Behind the 8 Ball- Prepping against the clock and on a budget

I would like to thank Catman  of Catmans's Litterbox for this great guest post. Check out his site for tons of great information and some super down loadable files as well.  He has a great download section for DIY on lots and lots of subjects. He has put together some great information.  It's never to late to start prepping so lets get to it! 

Behind the 8 Ball: Prepping against the clock and on a budget.

If you're new to the whole "prepper" movement, welcome! I'm glad you decided to take charge of your life and have made the commitment to provide for yourself and your loved ones.

By now, you have been blasted with information, and I'm sure it seems daunting. Everyone has an opinion of what is most needed, most important, and what is a must have for your provisions.

As you watch the world spin out of control, you feel even more pressed for time, and in this economy pressed for money. It can simply be overwhelming.

Before you sit down and throw your hands in the air in frustration, stop and think for a few minutes.

Take a look around you. Take stock of what you have. Take stock of what is easily accessible to you.

Primarily, people will need three things if something goes wrong with society: water, food, shelter.

If you have access to a reliable naturally occurring water source (spring, artesian well, lake, river, stream, etc.) you can move stored water down in priority. Don't forget setting aside a method to purify (if needed) the water you have access to.

If you already are producing food for yourself, you may, depending on what you are growing move food down a few notches.

Most people reading this will already have some form of shelter.

Do you see where I am going with this? Good!

Evaluate what you have at hand before you start trying to fill in the blanks on the lists of "must haves". What you want to do is prioritize items that you will not have easy access to.

One such example is medications. If someone needs a specific medication, lay in an extra supply. "Losing" your prescription and calling your doctor for a refill is always a method, but also looking to reputable mail order foreign sources for medicines is a possibility as well. You should also look to natural plant based alternatives should your supply run out and resupply is impossible. Do the research now and set several copies of the information you find aside just in case. Make sure you have the ability to identify, collect, and prepare for use the correct plant should the need arise. If the plants you need to treat a specific condition are not native to the area in which you live, make provisions to raise your own.

James Duke - Medicinal Plants Of The Bible
Ahmad, Aquil, Owais - Modern Phytomedicine: Turning Medicinal Plants Into Drugs
Cristophe Wiart - Ethnopharmacology Of Medicinal Plants

Other items that you may not have ready access to are certain "comfort foods" such as chocolate. Having foods that make you feel good, and can lend some sense of normalcy during a crisis, especially to young children, is always a good thing. It will go a long way in maintaining your sanity. Easy to prepare foods, such as canned ravioli, that require a minimum of cooking are also excellent for contending with the early stage of a crisis. Canned ravioli and similar foods can be heated with a small alcohol stove or eaten cold as one prefers or situations dictate.

Alcohol Jet Stove

Look for local replacements for comfort foods. Did you know Carob trees have been planted in many urban and suburban locations as landscaping? Carob is an excellent replacement for chocolate.

Carob or Saint John’s Bread
Maximize your investment by looking for products that have multiple uses which enhance their value. Denatured alcohol is one such item. It can be used as a cleaning solvent, a fuel, and an antiseptic. Don't run down to the local drug store and buy it by the pint. Go down to the local hardware, home improvement, or paint store and buy it in one gallon or five gallon containers. Alcohol is extremely flammable, so make sure you have the ability to store and transfer it to smaller containers in a safe manner. Always have a properly rated fire extinguisher on hand when working with alcohol. Properly ground metal containers when working with alcohol to prevent static discharge. Static discharge can ignite alcohol vapors. If possible, perform your transfers outside away from other flammables.

An improvised grounding system can be made by driving a piece of rebar, un-galvanized steel pipe, or copper rod at least 2 feet into the ground. Four feet is preferred. Pour a cup of table salt around the rod and water into the ground with at least one gallon of water. You can then use a set of jumper cables to connect between the grounding rod and each of the metal vessels containing alcohol.

Plain chlorine bleach is another example. It is a must have laundry aid (even when the world ends, you will still need to do laundry) antimicrobial surface cleaner, and a method of water purification. If you have access to ample water, you may choose to buy granulated pool chlorine (sodium hydrochlorite), which is easier to store than liquid bleach. You can make your own liquid bleach as it as needed. Most plain laundry bleaches are 3-6% sodium hydrochlorite, so to make one gallon of bleach, you would need one gallon of water and about 226 mL (7.5 oz or 3/4 of a cup plus 3/4 teaspoon) of granulated pool chlorine.

Warm the water by simply leaving it in the sun (80-90 degrees F) and dissolve the sodium hydrochlorite in the water. Add the requisite amount of pool chlorine, and GENTLY STIR with a wood or plastic spoon or rod. Don't use metal to stir, and do not cap and shake the container to dissolve the sodium hydrochloride! Wear safety goggles, rubber gloves, and an apron to protect yourself from splashes.

So, you've never owned a gun, but are now wondering if you should? Think of a pump action shotgun from a reputable manufacturer such as Remington or Mossberg. It is a good self defense weapon and can also be used for hunting. Again, maximize the value for your dollar. Don't forget a cleaning kit, and lubricants. If you have never owned or used a firearm, PLEASE take a basic hunter safety course that includes range time. You can find information about these courses at nearly any gun store.

We've all been spoiled by the ready availability of paper towels and toilet paper. What are you going to do when it isn't available anymore?

Many people are saving old phone books and similar as a stop gap measure, but even then, those will run out as well. There are recipes for making one's own toilet paper on the web, but you may not have the time.

In the paint section of hardware stores, and home improvement centers are products often going by names like "Bag O' Rags" or something similar. They contain the leftover material that was used in the production of clothing, or cut up clothing that did not pass quality control. Most frequently, it is plain white cotton material like that found in t-shirts.

These can be washed out and reused many times. These rags can replace paper towels that were used to clean up minor spills. They can also be used for bandages, compresses and even toilet paper.These may also replace certain feminine products that may become unavailable.

As you can see, with some thought, you can make your prepping a bit easier. As time and finances permit, you can expand on your preparations beyond just the basics, but always keep an eye to things that have multiple uses in order to save time and money.


LINKS BELOW

Medicinal Plants Of The Bible link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/uj8e38

Modern Phytomedicine link:http://www.sendspace.com/file/5g4tfo

Ethnopharmacology Of Medicinal Plants link:http://www.sendspace.com/file/vktk43

Alcohol Jet Stove link: http://www.homemadealcoholstoves.co.nr/

Carob or Saint John’s Bread link:http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/carob.html