Julie
08-23-2010, 07:19 AM
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How Do You Accumulate Food Storage When You Are Broke?
I am leaving this post up for the weekend because I really feel this is an important question that we must answer. Times are getting tougher and there are so many who have never had to consider how to provide for their family during a tough time. We have more and more single moms and dads trying to raise good families. We have more and more grandparents raising their grandkids. We have more and more multi generational households combining resources to keep going. Even in these dire situations food storage and emergency preparations can not be ignored. Yes, there are times when we will just eat through what we have but as soon as there is a positive change we need to refocus on rebuilding.
I had another note from my new friend this morning and I have posted it in the comments section. It has been her experience that when she needed help all anyone wanted to do was give the kids toys. Even her family will only give toys as gifts. Yikes!! So that is the kind of help we can expect? Seems another good reason to prepare. Please read through the comments and add your own insights and advice. Now is the time to share what you have learned when your crisis can.
Yesterday’s post:
There was a huge jump in the unemployment rate last week with 500,000 people applying for unemployment for the first time. That is truly frightening to me. As I listened to the bad news this morning I received the following email from a woman who has just discovered this blog. I felt it was a good one to share with all of you and I hope you will add your suggestions for her. I know there are many more like her struggling to provide today and still prepare for tomorrow.
We are just coming out of a 3 year family financial emergency, have a bit of debt from car/home repairs (after the emergency fund died) and our long term storage is very depleted. I have one totally paid off credit card. I HATE debt of any kind and have been paying to down a best I can. I also seem to equally HATE not having a stash of long term food.
Should I use the paid off card to make a bulk order of emergency food & replace broken water containers to restore our stock before winter ( I checked & what I need to get is about $300 – this would not max out the card) or Should I wait & pay off all the debt first (it’ll take a year & half yet unless I get a wind fall from some where).
I get paid once a month so we get groceries once a month – I don’t have time (single Mom) to do a weekly grocery run to grab some cans to gradually build up since 3/4 of my monthly pay check goes to bills right now… so things get pretty thin a week or two before payday.
Note: She is 5 hours from a place where she can buy in bulk and there is one grocery store in town.
I would pay off your credit cards as quickly as possible. I do have a few suggestions for building a food storage while doing this.
First, I would start having breakfast meals for dinner at least once a week. I know Dave Ramsey says beans and rice but I like breakfast better. French toast, pancakes, waffles, even scrambled eggs and hash browns are very inexpensive and will free up grocery money to start adding food storage. If you follow my blog on Mondays I post things to purchase each week. This week was protein so add a jar of peanut butter or some tuna or beans. If you follow along you will build a stash. Just do as much as you can afford to do. If you shop once a month just keep track of what you should add each week and purchase a few things from each category each month.
Second, if you have older children get them involved and all of you save your change each night in a jar. Make it a practice not to spend your change. At the end of the month take that money and spend it on food storage. We have had as much as $40.00 in the jar in a month.
Third, shop the sales. Add items to your storage, here we call it a General Store, when they are on sale. If I suggest you get protein for example, this week look for a protein that is on sale. If there are none add veggie or fruit or grains that are and then in a grain week you can add the protein. Does that make sense? Everything goes on sale, usually every 12 weeks or sooner. Remember canned foods are good at least two years past the expiration date.
Fourth, do you know any Mormons in your area? There is a Mormon cannery in Omaha and they have great….prices on bulk long term storage foods like beans, rice, pasta and powdered milk (there is more). You don’t have to be a church member to buy from the cannery. You do have to go and can it into #10 cans or mylar pouches but most congregations make regular trips to the cannery. If you call a friend who is a member of if you call the church they would probably just bring back stuff for you when they go if you can’t get there. You can also just purchase a whole bag and put it in a 5 gallon bucket at home.
Fifth, Get the word out at work, with the kids teachers, your email list, or at church that you are looking for fruit and veggies that anyone in trying to get rid of. This is the time of the year people have too much in their gardens and on trees for their own use. Eat, can or freeze everything you can get.
Sixth, ask for gifts. Have the kids make a list of items they would like in food storage and you make a list also. Ask for that from family and friends for Christmas or birthdays. The kids will want popcorn and brownies but they should be included in a good food storage program. Comfort foods are a must!
I could keep going but that should give you a few ideas. Hopefully other readers will add more. You should know how much I admire what you are doing. Your family is very lucky to have someone who is so focused on caring for their needs.
OK everyone now it’s your turn!
How Do You Accumulate Food Storage When You Are Broke?
I am leaving this post up for the weekend because I really feel this is an important question that we must answer. Times are getting tougher and there are so many who have never had to consider how to provide for their family during a tough time. We have more and more single moms and dads trying to raise good families. We have more and more grandparents raising their grandkids. We have more and more multi generational households combining resources to keep going. Even in these dire situations food storage and emergency preparations can not be ignored. Yes, there are times when we will just eat through what we have but as soon as there is a positive change we need to refocus on rebuilding.
I had another note from my new friend this morning and I have posted it in the comments section. It has been her experience that when she needed help all anyone wanted to do was give the kids toys. Even her family will only give toys as gifts. Yikes!! So that is the kind of help we can expect? Seems another good reason to prepare. Please read through the comments and add your own insights and advice. Now is the time to share what you have learned when your crisis can.
Yesterday’s post:
There was a huge jump in the unemployment rate last week with 500,000 people applying for unemployment for the first time. That is truly frightening to me. As I listened to the bad news this morning I received the following email from a woman who has just discovered this blog. I felt it was a good one to share with all of you and I hope you will add your suggestions for her. I know there are many more like her struggling to provide today and still prepare for tomorrow.
We are just coming out of a 3 year family financial emergency, have a bit of debt from car/home repairs (after the emergency fund died) and our long term storage is very depleted. I have one totally paid off credit card. I HATE debt of any kind and have been paying to down a best I can. I also seem to equally HATE not having a stash of long term food.
Should I use the paid off card to make a bulk order of emergency food & replace broken water containers to restore our stock before winter ( I checked & what I need to get is about $300 – this would not max out the card) or Should I wait & pay off all the debt first (it’ll take a year & half yet unless I get a wind fall from some where).
I get paid once a month so we get groceries once a month – I don’t have time (single Mom) to do a weekly grocery run to grab some cans to gradually build up since 3/4 of my monthly pay check goes to bills right now… so things get pretty thin a week or two before payday.
Note: She is 5 hours from a place where she can buy in bulk and there is one grocery store in town.
I would pay off your credit cards as quickly as possible. I do have a few suggestions for building a food storage while doing this.
First, I would start having breakfast meals for dinner at least once a week. I know Dave Ramsey says beans and rice but I like breakfast better. French toast, pancakes, waffles, even scrambled eggs and hash browns are very inexpensive and will free up grocery money to start adding food storage. If you follow my blog on Mondays I post things to purchase each week. This week was protein so add a jar of peanut butter or some tuna or beans. If you follow along you will build a stash. Just do as much as you can afford to do. If you shop once a month just keep track of what you should add each week and purchase a few things from each category each month.
Second, if you have older children get them involved and all of you save your change each night in a jar. Make it a practice not to spend your change. At the end of the month take that money and spend it on food storage. We have had as much as $40.00 in the jar in a month.
Third, shop the sales. Add items to your storage, here we call it a General Store, when they are on sale. If I suggest you get protein for example, this week look for a protein that is on sale. If there are none add veggie or fruit or grains that are and then in a grain week you can add the protein. Does that make sense? Everything goes on sale, usually every 12 weeks or sooner. Remember canned foods are good at least two years past the expiration date.
Fourth, do you know any Mormons in your area? There is a Mormon cannery in Omaha and they have great….prices on bulk long term storage foods like beans, rice, pasta and powdered milk (there is more). You don’t have to be a church member to buy from the cannery. You do have to go and can it into #10 cans or mylar pouches but most congregations make regular trips to the cannery. If you call a friend who is a member of if you call the church they would probably just bring back stuff for you when they go if you can’t get there. You can also just purchase a whole bag and put it in a 5 gallon bucket at home.
Fifth, Get the word out at work, with the kids teachers, your email list, or at church that you are looking for fruit and veggies that anyone in trying to get rid of. This is the time of the year people have too much in their gardens and on trees for their own use. Eat, can or freeze everything you can get.
Sixth, ask for gifts. Have the kids make a list of items they would like in food storage and you make a list also. Ask for that from family and friends for Christmas or birthdays. The kids will want popcorn and brownies but they should be included in a good food storage program. Comfort foods are a must!
I could keep going but that should give you a few ideas. Hopefully other readers will add more. You should know how much I admire what you are doing. Your family is very lucky to have someone who is so focused on caring for their needs.
OK everyone now it’s your turn!