The U.S. poverty rate soared to 14.3 percent in 2009, its highest level in 15 years. The rate was up from 13.2 percent in 2008. I can’t begin to imagine what the rate will be when the statistics are analyzed for 2010.With unemployment rates higher this year than last, those figures will undoubtedly rise. In the county in which I live the poverty rate rose to 20 % with a 17.5% unemployment rate.

The number of people living in poverty nationally rose from 39.8 million in 2008 to 43.6 million in 2009, the most in the 51 years for which poverty figures are available.

The report also showed median household income actually fell to $49,777 in 2009 from $50,112 in 2008. Not much, but any drop means a small jump for some and a huge drop for others.

At the same time we have seen these drops we have witnessed the increase in food prices meaning our purchasing power is also down from last year. I hope you all took advantage of fresh fruits and vegetable this summer and did some canning, freezing and drying. I also hope you are continuing to encourage those around you to wake up to the realities in the economy right now.

If you have not been building your General Store what is holding you back?

I had a long talk with a man who was at my home canning with me. He is out of work and his wife was away with the kids visiting her family. We gleaned tomatoes and then made spaghetti sauce, salsa and tomato and apple relish (it is so….good!). His family has been working hard on food storage this year and he told me if they can do it while on unemployment, anyone can. He’s right. Anyone can. You must make this a priority now.

The election will hopefully change a few things but in California the voters are too under educated about the facts and are easily swayed by party affiliation. I’m holding out hope but I doubt there will be a significant change here. Why will that affect you? Well, the majority of the food grown in this country is grown in California. If we don’t see a change we will have less farmland planted, more farmland blown away because or a lack of water allocations and increased unemployment and poverty levels. All Americans are paying for the government programs all those who are unemployed are living on. Our purchasing power will go down even more. Your best investment and hedge against inflation? FOOD…Commit today and stock your General Store.

Tip # 30 Store food now. If you have no extra cash then eat breakfast for dinner this week, and use the money you save by not purchasing meat and other dinner ingredients, to purchase some food storage. Ask for food storage as gifts. No matter how little store food this week.

The October edition of the Totally Ready Newsletter will be hitting emails later today.

In This Issue:

Year to date inventory of Our General Store

Survival Skills: Seizures

Gathering Important Documents

Safely Storing Important Documents

Inventory Your Home

Upcoming Ready or Not Shows

Emergency Contact Forms to Complete and Store

Fall Recipes to Rotate Food Storage

Review Tips…For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, auto insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

#21 Teach all family members to text.

#22 Make copies of your home owners insurance and medical insurance papers

# 23- Create a list of 10 meals your family loves. List all the ingredients in those recipes

#24 Create a list of items you would like to add to your preparedness inventory and give this list to everyone who gives you birthday or holiday gifts.

# 25  Add water to your water storage.  For more help with water storage check out  your copy of Mother Hubbard: What She’s Doing Now.

#26 Teach each family member how and where to turn off the gas, electricity and water into your home.

# 27 Do a little research and find out which TV and radio stations will broadcast emergency information in your area during a disaster

# 28 Inventory laundry room

#29 Inventory basement and/ or attic. If you don’t have either but have a shed be sure to inventory the shed.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

Last night we had a fabulous show. If you missed it you will want to listen today. We barely scratched the surface of all there is to know about preparing now to deal with insurance issues later. We hardly talked at all about after the disaster. Jim will be returning on October 19th so we can continue our discussion. Listen to the show now and have your questions ready for him on the 19th. If you are currently dealing with the aftermath of a disaster and going the rounds with the insurance company DO NOT sign anything until you have listened to both shows. Last night show:

http://www.bepreparedradio.com/category/prepper-podcasts/ready-or-not/

This morning the power went out so I decided to use the time to inventory my office. It took 20 minutes. I took some shots from a distance and then close ups of the books so you could read the titles. I opened every drawer and every cupboard. I have one set of art books published in 1888 so I opened the books and shot a picture of the publication date, author info and publisher info. If you have not been keeping up with our tips this month, and do none of the others, begin today to inventory your home. It is crucial to being able to rebuild later should the need arise.

Today I am very happy to welcome Makana as a regular contributor to the Totally Ready Blog. She will be sharing great deals as she finds them and also posting every other Wednesday. I have had several people tell me they have to begin using coupons and taking advantage of special offer because of the crummy economy so Makana has agreed to help. Here is her first post:

Halloween is quickly upon us and with that means a great opportunity to decorate and eat sweets This is one of my favorite websites. I am able to subscribe and get daily emails with ways to create cute decor without spending a lot of money

http://www.howdoesshe.com/free-exclusive-halloween-printables

You will have to sign up on the email list to get it. But if you are crafty or want to be or just like to get free printables for  every occasion, then this is worth it.

If you don’t know what Zazzle.com is, it is a place where you can make customized shirts, bags etc. I thought it was a silly thing until I was surprised my McKay with my very own “Mommy of 1 shirt”. I have seen them in Boutiques and online    and they are generally $40 at least.

Today you can get your $50 worth of things for $25. I know I am using mine for a birthday present and for a Christmas present.

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu8200556

And lastly, you can get a 16 page hardcover photo book for $10 from Pixable. That is a 67% savings. This is another great gift or something for you to have. I used to scrapbook but have found that these are just as nice and a lot easier. http://livingsocial.com/deals/8895?ref=addthis-share5

Be sure to sign up to get your own daily deals. This is a one day deal only!

And for all you couponers out there, be sure to load your ecoupons onto your shopper card by using cellfire and shortcuts.  And if you got the paper on Sunday with the P&G coupons, you can get an Oral-B Vitality toothbrush from CVS for free   (after Extra Care Bucks). It is on sale for $23.

You get $13 back in ECB, and with the coupon from this Sundays P&G insert of $10, you just got a free toothbrush!

Thanks Makana!

Tips # 28 and 29:

# 28: Inventory laundry room

#29 Inventory basement and/ or attic. If you don’t have either but have a shed be sure to inventory the shed.

Review Tips…For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, auto insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

#21 Teach all family members to text.

#22 Make copies of your home owners insurance and medical insurance papers

# 23- Create a list of 10 meals your family loves. List all the ingredients in those recipes

#24 Create a list of items you would like to add to your preparedness inventory and give this list to everyone who gives you birthday or holiday gifts.

# 25  Add water to your water storage.  For more help with water storage check out  your copy of Mother Hubbard: What She’s Doing Now.

#26 Teach each family member how and where to turn off the gas, electricity and water into your home.

# 27 Do a little research and find out which TV and radio stations will broadcast emergency information in your area during a disaster

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010

Tomorrow’s radio show is truly a must for everyone. We will be discussing what you need to do now so you will be able to rebuild after a disaster. It is extremely difficult to maneuver through the insurance maze after the lost of your home or possessions. We will share with you the experiences of a survivor of the 2003 San Diego fires. If you know anyone who has lost a home in San Bruno, CA…Colorado…or Herriman Utah please, please pass the word to them to listen. It is critical you begin the process armed with information so you don’t get left with only a portion of what you need to rebuild. Join Jim and me tomorrow at 6:00pm Pacific time. Please facebook, twitter, email, call, just share the link with all your friends and family. Ready or Not every Tuesday at 6:00pm Pacific!

This week if you are working on food, add 10 cans of vegetables per family member to our General Store. Remember variety is the spice of life! You may add the traditional veggies, or pickled veggies, sauerkraut, spaghetti sauce, artichokes, three bean salad, just be creative.

For those who have finished their food section add several gallons of unscented bleach. Bleach can be used to purify water or to clean up after a disaster as well as for everyday use. Some recommend powdered chlorine in place of bleach. The powder is very toxic and because I am always afraid of the kids and pets getting into it I like the liquid. You must decide for your family and get what you feel is the most appropriate. Liquid bleach does lose some of it’s potency after a year but that just means you need to add a little more.

Tip Number 27…we’re almost done with our thirty tips!

Do a little research and find out which TV and radio stations will broadcast emergency information in your area during a disaster. Post these where you can find them when the need arises as you will be stressed and will likely forget.

Review Tips…For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, auto insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

#21 Teach all family members to text.

#22 Make copies of your home owners insurance and medical insurance papers

# 23- Create a list of 10 meals your family loves. List all the ingredients in those recipes

#24 Create a list of items you would like to add to your preparedness inventory and give this list to everyone who gives you birthday or holiday gifts.

Tip # 25  Add water to your water storage.  For more help with water storage check out  your copy of Mother Hubbard: What She’s Doing Now.

Tip #26 Teach each family member how and where to turn off the gas, electricity and water into your home.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Food security is defined by the United Nations as having enough food on to feed a country’s population. The United Nations estimates the need for food will more than double over the next 50 years. Their scientists believe the only way to avoid wide spread famine is to re-invest in agriculture and in agricultural practices.

Many of you who have been following Totally Ready for a while know the opposite is happening in our country. In California we continue to limit water to farmers to protect a smelt. This has lead to top soil being lost and crops going unplanted for several years now. This is all due to the federal government’s control of California water supplies. More and more government controls are being placed on farmers throughout the country leading to many selling their land for development.

I still marvel at those who do not understand that when the land is lost our ability to grow the food we need as a nation diminishes. Wal Mart and Krogers do not grow food! With an increased demand for food we will be held hostage to foreign countries to import what we need. What happens when the the countries we import our food from can no longer export because they need their food supplies to feed their own population?

Right now Russia has decided to ban wheat exports after a drought wiped out 25 percent of its crop. The decision increased food prices about 5 percent worldwide. Massive floods in Pakistan caused huge losses to the country’s crops. African beetles are destroying bee hives in Australia. Researchers have warned that this could lead to increased food prices as bees are needed to pollinate many crops.

“While nations debate what to do about long-term problems such as climate change and dwindling water supplies, two words send immediate shivers down the spines of government officials across the world: Food security.

A series of environmental disasters fueling a wave of food price volatility has given governments, “a much needed wakeup call,” said Abdolreza Abbassian, an economist for the United Nation’s Security of Intergovernmental Group on Grains.

“The pace in which prices went up, nobody predicted markets could turn so fast,” said Abbassian. “It’s been two months and we’re still struggling with it.”

In the years ahead we’ll probably be seeing more of the turbulence we’re experiencing now because markets are set to become more volatile in the medium term for at least three reasons: a) the growing importance as a cereal producer of the Black Sea region, where yields fluctuate greatly from one season to the next; b) the expected increase of extreme weather events linked to climate change; and c) the growing importance of non-commercial actors in commodities markets,” Ghanem said in an interview posted on the UN Food and Agricultural Organization website.”

http://www.cnn.com/2010/BUSINESS/09/22/un.food.security.poverty/index.html?hpt=C1

As responsible  people we can not ignore this threat. Fifty years may seem a long way away and many of us will be gone but we all know forecasts such as this are based on scenarios in which conditions remain the same as they are today. What happens when conditions change. This week President Obama is introducing a resolution at the United Nations that would require wealthy nations to support with food and money, poor countries. I doubt this will pass but if it did that would definitely change things. Less food stockpiled and more money going out of the country. Neither is good. Should there be a several year drought, severe flooding at planting time, severe winters, tornadoes just before harvest, war, terrorism, a pandemic where farm workers could not get out to plant or harvest,  that 50 years could quickly turn into just 10 years. We must learn from the warnings we are receiving and get our own house in order. Begin today to formulate a plan to feed your family should food become scarce or just too expensive to afford. Be more diligent in stocking your General Store and plan to garden and can whenever possible.

Tip # 23- Create a list of 10 meals your family loves. List all the ingredients in those recipes. If more than one includes the same ingredient, such as pasta, make a hash mark next to that item each time it appears. You have just created your shopping list for your General Store. With those ingredients you will be able to create dozens of dishes and you will know you like everything in those dishes so everyone will eat them.

Tip #24 Create a list of items you would like to add to your preparedness inventory. This could include food as well as non food items such as Dutch ovens, water purifier, survival kits, tents, or even firewood. Mail or give this list to everyone who gives you birthday or holiday gifts and tell them these are the items you would like. I have started a fund for something I am saving for and my kids give me money to add to that fund on special occasions.

Tip # 25  Add water to your water storage. Fill empty canning jars with water, place a clean, used, lid upside down on the jar and screw on the lid. Fill empty plastic juice bottles, bleach bottle, etc. You can purchase water at the store but remember water that is stored in soft plastic bottles will eventually leak. Never store water in milk bottles. For more help with water storage check out  your copy of Mother Hubbard: What She’s Doing Now.

Tip #26 Teach each family member how and where to turn off the gas, electricity and water into your home.

Review Tips…For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, auto insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

#21 Teach all family members to text.

#22 Make copies of your home owners insurance and medical insurance papers

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

We had a great show last night on READY OR NOT with Makana Hansen. She is terrific and has agreed to post shopping tip on Money Saving Wednesdays. I know I learned several new things so if you didn’t listen please go download the show READY OR NOT. You should be aware the show is the second hour so you will have to fast forward to the sixty minute mark and listen. There were problems with the audio last night so you will need to adjust the volume as need be. I am trying to work out the problem now. Please be patient as we try to work through these glitches.

Makana recommended a few web sites which I have been exploring today. They are: http://www.couponing101.com/ , http://thekrazycouponlady.com/,  http://print.coupons.com/ , http://shortcuts.com/ , http://www.cellfire.com/,  http://www.restaurants.com/

I just bought two $25.00 restaurant coupons for $2.00 each!!! at restaurants.com. I am so excited. I can take guests to dinner and save $23.00 on the bill. My husband has to take clients out all the time and it costs us a fortune so I’m going to visit this site again.

Tip #22 Make a copy of your home owners insurance and medical insurance papers and add them to your items to send to your out of area contact and place them in your 72 hour kits.

Just a reminder: If you would like a copy of Joyce’s Moseley Pierce’s ebook All They’ll Need to Know to help you prepare your important documents get it at the special price for Ready or Not listeners at:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, auto insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

#21 Teach all family members to text.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Tonight’s radio show and a presentation I am making tonight to our County Emergency Responders have me pulling my hair out today so I’ll get right to our tips.

First tip…listen to the show tonight! We are discussing saving money will shopping with Makana Hansen. It will be fun. She has some amazing stories to share! READY OR NOT
6:00pm Pacific time. Call in phone number: 347-326-9604

I have a real love hate relationship with texting. I hate, hate, hate texting at church, in school ,while driving, when out to dinner with friends and family, oh so much texting is just rude! Texting however can be great during a crisis. When cell phones are not working after a hurricane, earthquake, fire, terrorist attack, etc. a text can often get through. So it is with apprehension that I say tip number 21…” teach all family members to text”.

If you would like a copy of Joyce’s Moseley Pierce’s ebook All They’ll Need to Know to help you prepare your important documents get it at the special price for Ready or Not listeners at:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, car insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

#20  Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO WIN AN EMERGENCY KIT FROM HEALTHY HARVEST.

LISTEN TO THE READY OR NOT with Joyce Moseley Pierce  FOR DETAILS !!!

Tomorrow I will host Makana Hansen as my guest on READY OR NOT . Makana is an expert on saving money when shopping. She will discuss coupon shopping, not only for groceries but also other items we purchase often, and even those we buy just for fun. Be sure to have your questions ready so you can call in or join us in the chat room. Join us tomorrow, Tuesday September 21st at 6:00pm pacific time.

Food prices are set to rise again. We have been hearing for some time about the disastrous wheat crops in Russia and Pakistan this year. Exports have been eliminated which has dramatically but world supply and increased demand. As a result of these crop failures prices are increasing on wheat in every other region of the world, including in the United States. Australian bee colonies are being destroyed by an African beetle which mean increased prices not only on honey but also on all the crops bees pollinate.  None of this is good news for the pocketbook. We will just keep taking those small steps each week to prepare and the store our personal General Stores so we can weather the increases in price with little affect on our bottom line.

This week add insect spray to your shelves. The best time to reduce the wasp population is in early spring when you see your first wasp. I realize that is a long way in the future right now but if you have that spray on hand you can quickly kill those first wasps and save lots of headaches later. Wasp spray is also a great defensive weapon. You can remain 15 feet away from an attacker  while spraying them and slowing them down. It may sound harsh but it’s better than becoming a victim. After a disaster you will have lots and lots of unwelcome creeping and crawling “visitor” so be prepared now to deal with them when they arrive.

For our store shelves we are adding 2 pounds of cheese per person to our store. Waxing cheese is easy to do and will preserve your cheese for years while it sits on a shelf in a cool, dark place. There are complete instructions in the September 2009 Newsletter.

Today’s Tip # 20: Place a flashlight and whistle next to or slightly under each bed in the house. It is a good idea, especially if you are in earthquake country, to place these in a plastic bag or other container which can be secured to the leg of the bed where it can be reached without getting out of bed.

If you would like a copy of Joyce’s Moseley Pierce’s ebook All They’ll Need to Know to help you prepare your important documents get it at the special price for Ready or Not listeners at:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, car insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO WIN AN EMERGENCY KIT FROM HEALTHY HARVEST. LISTEN TO THE READY OR NOT with Joyce Moseley Pierce  FOR DETAILS !!!

Last month’s Foreclosure numbers are staggering. Nationwide there were 95,000 home foreclosures, up 25% from the numbers last year! The economy can not rebound until these numbers change dramatically. Food prices are still on the rise and no one really knows the implications of the wheat crisis in Russia. Please continue to stock up on food and learn to use and rotate the foods you store.

For those who may be new to Totally Ready I need to take a second to let you know we are not about fear here. We are about information so you can make decisions for your family which will enable you to be safe and to thrive no matter what challenges are thrown your way. As those who have been around for some time know, I have been concerned about a pandemic for several years. Then, it happened! However, the pandemic we experienced was not the dreaded H5N1 or bird flu, but rather the H1N1, swine flu. It was mild, which is actually a concern for me. I am worried everyone will now look at medical emergencies, such as super bugs and a pandemic flu as not a big deal. This is not the case. These can, in fact, be very deadly and we are still at risk for this emergency, historically, it is overdue. We still need to be gaining knowledge and preparing. If you are in need of great (ok I’m prejudice) information on how to prep for and treat medical emergencies, especially a flu, check out my ebook Prep Not Panic

“The drug-resistant bacteria are already a widespread problem in India, and all of the cases reported in the U.S. and Canada cases of this bug have been linked to people who recently received medical care in Indian facilities. Dozens of cases were also seen in Britain in people who had recently returned from India where they had undergone medical procedures. Because of it’s origins, scientists have named the gene NDM-1 after New Delhi.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. cases that occurred this year were seen in patients from California, Massachusetts and Illinois. And so far, the gene has mostly been found in bacteria that cause gut or urinary infections.

The CDC is urging doctors to look for the NDM-1 gene in people recently returning from India or Pakistan — countries that according to officials — have the right conditions for widespread transmission.”

It’s obvious we’re losing the war against these “superbugs,” even here in the U.S., and here are five reasons why…

1. Over utilization of antibiotics.

2. Using antibiotics as a “cure-all.”

3. Medical tourism.

4. Massive legal and illegal immigration.

5. Lack of research and development.

http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/09/14/new-superbug-on-the-rise/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogs%2Fhealthblog+%28Internal+-+Health+-+Blog%29

Tips 16-19: Again we are going to work on things that will take a little time, thus a weekend task.

#16 Inventory bathrooms and hall closets

#17 Inventory garage

#18 Make copies of your home owners or renters insurance.

#19 Make copies of the front and back of all credit cards and record the contact phone numbers for all cards on these copies.

If you would like a copy of Joyce’s Moseley Pierce’s ebook All They’ll Need to Know to help you prepare your important documents get it at the special price for Ready or Not listeners at:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

# 15  Copy your driver’s license, car insurance policy and birth certificates for your important documents file. We had a great show Tuesday night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Benjamin Franklin said  “a penny saved in a penny earned”.

This week’s tip is to save those pennies. This week don’t spend any money. Try going for an entire week without spending money. You may pay bills and put gas in the car but other than that, nothing! I tried this several months ago and thought it would be so easy since I work from home and truthfully, don’t get out much. The first day was easy. I stayed home. The second day I had to mail a copy of one of my books on CD to a customer so I had to leave the house. I was good until I finished filling the gas tank and thought “It’s already 5:00 and I didn’t take anything out for dinner I’ll just stop”. NO. I was so tired and really…just wanted a quick taco. I went home empty handed and made toast and eggs, quick, easy and cheaper than eating out. The remainder of the week was the same. I picked up a prescription and really wanted something for my food storage that was a BOGO. I didn’t do it and when I got home I discovered I already had plenty of barbecue sauce in my three month supply.

Make it a goal this week, no spending money. Jot down every time you are tempted and by the end of the week you will be shocked just how much you saved and…you are still fine, healthy and happy! Now you have that money to invest in food storage or stocking your emergency kit!

Tip # 15

Take your driver’s license, car insurance policy and birth certificates and make copies for your important documents file. We had a great show last night with tips and info about collecting important documents and just why it is so vital. If you missed the show download it and listen today.

For those who were listening don’t forget to follow the directions on the show and get your name in the drawing for the office kit from Healthy Harvest.

If you would like a copy of Joyce’s ebook at the special price for Ready or Not listeners go to:

http://emersonpublications.com/?page_id=197

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

#14 Sort through medicine cabinet. Replace expired medications.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Join me tonight as I talk with Joyce Moseley Pierce about her book All They’ll Need to Know. We will be discussing the importance of gathering documents and just which document to collect and copy. Want a copy of Joyce’s book for free? Just call in tonight with your questions.Join us tonight and every Tuesday night for READY OR NOT at 6:00pm Pacific Time on the Preparedness Radio Network.

Today’s tip is number 14 already. Today listen to READY OR NOT. This will be important as we proceed so please listen tonight or download tomorrow and listen. In addition sort through your medicine cabinets and throw away expired medications. Tablets are good for two years past the expiration dates and liquids about six months.

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

# 13 Inventory and update 72 hour kits. If you are just beginning collect back packs for every family member.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/search/carolyn-nicolaysen/

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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 am busily trying to wrap up the loose ends for my new book. With that and the radio show it seems there are fewer hours in a day then there were a few weeks ago. Anyone else notice the days are getting shorter?

Let’s just jump right into our General Store preparations. This week we are adding dish washing detergent. If you use a dish washer purchase a three month supply of the detergent you use. You will however, want to also store a three month supply of liquid detergent. If you are called upon to live off the grid due to a solar flare or EMP there will be no dishwashers to use. Winter is also approaching and that means an increase in power outages so, again, get ready and add both forms of dish washing detergent to the cleaning supplies section of your General Store.

For those working of food storage in your General Store this is a week to store veggies. Stock up on 10 cans per family member. If you like frozen foods a 16oz. bag equals 2 cans. Be sure to store canned along with frozen just in case your emergency includes a power outage which spoils your frozen foods.

It’s also a great time to ask friends and family if they have extra vegetables in their gardens. By this time in the gardening season most gardeners have canned all they want for the year and they are more than happy to supply you.

Tip # 13 We are not done with our inventory but we will wait and do more later giving you time to catch up if you have gotten a little behind. Today let’s check out our 72 hour kits. Today gather your kits and empty the contents. Throw away any expired food and medications. Check clothing to make sure it is the correct size. Check flashlights and radios to make sure batteries have not leaked and are still good. Replace anything that needs replacing. If you don’t already have a 72 hour kit begin one today by gathering all the extra backpacks you have laying around. Your goal is one per person.

Tomorrow’s radio show will be a great one as I speak with author Joyce Moseley Pierce about the important documents we should all have gathered and recorded.  Joyce is allowing me to give away copies of her ebook All They’ll Need to Know to everyone who calls in with a question. We also have an office/auto kit from Healthy Harvest to give away to a lucky listener. Plan now to join us every Tuesday night at 6:00pm Pacific time for READY OR NOT

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

To Listen to past broadcasts of READY OR NOT visit:

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

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Sunday October 20, 1991 our family came home from church and turned on the TV to listen to a favorite musical program only to be greeted by a horrible sight. It was the Oakland Hills firestorm in progress. The fire eventually killed 25 and destroyed 3,354 homes and 437 apartments and caused 1.5 billion dollars in damage. Thankfully, the firestorm last night in San Bruno, CA was contained before that degree of destruction could take place.

The community around Boulder, CO has been evacuated again as the winds have changed and are endangering homes once more. As in the San Bruno fire we are talking about a suburban area, not home hidden in the hills.

The Oakland Hills fire was stared by a spark in dry grass. The San Bruno by a gas pipeline explosion. Either of those scenarios is possible in all neighborhoods. There are 2 million miles, yes miles, of gas pipelines in the United States. Only seven percent of those are inspected each year. The pipes which exploded last night were 60 years old. What do you know about the pipes under your neighborhood? The neighborhood which was destroyed was not 60 years old but was built over existing pipelines which supplied neighborhoods a distance away which were built 60 years ago.

Please learn from the fires we are experiencing this week. Prepare now!

With this in mind our tips numbers 10-12 are:

#10 Inventory your Family room/living room. This room is probably where the most expensive equipment is located in your home. Take plenty of pictures, front, back, serial numbers, etc. for all of your equipment. Again, be sure to open all cupboards and drawers. If you have a DVD collection take close up pictures so the name of all the movies can be seen. Do the same with your CD and book collections.

#11 Inventory your bedrooms. Are you seeing a pattern here? When inventorying the bedroom be sure to take a shot of all your jewelry so each items can be clearly seen.

#12 Inventory Office and formal dining room.

We are not done with our inventory but we are done for this weekend. An inventory is essential when making an insurance claim. You will only get 40-50% of the value of any item you claim because the insurance company “charges” you for depreciation. If you forget items and want to claim them later you are out of luck. Please take time to make an inventory. If you have heirloom items or jewelry that has been appraised take a picture of the appraisal just in case your original is destroyed.

Doctor Prepper called and asked me to appear on his show tonight to discuss preparing for a fire. I know it is too short a notice for you to listen live but please listen to the download later tonight. Next Tuesday on READY OR NOT we will be discussing important documents so please join me at 6:00pm Pacific time.

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

# 9 Inventory your kitchen, everything.

To Listen to READY OR NOT visit:

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

Back tomorrow with numbers 10- through 12!

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

Tuesday night on READY OR NOT we talked a little about fires and the fact that they can happen to any of us at any time. This week we have seen proof.

Firefighters were called to the blaze in Great Kills Park, in Staten Island, where two brush fires erupted yesterday. Today’s fire went to four alarms but no major injuries or damage to property was reported. No evacuations were necessary, according to the fire department.

In Boulder Colorado, residents evacuated from the Boulder Heights, Pine Brook Hills and Carriage Hills neighborhoods were being let back into their homes. But at 12:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office reinstated the mandatory evacuation order after an updated weather forecast predicted wind gusts of up to 50 mph.

Tuesday’s fires in Detroit swept though several neighborhoods, including some that were well-tended and others filled with deteriorating vacant houses and weed-filled lots. Detroit Fire Commissioner James Mack said it was the worst spate of fires since the 1980s, when firefighters regularly battled hundreds of arsons on the night before Halloween. No injuries were reported, but people in some charred areas complained that firefighters took as much as 90 minutes to respond. funding has been cut for firefighters and the effects were evident. Eight five structures were lost.

Fire can and do happen everywhere. If you were forced to evacuate your home what would you take? I have thought about this quite a bit and of course the usual come to mind, photos, journals, and 72 hour kits so I would have my important docs and a few other vital supplies. But what else? My grandma’s engagement ring and one of a kind family photos on the wall.

I was speaking with a reader yesterday and she said she would take her recipes. It reminded me of another friend whose home burned three years ago. When I called to lend my support one of the first things she said was, I lost all my recipes. Friends got together and made a recipe book but we had no idea what she had in her’s. We could only share our favorites.

If you had to evacuate quickly have you thought about what you would take? Please share with us what that would be.

Tip # 9 Since we are talking about fire today let’s take a step in preparing for a fire, just in case. Today take digital pictures of everything in your kitchen, everything. Open every door, every drawer, the oven, anywhere you have anything stored. Be sure to take a shot of each wall so you get anything hung on the wall. In the event of a fire or any other disaster which damages or destroys your home, the insurance company will ask for proof of the items you are claiming and wanting replaced.

Review…Tips

For more specifics about each tip please visit the former posts.

#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!

# 8: Stash some cash, about $100.00, for each adult kit.

To Listen to READY OR NOT visit:

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

Back tomorrow with numbers 10- through 12!

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

Join Our Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TotallyReady/

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!

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!