Learn & Prepare

Ok ladies, lets talk.  It's cute and endearing to be all helpless and feminine but lets face it, it's not practical in all situations. I refuse to limit myself to wearing high heels, shopping and baking pies. There is so much more that we should know and this generation doesn't have a clue about it. Women of past had to fill so many roles, many of which were a man's.  Emergencies, men farming or even off to war required the women to be tough and able to take care of themselves, their families, and homes/farms. Our generation has become soft, lazy and ignorant about some of the most basic skills that a should woman posses much less anything more. I am challenging myself, my children and you to stretch yourself, learn something new. Learn to take care of your self and all aspects of your life, learn to survive if the situation should arise, learn to cook from scratch or nearly nothing. Push yourself. Imagine life with no internet, grocery stores or neighbors and then figure out what you would do. Even if you live in an apartment and can't walk outside and build a fire and learn to cook on it, youtube it, watch someone else, file that information away in your head. At least it will be there should the need arise. Knowledge is never wasted. In this world of the internet at our fingertips, there is no excuse for us not to know some of these things. But if you are able, try each new thing you learn, get your kids involved. Hands on experimenting makes it stick in your head.

I recently talked to an older gentleman who told me his wife never did anything outside of the home and he never did anything inside. Now he is having to learn how to cook and said he wished he would have learn before she passed away. That made me so sad because it could have been avoided so easily. I think all people, male or female should know how to do anything that needs to be done around their home whether it be the man's job or the woman's job. (I draw the line at mechanics though I do know the basic basics :) 

So I'm challenging myself, my children and you to learn and prepare! I'm going to share some idea's and things you can do to get started, things I'm doing. I've been laughed at and mad fun of for my preparedness thinking but frankly, I don't care and I'm going to laugh when I'm the first person they seek out in times of need. :) So be prepared to be ridiculed if you ever tell anyone what you're doing. :)

Let's talk numbers.
If you have excess funds you might just want to go on and read somewhere else. Because I'm talking to those that don't know how they could possibly stockpile or prepare for anything when they are having a hard time paying bills and buying groceries. This is for you....

There are items around your house or items you throw away every day that you can be using to prepare. Or items that are so cheap that anyone can afford to stockpile them. I'll list them below.


1. Jugs. Milk, juice or soda bottles. I rinse these out, pour some bleach and soap in them then fill up with water and let sit over night. Then I rinse out, add 8 drops of plain unscented bleach (with 6% chlorine) per gallon or 2 drops per quart. I realize that this water may be slightly flavored by whatever liquid was in the bottle previously but at least the water can be used for hand washing or cooking.

2.  Fire starter supplies. Newspapers, lint, empty toilet paper and paper towel tubes. I also like to buy these 4 for $1 lighters. Cut the tubes into 2" sections, stuff with lint then dip in melted wax. Makes great fire starters. You can also make tubes out of several layers of newspaper, stuff with lint and dipped in wax. You can also use the newspaper to make newspaper logs to burn or to make fuel for a rocket stove.

3. Salt and baking soda. These are ridiculously cheap and have so many uses besides cooking! At $.39 and $.49 each, you should grab at least a dollars worth every time you go to the store.

4. Flour and cornmeal. I don't have to tell you the uses for these and they are relatively cheap. Grab a bag each time you get groceries and stick in a freezer or 5 gallon bucket (with lid), a stick of spearmint gum and a bay leaf to keep bugs away.

5. Toilet paper.  This is a important item to start stockpiling. :)

7. Plunger and 5 gallon bucket. These items can used to wash your laundry. $3 for the plunger, $5 for the bucket.

8. Rocket stove. Ask around for free clay bricks.This picture shows 4 rocket stoves.

9. Bug out bags.  (Sorry, no picture) Click here to view idea's on Pinterest.

10. $20 20 day emergency food kit. Click here.


I hope these give you some idea's to get started. There are so many other things I can add and will as I get time.