Money Saving Tips…Preparedness Tip # 8…Listen to Ready or Not
If you missed my radio show last night it is now ready to download so please go and listen and please let me know what you think and what you would like to hear next.
For our money saving tip this week I have been thinking food. I have posted many tips for saving money on food and specifically food storage. On September 21st I will be visiting with a couponing expert on my show READY OR NOT. Please tune in to that show as I am a self confessed non couponer and I have given her the challenge of converting me. Even if you have never considered using coupons I am sure there will be tips you can use.
The tip for today for saving money is to learn to cook from scratch. Now by that I mean make things on your own but not necessarily by dragging out the flour and sugar and baking powder. If your store has regular sales on brownie mix for 99 cents that is cheaper than buying the individual ingredients and far…cheaper then buying a tray of brownies and even cheaper than those that come in that little box for $1.29. With an inexpensive brownie mix you have the makings for many many desserts. If, however, you’re making a casserole it is cheaper to purchase the ingredients and make them from scratch. Bread is much, much, cheaper to make than to purchase. In the April 2010 issue of the newsletter there is a recipe for the Easiest Ever Bread. That bread, which require no previous experience and no kneading, costs 30 cents to make. Yep, that’s right only 30 cents, when was the last time you paid 30 cents for a loaf of bread? If you use a loaf of bread a week you could save over $100.00 a year, just on bread! The bread looks just like the picture above and tastes great! I will devote the October Newsletter to easy, yummy and inexpensive recipes and tips for those wanting to gain more skills. This week try making something from scratch that you have never made before. Questions? Please ask!
Tip # 8: Stash some cash. To this point our tips have been free so now is the day for a little investment. Put away a few dollars each week until you have a small stash for your emergency evacuation kit. You should have about $100.00 in each adult kit. This should be in small denomination bills, nothing larger than a 10. This money will then be available for small purchases when there are no ATMs and credit card services available. If you have $100.00 to invest right now go to the bank and get a variety of small bills and place them in your kits. If you need time add to your stash each month until you have enough.
Review…Tips
#1: Find an out of area contact.
#2: Gather maps. Get several different colors of highlighters and mark at least three different routes out of the city and ending at the home of your out of area contact.
#3: Collect all your flashlights. Check to make sure they are all working properly. Make note of any batteries you need to purchase.
#4 Post important phone numbers and your own address by each phone.
#5 Place a pair of good shoes under each bed where they can be reached in the middle of the night.
#6 Place a glow stick next to each bed.
# 7: Listen to READY OR NOT. If you can’t listen tonight the show will be available for download at the same link as the live show. Hope to hear from you tonight!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/doctorprepper/2010/09/08/ready-or-not–carolyn-nicolaysen
Back tomorrow with number nine!
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Back issues: Totally Ready Newsletters July 2009- June 2010
September Newsletter:
Let’s Play…a look at things to do during a power outage to keep sane.
Food Safety…keeping foods safe during a power outage.
Frozen Food During a Power Outage, when to save and when to throw away.
Dutch Oven Cooking…How to Control the Temperature
Haybox Cooking…one more way to cook when the grid goes down.
Recipes: This month all the recipes are from 1850. They are fun and easy to make and perfect during power emergencies, after all our great grandparents didn’t have electricity!
I have been looking into making my own bread for some time now. You are convincing me to go ahead and do this myself.
What is the recipe for the bread in the picture?
Here it is. There are more varieties in the May 2010 newsletter.
Easiest Ever Bread
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 5/8 cups water
1. Using a spoon mix together all ingredients in bowl.
2. Cover and let sit for 18 hours.
3. Drop dough onto a floured surface. Let sit for 15 minutes.
4. Mold into a round loaf. Do not knead or squeeze. You want those bubbles left in there. Drop on floured surface. Put towel over it and let sit for 2 hours.
5. Heat covered oven proof dish or Dutch oven in 450 degree oven. Take pan out.
6. Place dough into hot pan. Again, do not knead or squeeze, just plop it in.
7. Bake for 30 minutes with lid. Bake without lid for 15 minutes.
The bread comes out with a wonderful crunchy crust…yum. Great with that canned butter!
This can also be made with 2 cups of white flour and one cup of wheat. Substituting any more wheat than that will not produce an acceptable result. This is a great recipe for a beginner who is caught off guard and forced to learn quickly.