Back to Basics: Make a List

 

Make a List!

 

Actually, you will probably want multiple lists. It is my opinion, that getting starting in living a prepared life style, requires knowing how YOU live. While I can tell you a laundry list of things to stock, what I do/use will, quite possibly, be different than what you do. So, you need to have a running list of the items you use; everything from food to medicines, pet needs, paper products, home inventory, and any specialty products. Let me explain.

 

Years ago, I began keeping track of everything we use. For example: I know we use an average of 130 pounds of flour each year, 150 pounds of sugar, about 100 pounds of rice, 20 pounds of powdered sugar. I know we go through about 10 rolls of paper towels, 6 rolls of toilet paper, 3 bottles of soap, 2 bottles of shampoo, 2 tubes of toothpaste - in a month. So, I average that out for a year's supply, and round up to make sure I have enough. Most of our vegetables, fruits, and meats are raised on our farm; but the ones not raised, I have those averaged out too. Over the last few years, I have been including a few shelf stable foods, that we rotate through - ravioli, tuna fish, corn bread mixes, cake/brownie mixes, store bought canned vegetables, and other store bought canned foods that could be used in a pinch(soups). I have been growing my collection of recipes, experimenting with new recipes and making changes to them, learning new food preservation skills too. I have slowly added new kitchen gadgets to my arsenal of tools to make preserving more time effective and productive. I have learned to preserve items in jars, using a vacuum sealer...this has been hugely helpful to keep not only fresh, but also to keep other smells from leaching into them. I have learned to truly grow from seed to harvest. This has been an interesting lesson. I have grown vegetables from plants, but last year was the first year I did a lot from seeds I actually started. This year, I have started all my plants from seeds I saved from last year's plants or items purchased from the store.  

I made a list of our budget needs. My list is broke down; debts, monthly expenses(utilities, insurances, fuel and grocery - food and non-food), repairs/maintenance(home, vehicles and farm), savings, emergency, and the "want" list. Then I listed incomes: Off-the-farm job, farm, and other. Obviously, the goal is for the income to exceed the expenses. The bigger the ratio between the income and the outgoing, the better...however, that is usually something we need to work towards. Ideally, you want a minimum of 25% of each income in your home to be saved/emergency/wants. If you have more than one income, you want to only have to depend on 75% of a single income. Obviously, many people are not yet to that position. Start by paying down your debts. My financial classes stated to start with the smallest debts firsts. This way it allows you to see and feel the accomplishments of paying off debts. You can then use that extra from paying those debts to pay extra on other debts, or sock it away in your savings or emergency funds. Again, in an ideal situation, you would 6-12 months of emergency money - that would cover all of your expenses. I can tell you that we are not there yet, so set it as a long term goal, but do not get frustrated if you aren't there instantly. Learn to be frugal. This is a challenge in a world of instant gratification. We have gotten very spoiled in this area. Instead of jumping into things, contemplate actual needs from wants. 

The needs vs. wants, is really not all that different for anyone. You need a roof over your head, you need food to eat and water to drink. You do not need a $10 cup of coffee, a $15 meal from McDonald's, or another streaming service. You need gas for your vehicle to go to your job, you don't need to eat out everyday. You need clothes but not so many that you never use them. I'd be willing to bet we all have at least 2 trash bags full of stuff in our homes, that we could sell or give away, and never miss! Speaking of selling...go through the items in your home and your closet. There are a million online swap & shop sites, you could easily sell unneeded items. Just remember, items are only worth what others are willing to give for them. Just because you may have bought something at $100, does not mean others would pay even $25...the actual value is in the eye of the buyer. More and more people are struggling with tighter budgets, so it is becoming increasingly more difficult to get premium prices out of used stuff. 

After speaking to my insurance company, making a semi-annual home inventory list is recommended. Their recommendation was to make the inventory list, with an estimated cost of replacement, twice a year. Obviously, they recommend having a fireproof/waterproof safe, on an outside wall, in your home. This is one area we are lacking...the safe, kind of. We have one for firearms, but we need a second smaller one for important documents. That will be taken care of this spring. Anyway, everything within your home, needs to be on that list - clothing, food, firearms/ammunition, dishes, etc. You also need to adjust your insurance policies as needed to reflect the content replacement costs. Yes, I know insurance is already stupid high, but it is the law. It's also recommended to regularly check on your auto policies. Sometimes, there is actually adjustments that can lower your costs. The entire goal of all of this, is to have a good understanding of what you have, what you need or don't, and where you can save some of your hard earned money. 

On the same line as your home inventory, is a running pantry/freezer inventory. This is beneficial in so many ways! It helps you to keep track of what you have, how much of it you have, and if you need to restock something. It can help you to not waste money buying something you already have, but have forgotten about. Additionally, it can help you gain your emergency backup pantry. Having a pantry with emergency supplies is a need, in my book, but that stock has got to be rotated. There are dates on items bought at the store....however, the "best by date" is NOT an expiration date. So many people get this wrong. That is the date stores have to sell by, and you typically have another year before they just aren't as good. This is a serious money suck for many. Just as so much is wasted because people don't know how much you can freeze for later use. I will dive into that in depth in another blog. A few quick notes on this....peppers, onions, celery, garlic, bread, heavy cream, half and half, etc. can ALL be frozen for later use! Just as many pieces of store bought produce can be regrown. 

Keeping up with your health is another list. Sure, you can mark on your calendar about doctor appointments, etc...but I am talking here about your daily health. I am talking about a list that shows your daily food, your daily mental/physical health, your emotions, your stresses. Many times, we don't realize how our daily routines are damaging our overall health. The allopathic medicine of today, only treats symptoms, it does not create cures. True healthcare covers mind, body and spirit. When one of those is out of alignment, it throws off your entire body. Disease is created by unbalance in one area of your body. You want to take control of your own body, and that means understanding the areas of symptoms that are at dis-ease. 

Finally, for me, I am a goal oriented person. I have to set goals, make daily to-do lists, and plan; or I feel completed discombobulated! I do not manage the "fly by the seat of your pants," thought well. I have to have direction...even if it is only generic. Having multiple plans of action are necessary for me. Clearing out clutter in my home, clears out clutter in my brain too. Making time to work through thoughts about one issue or another, is necessary for me to comprehend the issue in its entirety. That usually means, I will either clam up completely about something...or I will fly off with an off-the-cuff response, until I have time to piece together my thoughts. You have to learn about yourself, how you manage in your own life, how you need to proceed in whatever direction you are going, and most importantly; you need a safe but balancing outlet for stress and overwhelm. 

In the next Back to Basics blog, I want to cover some simple food preservation options that do not require much for special tools...things you can do even if you live in town. See you in the next blog.