If you missed my radio show last night it is now ready to download so please go and listen and please let me know what you think and what you would like to hear next.

For our money saving tip this week I have been thinking food. I have posted many tips for saving money on food and specifically food storage. On September 21st I will be visiting with a couponing expert on my show READY OR NOT. Please tune in to that show as I am a self confessed non couponer and I have given her the challenge of converting me. Even if you have never considered using coupons I am sure there will be tips you can use.

The tip for today for saving money is to learn to cook from scratch. Now by that I mean make things on your own but not necessarily by dragging out the flour and sugar and baking powder. If your store has regular sales on brownie mix for 99 cents that is cheaper than buying the individual ingredients and far…cheaper then buying a tray of brownies and even cheaper than those that come in that little box for $1.29. With an inexpensive brownie mix you have the makings for many many desserts. If, however, you’re making a casserole it is cheaper to purchase the ingredients and make them from scratch. Bread is much, much, cheaper to make than to purchase. In the April 2010 issue of the newsletter there is a recipe for the Easiest Ever Bread. That bread, which require no previous experience and no kneading, costs 30 cents to make. Yep, that’s right only 30 cents, when was the last time you paid 30 cents for a loaf of bread? If you use a loaf of bread a week you could save over $100.00 a year, just on bread! The bread looks just like the picture above and tastes great! I will devote the October Newsletter to easy, yummy and inexpensive recipes and tips for those wanting to gain more skills. This week try making something from scratch that you have never made before. Questions? Please ask!

Tip # 8: Stash some cash. To this point our tips have been free so now is the day for a little investment. Put away a few dollars each week until you have a small stash for your emergency evacuation kit. You should have about $100.00 in each adult kit. This should be in small denomination bills, nothing larger than a 10. This money will then be available for small purchases when there are no ATMs and credit card services available. If you have $100.00 to invest right now go to the bank and get a variety of small bills and place them in your kits. If you need time add to your stash each month until you have enough.

Review…Tips

#1:  Find an out of area contact.

#2: Gather maps.  Get several different colors of highlighters and mark at least three different routes out of the city and  ending at the home of your out of area contact.

#3: Collect all your flashlights. Check  to make sure they are all working properly. Make note of any batteries you need to purchase.

#4  Post important phone numbers and your own address by each phone.

#5  Place a pair of good shoes under each bed where they can be reached in the middle of the night.

#6  Place a glow stick next to each bed.

# 7:  Listen to READY OR NOT. If you can’t listen tonight the show will be available for download at the same link as the live show. Hope to hear from you tonight!

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/09/08/ready-or-not–carolyn-nicolaysen

Back tomorrow with number nine!

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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

September Newsletter:

Let’s Play…a look at things to do during a power outage to keep sane.

Food Safety…keeping foods safe during a power outage.

Frozen Food During a Power Outage, when to save and when to throw away.

Dutch Oven Cooking…How to Control the Temperature

Haybox Cooking…one more way to cook when the grid goes down.

Recipes: This month all the recipes are from 1850. They are fun and easy to make and perfect during power emergencies, after all our great grandparents didn’t have electricity!

I have been giving lots of thought to the housing market the past week and just why we should be concerned about it’s highs and lows. Last month the housing market crashed with existing home sale at a 15 year low and new home sales at an all time low. As I pondered I considered why houses are not selling. Some are upside down on their mortgage which means they are stuck. Even those who are ready and needing to move up can’t. Those who are ready and willing to downsize can’t. Then there are those who are ready to buy for the first time. They have the opportunity of a lifetime to buy low but with the job market in a stall and banks more cautious than ever they can’t qualify for loans or unwilling to take the risk. There are plenty of foreclosures but those often need expensive repairs as the former owners have taken fixtures and appliances or just because an empty home creates lots of problems quickly due to lack of attention when  problem is small.

Why should the housing market be a concern? The obvious answer .is the construction industry. There are no job. Even those with homes are not investing in improvements. Who wants to invest in a property if you may never get the expense back out? Those workers are not shopping the way they were so, restaurants and retailers suffer. Those who supply parts and building materials are cutting back on workers because orders are down. Now those workers are not eating out or spending. Appliance manufacturers are not selling appliances because there is little building and little remodeling. Now those employees are not spending. No building means less income to school districts who charge fees for new building. That adds to the problem of no new students moving into the district and in lots of areas shrinking class sizes which means less money coming in from the state…..When will this end? I have no idea. When will people feel confident to invest again and not worry that the property they are buying could be worth less in a few months? I have no idea.

Last week I asked for your suggestions for a reader who is struggling with some serious financial challenges. I really appreciate all you suggestions and I’m sure she does also. What do you do when you have tried all those things? You have cut your bills, don’t have a cell phone, don’t have cable, don’t eat out, eat mostly rice and beans or breakfast foods for dinner and you bike to work? It’s tough, especially if you don’t have a good support group of family, friends and your church. I am grateful I have that support but I realize some do not.

All this reflection made me think again about earning more money. If we can’t save any more how can we earn more? I have found it to be impossible to hire a teenager to mow my lawns. Really! I can not believe it but the kids don’t want to work. Boy, do they have a wake up call coming and will they ever be angry with their parents when they realize they have been cheated out of the opportunity to learn to work and budget. This does leave an opening in my area for the unemployed or under employed. Moms and dads could fill the void and pick up a little extra money. There are other opportunities.

My 12 year old grandson has decided he loves to bake. His mom belongs to a yahoo group with her friends in the area and he decided to send out a notice that he was baking that week. He listed the items that could be ordered with their prices. The next Saturday he and mom baked all day and delivered the goods . After paying for the ingredients he made $25.00. Everyone purchases bread and with bread at $3.00 a loaf or more wouldn’t you be willing to pay $3.00 for homemade bread? The same is true of birthday cakes. They cost a fortune and the grocery store variety taste awful. Wouldn’t you rather purchase one at the same price or even a little more, that tasted great?

So what could you do to make extra money? I opened an ETSY store and that was a disaster! I tried….I do have lots of great baby gifts now for future showers. I know others who are making on line stores work but it just wasn’t meant to be for me.

I would like to know what you are doing or what friends have done. Please share your ideas. Baking bread may not be the answer for you, but it may. Mowing lawns may not work, but it may. Let’s throw out some ideas and maybe we can help someone who is struggling discover a solution that will work for them.

Don’t forget to let me know what you’d like to hear on the radio show! Would you like to be a guest on the show?

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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!

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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

My discussion with Doctor Prepper all about food storage part 1. .http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/08/doctor-prepper-show

Doctor Prepper show all about food storage part 2. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/20/doctor-prepper-show

Talk with Halli: food storage and current financial outlook. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/idahotalk/2010/07/16/hfalli-friends

I understand preparing for an earthquake, hurricane, flood, fire, burglary, Solar storms, EMP or terrorist attack is important. I also understand that right now the economy, world wide is the greatest common threat no matter where we live on the planet. I also understand it is not inexpensive to prepare, thus I am hoping to be able to help you economize in some other areas so you can devote more of your resources to stocking your General Store and preparing “every needful thing”.

Today I also understand caring for what we already possess is a great way to save money. Several years ago I taught a high school class called On Your Own. The goal of the class was to prepare students for real life. I taught a section on cooking from scratch, renting an apartment, buying a car, keep a budget, child care, and one section on removing stains and doing your laundry. At the end of that section one of the boys in the class, one who would rather have been anywhere other than that class, came to me and thanked me. He told me I had just saved him hundreds of dollars because when he had clothes that were stained he just threw them away. Yes, we need to care for what we already have and there will be less need to spend money replacing items we must have.

Following are some tips for using white distilled vinegar to preserve your clothing saving them from stains and disagreeable smells. There is also a tip for saving wear and tear on your washing machine thus saving repair and replacement costs.

Add Vinegar to the Wash Cycle and:

1. Prevent lint from clinging to clothes add 1/4 C white distilled vinegar.

2. Clothes smell bad? Pour a few cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.

3. Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle. This will be of great help if you find your hoses and pipes affected by home made laundry soaps.

4. Eliminate manufacturing chemicals from new clothes by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar.

5. Add 1/4 C vinegar to your “bucket washer” if you are using home made soap. The vinegar will help the powdered soap to dissolve.

Add Vinegar to the rinse cycle and:

1. To remove soap residue that makes black clothes look dull

2. Get cleaner laundry! Add about 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.

3. Enhance colors, add 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar.

In addition:

Remove smoky odors from dry clean only clothing after a fire by hanging clothing above steaming water to which 1/2 C vinegar has been added. Do this in a laundry room sink and close the door so the steam can penetrate all the fibers in your garments.

Go get that vinegar I asked you to add to your General Store this week. It’s a great addition.

Subscribe to our Newsletter: http://blog.totallyready.com/announcing-the-totally-ready-newsletter/

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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

My discussion with Doctor Prepper all about food storage part 1. .http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/08/doctor-prepper-show

Doctor Prepper show all about food storage part 2. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/20/doctor-prepper-show

Talk with Halli: food storage and current financial outlook. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/idahotalk/2010/07/16/hfalli-friends

****Win a Consultation!***

To help motivate you to share I am offering the chance for you to win a personal one hour consultation. This will be a phone call where you can ask any questions you may have. You may even ask a group of friends to join you on a conference call or just using your speaker phone. To win one of five  consultations just refer five friends to blog.totallyready.com and our yahoo group. Have them mention your email address when they log into the yahoo group and leave a comment on any blog post. Ten friends and you get two chances to win. Fifteen friends and I will call you, guaranteed! It’s that simple. Watch for other special offers as we progress. I know I don’t want to look back when things get worse and think I could have done more to help you.

I know it may be a bold statement to assume there is a Double Dip Recession coming but I really can see no way around it right now. I don’t believe politicians have the courage to do what is necessary and I say that as a former politician. Did know that about me? Well…it was our local school board but it still meant a nasty campaign. Let me tell you a story…I was serving during a time of real economic crisis. We needed to make some changes and they were not popular but in order to retain state funding it had to be done. I did my research and spoke with teachers (off the record of course, unions hate it when the teachers talk to you honestly!). I talked to the custodians, secretaries, parents and kids. I made the tough choice, the choice that was best for all, not just a few, and I got slammed by the union and parents who refused to listen. I was not reelected and EVERYTHING I said would result, did. I know what it means to be blasted in the press and to have people I thought were friends desert me. Now I understand that this was just local but in some ways that is worse. My kids were harassed and I was harassed at the grocery store and soccer games. I really don’t believe we have enough people willing to give up their elected  positions to do what is best for all.

I also believe Americans may have become weak and dependent and that they don’t have the courage to demand the government reduce spending as it may mean those social programs we are used to may have to disappear.  We seem to have forgotten we are Americans and together we can get through tough times. Our parents and grandparents knew that. They planted victory gardens, shared skills, rationed food and did everything necessary to beat a great depression and a horrible dictator in Germany. We must become that type of person! We can begin within our own homes and among our own friends and family.

What we have done:

We have a binder, paper, a permanent marker and passion to succeed.

Begun by designating a change jar as part of your food storage fund. We are placing all your coins and any change you find on the street or in the sofa in the jar.

Next set a budget.

Determined high priced meals to skip and replaced some dinner meals with breakfast foods.

Made a list of  favorite meals and desserts.

Created a master list of all the ingredients in each recipe.

Using your permanent marker made a slash mark across all the cans and boxes you currently have in our cupboards.

Dated items around the house that are not single use. If you missed this go back and get the directions.

Emailed, facebooked and tweeted everyone you know and tell them we are beginning food storage again.

Created space for food storage.

Today is an easy day…#1 catch up. I realized we have lots of new people joining us so this is a catch up day. If you have not notified everyone you know please do that today. I have lots of people asking me to use articles to pass out at church and in other places. Have you notified all of those people from your church? #2…Now that you have notified others get a food storage buddy. This person will help you, and you will help them, stay on task and as we get to organizing and inventorying our storage you can help each other with the task. So today, catch up and get a buddy. Tomorrow we will use your recipes to create YOUR food storage plan.

For those who are stocking their General Store, and all you newcomers should be doing this also, this week add Insect repellent and aloe vera to your General Store shelves. Over the next few months we will to adding deodorant, hand soap, after shave and hair spray so if you have not already dated those items to discover how much you use in a month do that today. For soap place the wrappers in a drawer, just like we did for TP, and count them at the end of the month.

One more note. Have you noticed the interference on your TV screen the last few days? That is being caused by solar activity! Remember I warned you NASA is concerned we may be in for solar flares which will take down the electrical grid? These storms are very minor compared to the ones to come so keep planning for long term power outages, just in case. The July Newsletter is devoted to cooking off the grid so be sure to read that and use it to purchase or gather the items you will need.

I have also have questions about the blog talk radio show I did with Doctor Prepper last week. It has been taken down because we had a caller who was rude and disruptive and the podcast can’t be edited…too bad. It had such great info. I guess we will have to try to repeat some of it on the 19th when we do another show together.

Confused about the solar storms NASA is anticipating? Take some time and listen to my show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010



Don’t you wish you could see prices like that again? With food storage you can!

This week is full of nothing but bad news on the economic front. 125,000 jobs lost in June…14.6 million out of work…6.7 million have been out of work for more than 27 weeks…factory orders down 1.4% in May…the DOW down 400 points…3 million jobs lost since February last year…California reducing wages to minimum wage for state workers.  That’s the news just this week, THIS WEEK!More and more economists are forecasting double dip recession by the end of the year. Food Storage…It’s Time!

I left the beginning food storage post up for a few days to give you a chance to spread the word among your family and friends. I really hope you have done that. If you have tried before, try again. How will you feel if the worst happens and you did not make another attempt to warn your neighbors? This weekend as you meet with family and friends it is a good time to remind them again. I’m sure the economy will come up in conversation so take that as your opportunity to pitch self reliance once more.

There is a good article in US World Report on steps to take now to prepare. It is a good reminder. Naturally they did not mention food storage. How short sighted. I have been watching the movie Fun with Dick and Jane. It is about a couple who lose their jobs and they ways they cope and become desperate. It is meant to be funny, and it is, but at the core are some messages that ring true when it all hits the fan. People will be desperate to feed their family and have a roof over their head. Food storage is not the only answer but it is a huge part.

You should continue this weekend to make a list of the foods your family likes to eat and to create a list of all the ingredients in those meals. Tuesday we will organize those and you will have a plan to follow to begin purchasing.Again, this will be your food storage plan, not mine. You will store what your family eats not boxes of dehydrated foods that you won’t know how to use or toms of grains you will eventually throw away.

**** CONTEST**** To help motivate you to share I am offering the chance for you to win a personal one hour consultation. This will be a phone call where you can ask any questions you may have. You may even ask a group of friends to join you on a conference call or just using your speaker phone. To win one of five  consultations just refer five friends to blog.totallyready.com and our yahoo group. Have them mention your email address when they log into the yahoo group and leave a comment on any blog post. Ten friends and you get two chances to win. Fifteen friends and I will call you, guaranteed! It’s that simple. Watch for other special offers as we progress. I know I don’t want to look back when things get worse and think I could have done more to help you.

A holiday weekend is a great time to get the family busy creating space for your food storage. Summer is also a great time with kids home from school and extra hands to help. Next week we beginning filling shelves, nooks and crannies so get started! Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Closets

If you have a deep closet with a bar for hanging clothes, move the bar as far forward as possible. Make sure you still have room to hang clothing. Add shelving to the back wall of the closet. Even if the shelf is narrow it can be used for smaller items such as soup cans, catchup, or shampoo bottles.

Add an additional shelf. Most closets have a shelf above the bar on which you hang your clothes. Look for wasted space above that shelf. This is a great place for Christmas decorations and items you use only occasionally, freeing up other space.

In children’s rooms, lower the clothing bar and add shelving above. Most clothing bars are hung higher than they need to be, even for adults, creating wasted space on the floor — which usually collects lots of clutter.

Raise the floor. If you don’t want to lower the clothing bar build a platform on the floor. Place storage boxes under it and you will still have room for all those shoes.

Empty your closet

Most people wear only 20% of the clothing in their closets. Try going through your wardrobe and if you haven’t warn something in the last year get rid of it.

Under a staircase

Utilize an open staircase by installing custom cabinets, shelves, or storage cubes on the wall. For a decorative look add a bench with storage inside. If you don’t care about fashion or don’t have the money to make changes, just stack away. If you are stacking keep a map of your inventory and remember to rotate your foodstuffs.

If your staircase is enclosed, you have a huge cavern just waiting to be put to work. Create access to the space within by creating a door and store away!

Need ideas for beginning food storage or preparing for the electricity to be out? listen to my talk with Doctor Prepper.  There were some technical problems so fast forward the first ten minutes.

Confused about the solar storms NASA is anticipating? Take some time and listen to my show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

What happens if other nations call our debt due? What happens when we can’t pay our bills, education, welfare, government employees, and on and on? More taxes? You bet! Unless there are some very dramatic changes soon the American dream will vanish. Home ownership, college educations, self employment, all will vanish. It is serious and we must prepare now. Over in our yahoo group today someone made the comment that she laughed at yesterday’s post because I was talking about a dire future and then telling you to store toilet paper. Well, if our money isn’t worth the paper it is printed on then a supply of TP might be a very good thing to have on hand as the government takes more and more from us and we face rationing as our grandparents did during the depression.

I really am a positive person however, so today we reintroduce the concept of creating a General Store in your home. If you have been with us from the beginning now is the time to get friends on board. Send them an email tonight with a link to this post.

You all remember Old Mother Hubbard…the poor doggie had none because her cupboards were bare. That will not happen to us. Today we begin our quest to fill our cupboards, just in case. Remember the days of General Stores? They had everything to meet your needs from food, to cloth, to cleaning supplies, seeds and tools, even a small post office and a small bank.. Together we are going to build a General Store within our own homes.

You will need a binder, paper, a permanent marker and a little passion to succeed.

First excuse for most people, no money. Begin by designating a jar as part of your food storage fund. Each night place all your coins and any change you find on the street or in the sofa in the jar. I never spend change at the store anymore, except for my pennies. Be sure to include your spouse in your plan and even get the kids involved in adding money to the jar. This is just one of many ways we will discuss to fund Our General Store.

Next set a budget. Sit down and calculate what you normally spend on food each week or month. Now realistically decide how much you can afford to add to that budget. Can you skip a movie rental or a trip to get fast food? When a disaster strikes and the grocery store shelves are empty or your bank account is empty,  you are going to kick yourself over and over if you didn’t give up a few luxuries now for peace of mind later.

Once you have a budget look over your grocery list and your menu plan for the past few weeks. Which high priced meals can you skip for several weeks in order to put that money toward food storage? Substituting breakfast meals for dinner a few times a week can save a significant amount and most people love breakfast foods for dinner.

Time to get out that binder. Sit down with your family and make a list of their favorite meals, about 10. Now make a list of their favorite desserts. Once this is done use this list to create a master list of all the ingredients in each recipe. For example if you have rice in a recipe write it down. The next time rice appears in a recipe make a hash mark next to rice. When you are finished you will be able to determine if your family likes rice or  pasta more. When we begin purchasing grains you will then know to purchase more of the one your family likes best. There is no magic to wheat or rice or oatmeal. The important thing is to have healthy grains stored that are versatle and provide good nutrition. If you have my ebook,  Mother Hubbard: What She’s Doing Now you can find out exactly the amount you need to store, however, you alone will determine the exact foods which will achieve that goal. We’ll get more specific as we go along.

Using your permanent marker go to your pantry and make a slash mark across all the cans and boxes you currently have. These are the foods you will use first when preparing meals. More on that later.

Finally, using your marker date items around the house that are not single use. If the item is already open draw a line at the level of the contents on the outside of the container and date it. Now, when you use up that item you will know how long it took you to finish the bottle and you will know how much you need to purchase to have a three month supply. Mark both food and non food essentials. Some items to get you started: oil, shortening, pancake syrup, salad dressing, ketchup, toothpaste, deodorant, dish detergent, laundry detergent, hand lotion, shampoo, etc. To determine how much TP and hand soap you will need simply save the wrappers in a drawer for a month and count them at the end of the month. I have found this to be the best way to determine what you really need. I have heard some lecture and advise their audience to guesstimate how much they will need. Why guess when you can know? I have also never…met a family who needs to store as much oil as food storage calculators normally advise. Why waste your money stocking up on too much of an item when that money could have been spent to purchase things you really do need? Can you tell this is a frustration to me? I hate wasting anything, but especially money!

There is no need to be wary of food storage. You are in control, I promise. I am here to help and there are many people in our yahoo group who would love to share their successes and failure so you can learn. I remember when I first started storing food. I read information which said to store 5 gallons of oil per person. I have been married a long time and we have not used that much in a year even with a family of six. Oil is one of the items you date and then calculate how much you used.

Email, facebook and tweet everyone you know and tell them we are beginning food storage again and now is the time to jump in. Tomorrow we will discuss places to store the food you are purchasing for your General Store.

Need ideas for beginning food storage or preparing fopr the electricity to be out? listen to my talk with Doctor Prepper.  There were some technical problems so fast forward the first ten minutes.

Confused about the solar storms NASA is anticipating? Take some time and listen to my show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

As I watch the news today the Stock Market is currently down 259 points after the consumer confidence report was released. I know my confidence is down and after the G20 summit where the United States was shot down  it appears the rest of the world has lost confidence in the U.S. economy as well. The conference voted to “require” all member nations to reduce spending. Not what our president wanted to hear but what I believe most Americans do want, not only to hear but to see implemented. I also notice some in Congress are backing off the financial reform bill a bit. I hope that is real and not just another ploy to get something for their vote. More and more I find myself looking at my General Store and being so….thankful that I am preparing. Notice I didn’t say prepared. It is an ongoing process and anything you and I have done is important.

There is a storm brewing in the gulf which if it becomes the CAT 3 hurricane they fear will cause massive damage and while clean up may provide some much needed jobs those jobs will be paid out of our taxes and will be another excuse for raising them even more.

For those who are new or who are just beginning to catch the visions now is the time to ramp up our efforts. The next few days I am going to go back to the basics and to the beginning of our General Store discussions. Please email your friends, mention it on facebook, twitter, or whatever you do and get the word out. I don’t believe we are doing enough to help our friends and family understand the need to become self reliant or the fact that there is help for them so they can do it. Lack of funds should not be an excuse. We can help them get past that stumbling block. Lack of space should not be an excuse. We can help them get past that also. Some economists are now predicting high inflation is on the horizon. When others are eating their $1.29 veggies we will be eat the ones we purchased at much better prices. There will still be sales and we will be the ones who can wait to replace food when it is on sale.

What did the consumer confidence report say?

“U.S. consumer confidence was rocked in June as Americans fretted about the weak jobs picture and more turbulence in the financial markets, a new report showed on Tuesday.

The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index dropped to 52.9 in June, sharply below a reading of 62.7 in May and not even close to the 62.8 reading economists had forecasted. The 9.8 point drop in June marked the steepest decline since February.

The present situation index dropped from 29.8 to 25.5, a one-year low, and the expectations index tumbled from 84.6 to 71.2.

Consumer confidence which had posted three consecutive monthly gains and appeared to be gaining some traction, retreated sharply in June. Increasing uncertainty and apprehension about the future state of the economy and labor market, no doubt a result of the recent slowdown in job growth, are the primary reasons for the sharp reversal in confidence,” Lynn Franco, director of the Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said in the report. “Until the pace of job growth picks up, consumer confidence is not likely to pick up.”

Worries about the weak jobs market continues to weigh on consumers’ psyche, with the percentage of consumers anticipating more jobs in the months ahead dropping from 20.2% to 16% and those anticipating fewer jobs rising to 20.8% from 17.8%. It’s clear consumers were rattled by the May jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy created significantly fewer-than-expected private-sector jobs.

Americans grew more downbeat on present-day conditions in June, with those saying conditions are “good” falling to 8% from 9.7% and those saying conditions are “bad” rising from 39.5% to 42.4% — the highest level since February.

Consumers’ short-term outlook also took a hit, with those anticipating an improvement in business conditions over the next six months falling from 22.8% to 17.2%.

The report plays into fears on Wall Street that consumers will once again cut back on spending, hurting the already-fragile economic recovery.” http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/economy/consumer-confidence-drops-june-jobs-worries/

We need to keep adding to our General Store so for this week add Toilet Paper. I was really astonished when I read through the list of items we have added and realized we hadn’t done this one yet. Yikes! It is by far my favorite General Store item. I know I will be able to trade for anything if I have the TP. Call me spoiled or a sissy but it is also the one item I never want to be without. I realize we have talked about EMPs and the possibility we would be on our own for months before the grid could be repaired and store shelves would be stocked as they are now. I know I would need lots and lots of TP to make it that long but I am doing my best to make sure that happens! If you have been with us for very long you should know how much you use in three months so begin there. For those new…take the wrapper off of the toilet paper each time you put on a new roll. Place the wrapper in a draw and at the end of the month count your wrappers. Multiply by three and now you know what to store. I always recommend you store some extra in case your emergency has everyone staying home all day or others evacuating to your home. If you haven’t done this exercise go out this week and get several rolls as a start while you determine your actual needs.

So…you have two assignments for today. Get the word out that we are starting a series to help those just beginning food storage or those who are returning after an absence or for those who still hate the idea because they envision wheat taking over their lives.  And two, purchase TP for your General Store.

Wednesday June 30th I will be doing another show with Doctor Prepper. This time, a Bucket List, skills everyone should know to be self reliant, even or maybe especially, our kids! Join us 5:00pm Pacific at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/07/01/doctor-prepper-talk-show

Confused about the solar storms NASA is anticipating? Take some time and listen to my show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

With the passing of a sweeping financial reform bill today I for one am scared to death what this means for my household budget. When members of the committee tell reporters that we will know exactly how the bill works once it is in force it scares me. It sounds like another bill that was not read.

For those who have been around here for a while you know that emergency preparedness is not really a term I like. I like self reliance, the idea that no matter what happens, no matter what the challenge we will be ready to take care of ourselves and our family. Not every challenge is an emergency, just a challenge. We must focus harder than ever on becoming self reliant in 2010.

Since food is an area where we can save a great deal of money I would like to concentrate on that today. We should all be planting a garden and where possible planting fruit trees or bushes. We should be learning to can and then doing it. And, we should be cooking from scratch. Those are all skills that take time to learn and there is a time and season for all things. As a brand new mom to a fourth child this is probably not a good year to plant or to can, but making a batch or two of freezer jam requires less than on hour. Most of us however, do visit the grocery store and there are ways to save on those visits. So, I’ll started and then please add your own grocery store tips.

You know I really dislike coupons. I know I am strange but I just can never get the ones I need and I hate carrying around a wallet full when I go to the store. So, no coupon ideas, but great shopping tips:

1. Name Brands are Good

Several years ago I worked in a tomato processing plant in the lab. It was my responsibility to test batches of tomatoes every few hours and to walk the lines and make sure all the sanitation rules were being followed. I can tell you we did not change anything when we packed the store brand tomatoes. The same tomatoes went down the same lines and were tested in the same ways no matter the name on the can.

We also canned pasta sauces and some of those had a different spice mix but no change in the quality of the fruit that went into the can. Read the labels to see the ingredients but understand that most store brands are canned in the same plants as the name brands.

2. Dented Cans are not Always Bad.

Last year I told you I am working on recipes for using our food storage in unique ways so we can more easily rotate it. If you remember I made peach salsa from canned peaches instead of fresh. It was wonderful. If you are working on a project such as this, or know you will be using the cans within a few weeks ask for a discount on dented cans you find. I always run my hand completely around a can before placing it in my cart and I almost always find a few dented cans. Don’t be afraid to ask the manager for a discount on damaged cans.

3. Coupons

Did you let out a collective…WHAT! I thought she said no coupons? I did, but here is what I mean. As you walk into the store pick up a sale flier. If there are coupons in there use them. Check the front of the shelves in every aisle you go down to see if there are any coupon offers in the little dispensers on the side of the shelf. Now slip them into your wallet or with your credit or debit card so you don’t forget to use them!

4. Shop the Sales

This should be easy for those of you who completed the food section of your general store last year. For me it’s become a game. I watch for the little sale tags and then purchase what I need to replace the foods I have used. If there is a special occasion coming up I plan a menu and list all the ingredients I will need for the dips, salads, desserts, I am making. When I shop I can now purchase items on sale and the replacement is already done to keep my store shelves stocked.

Watch for the special at the end of the aisles. This is where items are placed that have the biggest savings. Take advantage of these and stock up. Remember canned and boxed foods last much longer than their pull dates so don’t be afraid to get a few extra when the price is right.

If you are not already checking the mark down racks learn where they are located and visit them each time you shop. There is usually one in the produce section, the bakery and the meat department. Seasonal and close out items are also often found in cart near the front door. If you can’t find the discount rack, ask.

5. Grocery Stores are for Groceries.

That’s right! Nonfood items can usually be found cheaper at the discount pharmacy stores. If those stores happen to be a drive away and all you need is a tube of toothpaste, by all means purchase it. The money you save on gas will more than make up for the difference. If, however you keep a list of non food items as you use them you can save lots of money by purchasing these items at another store.

6. Think: Get in and Get Out Fast.

The longer you are in the store the more you will spend. To assure you make a quick purchase try one of the following. Have you husband or wife wait in the car, now you know you have to hurry. Use a basket instead of a cart. The basket will fill up quickly and become heavy, thus speeding up your visit. Take the kids, enough said.

7. Do it Yourself.

Skip the Deli case, most of the time. I do purchase the cooked whole chickens because they are never more than $.50 more than buying a chicken and baking it myself. I then cut it up and use some for dinner, some for sandwiches and the rest for a casserole. Never, however, purchase sliced ham or roast beef from the deli. Wait until these items go on sale in the meat case. Prepare them, slice them yourself, wrap some for freezing and enjoy the rest right away. Now we even have sliced and grated carrots! Good grief are we really getting that lazy? The other day a one pound bag of baby carrots was the same price as a three pound bag of the bigger carrots we used to peel and slice ourselves. Have you noticed in the bakery department you can now purchase pound cake that is pre-sliced? All of these are costing you money. Don’t fall into the trap.

8. Store Matches.

Many stores will match a competitors sale prices so be aware of the prices at other stores. Ask if your store will match the price. What can it hurt?

9. Keep Your Eyes Opened

Watch when checking out to make sure you get the correct price. Often, especially if you shop the first day of the ad, the sale price has not been entered into the computer. Make it a habit to check your receipt.

I would like to invite any of you who are interested in writing a guest post about how you are saving money or what you are doing to make more money, to contact me (Carolyn@TotallyReady.com). I think we need to hear from each other. There is strength in numbers.

Take some time and listen to the show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

As with everything good once someone does something well everyone jumps on the band wagon. This is exactly what has happened with seeds for long term storage. They are everywhere and can be very expensive, very expensive. I received my seeds from the Food For Everyone Foundation and they are wonderful. They were the least expensive I could find and are the best quality. What a perfect combination! So, while it may be past planting time for this year it is a good time to consider what you are doing to make sure you can plant next year if we happen to be involved in a natural disaster or you are involved in a personal one.

The seeds are non hybrid variety seeds which means I can save seeds from one crop to become the seeds for the next crop, perfect when we are talking about EMP attacks and disasters which could cause our society to be shaken to the point that all the things we run to the store to pick up are no longer there. With non hybrid seeds you could save seeds and feed your family forever!

There are 16 varieties including favorites like peas, corn, beans and tomatoes. There are staples such as lettuce, spinach and onions. Let’s not forget squash zucchini, cucumbers, peppers,chard, cabbage, radishes and beets.

The seeds come packaged in a resealable foil pouch. Perfect if you have a small space for your garden and left over seeds. There are even suggestions and tips for planting location, soil modification and moisture control.

There are guidelines for planning and harvesting every individual seed type. They outline when to plant, how long until germination,how far apart to space rows, when to thin and more.

The best part of all is that your purchase goes to support the Food For Everyone Foundation.

The Food For Everyone foundation was established as a 501©(3) public charitable foundation in 1998 to carry on the seminal vegetable gardening work of Dr. Jacob R. Mittleider.  The foundation’s stated mission is “teaching the world to grow food one family at a time.”  To this end the Mittleider vegetable gardening books have been digitized and made available as a searchable database as well as digital downloads; almost all of Dr. Mittleider’s 86 gardening training videos have been improved, digitized, and made available on CD ROM.  Free gardening seminars are conducted, and assistance is given to humanitarian projects wherever possible. Click on the Food For Everyone Foundation under BlogRoll on this page to check them out.

Take some time and listen to the show with Halli.

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

Monday was one of those emergency days that are really not serious, just a real pain in the neck. It just messes up all your plans and leaves you frustrated. Yep, Monday the power went out leaving me hot and frustrated. Then, when the power returned the Internet wouldn’t load. Then the air conditioner failed to work on a day when I decided to move around my food storage to make it more accessible.

Tonight since the air conditioner is still out and today was a miserable day I spent some time hanging mylar blankets in the windows that get the late afternoon, hot, sun. I have told you to store plenty and this is why. I know my home will remain much cooler tomorrow now that these are in place. It really is amazing how well these work. You can still see out and the light comes in but only a small amount of the heat enters your home. You may not want to place these on windows if your window is just a few feet away from a neighbor’s window as it will send the heat right into their home and along with it a bright light. Mylar blankets are much more valuable than the small price they are to purchase. Again, if you did not stock up a few weeks ago when we added these to our General Store do so now. To help you determine just how many to purchase re-read the article 23 Uses for a Mylar Blanket in the August 2009 issue of the Totally Ready Newsletter.

This week add canning jar lids to your General Store. In our neck of the woods we are making strawberry jam and canning cherries right now. If you don’t already know how to can now is the time to learn. There are tons of fruit that are wasted every year because people fail to pick and preserve the fruit on their trees. You can only eat so much….Get a friend and learn this skill. It will save you lots of money and provide you with food that is safe and yummy. Home canned foods also make great holiday gifts that are inexpensive and much appreciated. Last year I had a friend who gave her family 12 pints of jam and a basket of crackers for Christmas. Each jam was a different variety. I’m not sure about all of them but I know she made: jalapeno, pomegranate, blackberry, apricot, mint, plum and peach. Last year I made black current from juice I needed to rotate. It was really….good!

A few weeks ago a friend who had lost his job called for some advice about making strawberry jam. He had been given some free fruit and was making some to eat and some for Christmas gifts. You can do this too! This summer learn to can….

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Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

Hamburgers and hot dogs are the least expensive meats to serve at a summer barbecue. These foods do not need to be boring  however, and with just a little fore thought you can have a feast guests will talk about all summer. Now, we want to keep this inexpensive as well as fun and gourmet. This year offer a few options. Consider purchasing small dinner roll size rolls, or better yet make them. Now everyone can choose to try more than one variety with feeling guilty.

Here are just a few ideas to get your started:

The Hawaiian: Add a little teriyaki sauce into your meat. Brush your burger with a little more sauce and top with slices of pineapple that have been lightly grilled. Brush pineapple with a little butter and brown sugar before grilling fo a more carmelized finish.

South of the Border: Add a little salsa to your meat before grilling. Melt a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese or pepper jack cheese on burger. Top with avocado, jalapenos and more salsa.

Pizza Plus: Add a little spaghetti sauce to your meat. Melt a little Parmesan cheese on burger. Top with slices of pepperoni, a little more spaghetti sauce, and sliced olives. You can also finely chop pepperoni and add to meat before grilling.

Cowboy Chowdown: Top burger with grilled onions, barbecue sauce and pork and beans.

Reuben Burger: Melt Swiss cheese on grilled burger. Top with sauerkraut and a grainy mustard.

Don’t forget the traditional catsup, mustard, mayo, French dressing, pickles, sliced onion, sliced tomato and lettuce.

To keep it more economical and to keep everyone involved  assign side dishes and desserts to your guests.

What are your favorite burgers?
  

Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

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Have you ever purchased something you didn’t intend to buy and didn’t really need? Impulse buying can destroy a family’s budget and leave you with stuff that will just get sold at the next garage sale. Ever send a family member to the store for just a gallon of milk and $25.00 later they return home? It’s time for a family intervention.Now is the time to help your children learn the skills necessary to avoid debt later, and a refresher course for the adults is not a bad idea either.

1. Keep a list of items you need to purchase. Notice I said NEED. If you are making Christmas presents you may need ribbon. If it is on sale and you don’t have a current project it is a want not a need. Review the list before going to the store and stick to it. If you are sending a child or spouse do not send them with a credit card or blank check. Tell them if they choose to purchase anything not on the list it comes out of their pocket and not your budget.

2. Avoid catalogs both the snail mail and Internet variety. Just don’t look. There are always sales and specials to entice you so when you really need something there will be a sale or special offer.

3. Shop on line. Now, I know I just said to avoid catalogs on line but when you NEED something, and you know you have little self control, shop on line. Look over your purchases and then walk away. Do something else for at least a few hours, 24 hours is better, and then go back and review your purchase. If you still think you NEED the items go for it.

4. Pay cash. Establish a budget and take that amount of cash with you to the store. Leave the credit and debit cards at home. This is so important to show your children. I’m sure we have all had kids tell us to “just use your credit card” or “just write a check”.

5. Take money in large denomination bills or all one dollar bills. If you have no idea how much an items is or you have several items to purchase for gifts and don’t know what you are going to find, then take large denomination bills with you. I like $50.00 bills. I have such a hard time breaking one. A twenty, no problem. If this trick doesn’t work for you take all $1.00 bills. As you count out twenty it may just help you understand just how much you are really handing over.

6. Give yourself a time limit for how long you can spend at the store. The longer you spend the more goes in the basket.

7. If you are shopping for a gift check out gift registries online before you go to the store. Now you are prepared to go directly to that items and get out.

8. Never purchase items placed next to the checkout stand. If you really need a magazine or a pack of gum place it in your cart as you enter the store, do your shopping, and when you check out you don’t need to look at the racks near the counter only to be tempted by a candy bar or fun pen.

9. Remember everything goes on sale. If there is something you want and it goes on sale note the sale price and start saving. That items will go on sale again and when it does you will have the cash to purchase it.

Taking time to carefully consider a purchase can save lots of money and leave you feeling good and not frustrated because bills, that really need to be paid, can’t be. Remember a penny saved really is a penny earned.

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Last week the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Producer Price Index (PPI) report for March 2010 and it is frightening. Food prices in March 2010 rose by 2.4%, its sixth consecutive monthly increase and the largest monthly increase in more than 26 years. The bureau fears food inflation could be coming on a grand scale, and it will be devastating.

Prices increased during the past year as follows: fresh and dry vegetables up 56.1%, fresh fruits and melons up 28.8%, eggs 33.6%, pork 9.1%, beef and veal 10.7% and dairy products up 9.7%. Last year prices were similarly increasing at alarming rates. Many did not notice these extreme price increases because manufacturers reduced packaging sizes or, in the case of dry good such as cereals, they just reduced the number of ounces of food in the packages.

We have talked about food inflation the last several months and lack of water in California’s central valley causing some of these price increases. Now there is a new water threat. Have you heard about this one? The Clean Water Act gives the Federal Government the authority to control all navigable water ways in the country. The administration is attempting to pass the Clean Water Restoration Act of 2009 (S787). This new act would amend the 1972 Clean Water Act and replace the words “navigable waters” with “waters of the United States.” These waters would include:

(A) all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide;

(B) all interstate waters, including interstate wetlands;

(C) all other waters, such as intrastate lakes, rivers, streams (including intermittent streams), mudflats, sandflats, wetlands, sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lakes, or natural ponds;

(D) all impoundments of waters of the United States;

(E) tributaries of the aforementioned waters;

(F) the territorial seas;

(G) wetlands adjacent to the aforementioned waters.

Why do we care? How will this affect food prices? We need to care because we have seen what the federal government did in California and food from California increased in price and over 30,000 people were left unemployed. This could happen to you. If you decide to stock a pond on your property with fish as part of your food plan and an environmentalist complains that it is disrupting the life cycle of a feeder fish or water bug the government could force you to remove the fish. The government could decide a stream needed to be damned or undamned to protect a fern. Farmers whose farms are watered using a stream or pond could be denied access to those waters. Those who have cattle grazing and drinking from ponds on their own property could have access to those ponds denied. The Great Lakes will be affected by this change and some fear they could be pumped to provide drinking water to drought ridden states. You need to be concerned.

What has this to do with Money Saving Tips…nothing and everything. If we can see a threat to our economy and especially food prices, since we all need to eat, and we do nothing, we can be sure the cost of living will increase in our own homes. Sometimes saving money means acting before an event. It’s time to let Congress know we are aware of what they are trying to do and that we will remember them on election day if they make this change. Again, this appears to be a democrat vs republican issue but I have not seen a complete list so please write or call your Congress men and women and get involved.

If you have not completed stocking your general store with food I suggest you concentrate your efforts there. You may still want to add some of the non food items we are adding this year, each Monday, but you may only want to add a few and use your budget to get your food shelves full. Now is also the time to get your garden planted and to talk to friends and neighbors about sharing produce from gardens and trees. Food prices will increase and we will eventually eat our stored food and have to replace it but if you replace foods when they are on sale you will always be eating cheaper than those who failed to prepare.

I feel so strongly about this that for the next two weeks I will send any new subscribers to the Totally Ready Newsletter a copy of our March issue which includes the information you will need to store a nutritionally balanced three month supply designed for your family’s needs, not the generic list you find other places.

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This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a party with some friends, one of whom is the head of a local utility company. I had just completed a magazine article about EMPs and Solar flares and I am well aware that I will receive some mail telling me I am a fear monger, so I wanted his reaction. I told him I had just finished the article and he looked at me with very serious eyes and said, “It is a huge problem”. He went on the describe a situation several years ago when the grid went down in Canada because of a solar flare. The transformer was at capacity when the flare occurred it caused an overload and, poof, no more transformer.

Today we ask: After an EMP attack or solar flare how would you wash clothing?

As one of the Seven Steps to getting prepared, during 2008, we collected five gallon buckets from local bakeries and delis. You can often get them for free. At that time I warned that buckets which had contained pickles could not be used to store food. They are, however, perfect to make a clothes washer.

It is so simple…Take the lid from a five gallon buckets, cut a round hole, about 3 inches wide, in the center of the lid, place a new plunger in the bucket. place the lid on the bucket with the plunger handle through the hole, click the lid in place and you have a washing machine.

I have also heard of those who have industrial buckets with ringers to use for laundry. These are the buckets used for washing floors and wringing out the mop. This method will be great for wringing out clothing, helping it to dry faster on the wash line, but it is messy and you need to scrub each piece of clothing.

If you don’t have room to store both I recommend the bucket and plunger. You don’t even need to store a separate bucket, just a new plunger. When an emergency arrives just empty out a bucket you already have something stored in. Dump the food into pots or bowls and use the bucket for washing. When it is time to wring out the clothing get another person to help and ring it over a bucket and save the water for cleaning.

Now that the washing is done it is time to dry clothing. You will need rope and clothes pins. That’s it! Simple. During the winter you can hang your line over the bathtub or near the fireplace to dry your clothes. Actually hanging laundry near a fire adds moisture to the air which is a good thing as a fire can make the air very dry. .

Following are a few tips and recipes for homemade laundry detergent

You will need:

Bar Soap: Fels-Naptha, Ivory soap, are the best but Sunlight bar soap, Kirk’s Hardwater Castile, and Zote are also good choices. These can be found in the laundry isle or in the case of Ivory, in with the other bar soaps. Don’t use perfumed soaps or soaps with lotions in them.

Washing Soda: Washing soda and baking soda are not the same thing, don’t confuse the two. The purpose of washing soda is to help remove dirt and orders. In most places it can be found in the laundry section of the grocery store. If you can’t find it you can order it on line. I know you can purchase it on-line, even through Amazon.com. I would also suggest asking your grocery store manager to order some for you. You may need to purchase a case but this might be a good time to get together with friends and learn together. During an emergency they will want clean clothes too and this detergent is cheaper than the stuff from the store so even your non-preparedness buddies who are trying to save money might be up for the challenge. The cost of homemade laundry detergents is about $0.02 per load, yep, 2 cents per load.

Borax: is a naturally occurring mineral, Sodium Borate. The role of borax is as a laundry whitener and deodorizer. Again, you should be able to locate this in the laundry detergent aisle, or ask the grocer to order some to go along with your order of Washing Soda. If you have hard water or well water you may have to adjust recipes, if the clothes look dingy, and add more borax.

You will also want to have some large containers on hand to store your detergent. For liquid detergents you will want to use containers small enough for you to shake before use, as the detergent gets thick.

Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent

2 cups Soap finely grated
1 cup Washing Soda
1 cup Borax

Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.

Use 2 tablespoons per load.

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

1 bar Fels Naptha or other type of soap, as listed above

1 1/2 cups washing soda

1 1/2 cups borax powder

Grate the soap and place it in a large pot. Cover with water and heat until the soap melts. Add 1 gallon of very hot water to a five gallon bucket. Add washing soda and the borax and stir until dissolved. Add soap mixture and stir. Add enough hot water to fill the bucket. Stir well. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours or until it gels. Pour into plastic bottles filling bottles 3/4 full. Add water to fill the container, cap and shake well. Use ½ cup per load to begin with and increase the amount if you need more.

I like to store both as during an emergency you may not have the means to heat water enough to melt the powdered variety. I like the powdered to store because it is less messy and takes less room. My advice again, get some friends together and share so you have some of both.