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HomePosts Tagged "Prepping" (Page 16)

Why do people prep? No matter how you spin it, it’s probably going to boil down to taking care of themselves and those they love. Where the real variable comes into play is how people prep. Some stockpile and fortify, some may pack light and bug out, or others may have their own unique plans.

Ultimately there is no universal answer as to the “right way” to properly prepare for a massive disaster scenario due to the varying nature of personalities in individuals. There is, however, is a key aspect of how people prep that should be implemented to any prepper’s plan if they plan to survive: physical fitness.

Now before thinking this article is about having the best looking six-pack when things go south (trust me, it’s not), consider this question, “Am I in a condition where I feel confident to take care of loved ones and myself physically if disaster strikes?”. Apply this question to your scenario of choice, hell, apply it to your everyday life when things are going good. More than likely the answer to this question is “no”, and there is nothing wrong with that.

In all honesty, even if you are active, working out regularly, and eating healthy, there is room for improvement – it’s the nature of self-betterment and making your body best survival tool in a disaster.

How Prepper Fitness could help you in a Doomsday Scenario?

SHTF (who knows how). It’s code red and your rushing around too initiating your own variation on surviving this disaster. You’re sweating, adrenaline is pumping through you, and the only thing on your mind is getting to your checkpoint. As you’re running around, your blood pressure becomes dangerously high and you have a heart attack. Congrats, you just lost at doomsday.

Of course this scenario is a hypothetical and has no scientific analysis to back it up. But for a lot of people, a doomsday scenario could be as simple as the consequences of poor maintenance to their body in terms of diet and exercise. Physical fitness should be one of the essential building blocks of preparing, yet it seems that this foundation work on many prepper guides/plans is overlooked or simply glazed over.

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As you’re running around, your blood pressure becomes dangerously high and you have a heart attack. Congrats, you just lost at doomsday.

Prepper fitness doesn’t have to be something crazy like running a marathon through the desert without water or joining a gym. Fitness can be as simple as just getting out of your comfort zone for one hour of your day. Much like prepper plans, fitness plans can vary from person-to-person depending on goals, but ultimately doing fitness based activity that pushes the limits of your body consistently will make you a stronger and a physically more efficient survivalist.

So where should someone begin if they are not as fit as they would like to be? Much like learning a new skill or plan for prepping, go to the Internet for information and ideas. Honestly, you don’t even need a gym membership for a great cardio workout – or even weights to build muscle for that matter. Focusing on body weight exercises, light jogging/power walking, and functional lifts at first can make you healthier and stronger, but can also be fun to a degree.

A general introduction to Prepper Fitness

Depending on how serious you want to take this, I would suggest investing in a few things (although not necessary, can serve to be helpful): a heart monitor, pedometer, some of your prepping supplies, and a semi-truck/tractor tire.

Cardio – This does NOT mean running per se, cardio is simply training that gets your heart rate up. Ideally for fat loss/cardio training, you want your heart rate to be “in the zone” (Target Heart Rates by American Heart Association). Cardio training can be monitored with a heart rate monitor, which can also serve as a safety precaution while training, and can be accomplished in a number of ways such as: swimming, hiking, power walking, biking, jogging, or even HIIT workouts. The key to cardio training is consistency and always improving. It’s smart to keep a log of your workouts to monitor progress. Don’t get discouraged though, sometimes progress can come in the form of walking a mile faster than you ever have or sometimes progress can come in the form of showing up to exercise when your brain wants to make a million excuses not to.

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Some of the best exercises you can do, can be done using only your body weight.

“Weight” Training – as mentioned earlier, you really don’t need iron based weights to lift. Some of the best exercises you can do, can be done using only your body weight. One preface that must be mentioned in this portion is always consider your form first whenever lifting something or exercising – improper form can lead to potential injury in the short and long-term. Here is a quick list of some great body weight exercises that can be easily added to your workout circuit:

  • Air Squats – excellent for your quads, glutes, and hamstrings
  • Lunges – builds stamina and quads as well as works the calves, glutes, and hamstrings
  • Pushups – works your chest as well as your shoulders and triceps with many variations available
  • Pullups – great for your lats, back, and biceps.
  • Side Leg Raises – works your hips/adductors
  • Dips – adaptable workout for your triceps that also works your chest and shoulders

 

 

Functional Training – of course we are preppers, so a lot of the training done should be survival themed right? Try adding these exercises to your workout that can easily add purpose to your workout:

  • Sledgehammer swings on a tire – think you might need to split a lot of wood?
  • Tire Flips – for anytime you think you might have to lift something heavy off the ground…
  • Bucket Carries – water is necessary, not light, and probably inconveniently located
  • Rope Climbs – wonder if you may need to get somewhere when you don’t have a ladder?
  • Log Carries – Get good at carrying awkward things… do you honestly think everything you need will fit conveniently in your rucksack?
  • Running – this may come in handy at some point in life!

WRAP-UP

Although this is not designed to be a complete guide to prepper fitness, it is meant to get preppers thinking and give basic considerations on where to begin their journey into becoming the best survival instrument in their tool box. The best advice one can take away from this is to try to make fitness a fun and enjoyable part of your day/life, it will not only help make it a consistent part of your routine, but you may even have fun doing something that is physically great for your body!

Two final notes: 1. Remember to stretch before and after exercising, there are too many benefits to stretching and flexibility to list here. 2. Material in this article is provided for educational purposes only, and is not to be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Not all exercises may be applicable to readers; always consult a physician before trying a new diet or exercise program. I am not responsible or liable for any injuries, damages, loss, or accidents.

On a different note, here’s some other self-sufficiency and preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)
Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)
Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)
Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)
The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)
The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

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Are you in a condition where you feel confident to take care of loved ones and yourself physically if disaster strikes?

Being the not-so-proud resident of a city that has more issues than a high-school teenager, electrical the most part, I was kinda forced to go full MacGyver on a lot of stuff. Sure, I don’t mind opening the tap only to see muddy water or realizing that I can’t take a shower before going to work because some neighhbor shut off the main line to install a new sink, but I really go berserk each time the power goes out. Never mind the fact that I can’t use my PC, but, apparently, I’m the only around here who has to remind the others about keeping their damned smartphones charged at all time. Anyway, seeing that the authorities aren’t lifting a finger to find a more permanent solution to these blackouts, I began searching for ways to power up and\or charge my electronics.

Of course, one doesn’t need a degree in physics to figure out that most of the tips you find online are not only BS, but dangerous as well. So, after snooping around for a bit, I came across this pretty ingenious and simple way of charging any kind of phone battery using stuff lying around the house. Tried on a couple of my electronics, and guess what – it worked like a charm. Sure, it’s not as efficient as the outlet charging method, but hey. , it works. We do live in troubling times – today, it’s a power outage (if that seems like a trifle, go and check out what happened in Venezuela at the beginning of the month). Tomorrow, it can be an EMP attack. So, having said that, here’s my caveman-style trick of charging any electronic gadget when the power goes out the window.

You will need:

  • One 9V Alkaline battery (go for Varta or Duracell if you want extra juice).
  • One spring (you can salvage one from an old ballpoint pen).
  • A car charger (make sure the car charger has a USB port).
  • Your phone’s power cable minus the dongle.
  • Tape.

To try this charging method, I’ve used my daughter’s Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016), which has a 3600 mAh battery. Already got the stuff? Good! Here’s what you’ll need to do next.

Assembling the charger

Step 1. Take apart the ballpoint and salvage the string. Don’t straighten it or anything. You’ll need it intact. Step 2.  Insert one end of the spring in the battery’s negative pole. FYI, it’s the big one. It’s always the big one. Step 3. While holding the spring end inserted into the battery’s negative terminal, connect the other end to car charger’s positive terminal – it’s the little metallic bar on the side. Step 4. Once the two terminals are connected, use plenty of tape to secure the battery to the charger. Step 5. Connect the charger’s metallic nub to the battery’s positive terminal. Again, tape the shit out of them to prevent them from falling apart. Step 6. Wrap some more tape around the thingamajig. Step 7. Connect your phone’s power cable to the car charger’s USB slot. Step 8. Plug in the phone. Step 9. Charge your phone like a boss!

More on makeshifts phone-charging methods

You know the saying: if it looks stupid, but it works, then it’s not stupid (just ugly).  One thing you need to understand is that you won’t get a full charge out of a single 9V battery. The Varta cell I’ve used put out 550 mAh. And considering that the phone has a 3,600 mAh battery, it means that you need around six or 7 batteries for a full charge. Wouldn’t recommend relying solely on bats to get a full charge because you will have to redo the entire process. This method’s great if you need just enough juice to power up your phone to call a family member or 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.

Still, you need to consider that there are different types of phone batteries out there on the market. For instance, my wife has an Apple iPhone 8, which has a 1,821 mAh battery. Obviously, it takes fewer 9Vs to juice up her phone compared to that of my daughter. Careful about these newer models, as some of them might not draw electricity from below-nominal sources. Another charging method which I’ve been trying to try out for months (I think I will use a tablet this time), involves D batteries, paperclips, and, of course, some tape.

Takes a little bit of tinkering though – compared to the method I just showed you, this one is a bit trickier because you will need to arrange the batts in a certain fashion.

To pull this off, you’ll need eight D batteries, paperclips (those without plastic covers), tape, your phone’s cable, and a car charger. Basically, you must arrange the batteries in such a fashion that the negative terminal from the one on top can be bridged with the positive terminal on the bottom battery with a paperclip. Do this on both sides and then use two paperclips and tape to secure the car charger’s positive and negative terminal. Don’t know for sure how efficient this method is, but considering that one D battery has an output of 1.5V, I don’t think it’s really that efficient.

It’s still worth a shot if you have a lot of Ds lying around and no other way to charge your phone. Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed my take on going full MacGyver on dying phones. Word of caution though: I wouldn’t try this method to power up a laptop or any device bigger than a small phone or tablet. You can end up damaging the power supply and losing everything inside if you tinker with supplies other than those specified in the manual.

You should also keep an eye out on the device while it’s charging. If you hear a strange, buzz-like sound, disconnect the device immediately. Let me know in the comment section how the method worked out for you.

Other Self-sufficiency and Preparedness solutions recommended for you:

The Lost Ways (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)
Survival MD (Knowledge to survive any medical crisis situation)
Backyard Liberty (Liberal’s hidden agenda: more than just your guns…)
Alive After the Fall (Build yourself the only unlimited water source you’ll ever need)
The Lost ways II (4 Important Forgotten Skills used by our Ancestors that can help you in any crisis)
The Patriot Privacy Kit (Secure your privacy in just 10 simple steps)

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We do live in troubling times – today, it’s a power outage. Tomorrow, it can be an EMP attack.

Prepping is not something you postpone for the future. It is something you design for the present.

They say never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today. Well, why won’t think the same about prepping? This is something I keep seeing all over the community or even during conversations with other like-minded people. 

“When SHTF” I’ll do this or that.

“What gun are you planning on carrying … when SHTF?”

“When SHTF, I’ll go to my ranch/homestead/bunker/friend’s house”

These are precisely the people that end up not being ready when it counts because they keep waiting for some kind of invitation, email or notification so as to official know that as of right now, shit has indeed hit the fan. So here’s a letter you’ll never receive:

“Dear Sir, we are contacting you in regards to recent events and would like to inform you that as of right now shit has officially hit the fan. Remember where you put that survival medicine book? Get it out now. And yes, start reading the “when SHTF”chapter. You can’t find the book? What? It’s underwater? Along with your gear and food? Oh… Good luck and enjoy the end of the world!”

It just doesn’t work that way. In places where shit has very much hit the fan there’s people with this mentality. I still see if from people living in true hell holes, places like Venezuela, still talking about what they will do when it gets worse.

Get this book to prepare and act now. 

Arm yourself as well as you can now and learn how to defend yourself if you don’t already know how. Not looking after your health will get you killed SHTF or not, so get that blood test you’ve been postponing NOW, not after SHTF. Put that fire extinguisher in your car now, keep one in your kitchen now. Have a kit in your vehicle now because you can still get stranded on the road.

As rare as home invasions are around here, a while back someone broke into a neighbor’s house. His teen daughter was home alone when it happened. She locked herself in the bathroom. She called her father who was abroad at the time. Whomever broke in tried to force the door open, failed, so they took a few things quickly and left. Teach you family how to defend themselves now.

Believe me that when there’s not a drop of water coming out of the faucet, that’s not the time to go fill up that empty “water bob” you were supposed to fill … when SHTF. Have enough water for a week now. Learn to cook with your food stash now. 

Store what you eat, eat what you store so if there’s ever riots, looting, food shortages or if for whatever reason you need to dig into your food supplies there will be no hard learned lesson or adaptation period.

Whatever important change in your life or idea you have on what you would do, do it now. Trust me on this, if you can’t pull it off today, you won’t when things get worse.

Stop thinking in terms of “when SHTF” and thing of how you will act if things make a serious turn for the worse tomorrow, or right this moment. That’s just life and that’s how real SHTF, the kind that change your life in an instant, hit you when you least expect it.

You Don’t Have To Wait For a Crisis To Use This Book.

As a Prepper you automatically are someone who is realistic by nature and as such a person you surely will come to the realization that no matter how big a supply of antibiotics you have stockpiled currently, they will either run out or be compromised in some way. 

That being said, you will need alternative means of treating any infection that may arise. There are several multi use items that can be stockpiled in your home. The cheapest and most effective must be vinegar.

We could never store all the cleaners that we use on a weekly basis in quantities that would be effective for long term disaster or self-sufficiency. Instead, you can dilute and fortify vinegar to become the base of many cleaners. It can polish glass as well as disinfect.

  • Vinegar can be used to affect pests both in your home and in your garden. It can be used to take care of fleas on dogs, catch gnats and it can be added to a spray for your garden. 
  • Without any special gear, tools or even fuel, you can turn fresh food into preserved food with vinegar. Of course, a little sugar and some onion might make it even better, some salt would help. However, just vinegar will pickle foods and extend their life.
  • You can take care of bothersome moss and weeds by spraying them with vinegar. 
  • Got tools and things that have rusted or rusted together? A few soaks in vinegar can deal with that trust. Just be sure to refresh the vinegar after 8, or so hours. 
  • Vinegar can help with sore throat. You can use it with some salt as a great gargle.
  • For a long time, people drank things like balsamic vinegar after dinner as something that would help with digestion. The added acidity can help break down your food.
  • On the culinary side of things, you can use vinegar as a meat marinade that will help break down tougher cuts of meat and impart flavor.
  • If you use our method to make your own vinegar you will have a raw apple cider vinegar that contains healthy probiotics to improve things like gut health.
  • While the most popular base for tincture is alcohol, you can create tinctures for healing and natural remedies with vinegar, as well.

 

What if I told you this is just one example out of many from a 800+ page book filled with medical, herbal, and traditional treatments in one easy reference? 

Ready to take over, Dr. House? You continuous education is waiting for you here. 

 

The information in this book can be used immediately to improve your health, and expand your treatment options in many areas even if there is never a crisis event for you and your loved ones.

Get this book now. And put it into practice today.

 

P.S. – This is NOT a limited edition. Also, we are not here to scare you with stats. Just remember that your time is limited. So don’t waste it. 

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Prepping is not something you postpone for the future. It is something you design for the present.

Editors Note: This post is from Gaye Levy. Gaye was nice enough to share this with our readers here. Backup power is one of the most fundamental preparedness items you should have at the near top of your list. This article demonstrates her and her husbands experience with one option that might work for your family.

 

When it comes to understanding electricity, my mind tends to blank out when it gets to the point where I have to determine volts, amps, amp-hours, voltage under load and other terms that are second nature to the electricity savvy.  Let me make it clear that this is not a girl thing or a guy thing.  It is simply that some of us are better at understanding how power and electricity works than others.

In all fairness, in my boating days I was quite familiar with the operation of our house batteries and the inverter.  Using this set-up, I had fresh coffee in the morning and power for my laptop.  Life was sweet.  Although that was almost ten years ago, the lessons learned were simple: don’t discharge the batteries more than 60% and don’t mess with a working electrical system unless you know what you are doing.

Given my own thick head when in comes to all things electrical, I have always considered the prospect of installing a small solar system in my home a bit daunting.  I should not have worried.

HARBOR FREIGHT TO THE RESCUE

A few months ago I was contacted by Harbor Freight and asked if I would like to try out one of their Thunderbolt Solar Kits.  This was not the time to be bashful so of course I said yes, as long as they understood there would be little or no sun in the Washington State for a month or two. Having set the stage, I was sent the following items for testing:

Thunderbolt Magnum 45 Watt Solar Panel Kit
Thunderbolt Magnum 15 Volt Solar Power Panel
Cen-Tech 750 Watt Continuous/1500 Watt Peak Power Inverter
Thunderbolt 12 Volt, 35 Amp Hour Sealed Lead Acid Battery

Harbor Freight Solar Kit (4)

So how did it go?  The first thing I did was recruit the Survival Husband to do the heavy lifting.  Then, together, we decided that we would install the solar kit on the roof of our garage which was angled just right and facing the south.  During the summer months, we should get six to seven hour of sun a day in this location.

We also agreed that climbing the roof was a task for someone younger – a lot younger – so until my brother and my electronics wizard nephew come to visit, we set things up on our upper patio and to heck with the patio furniture.

TIPS FOR INSTALLING THE THUNDERBOLT SOLAR KIT

The Thunderbolt solar kit comes complete with three 15 watt solar panels for a total of 45 watts.  It also includes all of the parts you will need:  a mounting frame, controller box, cables, connectors and even a couple of 12 volt lights that plug directly into the controller box.  Everything is included for a ground level installation.  On the other hand, a roof top installation will require some brackets – something we have not purchased yet.

The installation was simple.  We just followed the instructions in the manual and things worked.  Okay, truth be told, Shelly (the Survival Husband) does not always read manuals thoroughly so he put the frame together goofy and had to start over.  And then he could not find the power switch on the inverter and thought it was defective.  I found it, turned it on and had immediate power.

He did offer up some tips:

When assembling the frame, make sure the top bar marked front actually faces front.  Otherwise you cannot install the legs.

Harbor Freight Solar Kit (7)

There are two sizes of screws with wing nuts.  The bag with eight screws are shorter and are the screws to be used when assembling the frame.

Harbor Freight Solar Kit (8)Harbor Freight Solar Kit (9)

When attaching the three panels to the frame, it is easier to attach the middle panel first.  Other than that, just follow the instructions.

After completing the frame and panel setup, follow the directions by attaching the 3 leads from the panel to the splitter cable.  Add the extension cable and plug into the charge controller.  Next attach the battery terminals (on the battery) to the charge controller to confirm that you are receiving voltage from the solar panels.  There is a large LED display on the front of the charge controller indicating the voltage so that you will know right away if everything is working okay.

You need to use an inverter to convert the power to AC.  In that case, you need to attach the included cables from the inverter to your battery terminals.

Harbor Freight Solar Kit (12)Harbor Freight Solar Kit (14)

The controller box itself, without an inverter, has a 12V cigarette lighter socket, 5V USB, 3-6-9V DC outlets and two 12V sockets for the included light kit.  Note that the USB port is only 5 volts, okay for cell phones, Kindles and tablets such as an iPad but not for devices or electronics that require higher voltage.

The battery is not waterproof so you will need to keep it covered and protected from the elements.

The Quick Start guide is well laid out and intuitive with accurate, easy to understand diagrams.  Plus, all of the manuals are available online so that they will always be handy, even if you lose the originals.

BUT DOES IT WORK?

The first thing I tested was my crock pot.  If the grid was down and I wanted to eat but I did not want to build a fire, a working crock-pot would be a godsend.  It uses just a modest amount of steady power and can be used for soups, stews and even for baking quick breads.  I ran the crock-pot for quite some time with no problems.

Harbor Freight Solar Kit (16)        Harbor Freight Solar Kit (17)

My next test was more challenging – a hair straightening iron. If my hair iron worked, then I not only would look good, but I would be able to re-seal the Mylar bags I opened to get to my stored food items.  Again, no problem.  From there I moved to lighting and to my alkaline battery charger.  Again, everything worked perfectly and I was pleased.

Using the Harbor Freight solar system was almost to easy – definitely a set it and forget it operation although the directions indicate you should not leave a charging battery unattended.

I am not done testing yet. The way these things work is that more batteries equals more amp hours equals more current.  Or, in plain English, more battery juice means you can run more stuff for a longer period of time.  We plan to add some marine deep cycle batteries and a large watt inverter to the basic set up so we can run more stuff.  But for the basics and for now, this system works just fine.

THE FINAL WORD

This Thunderbolt Solar Kit from Harbor Freight is inexpensive if not downright cheap.  But do not let the price dissuade you.  For lighting, small appliances and laptops, this system works great.  It would be even better with a larger battery.  You do not need to be an electronics genius to set it up but if you need help, you can find it online, especially at the New World Solar/DIY Solar Energy Forum.

It is my understanding that folks have tied two or three of these systems together for even more power.  As good as that sounds, it is beyond our technical capability at this moment but we are learning and just might get to that point.

Our goal for now is the get the complete system installed on the roof and to add some additional batteries, probably the marine deep-cycle type.  We will then use the solar to kit to power all of our outdoor security lighting as well as our power tools and and everything else that we have running off of our garage and outdoor receptacles.

This does not apply to us, but I think this would be an ideal backup power source for a well.

 

What do you think? Any of this applies to your household? Let us know if this works. And how it changed your life.

This is just another effort to find the best ways to go all independent and self-sufficient. Your answers or notes are helping all of us to move forward. I hope you understand that.

God Bless.

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Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. And there's more.

I am finally able to open my eyes. My husband is still sleeping next to me. This is already a special day. Being a doctor, he is usually, well, fighting different stages of bodies giving up on their people. So yes, I am grateful.

What time it is? Did we oversleep? Thank God is Sunday. The church bells helped. Weird to think they do it now with the push of a button. Even Father Jones makes fun of it. Not to mention the kids. Of course, my rebel daughter, going on 17, had to ask – When are they going to replace the priests with robots? And now my 4-year-old wants to go to the church today to check is Father Jones is human or not. Jesus!

Right. The kids.

I hear them going through the kitchen. Fridge door. Microwave. Music on her phone. A game on his. I told them, no phone play before breakfast. I feel like grabbing my phone and sending them a text message, but this would make them win.

Lazy Sunday mornings are the best. I need to get up. Oh, how I wish my kids would already be aware of this world. Or at least aware of themselves. They do not want to hear about prepping. That’s what happens when you take everything for granted. But their morning would look totally different if their batteries were dead. And so was the internet.

But we all know the aftermath of a blackout would be way more terrible than that.

[See: How a simple blackout can disrupt our lives.]

Sounds like a nightmare scenario, doesn’t it? It absolutely is. Yet prolonged power outages are becoming more and more frequent across the United States. Why are power outages on the rise? Because our electrical grid is weak. Weaker than you might think.

I don’t even dare to ask my kids what would they do if there was no more electricity. They would probably tell me that they would be killed by boredom, not by the different diseases that would flourish during such an event.

We got into prepping without even knowing we were doing it. Is started when my husband came home one day and said: “Perhaps it’s time for doctors to start prescribing more produce than pills.” Weird, huh? Coming from a doctor. And he was not the only one thinking this thing should change before it got out of control.

My husband has a doctor friend called Ralph. I’m kidding, he has more than just one friend. And I’m not referring to his Facebook followers. But Ralph happens to be a very respected doctor who recently published a book regarded as The Bible of Prepping According to La Guardia.

He gave us a copy. And just told my husband it was some medical research he was working on for some years now. I later found out it took him 30 years to complete. And once you see the book you’ll understand why. It is a whooping 800+ pages filled with practical advices for the common folk, prepper or not.

I say give this book the chance it deserves. And get ready to change your perspective on plants, soil, health, nutrition, and everything you think you know about prepping.

What if you would have the tools to make your life even greater? What if you could be able to survive and even thrive if suddenly, one segment of our reality would be gone? Let’s take electricity for example. My day would look totally differently without it. What about yours? What would you do if the grid went down? No terrorism, no war. Just no more power. How would you feel?

You can only get this book here. Like really.

Final Prepper is the only distributor. So, you’re in the right place.

It’s your turn now to make the right move.

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My day would look totally differently without it. What about yours? What would you do if the grid went down? No terrorism, no war. Just no more power.

I will start by complaining, since it’s Monday. Whenever I talk about a solution to our financial problems, some of you ask me what’s prepping got to do with learning how to make an extra buck. Are you for real? Do you really think the rich don’t prepare for what’s to come? The only difference is the money you invest in it. While we are able (and forced) to build a root cellar for as little as $400 bucks, the people who can afford it, are building entire mansions underground.

The only thing we have in common with the 1% is the fact that they are also aware the future is not so bright. Not for all of us, anyway. You don’t believe in global warming? It’s ok, something else will get you – the national economic collapse. So maybe now you understand why, from time to time, I want you to also consider our financial products.

With all that is being written about the national economic collapse, people seem to be waiting for some huge event. I don’t want you to wait until it’s too late. And isn’t that the whole purpose of prepping? To be prepared? So please remember that next time you’re on Final Prepper – we are here to help each other. Because it looks like no one else will.

For many people who were formerly financially comfortable, the economic collapse has already happened, in the form of a job loss, hours that have been cut back due to new requirements for employers, an exorbitant medical bill or other crushing debt, or simply an inflation rate that has outstripped your pay increases.  Despite all of the warnings, many people are still going to be absolutely blindsided. Today, it is still a choice to survive the coming crisis. There are always solutions. You just need to broaden your perspective.

Otherwise, we’ll soon be left to make terrible choices:

  • Which utility can I live without?
  • Should I walk away from my mortgage?
  • Should I eat something so I can work harder or should I skip meals so my kids have food?
  • Should I use the grocery money to take my child to the doctor or should I wait and hope he/she improves without medical intervention?
  • Do I risk the IRS-enforced penalties or should I skip that whole grocery shopping thing so I can pay the monthly premiums and enormous deductibles in order to stay in the government’s good graces?

These are the kind of decisions that people across the nation are grappling with every day.

I’m talking about good people, hardworking men and women who have always been employed and paid their bills. A personal financial crisis does not just strike those stereotypical “welfare queens” with the long manicured nails, Gucci knock-off purse, and a grocery cart full of EBT-funded lobster.

I’m talking about the person next door, who seems to have it all together. I’m talking about that quiet family that sits two rows in front of you at church. I’m talking about that two-income family with two children and a car in the driveway that takes them to work and school 5 days a week. I’m talking about people just like you and me.

What is a personal economic collapse?

A personal economic collapse is a little different than the major crises you see all over Europe right now, where huge segments of the population can’t feed their children or stay employed. It is a crisis that just hits your family due to a given set of circumstances.  (In actuality North Americans are on the brink of the kind of collapse that is occurring in Europe, but because of easy access to credit and a buy-now, pay-later society, many of us still have the appearance of prosperity.)

Here are some signs that you may be in the midst of a personal economic collapse:

  • You can only afford to pay the minimum payment on most of your bills.
  • The same dollar amount you used to spend on groceries doesn’t buy enough food to feed your family for the week.
  • You can’t afford to go to the doctor when you’re sick.
  • You are taking dangerous steps to “stretch” needed medications because you can’t afford the prescriptions.
  • Your utility bills are past due and your power is in danger of being cut off.
  • You skip meals in order to save money or to have enough food for your kids.
  • You’ve lost your job or had your hours cut.
  • You have lost property due to foreclosure or repossession (such as your home or your vehicle).

Surviving the crisis

Times are tough but you can survive this.

1.) First you have to see exactly where you are.

It’s time for a brutally honest assessment of your finances.  If you use your debit card or credit card for most expenditures, you’ll easily be able to see what you’re spending and bringing in.

Print off your bank account statements for the past 2 months.  On a piece of paper, track where your money is going.  List the following:

  • Rent/Mortgage
  • Utilities
  • Car payments
  • Vehicle operating expenses (fuel, repairs)
  • Insurances
  • Credit card and other debt payments
  • Telephone/Cell phone
  • Cable/Satellite
  • Internet
  • Extracurricular activities for the kids
  • Extracurricular activities for the adults
  • Dining out
  • Groceries
  • School expenses
  • Clothing
  • Recreational spending
  • Gifts
  • Miscellaneous (anything that doesn’t fall into the above categories gets it’s own category or goes here)

Don’t say to yourself, “Well, I usually don’t spend $400 on clothing so that isn’t realistic.”  If you spent it, then it’s realistic.  You are averaging together two months, which should account for those less common expenses.  Brutal honesty isn’t fun, but it’s vital for this exercise.

So….what do you see when you look at your piece of paper with your average monthly expenditures for the past two months?  Are there any surprises?  Did you actually realize how much you’ve been spending?   Most of us will immediately see places that we can trim the budget.  Those $1-$5 purchases can really add up.  Reining them in may just allow you to take care of an important need that you thought you could not meet.

It can’t continue like this.  The economy will not withstand it.  Step one is to see where you can cut things out right now from the above expenditures.  Can you reduce your grocery bill?  Slash meals out?  Budget more carefully for gift-giving and school clothes?

2.) Rethink necessities.

If your finances are out of control, the best possible reality check is a stark look at what necessities really are.  It is not necessary to life to have an iPhone, a vehicle in both stalls of your two-car garage, or for your children to all have separate bedrooms.  People in Southern and Eastern Europe right now will tell you, as they scramble for food, basic over the counter medications like aspirin, and shelter, that necessities are those things essential to life:

  • Water
  • Food (and the ability to cook it)
  • Medicine and medical supplies
  • Basic hygiene supplies
  • Shelter (including sanitation, lights, heat)
  • Simple tools
  • Seeds
  • Defense Items

Absolutely everything above those basic necessities is a luxury.

So, by this definition, what luxuries do you have?

3.) Reduce your monthly output

Reduce your monthly payments by cutting frivolous expenses. Look at every single monthly payment that comes out of your bank account and slash relentlessly.  Consider cutting the following:

  • Cable
  • Cell phones
  • Home phones
  • Gym memberships
  • Restaurant meals
  • Unnecessary driving
  • Entertainment such as trips to the movies, the skating rink, or the mall

4.) Waste not, want not.

We live in a disposable society.  Food comes in throw-away containers.  People replace things instead of repairing them.  If you throw out more than a couple of bags of garbage each week, that’s a very good sign that you may be wasting resources.

Before throwing anything away, pause and think about how it might be able to be reused.

  • Food

Many times small amounts of leftovers can be recycled into a brand new meal. Meat bones can be used to make broth or stock.  Small amounts of veggies or grains can be frozen and added to a future soup or casserole. Leftovers can be frozen in meal-sized portions to take to work for a brown-bag lunch.

  • Clothing

Clothing that is torn or damaged can often be repaired with only rudimentary sewing skills. If it has been outgrown or cannot be repaired, often the fabric or yarn can be reused for other purposes, from cleaning rags to fashionable accessories like scarves and headbands, or home items like throw pillows, potholders or rag rugs.  When all else fails, the fabric can be used for cleaning rags or patches to repair other items. Keep jars full of buttons, elastic, and other notions that can easily be removed before you throw  a clothing item away or relegate it to the rag bag.

  • Electronics

Obviously, initially you should attempt to repair (or have repaired) electronic items that are not working. If this is not feasible, are there components of the item that can be reused, either now or in the future? What about hardware such as screws or fasteners?

  • Containers

Most food comes in a container of some sort.  Before throwing the container away, consider whether or not it might be useful. Glass jars, plastic tubs, and plastic bags can often be reused to store food in your refrigerator or to contain food in brown bag lunches.  Clean aluminum cans can hold all manner of items, from hardware and tools in a workshop to sewing and craft supplies. Use your imagination.

5.) Take control of your food budget.

The price of food is skyrocketing.  Who hasn’t been to the grocery store recently and been shocked at the high price of that cart full of groceries or at the mysterious shrinking food packages that are the same price as yesterday’s larger ones?

  • Stockpile:  Create a stockpile of nutritious, healthy staples at today’s prices to enjoy when the cost goes even higher tomorrow.
  • Preserve: Learn to preserve food yourself when you come across a windfall.  Pressure canning, water-bath canning, freezing, and dehydrating can allow you to take advantage of great sales or end-of-season scores.
  • Eat less:  This suggestion isn’t for everyone, but many of us could stand to shed a few pounds.  Perhaps now would be a good time to cut back a little and shrink both your waistline and your weekly food bill.  Lots of people eat for the sheer entertainment of it or out of habit.  Next time you’re watching TV, grab some mending or a crossword puzzle instead of a bag of potato chips. Dish out slightly smaller servings at dinnertime to leave enough to stretch the leftovers for a brown bag meal the next day.
  • Drink water:  Skip the beverages and drink water instead. At less than $1 per gallon for purchased water you simply can’t beat the price.  It’s better for you, also, than sugar-y drinks.  If you are lucky enough to have well water or access to spring water, your drinks don’t have to cost you a penny.
  • Focus on nutrition instead of convenience:  Buy the best quality of food you can,  and skip the processed, nutritionless convenience foods.
  • Grow your own.  In the summer, grow the biggest garden you can. In the winter, or if you are an apartment dweller, put some sprouts and greens in a sunny windowsill to add some fresh produce for pennies.

6.) Reduce your dependence on utilities.

Energy rates are skyrocketing. As the prices begin to rise, more and more people will be unable to pay their bills and eventually their power will be shut off.  Check your bill each month and as prices increase, use less power. Try some of these ideas to reduce your reliance and drop your bills.

  • Hand wash your clothing
  • Hang clothes to dry
  • Cook on a wood stove or outdoor grill
  • Can foods to preserve them instead of relying on a large chest freezer
  • Turn the heat down a few degrees and use non-grid methods to keep warm
  • Use rain barrels to collect water
  • Direct the gray water from your washing machines to reservoirs
  • Turn off the lights and open the blinds
  • Use solar lighting whenever possible

How do you intend to weather the storm?

There are bleak days ahead.  Have you planned for this?  What strategies do you intend to use to weather the financial crisis that is coming for all of us?  What suggestions do you have for families who are undergoing their own economic collapses? Please post questions and ideas in the comments section below.

P.S. – You can also check these 47 life-changing income “tricks”.

Part of this article is by guest contributor Daisy Luther.

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I don't want you to wait until it's too late. And isn’t that the whole purpose of prepping? To be prepared? So please remember that next time you're surfing Final

There’s nothing aspirin can’t solve. Headache? Take an aspirin. Fever? Take an aspirin. For everything else, there’s MasterCard. Joke aside, this little pharmacological jewel is not only a great remedy for all sorts of pains and pangs but also a great helper around the house. Last I heard, some people use common aspirin to make pot plants stay green for a long amount of time.

And, quite recently, I’ve discovered that this wonder pill can really do amazing thing around the veggie garden. Not only that, but it also works on life stock (my father-in-law uses aspirin to treat whooping cough in cows and sheet).

Anyway, getting back to the subject at hand, aspirin’s really great for your veggie and flower gardens. Wouldn’t have believed that the same thing used to cure anything from fevers to hangovers could do them plants so much good. So, after getting some kickass results with my cabbage patch, I thought that the most sensible thing to do would be to share some of the reasons why I’ve decided to use the stuff in the first place.

So, without further ado, here are 4 reasons why you should stockpile and use aspirin in your veggie garden.

  1. No more fungus

No, I was talking about foot or nail fungus, but about that greenish stuff that chokes plants and makes gardeners cry. I’ve literally tried every damned anti-fungal solution on the market, but nothing seemed to work. That’s when a good friend of mine, who’s also a pharmacist, told me that I should add one or two aspirin tablets to the watering can. Apparently, salicylic acid is fungi’s number one enemy (has something to do with how the acid disrupts cells inside the fungal growth).

Anywho, if you want to get rid of all the fungus from your veggie garden, use aspirin in conjunction with water. Do keep in mind that the results are not instantaneous – in my case, I had to wait around two and a half weeks to see the results.

  1. Cut flowers will last even longer

I have to admit that I have a thing for freshly-picked flowers. Ever since I can remember, our family always had at least one vase with pretty flowers around the house – mom likes roses, just like my grandma. Still, the only trouble with cut flowers is that whatever you do, they will eventually wilt and day. And this happens faster than most of us realize.

Even that Valentine’s Day bouquet doesn’t last longer that one, maybe two days, provided that you don’t drown it. I read somewhere that flower dealers (yes, I know exactly how it sounds), use a sugar and salt combo to prevent wildflowers from wilting too fast.

I think that’s a load of crap – I’ve tried on many different types of flowers: roses, orchids, tulips, lilies. It doesn’t work. And no, it’s not about balancing the ingredients. Sure, among other things plants take from the soil is salt and glucose. But they also need plenty of other stuff to survive and thrive.

In searching for a better alternative, I tried adding a tablet of aspirin to a vase halfway filled with water. This time, my flowers of choice were Carson roses.  One week later, lo and behold, the roses were still clinging to life, more alive and greener and red than ever before.

  1. More veggies in the garden

In my opinion, starting your own garden is a gamble – you’ll never know what that land will yield or if anything will grow at all. Yes, I know that there are some veggies like potatoes or onions that can be grown anywhere, but this is not always the case.

After harvesting my very first crop, I’ve discovered, much to my dissatisfaction, that I ended up with a basket filled to the brim with nice and round onions, and another with some things that looked like Area 51 experiments. However, the thing that puzzled me the most is that the crops were two weeks late, although I followed the instructions to the letter.

The main issue was, of course, the soil. It needed a little bit of help to yield a better crop. After doing a little bit of online research, I’ve discovered that a surefire way to turn any kind of soil into a veggie-making mean machine was to add some aspirin. So, if you’re having the same problems, try this nifty little trick: dissolve four aspirin tablets in approximately four gallons of water.

Use this mixture to water your plants daily for at least two weeks. It may strike you as a little odd, but apparently, aspirin has a way of encouraging plant growth better than any chemical or organic fertilizer. According to the big and scary book of science, salicylic acids stimulate the soil to generate more vitamin C. And, wouldn’t you know it, even plants like a vitamin C infusion, not only human bones.

  1. Makes for stronger roots

Roots are everything to plants – strong and long one means that the plant will go to get all moisture and nutrients it needs in order to survive and thrive. Unfortunately, with all the chemicals used to stimulate plant growth, roots have become brittle, weak, and unable to properly feed the plant. And that’s bad news for you if decided to ditch supermarket veggies.

Apart from using only organic stuff, you can try and give those roots a little nudge. Yup, you’ve guessed it – aspirin is that swift kick in the keister each plant needs to develop stronger roots. Here’s what you will need to do. Head to the drug store and get some uncoated aspirin (the variety that doesn’t offer gastric protection). Before planting the seeds, dissolve one tablet in one gallon of water and pour the mixture into the hole. Allow the soil to absorb the mix. After that, you can plant whatever your heart desires.

So, what are your thoughts on using aspirin in the garden? Hit the comments section and let me know.

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There’s nothing aspirin can’t solve. Headache? Take an aspirin. Fever? Take an aspirin. For everything else, there’s aspirin.

For every season there is beauty. Its something that comes to mind immediately at the thought of that season. Even the cold of winter is highlighted by warm drinks, roaring fires and the holidays. Maybe it’s a means of making the mundane a little more magic or maybe its an appreciation for this life.

If you are a person that lives a prepared lifestyle chances are these seasons mean other things, too. Vital tasks and responsibilities must be handled throughout the year and many are season specific.

What helps more than anything is a schedule for it all! How on earth are we supposed to keep up with all the stuff that we need to keep up with. Its just so much and when you add a full time LIFE on top of that, it gets overwhelming.

Let’s have a high level look at the four seasons and what responsibilities you should prioritize for each.

Spring

1. Home Maintenance and Inspection

After a long winter of being trapped in the house its time to get out, under and around the home. Now is the time to inspect your home for things like:

  • Pests
  • Damage
  • Leaky Pipes
  • Missing Property
  • Fencing
  • Drainage

2. Planting

Of course, spring is a time for planting! This is when the ornery gardener can finally get out and put seeds and seedlings into the soil. Its an exciting time and most gardeners are hungry for that first taste of fresh produce from the garden.

Things like English peas and radish are great candidates to get in the soil early.

3. Fishing

Spring is also a time for fishing. A great skill to practice, fishing is both fun and a great way to fill your bell with protein! The big bass come out in spring, when the water is warm enough, but it can be just as fun to spend the day catching bluegills.

4. Baby Animals

Depending on what you have on your property you might also be dealing with chicks, kids, calves and piglets. The spring is a special time that might require extra work for baby animal care.

 

Summer

5. Hunting Prep

The summer is a good time to spread out your hunting gear and get ready for the coming fall season. Its also a great time to get out and scout hunting areas. Find out where the deer are going to be and where you are going to set up to take that shot!

6. Processing Wood

Its never too early to start splitting wood for the fireplace. The winter will be upon you before you know it and cool summer nights are also great for burning wood. Splitting wood is also a great workout!

7. Managing Pests

If you keep chickens or other small animals, you might find that this time of year you are managing larger and more dangerous pests. Things like opossum and racoon can wreak havoc on your flock. It might be worth investing in some steel traps or a good .22 rifle to keep your chickens safe.

Fall

8. Insulation

Fall is the time to check home insulation. You are going to be combating the cold and you want to be sure your home is up to the task. Good insulation makes all the difference in this. Consider things like pipes doors and windows.

9. Cold Gear

You will also want to bring out cold weather gear like sweaters, boots and coats. Don’t forget your gloves and hats. Get them out and ready because the cold is on its way. This will also give you time to react if you find you need something new.

10. Harvest/Canning

By this point you are going to be consistently harvesting food. You have probably already been canning and preserving at this point, too!

When it comes to this game you might also be thinking about extra storage. Have you ever considered the old root cellar as a means of increasing storage? It could be just what you are looking for. These root cellars are simple to build and if you know how, you can make them very cheap!

Timothy Griffith created a book called The Easy Cellar that describes the whole process from start to finish using affordable earthbags as the base. It’s a must read if you are interested in an underground shelter or root cellar.

11. Hunting

Winter

12. Deep Food Storage

Winter always seems like a good time to put up more food. Long term food storage, in particular. You need a good place with a consistent temperature. This is another perk of having a root cellar. You can get that kind of consistent temp underground and it takes some of the food storage out of your home!

13. Organizational Preps

The cold winter days can be depressing. However, organizational projects are a great way to pass the time. Maybe you want to store things differently or in a new area. Its also a great time to clean out old space for new items.

14. Prepare Garden Areas (late winter)

Removing debris and waste from growing areas is one of those late winter tasks that can give you a jump on the growing season. Don’t leave this out of your plans.

Conclusion

A little bit of organization can go a long way. In the wide world of prepping, homesteading and the self-reliant lifestyle, there is a lot to consider. Hopefully we have offered you a few seasonal tasks that will make a difference in what you can accomplish.

You don’t wanna wind up funneling all the hard stuff to the end of the year and must rush through it all.

Also, consider adding a root cellar to your property. Even something small can go a long way. I really like the earthbag design laid out in The Easy Cellar. It might be just the storage answer you have been dreaming of!

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If you are a person that lives a prepared lifestyle chances are these seasons mean other things, too. Many vital tasks and responsibilities are season specific.

Hoping you had a great weekend. And that you are prepared for an even greater week.

First, let us remember why we gathered here today. To prep like no one has prepped before, right?

So what is prepping? The internet says it’s the practice of making active preparations for a possible catastrophic disaster or emergency, typically by stockpiling food, ammunition, and other supplies. So far so good. What the internet is not telling us is how to make these active preparations with the same money we struggle to make a living with.

Because all of our prepping efforts, besides a few DIY ideas, cost money.

So it’s time to talk money. And how do we make some extra for our prepping efforts.

Let’s go through some of the ways to achieving this goal, even if you might not find these ideas very attractive.

1. Sell some of the items you bought for your stockpile.

This is one of those ways of making money I think is a lot harder to do en-masse, but if you’re looking to make a few extra dollars on the side here and there, it’s an excellent way to go, especially if you’re particularly good at couponing, or getting items for free for your stockpile.

Have too much of a certain thing? I suggest bartering or trading these items, but you can also use these items to sell to friends and family and others who may want them as well. Cheaper for them to get them through you, and a little extra padding for your own wallet as well.

2. Learn a labor-related self-sufficiency skill and find work using that skill.

There are so many self-sufficiency skills you could teach yourself that would be beneficial for you to know as a prepper.

Some of these skills are more profitable to teach yourself than others. If you end up being interested in the right one, your knowledge could earn you a healthy side income if it’s something you’re interested in pursuing for money on the side. Eventually, your side gig can even replace your day job entirely, if that’s the direction you want to head in, or if you’d prefer – become a part or full-time gig during your retirement.

Examples of these self-sufficiency skills: carpentry and woodworking, electrical and plumbing, car repair. Knife sharpening is also a great one for transforming into a side business.

3. Learn a crafty or creative self-sufficiency skill and sell your creations.

Think this is ridiculous? It’s not! In this day and age where everybody and their mother loves looking up DIY posts, staring enviously at the result, and yet never doing anything of the sort themselves, there’s plenty to be made from a crafty self-sufficiency hobby that you picked up from your grandmother or originally learned to be more prepared.

Some examples of these types of self-sufficiency skills that translate into lovely creations that can be sold for a good sum on sites like Etsy: knitting, soap making, clothes making, leather working, and yet again – carpentry.

Even if you didn’t originally learn your skill to make money, doesn’t mean you can’t capitalize on your skill. You could even end up with a healthy small business on your hands in a few years time.

4. Sell hunted or fished meat to friends, family, and neighbors who are interested.

Meat you can grab at the grocery store just doesn’t taste the same as hunted meat – it’s not even half as good at the grocery store, at least not to me. There’s a quality about the taste of hunted meat that makes it worth so much more in my, and many other people’s, eyes. Same with fish you’ve fished yourself – rather than the farmed fish you often find at the grocery store.

If you have friends, family, neighbours, or acquaintances who don’t hunt and fish themselves, but love the taste of hunted and fished meat – you can stand to gain if they’re willing to pay you for what you’ve snagged in your spare time. With enough people interested, and going out often enough, you can really make a healthy side income doing this.

5. Sell excess fruits and veggies from your prepper garden to anyone interested.

Just the same as hunted and fished meat is infinitely more delicious to many than anything you can grab in a grocery store, home-grown organic fruits and vegetables are ridiculously better tasting when compared to their non-organic supermarket counterparts. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would deny this.

If you’ve already got a prepper garden started, you can try selling your fruits and veggies as is, or if you can or jar the fruits and vegetables yourself, can try selling them that way for extra as well. Make jams? Same as if you made homemade soaps – your handy DIY creations up for sale could result in you having a very healthy side income, or even a booming small business. All depends on what you want and how far you’d like to take things.

If you’re not comfortable selling these home-grown foods to friends, family, or neighbours, you can always try trading or bartering them for items they have that you need. It won’t help you make money prepping, but it sure will help you save money, since you save yourself the bill of paying for the items you traded for.

That’s it. But remember it’s only Monday. We’re just getting started.

 

Even if it doesn’t seem like it, this is Weed Week at Final Prepper. We will make sure we cover all the benefits of embracing this incredible new lucrative all American business, that not only helps its end users, but also the ones investing in it. Especially if they do it now.

Want to Save Money (for) Prepping? Make sure you read our articles this week. 

 

Don’t forget to also send us your comments, ideas, or a story on your experience as a prepper so far.

It’s the only way for all of us to move forward.

God Bless,

Charles

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It's time to talk money. And how do we make some extra for our prepping efforts. Let's go through some of the ways to achieving this goal.

I’m painfully aware of the fact that smartphones and prepping don’t mix, but part of being a prepper means using anything you have on hand in order to survive. Smartphones themselves make for an interesting case study – for some, it’s a big no-no, because the battery, unreliability in case of an EMP attack, cheap components that make them very fragile, but I urge you to reconsider. In all aspects, smartphones are the epitome of communication technology and, as a result, they have a lot to offer.

Sure, I won’t stake my life on one single piece of plastic with a display and a camera that makes the most awesome pictures period, but in checking out the mobile applications market, I’ve discovered a very interesting aspect. If you know where to go, what to download, and use, your smartphone can be turned into a tool as versatile and dependable as a survival knife.

So, for today’s article, I have compiled a small list of my favorite ‘survival’ apps for smartphones. Enjoy!

Facebook

Yes, I know that most of you would hardly associate duck faces, food pics or check-ins with survival. However, Zuckerberg’s wunderkind does have its merits. If you still have an active Internet connection, you’ll be able to find out in a jiffy where you are.

Moreover, in case of a natural or man-made disaster, Facebook allows its users to mark themselves “safe” which basically discloses the location, as to allow their loved ones to know that they’re out of harm’s way. Careful about permissions – data mining’s real and hardly a trifle. Still, a very good survival app.

Red Cross First Aid

A great cross-platform app (means it’s available for Android, iPhones, and Windows phones) which boasts two types of first-aid modules: one for learning which teaches you useful stuff like performing CPR, treating wounds or dealing with allergic reactions and a second one that kind of synthesizes all teaching modules. The latter can be very helpful in case you need to render first-aid since you won’t have time to scroll through pages of text.

Compass Steel 3D

As everyone needs a compass and this smartphone delivers. Compass Steel 3D is a lightweight compass app with tons of features like calibration, sun and moon direction, sunset and sunrise time. Given the fact that it relies solely on your phone’s accelerometer (the sensor that changes the screen’s orientation based on position) means that you really don’t need an active Internet connection.

Offline Survival Manual

Everything you need to know about survival in lieu of an Internet connection. Offline Survival Manual is what a like to call an encyclopedia – it covers a lot of common prepping topics like first-aid, food, water, but also offers unique content such as mental preparedness tricks and basic med guides.

Scanner Radio

What’s the use of having a short-range communication device like a walkie-talkie if there’s no one to speak to? This is where his nifty app comes into play – using GPS, Wi-Fi or mobile data; Scanner Radio will snoop around the area for active radio stations. It can also pick up radio chatter from the authorities or from people using this device.

Battery Doctor

Every smartphone out there has a built-in application that keeps an eye on battery level. Most target notorious battery drainers such as screen brightness, applications running in the background or the Internet connection. Battery Doctor takes this to an entirely different level – it now only kills redundant apps, but it also boasts a super power-saving mode that can extend the life of your battery by several days at least. This would come in handy for phones that drain batteries like there’s no tomorrow or for situations which call for an amp of juice in your smartphone.

Flashlight

A simple name to serve a simple purpose – illumination. Indeed, your phones come with its own flashlight options, but apps such as this one can improve the brightness by a factor of ten. Careful about that battery life, though. You should only use Flashlight in case you run out of matches, lighters, light sticks, flares or tac light batteries.

Wild Edibles

Now, this is what I call a must-have for preppers. Wild Edibles has a database of over 200 edible wild plants. It also comes with useful information about location, how to identify, harvest, and what to do in case you eat the wrong ones. If that wasn’t enough for you, Wild Edibles also has a plant recognition algorithm that uses your smartphone’s camera to identify the plant in front of you.

Guardly Mobile Safety

This is the cheapest alternative to a personal emergency beacon. Let’s assume for the fact that you missed a call or a message. In case this happens a couple more times, this application will relay your GPS location to the authorities or to your emergency contacts.

Knots 3D

How can you not know how to knot? Well, apparently there are many people who get even their shoelaces wrong. That’s why Knots 3D is a very handy survival app – its large database shows you how to tie even the most intricate know, using a step-by-step video approach.

Smart Tools

Every prepper needs a toolbox, but a real one would be a little impractical to carry around. This is where Smart Tools comes into play – need to measure something? Fire up the ‘meter’ option and get crazy. The app has tons of other features such as mirror, flashlight magnifier, compass, GPS, and even a sound meter.

OpenSignal

This app is very similar to Scanner Radio, with one small difference – instead of picking up local radio chatter, OpenSignal scans for nearby radio or Wi-Fi towers. It also has a smart built-in tool that boosts your phone’s signal in case the radio tower is out of reach. Sorry, iPhone people – this one is for Android users only.

That’s about it for my top 12 favorite survival apps for smartphones. Think anything’s missing from the list? Let me know in the comments section.

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If you know where to go, what to download, and use, your smartphone can be turned into a tool as versatile and dependable as a survival knife.

Everybody has his guilty pleasure – mine is powdered eggs. Yes, I know that nothing beats fresh-laid chicken eggs, because they’re packed with calcium, albumin, and so on and so forth. But what can you do? The heart asks pleasure first, as the saying goes, and I wouldn’t even consider coming down for breakfast if I’m all out of powdered eggs for my killer omelet.

There are very good reasons why I chose this instead of regular eggs, apart from the fact that they tout more or less the same nutritional values as their ‘living’ counterparts – they can be stockpiled for months if not years; can fit into any B.O.B, no matter how big or small it is and, most importantly, powdered eggs will be worth their weight in gold during an SHTF situation when all supermarkets will run out of the fresh variety.

Now, before showing you how I managed to make my first few jars of powdered eggs, I should warn you that this recipe will require a small investment because you’ll need a contraption called a dehydrator.

Wait! Don’t close this article yet. I was talking about a maybe a few tens (bought mine from Costco for $30). That’s about it as far as the financial part is concerned. Trust me when I say that this investment will pay off – imagine not having to hunt online discounts on survival foods such as powdered eggs. And, most importantly, if you know how to cook ‘em, you won’t notice any difference in taste.

Anyway, here’s what you will need to do in order to obtain a near-endless supply of powdered eggs.

Gathering your ingredients and kitchen supplies

To pull this off, you will need the following:

  • Eggs (I used two dozen for my first batch).
  • A teaspoon of vegetable cooking oil or butter.
  • The dehydrator.
  • A food processor.
  • A blender or fork for whipping up the eggs.
  • Canning jars.
  • Skillet.

Done gathering the ingredients? Great! Here’s what you’ll need to do next.

How to prepare powdered eggs

Step 1. Start by cracking open the eggs in a large bowl.

Step 2. Whip up the eggs using a mixer or a fork. I would advise you to use a blender since it’s quite tricky to whip up that many eggs using a simple fork and takes less time.

Step 3. Put the skillet on the cooking machine and add a little bit of veggie oil or butter. If you don’t have a non-stick pan, use both or stick to butter.

Step 4. Set the heat to medium-low and wait for the oil to heat up. If you’re using butter, you should put the whipped eggs inside when the butter’s all melted.

Step 5. Add the whipped eggs.

Step 6. Wait until the eggs begin to bind, then use a wooden spoon or spatula to sort of shred the omelet mass. Keep stirring and separating the eggs. It takes about 10 minutes or so. Yup, basically it’s like doing scrambled eggs. Now, if you want your eggs to be extra puffy, you can add a splash of milk to the bowl while you’re whisking them.

Step 6. Move the scrambled eggs to a clean plate with a bit of paper tissue underneath and allow them to cool.

Step 7. Once the eggs have cooled down, transfer them to your food processor and set it on “pulse.” Give your scrambled eggs a couple of spins. After a couple of seconds, you should have a puffy mass of diced eggs.

Step 8. Turn on your dehydrator and set it to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait for it to reach the desired temperature (mine has a green LED bulb in the front which sort of lights up when the device reaches the right temp). Don’t forget to remove the dehydrator’s lid before heating it up.

Step 9. Transfer the eggs from your food processor to the dehydrator. Put on the lid and wait. It takes about four or five hours for the machinery to remove all the moisture from the eggs. Once they’re done, the eggs will have a brittle aspect.

Step 10.  Put the eggs back into the food processor and give them a spin or two to turn them into powder. Enjoy!

There’s another way of making powdered eggs. Works great if you’re on the run or not in the mood of going through all the steps. As you will see, the dehydrator you’re just bought comes with a fruit roll sheet (yup, you can use it to get the moisture out of fruits and make your own trail mix).

Now, get half a dozen eggs and whisk them. Put the fruit roll sheet on top of your dehydrator and set it to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. When the thing’s beginning to heat you, dip a paper towel in some veggie oil and grease the surface of your fruit roll sheet.

Add the whisked eggs (careful not to spill your mix inside the device). You don’t need to put the lid on. Leave it like this for 14 to 16 hours. Swing by from time to time to see if everything’s okay. When they’re done, they’ll have the same brittle texture as in the steps described above. All you need to do now is to transfer them to your food processor (don’t bother waiting for them to cool down), give them a good shake, and that’s it.

As for storing, you can use regular canning jars or zip-lock bags. If you want to make survival packs for your bug out bag or household survival kit, you can try using a vacuum sealer.

For the cooking part, all you’ll need to do would be to rehydrate them – I personally like to add them to a small pan with boiled water and sort of make poached, scrambled eggs. Yes, I know it sounds unappetizing, but nothing a little bit of salt, pepper, and a slice of homemade spam can’t fix.

Hope you’ve liked my article on how to make powdered eggs at home. If there’s anything more to add, be sure to hit me up in the comments section.

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Powdered eggs will be worth their weight in gold during an SHTF situation when all supermarkets will run out of the fresh variety.

Oh, what wouldn’t I give to be young again. Braving the wild, feasting like a mountain king on shrooms and berries, being the firebird, drinking ice-cold water from clear streams and…. getting intestinal parasites. Lovely perspective, ain’t it?

Well, I don’t want to spoil your upcoming summer vacation or anything, but that’s basically what happens when you drink spring water without using purification tablets. To say that today’s subject is shitty would be a major understatement – giardia, pinworms, and tapeworms. Yup, we’re going to talk about intestinal parasites.

Yes, I know they’re kind of a turn-off, but you can’t always rely on the help of a doctor whenever your butt starts itching or your stool changes color; actually you really need to see a doc in both cases, but considering that you’re lost in some neck of the woods, waltzing in the ER no longer becomes a viable option.

So, without further ado, here’s how to recognize intestinal parasites and how to get rid of them when there’s no doc to see you.

Intestinal parasites – signs and symptoms

As you might have guessed by now, intestinal parasites come in all shapes and sizes. In fact, according to doctors, there are over 300,000 species of parasites that feed upon vertebrae, but only 300 of them can jump into humans. I know that it’s not much to go on when the symptoms start to emerge, but the good news is that with the proper care and treatment, you can get rid of them fast.

Unfortunately, we have neither the time nor the space to go over every intestinal parasite that can affect humans. However, most parasitical infections occur when one of these five ‘guys’ get inside your icky stuff: tapeworm, flukes, hookworm, pinworm (also called the threadworm), and the trichinosis worm.

Quite a list, isn’t it? But how to find the perpetrator if lack medical knowledge or can’t get ahold of a doctor? Let’s consider the big picture – intestinal worms live and thrive in your gut mostly because of our hygienic habits.

For instance, living in squalor, eating tainted meat or getting too close to animals that carry these parasites are surefire ways of getting yourself infected with intestinal parasites. But wait! There’s even more – intestinal parasites often spread through the so-called fecal-oral route. What does that mean? Well, if you shake hands with someone who’s infected and neglected to wash his hands after popping, then the parasites will jump into you.

The same thing can happen if you eat severely undercooked food. Pork meat, for instance, carries the trichinosis worm. That’s why docs always recommend to thoroughly cook it before eating. Be extra careful when buying pork cuts from sources other than farmer’s markets or supermarkets. Sure, nothing beats the meat quality of a homestead-grown hog, but you this doesn’t make it safe to eat. In fact, if the pork meat hasn’t been taken to a vet, you should avoid buying altogether.

Anyway, getting back to intestinal parasites – although all of them induce different symptoms, all have a common denominator: diarrhea. It’s not much to go on taking into account that even the flu shares the same symptom.

However, you should keep in mind that intestinal parasites giardia, apart from diarrhea also induce abdominal cramping and severe dehydration. Furthermore, in the case of pinworms, the only symptoms more annoying that shitting water would be a butt itch. All things considered, if you have abdominal cramps, rectal itching, abnormal stool, diarrhea, and feel that drinking half of the Pacific Ocean won’t quench your thirst, it’s highly likely you have intestinal parasites.

You should also take into account your lifestyle choice and the people you’ve been in contact with. Remember that it only takes a handshake for the parasite to jump into you. Another thing you will need to take into account is the fact that intestinal parasites can move from host to host through vomiting. I don’t think I need to elaborate.

Anyway, taking into account both symptoms and history, it’s now time to see how we can deal with intestinal parasites when there are no doctors around.

How to treat intestinal parasites

The first and line last of defense are antiparasitic meds. I don’t know about your household emergency kit, but your bug out bag’s med kit should include one or more antiparasitic drugs. The most common med used to treat intestinal infection is Metronidazole (also called Flagyl).

Still, it’s hardly the only one. Mebendazole is recommended for treating Giardia, Thiabendazole for roundworm infections, and Niclosamide for tapeworm infection. The best news is that all of them are over-the-counter meds, which means that you can stock up on them whenever you like. Have at least two of this meds in your B.O.B’s med kit. I would also recommend grabbing some Albendazole since it covers a larger array of parasites (broad-spectrum).

Keep in mind that medication is only part of the treatment. You will also need to drink plenty of clear liquids (water, tea or broth) to replenish lost ones. Moreover, your electrolytic balance will also take a beating which means that you will need to find some way to restore it – Gatorade or Pedialyte are great for this job.

If you don’t have any, you can prepare such a concoction by mixing water, half a tablespoon of salt, and two teaspoons of honey.

Final thoughts

One more thing – if you plan on taking antiparasitic meds, don’t drink any booze. Sure, the drug will do its job, but booze plus antiparasitic equals vomiting. You should also ensure that you get plenty of sack time, lay off fat foods, and see a doctor as soon as possible.

And because I’ve already offered you a hint in the intro – you should avoid drinking water from rivers, puddles or mountain springs. I know that nothing beats that cool and crystal-clear water, but it’s safer this way. However, if you run out of bottled water, drop a purification tablet inside a canteen filled with spring water before you drink it.

That’s it on how to identify and treat intestinal parasites. What’s your take on this? Head to the comments section and let me know.

 

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You should avoid drinking water from rivers, puddles or mountain springs. I know that nothing beats that cool and crystal-clear water, but it’s safer this way.