also be for water bathing, but mine doesn't water bath quarts), $60; tongs to get jars out, funnel, maybe $5-7.
DeleteNow on jars, I have a local store here that sells a case of quart jars for about $8, pints $7. I was actually very lucky and hit the mother load at a local garage sale and bought up about 50 jars for about $5. I also have a neighbor who is older that I am constantly helping out, either pulling weeds, mowing, driving somewhere, etc and he buys me canning jars, LOL.
I would recommend taking a look at the Ball website as it is very informative.
And like The Quest below, we also dehydrate different foods as well like apples (not a good season though this year), bananas, etc. We make jerky a lot. I also keep lots of rice and beans around as side dishes to whatever I might make that day. Nice to have cheap choices that taste good.
DeleteGo to "www.coffeeteabooksandme.blogspot.com , Brenda I believe will have a lot of information on stocking up your pantry
ReplyDeleteHopefully we will have new "management" on November 7th. Mr. Obama is not getting it done. Do you know that we pay almost $20,000 a year on healthcare? The premiums are very high, and out of pocket expenses are almost unmanageable. The debate made me hopeful that Romney has a chance. Let's hope.
ReplyDeleteIn the meantime, I'm socking away cash, but I do believe I should be hoarding some supplies as well.
Sharon, probably a good idea on the supplies too, at least enough for a weeks worth if there was an emergency. Something major and food and supplies costs might skyrocket in cost. I'm just hoping to be a bit more prepared than we are now, that's for sure. We also should have some cash on hand hidden in the house for emergency. Well, ya, my mom did that and it got stolen when her house was robbed...but still probably a good idea. Guess she needed a better hiding place than a locked safe!
DeleteIt's timely that you would post about stockpiling because the spouse has been on at me to empty out the understairs closet so that he can fill it up with food supplies. He bought some big buckets that will be filled with rice and dry beans. Also, he plans to vacuum pack things like jerky and dried fruit. He really feels that we should have emergency food supplies and I agree. The past four years have been very different for us, since my job evaporated in the financial crisis. I never used to worry about the future but we're getting older and I worry a lot. Health care premiums are a bank breaker ..... I don't know how people are affording those premiums. We used to pay almost $1000 a month to cover the whole family on full octane through the spouse's employer but, at the last enrollment, we elected the High Deductible Health Plan which is a lot cheaper premium wise. We have yet to use it for any kind of emergency, although the spouse did have an emergency cardio appointment this week so we'll see how the bill for that shakes out .....
ReplyDeleteI have to respond to Sharon, We were definitely DEEP in the crapper when Obama stepped into office, as you'll recall. We were at the very EDGE of a dark depression. VERY VERY CLOSE. Housing market crashing, etc.(that would be second half of 2008). Unfortunately it's taking much longer than he/we would like it to take. Of course, we are Americans and want to see instant gratification/results. The turnaround from the Great Depression took a VERY VERY long time.........and with all of the debt we accumulated and put on a "credit card" during George W's term, that will continue to cost us outrageous amounts - not to mention the lives lost. Regardless who is in office the next 4 years - the economy is and will continue to turn around - so either will "get credit" for it. Unfortunately I just don't trust Romney - he flip-flops too much - I think he'll say anything just to get into the office of the President. I at least feel Obama is honest, and he'll get my vote.
ReplyDeleteSo now, back to stockpiling food - we won't do it. I am that confident in the economy's turn-around. We are early retirees and have plenty of funds socked away (7 digits) by living way below our means for many years. We are active and healthy and will just continue on this path. I'm hoping this big scare will force more folks to live more simple lives, though - it's so out of control with "stuff" it's sickening to me.
Why are most of the people who defend Obama 'anonymous'?? Huh? Whoever you are, we the people know better. We feel it every day in our wallets, on our children's faces, at school, at home, at the grocery, on the road, at the workplace, E V E R Y W H E R E! Cut the baloney. Obama has done a terrible job and his pathetic performance at the debate was the final straw for me. Obama has nothing new on the horizon. His policies have not worked. Gas prices have tripled, unemployment is up, Obama has done nothing to get jobs, energy prices are through the roof, medical costs are unaffordable. WTF is that hope and change????? Please, whomever you are, shut up!
DeleteAnd now, with the cover up in Libya, and the death of our US Ambassador Chris Stevens, plus 3 other Americans, Obama is a national disgrace. Anyone who votes for him now, IMHO, is a traitor. We have to do what is right for the American people now and Obama ain't right.
I don't hide who I am. Here I am.
http://mylifeinfocusblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/obama-revealed-ideologue-loser/
PS: to anyone who is saving paper money, think again. Due to inflation and Bernanke, our paper money is worth less and less. Get gold, silver and other things to barter with.
@mylifeinfocusblog, I normally don't comment and I don't want to take either side because I hate how political debates seem to always seem to bring out the worst in people, but your comment about "shut up," "traitor," and "we know better" is incredibly rude. This was just a post on storing food and goods and you have made it into an excuse to attack people just for thinking differently than you and name-calling. Aren't different opinions what make this country great? Please be mindful.
DeletePS-I don't hide who I am either. You can find me at debtandthegirl.com
@anonymous,
Deletedidn't mean to make this a political answer. We are all entitled to our opinions, right? I am very glad that you are in a great position, i.e. 7 digits. There are many of us who are not. Both my husband and I work, but it's getting harder and harder to put money away (i.e. health costs). There are many who are jobless and need to work so they can sock money away. I believe it is ALWAYS a good thing to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Stockpiling is probably a good idea.
Have to agree with Anon here - "we the people" were in a horrible mess when he stepped in. On the verge of an implosion - just steps from a depression, I believe. And as far as the gas prices - wouldn't have mattered who was in office - they would have risen - most economists agree on this. I can't see blaming Obama for all of our problems - people have the tendency to spend more than they have, (taking out home loans for much more than they could have afforded!) not save (massive credit card debt), etc. so they need to take a good hard look at themselves for the tough spot they may be in at this point in time. I don't agree with all of the things Obama has done, but I, too, don't trust Romney. Will be interesting, to say the least, if Romney does by chance make it - to see how he plans to improve things - because I haven't heard much in the way of specifics from him. But this is what makes America great - we are each entitled to our own opinions and our VOTE does count! So let's all hang on and see where the ride takes us! We still have it so much better than most of the world just living in the USA - regardless of our situations!
ReplyDeleteWell said Susie and Debtandthegirl! Like I said, I wasn't writing this to start a political debate (or bashing of either candidate). I just wanted to give a bit of insight as to why I personally, am choosing to start a stockpile. I've got lots to learn! I started reading some blogs on it last night and taking notes.
ReplyDeleteKeep us informed, love to know what you find out!
DeleteAnonymous - congrats on being able to retire early and have lots of funds saved. That must be a very safe feeling! But, I think if I had that kind of money in savings, I'd be even more inclined to create a food and supplies stockpile because I could do it quickly, even if it was just buying some pallets of emergency food like our neighbor has. If there was a natural disaster or war, money might not be too helpful for a short time, while there is chaos, and the stores might be out of food for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWe don't live in an area of severe weather, so a lot of folks around here don't stock up for short term weather emergencies, but every so often there is a big storm. We had a severe ice storm last winter and it was hard to get anywhere (trees were down all over) and most stores were closed because there was no power. A few were open limitedly, on generators, and were out of so much stuff so quickly. We sat in line for an hour or more at the one gas station in our area that had power, so we could get some extra gas for our generator, because they were predicting it to be days before power was restored. I think we'll be better prepared this winter, in case this happens again.