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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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

With the economy continuing in a downward spiral we are all looking for new ways to save money or for reminders of the things we may have done in the past but forgot when times were good. Today let’s look at just a few.

Put Down As Much As You Can

When you are purchase a large ticket item on credit put down the largest deposit you can afford. Don’t be swayed by the sales person or real estate agent, who reminds you that you only need to put $—— down and you can take the rest of your cash and use it on something else. You will pay hundreds or thousands of dollars more over the life of your loan in interest charges when you make a small or no down payment. This same principle applies to all purchases. If you are buying school clothes you don’t have to put it all on your credit card. In reality you should not be using a credit card at all but if you have to don’t forget your cash. If you have $50.00 in your budget for clothing and extras this month but school clothing comes to $100.00 give the clerk your $50.. cash and have them place the remainder on your card. Lesson, put as little on your card as possible.

Eliminate extra charges

Examine your insurance policy, retirement funds, bank accounts, etc. and eliminate any extras you do not need. You may be paying for a policy which covers braces but you don’t have any children. Banks, cable companies, cell phone carriers, utility companies, all have hidden fees for things you are charged for but never use.

Determine the real cost of an item

If cable, for example is $20.00 per month it is really $240.00 per year. What could you do with $240.00? What about the newspaper? If you read it by all means keep it but if you don’t have time to read consider only getting the Sunday edition. With Hulu and Net Flicks there are so many options now to eliminate cable and still get your “fix”.

Cancel private mortgage insurance

Once you owe less than 80% of your home’s value your lender no longer requires mortgage insurance. Keep a close eye on when you reach this level and cancel the insurance. With many upside down on their mortgages this is harder to do but if you are lucky enough to have equity take advantage of that.

Now, go and do some serious examination and save, save, save.

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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.

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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

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

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.

Wow, just one question on the yahoo group about bread and everyone has jumped into the fray. I am seeing that this really is a priority for many of you. I have started baking all my own bread. It has been quite an adventure as I have been trying to create recipes that are simple to make for the bread baking impaired and for those who will have no idea how to get started when the need arises and they have no other options.

With bread making skills  do think  I will be able to trade for anything I want since I am sure none of my neighbors know how to bake bread. I just need to make sure I have enough yeast, flour and wheat on hand. I will be including lots…of recipes in the May issue of the newsletter. There was an article in last month’s issue: Bread Making. I will include more in the May issue but wanted to give you a sneak peek today.

I know we will all be thrilled that we can supply bread for our family when the needs arises but I am saving a ton of money right now by baking bread at home. I can bake a loaf for as little as $0.30. The last time I bought bread, about a month ago, the sale stuff was $2.50! Yikes! Just think if you make just 2 loaves a week that is a savings of $114.00 a year. Last week I made two artisan breads to take to a quilting retreat. One was a olive, garlic and herb and one was a cheddar cheese. They were wonderful and would have cost me at least $10.00 at a bakery or even the grocery store. The olive bread cost about $0.80 and the cheese about $0.75. I got all kinds of great ideas for how I could use these for holiday parties with meats, cheeses and dips. I could make a spread that people would ooh and ahh over and it would cost almost nothing! Those recipes are in the May newsletter also.

Speaking of that, are you still putting aside money in your holiday fund? Remember just $5.00 a week could pay for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner or give you a great start on holiday gift buying.

Ok, now for a few tips:

Adding garlic or ginger to your bread will help to preserve your bread and will also stimulate yeast growth. You should always use both of these only in the powdered form. You are using such a small amount that it will not alter the flavor of the bread. Add: 1/4 Teaspoon per loaf

Add cake flour to your bread flour to make a lighter textured pizza dough. It really does help. Substitute 1/4 C cake flour for 1/4 C flour in your recipe.

A good rise in your bread is all dependent on your leavening agent. White flour does not contain as much gluten as bread flour and wheat flour contains none. Gluten is formed in wheat flour as it is kneaded and the warmth causes glutenin ( a protein)  and gliandin to form gluten. For this reason added kneading will improve the quality of the rise you get in your bread when you are using wheat or regular white flour.

Focaccia or Pizza

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees

Combine:

1 1/4 C water and 1 T fresh rosemary in small pot. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit 5 minutes. Strain

Combine:

1 1/4 C warm rosemary water

1 T honey

1 T yeast

add:

1 tsp. salt

2 ½ to 3 C flour (for softer crust pizza substitute 1/2 C cake flour for all purpose flour)

1.. Mix until well blended, knead and let rise ½ to 1 hour or until double in size

2. Roll out dough to desired thickness, place on greased cookie sheet or pizza pan, add toppings.

Bake till golden brown.

For Focaccia:

Roll out to ½ inch thick. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with any combination of fresh rosemary, basil, grated Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, olives, sun dried or fresh tomatoes….

For Pizza:

Roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread with pizza sauce or seasoned tomato sauce. Add favorite pizza toppings. Bake until golden.

Back to our General Store….This week add aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen to your store shelves. We are adding a three month supply so if you have special needs ad more but for those who don’t add one bottle of each. Remember these will remain good and will not expire for at least two years past the expiration date on the package.

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I’m heading out of town for a few days and I was originally going to have those staying home to post for me but just felt it was a lot to ask so today’s post will be the last this week. As I thought about what to write in regards to saving money this week I was cleaning the fridge and really become frustrated with the food I was throwing away. Not much , but any amount of waste is too much. For the past year I have been creating and experimenting with recipes which use the foods we have stored, namely canned fruits and veggies, in unique ways. The goal was to help the reader rotate the foods they have stored. As I reflected I realized it was also valuable to think of creative ways to use our leftover foods. Every time we throw away foods we need to purchase foods to make our meals. When we use our leftovers we stretch our food budget saving money for other things, hopefully, more self reliance supplies for our General Stores.

In that spirit I share these recipes with you in hopes that they will get you thinking more creatively about how you are using those leftovers in ways that none of the family will notice.

To use left over mashed potatoes:

Potato Dinner Rolls

5 C Flour
1 C Mashed potatoes
3/4 C Butter
1 C Scalded milk
1/3 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
2 1/2 tsp. Yeast

1. Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk with sugar and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Combine 1 C flour and salt.

3. Combine eggs, butter and potatoes.

4. Add flour to bowl from mixer.

5. Add potato mixture.

6. Add milk and yeast mixture.

7. Mix until blended.

8. Begin adding remaining flour a little at a time until you your dough pulls away from mixing bowl but is still a little sticky.

9. Using the paddle attachment knead for 5 minutes.

10. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled, about 2 hours.

11. Place dough on counter and knead a few times.

12. Form into desired rolls and place on cookie sheet.

13. Let rise 1 hour.

14, Bake in a 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

15. Brush tops with butter while still warm, if desired.

*** Add a little red food coloring and use to make tea sandwiches…see below

Twice “Baked” Potatoes

Left over mashed potatoes

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

4 strips bacon

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1. Cook bacon and set aside to drain. Cool and dice.

2. Combine 3/4 cup of grated cheese, sour cream and green onions.

3. Combine warm potatoes and cheese mixture

4. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

5. Spoon potato mixture into cups making a small well in the center.

6. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and diced bacon.

Bake 325º until warmed through and cheese is browned

I remember when my nana used to make little tea sandwiches. She would make the first layer eggs salad and the second ham spread. They were so yummy and just the right size for little hands.

Left over Ham: I remember my nana making ham spread and egg salad tea sandwiches for us. They were so good and made me feel so special.

Ham Spread

1 pound cooked ham

2 teaspoons pickle relish (dill or sweet…try some of both)

1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/4 cup creamy salad dressing (Miracle Whip type)

1. Cut ham into bite sized pieces.

2. Place into food processor, grind on pulse until very coarse.

3. Add pickle relish and pulse a few more times.

4. Combine mustard and salad dressing.

5. Combine ham and dressing and mix well.

Serve on crackers or make old fashioned tea sandwiches. Tea sandwiches are so much fun for a little girls tea party.

Option 2: Leave out relish and serve on toast topped with a poached egg. Really yummy!

Left over chili or taco meat:

Pizza: Using a store bought or homemade crust spread with meat, top with diced tomatoes, black olives and green onions. Sprinkle with grated Colby jack marbled cheese. Bake 375º until cheese is melted.

Nachos: Top tortilla chips with warmed meat, diced onion, olives, salsa, melted cheese and sour cream.

Potato Bar: Slice hot baked potato beginning and ending 1/2 inch from each end. Squeeze inward from the ends forming a bowl. Add meat, grated cheese, sour cream.

Taco soup: Combine 2 cans diced tomatoes, 1 can corn, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can green beans, chili or meat. Heat through. Add more taco seasoning if desired.

Chili Tamale Pie

Left over Chili

1 Can corn

1 Can diced tomatoes

1 Small can diced chillies

1 Cornbread muffin mix

1 C grated cheese

1. Combine chili, corn, tomatoes with liquid.

2. Place in oven proof dish.

3. Make corn bread according to package directions.

4. Drain chillies and combine with corn bread.

5. Spoon cornbread over chili.

6. Sprinkle with cheese.

7. Bake according to package direction until cornbread is cooked.

Leftover veggie, baked potatoes and meat

Frittata

Use up left over veggies, baked potatoes and meat.

10-12 Eggs

1 Cup favorite cheese

1. Move oven rack so it is six to eight inches from the top. Turn on broiler.

2. Using a skillet with an oven proof handle, add about a tablespoon of oil and one tablespoon of butter.

3.Slice leftover baked potatoes. Place in skillet and brown.

4. Add leftover veggies and meat and heat through.

5. Whisk 10-12 eggs with 1 tablespoon of water or milk.

6. Add half of the cheese

7. Pour egg and cheese mixture into the skillet. Moving the egg from the edge into the center stir eggs gently until eggs are still wet but mostly cooked, about a minute of two.

8. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Put skillet under broiler. Watch carefully while top browns and eggs finish cooking. This will take 2-4 minutes

9. Remove skillet from oven and let sit for about 3 minutes to finish cooking in center.

Serves six

Enjoy! Please share your favorite recipes for using leftovers with us.

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I got a big thank you today from the guys I told you about who are trying to win an app design contest. The contest ends this Friday but the app will be good forever. It seems they have had lots and lots of hits from the blog and really appreciate your support. If you have not already done so please click through and download the iphone/android app today for your free Red Box movies and discount codes for pizza. If you have downloaded the app open it today so they get to count your traffic. These are two students trying to pay bills and they are also preppers like us, so lets support them if we can. It’s all free too!  http://redboxpromocode.com/

I am trying to track how many of you have been to can organizer by clicking on the link on our home page and how many have purchased after using the link. I’m trying to track down a problem so if you placed an order with can organizer will you please send me a note at carolyn@TotallyReady.com and let me know what you purchased.  Thanks a bunch.

Next, I have had a few people comment on the post I did a few weeks ago about purchasing books to download.

“Today I want to talk abut ways to get books inexpensively or for free. I discovered some new apps which are, unfortunately, only on the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi right now. You can purchase these books for 99 cents. Check them out at: http://appible.com/a/our-apps/palm-webos/ They currently have 56 titles available. Many of these are collections so you actually receive more than one book and some of the books in the collections are not published individually. Prices for collection range from $1.50-$3.50.

One example of a collection is called the Romance Classics Collection and includes: Little Women, Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, A Room With A View, Wives and Daughters, & The Scarlet Letter . This collection sells for only $3.00 or 27 cents a book!
Included in their selections are many of the books our children are required to read in junior high and high school. I always tried to read what my kids were reading so I would know what was being required of them.”

I had some ask why you would pay if you can download them for free. A great questions, so here is the answer.

I have had several mention people mention the book “One Second After” as a great resource for information about what will happen after an EMP attack. Check it out.

I’m currently looking for new auto insurance. The plan is to get a few quotes and then to see if my current company will match them, after all I have been with the same company for 20 years. There are a few things I have learned as I have been looking around and a few things I have learned through experience.

First: If you have teen drivers. Don’t buy them a car. If your child is only an occasional driver you may not need to insure them at all, just like you do not insure me but if I drive your car and have an accident I am covered. Check out your policy to see if this is possible. All insurance companies offer a better rate for good grades so, kill two birds with one stone and get those grades up and driving privileges follow. There are also companies which will reduce your rate if your child watches a video or takes a short class and passes a simple test.

If you must purchase  a car so they can get to school or a job purchase a clunker. They are cheaper it insure and you may be able to drop the collision insurance on that car (see below). Use this car to run errands yourself and list your student as a driver less than 50 % of the time, 75% is even better.  If your child goes away to college check your policy. You may be able to reduce your rates if the school is in a lower risk area than the county you live in.

Second: Drop collision insurance. If you have an older car check the blue book value of the car. If the value is below or even slightly higher than your deductible drop the coverage. Insurance companies pay the lowest blue book value so if you car is worth $1,000 and your deductible is $1,000 you will not get a penny. If the deductible is $500 you may still want to consider this option as your insurance rate will go up after a claim. Get out a paper and pencil and do the math.

Third: Don’t file a claim unless you have lots of money coming back from the insurance company. Again, after you file a claim your rates will increase. Unfair, yes, but true.

Fourth: Ask your agent to walk you through EVERY discount they offer. Some offer discounts for teachers, law enforcement, military service and also low mileage drivers. If you work from home or have a commute that is only a few miles you will qualify.

Fifth: Shop around. Even Costco offers insurance policies now. Check with your employer, credit union, AAA, AARP, on line. There are so many choices out there now so have make, model and year for each of your cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. ready and start shopping. Be sure you compare apples to apples, the same deductible, same collision coverage, same bodily injury, etc.

I bet you’ll find you can save money by taking a new look at your policy. If you know of a great buy feel free to share it with the rest of us. Good luck.

Watch for your Totally Ready Newsletter tomorrow! This month there are lots of great recipes, directions for cooking without electricity, storing foods safely and much more.

Don’t forget to get those free movies from Red Box and pizza discounts at:

http://redboxpromocode.com/

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Today I have been thinking a lot about education. We have had quite a spirited discussion on the yahoo group about the new health care and it reminded me just how important it is to become well educated. It is my goal to educate you to the dangers that are or may be around the corner and giving you the skills to deal with them. I have tried to do that through our General Store, our Money Saving Wednesdays, our Friday tips and now helping you to see what others are doing to earn extra money so you can support them or get inspired.

That said, don’t forget to download and open the iphone/Android app that was in the post yesterday and spread the word to all your friends. http://redboxpromocode.com/ Please remind your friends to open it each day until April 9th so Appible can win the contest! The app will continue to work and offer free movies and great pizza deals after the contest ends so it will be a great benefit to the budget for a long time…perfect for a Money Saving Wednesday!

Today I want to talk abut ways to get books inexpensively or for free. I discovered some new apps which are, unfortunately, only on the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi right now. You can purchase these books for 99 cents. Check them out at: http://appible.com/a/our-apps/palm-webos/ They currently have 56 titles available. Many of these are collections so you actually receive more than one book and some of the books in the collections are not published individually. Prices for collection range from $1.50-$3.50.

One example of a collection is called the Romance Classics Collection and includes: Little Women, Anna Karenina, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, A Room With A View, Wives and Daughters, & The Scarlet Letter . This collection sells for only $3.00 or 27 cents a book!
Included in their selections are many of the books our children are required to read in junior high and high school. I always tried to read what my kids were reading so I would know what was being required of them.

Books in this format are great for those times when you are waiting for soccer or ballet practice to end. I’ll let you know as soon as I hear they are offering these on other platforms.

We have talked in the past about swap meets and they are a great way to get “new” books for free. Families with children slightly older than yours will probably have the books your kids need for school and will be happy to swap them for some newer titles. If they don’t want to swap then maybe you can borrow but please be prompt about returning them or they won’t be anxious to loan next time.

We often forget about the library. Most small libraries have an agreement with a larger library and they lend each other books. You have to “order” these but it usually only takes a few days for them to come in. Libraries also often have yearly book sales at which time they clear out older,damaged books and books which are not being checked out on a regular basis. You can often pick up some really great books that you remember from your own childhood but have been republished with more up to date artwork. I’d much rather have the older editions.

For all of you bloggers/book club members, publishers will often send you a free copy of a book if you review it on your blog. Most publishers state their review copy policy right on their website and many are anxious to share with those who will promote the book through a review. Please follow through and review the book if you are making this type of request. Many book companies will also send copies of books to be used at school fund raisers. The request should be submitted on school letterhead.

PaperBackSwap is another resources for getting books free! You do have to pay postage to swap books. You start out by adding 10 books to their system. Once you’d added your 10 books, you’ll receive credits to spend on books you want. They do have a wish list so you don’t have to look through all the listings if you already know which books you are looking for. Remember you will have to pay the cost of shipping the books you are offering to those “purchasing”.

Finally check for promotion codes on line from book stores. There are many book sellers on line. Find a book you want to purchase and then look for a promotion by searching on the store name/promotion code.

Keep reading. The education that comes from reading is fundamental to making wise choices and securing your future.

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Yesterday I told you I was going to begin promoting those who were trying to add to their family income. Today I would ask you to help my son who has the opportunity to win a competition with a nice cash prize. You simple go to the link above and download the APP onto your iphone or Android. The APP is free and includes promo codes for a free movie from Red Box and also has promo codes for discounts on pizza purchases.

The APP is free and the codes are great, a real win, win. To really help please include the link on your blogs and on twitter, facebook etc. Everyone appreciates a free movie coupon! After you download click on the link each day.

Don’t have an iphone or Android, then send this info on to all the college students and 20 somethings you know, they will.

Matt and his business partner have been designing APPs now for a few years and they do a great job for a very reasonable cost. This is their chance to add to their portfolio and also a chance to pay some bills. They are students with college debt….

Thanks for your help!

Now it’s your turn. Send me the info on things you are doing and I will give you a promotion here.