Week 33 Food Storage Challenge

25 pounds Sugar / 50 pounds beans

Sugar, honey or a sweetener of your choice.

Beans get what your family will eat you can get a variety if they like different types. My family only likes Pintos so that is what I store.

Keep getting water.

Add some more to your money stash.

With winter on it's way you might want to look for alternate heat sources and if you have a wood stove get some wood in preferably enough to last all winter if that has to be your only heat and even cooking source.

Week 32 Food Storage Challenge

50 pound Wheat or Flour / Toilet Paper.

50 pounds of wheat or flour.

A few packs of toilet paper and don't forget the family cloth idea.When you store the T.P make sure it is where critters can't get to it, they love it to make nest out of it lol.

Put more water up.

Add a little more to your stash of money.

If there is something from the previous weeks you were unable to get you can pick up a little of it. Don't forget to watch the sales and stock up on what is on sale if you can. 

A Challenge to Myself

I have to admit that this summer I have gotten a little lax in my prepping and frugal living. I have done this before, but I have to admit it is so easy to slip back into the easy ( and lazy) way of doing things. I have been buying things I shouldn’t, such as soap, and a few canned goods that I could be making myself, using the dryer and dish washer more then I should things like that.

I have been watching the markets they have fallen over 500 points in the last five days and the interest rates are rising every day. If this continues things are going to get ugly soon. So I have decided to go all out on not spending, I will be making ever thing ( and trying to not cheat ), not using the dryer or the dishwasher , try to get my electric and water down to the bare minimum. Try to live like things are already bad. Hopefully it will be a lot easier since the girls are back in school.

I know we have been headed for hard times for a few years now with fuel going up so much and the price of groceries almost doubling I just hope we have a little longer till it hits hard. It is time for me to get back up and finish getting us ready for what is coming.

I hope all of you are trying to get ready for what is coming and haven’t fallen off the wagon like I have.

Major Computer issues

I have had some major computer issues had a bad virus, thought we had it fixed but no. So I had to take it to the shop I now  have it back and maybe I can get back on track and get caught up.

I will try to catch up on the food storage challenge first as I have had a couple people ask about it.

It has been a very interesting month first the computer, then we went to Grants for the Fire departments tri-state convention when we got home I noticed one of the freezers was unplugged. Apparently it had been unplugged for about a week and a half. Lost most of every thing in there, I was able to save a little cheese but that was about it. It is such a sick feeling to have to throw all that food away. Then my oven on my stove went out so I have been with out an oven for about a month. I am trying to put back the money for a new one since I don’t want to buy on credit, but with school starting I’ve had to get school clothes and stuff so it isn’t adding up very fast. I am fortunate though, I do have little toaster over that I have been using, I can’t cook as much in it but it is helping out.

I can’t believe school is already starting back. Didn’t get near all trhe things done that we wanted to do before school.

I am starting the preschool in my daycare. I was going to try and do it over the summer but that just didn’t work out. This weeks theme is zoo animals. I will try to show what we have done all week at the end of the week.

Hope every one has a great day.

　

　

　

Week 31 Food Storage Challenge

10 Pounds Shortening,lard or oil / Cocoa Powder, Chocolate Chips.

10 pound of shortening, lard, Tallow or oil. Shortening and lard will last longer then oil.

You can also make your own lard or tallow. If you have your own meat butchered be sure to tell them you want the fat.Some places will let you have fat for very little cost or free you might want to check around.I render down my lard and tallow then pressure can it fir long term storage.
I do buy some shortening and oil for soaps.
If you want oil Olive oil is your better choice. It will last a little longer and is better for you.

Cocoa Powder, Chocolate chips It is nice to have a little chocolate when things are bad. If you can find cocoa powder in bulk it is a little cheaper. You can make your own chocolate chips if you have cocoa powder I will try to show how soon. If you do store chocolate chips you need to make sure you store them with no oxygen. I have an attachment with my seal a meal to get the air out of jars for dry packing.  You could put them in your seal a meal bags. Or you could also store them with oxygen absorbers ( I haven't used these yet but have heard they are easy and really work).

Keep putting back water.

Add some more to your money stash

Get some sewing stuff even if you really don't sew it is good to have some thread and needles on hand to do repairs.
If you don't sew you might try to find someone to teach you the basics.Once you know the basics it is easy to do more. It is nice to be able to repair and make your own clothes.
If you do sew stock up on thread, needles, zippers. buttons snaps ect.

Week 30 Food Storage Challenge

8 Bars of soap / bleach and cleaners

8 bars of soap you can make your own. I will be making some after hunting season and will post how to do it. I try to make a years worth when I am making mine. I also make enough to so I can make laundry soap and dish soap out of.

Bleach and cleaners I like to have a little  bleach around to disinfect some things. It also works to purify your water but keep in mind it will lose its potency after a while so you do need to rotate it.

Cleaners  You can make these your self, if you do then you need baking soda, bleach, vinegar, dish soap.

Keep putting back water.

add to your money stash.

Week 29 Food Storage Challenge

Pasta 10 pounds / Canned Milk

10 pounds pasta what ever your family liked to eat. Keep in mind that you can make your own noddles with out a pasta maker. A pasta maker does make it a little easier though.

Canned milk this is good to have on have on hand and in a pinch you can make baby formula out of it the recipe is here .
You can also can your own milk learn how here.

Keep putting back water.

Add to your money stash.

Get some books, games, puzzles a few fun things that don't require power. Especially for the kids. It is nice to have some stuff to take your mind off things when times are hard or stressful.