Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

Win the War on Debt: 80 Ways to Be Frugal and Save Money Many great links on this post; go to the link to find out more Info by Brett & Kate McKayMay 21, 2011The Art of Manliness The manliness of frugality cannot be overstated. Frugality cultivates the manly qualities of independence, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, simplicity, and minimalism. It keeps a man free from the enslaving chains of debt and gives him an sense of manly pride and satisfaction. Frugality build a man’s immunity to the siren call of “stuff,” helps him learn to make do with less, and adds pleasure and happiness to his life by providing opportunities to practice delayed gratification. Frugality also fosters the DIY spirit and inspires a man to create, instead of consume.We could wax long and poetic about the manliness of frugality but let’s get down to the brass tacks: how does a man become frugal? Some men, inspired to jump on the frugality wagon, set a drastic course for themselves and turn theirs live inside out. But inevitably, this man ends up chafing at the extreme constrictions he has set for himself, burns out on the program, and sets off on a shopping spree to compensate for the months of rigid restraint. No, the better course is simply to make little changes throughout the different areas of your life. You will be surprised to see how fast these small changes can add up and leave you with extra moola in your pockets and in the bank. And you also might be surprised to find out how fun being frugal is–really! It becomes like a game where you’re always trying to figure out ways to cut costs.We’ve created this list of 80 practical–and often pretty painless–ways to save money. Whether you’re looking to trim your debt, live more simply, start an emergency fund, or just need to find ways to offset the hole in your budget created by rising gas prices, there are guaranteed to be a few things here you can start implementing in your life right away. I recommend giving these ideas a look-0ver, making a list of ten of more things you can give a go, and putting them into practice as a new month begins.Victory over debt is at hand!Automobile/Travel

1. Change your own oil. 2. Rotate your tires regularly. Tires are expensive. Make them last longer by rotating them regularly.3. Buy your car used. And make sure you learn how to negotiate for one.4. If you’re married, share a car with your wife. Kate and I have been sharing just one car since we’ve been married. Yeah, it can be a pain planning our schedules occasionally, but overall the experience hasn’t been bad at all and has become our normal. We’ve saved money on gas, maintenance, and insurance and the rides together provide us with time to talk and catch up with each other.5. Pay auto insurance annually, instead of every six months. There’s usually a nice discount if you do this. Other ways to score discounts with car insurance include maintaining a safe driving record, shopping around for the best price, and staying with the same insurance company for an extended period of time.6. Carpool. Dagwood does it. So can you.7. Keep your tires properly inflated. Not only do properly inflated tires save you money on gas, they also cut down on tire wear and improve the handling and thus safety of your car. 8. Replace your car’s air filter regularly. It’s an easy car maintenance job you can do yourself, and it can save you money on gas.9. Practice hypermiling. Hypermiling consists of using certain driving techniques to maximize your fuel efficiency. You do things like coast down hills in neutral and turn off your car when at a stop light.10. Don’t speed. You use more gas when you do and you risk getting a costly ticket.11. Plan trips where you have friends and family. During Kate and I’s poor college student days, this is how we were able to go on vacations. We’d hang out with Uncle Buzz in Vermont or go see Kate’s grandparents in Orlando.12. Always negotiate for hotel rooms. Hotel rooms are like highly perishable food: if they’re not used that day, they’re wasted. You can almost always get a better deal just by asking. Anytime Kate and I are traveling by car and we’re ready to call it a day, we’ll Google nearby hotels on our phone as we approach the town we’re driving into and ask for their rates. Then we’ll start a bidding war between the different hotels: “Is that the absolute best price you can do? La Quinta has a room for $45 a night. Any chance you can go lower than that?” Using this tactic we had one hotel room go from $125 to $40. Boom.13. When flying, bring your own snacks.14. Skip on car rental insurance. Check your personal car insurance plan to see if they cover you for rental cars, too. Many plans do. Also, the credit card you use to rent the car probably offers rental insurance.15. Travel after peak season. It might be hard if you have kids in school, but you can find some good deals on hotel rooms and flights if you travel during the off-season and time your trip for the middle of the week instead of on the weekend.16. Camp. Kate and I went camping last week. Spent just $10 for the campground fee and $20 for food and supplies. But it felt like a true getaway. Just spending a day and a night in the outdoors completely refreshed us.Dressing and Grooming

17. Shave with a safety razor. No more buying $20 multi-blade razors.18. Better yet, shave with a straight razor. No more having to buy razors at all, for the rest of your life!19. Best of all, grow a beard. No razors and no shaving cream either.20. Extend the life of your safety razors by keeping them dry and stropping them on your arm. Dull blades are the result of imperfections in your blade. Water causes your blades to corrode, and consequently creates imperfections. So keep your blades dry. But a neat little hack to sharpen those blades up is to do to your disposable razors what you do with your straight razor: hone them. If you don’t have a leather strop handy, just use your forearm. Rub your razor on your forearm in the non-cutting direction for about 10 strokes. Disposable razor stropped and ready to go.21. Wash and iron your own dress shirts. Even if your local dry cleaner charges the very inexpensive rate of $1 per shirt, at 20 shirts per month, you’re looking at spending $240 per year. This amount can easily balloon to $1000 if you’re paying anywhere near $4 to $6 a shirt. You can complete this easy chore yourself in just 15 minutes a week.22. Get your current wardrobe altered if you lose/gain weight instead of buying a new wardrobe.23. Buy your clothing at a thrift store. 24. Cut your own hair. I’m a big advocate of the barber shop, but many barbers are charging $15-$25 for a haircut these days. For me, what you get–a great haircut, a great experience, and the opportunity to take part in a manly tradition–makes going to the barber well worth the price. But if you’re really wanting to tighten the belt, give yourself a buzz cut.Health and Fitness

25. Ditch the gym membership and create a DIY Gym. Also, rediscover the joy of the garage/basement weight set.26. Bodyweight exercises. Check out our guide with 35+ different push-up exercises. We also have a burpee guide with different routines you can do.27. High deductible insurance+ health savings account. If you and your family are healthy, you might consider switching to a high deductible insurance plan and opening up a health savings account along with it. While you have to pay more out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in, the premium you pay each month can be considerably less than regular plans. The health savings account you open along with your high deductible plan allows you to set aside money tax free that you can only use for medical expenses. You use the money in your health savings account to pay co-pays, deductible expenses, and medications. The lower premiums of a high deductible plan plus the tax savings of an health savings account can mean big time health insurance savings.28. Get samples from your doctors. Most docs are happy to fill a bag for you with a bunch of samples of the medication you need. 29. Take care of yourself. The healthier you are, the less likely it is that you’ll have to make visits to the doctor and spend money on medications. Exercise and eating right are simple things you can do to stay healthy and reduce medical costs. Also, take care of your teeth. Dental corrections like fillings and root canals can cost an arm and a leg. Invest three minutes of your day, morning and night, to proper dental hygiene.30. Stop smoking. Last time I checked a carton of cigs was going for $20+. Besides the money you save by not buying a carton every week, you’ll also save money on health costs in the long run.Food

31. Shop with a list. Studies show that when you shop with a list, you spend less than if you don’t, as it helps you concentrate on picking up only what you need.32. Brown bag your lunch. It’s not only cheaper, it’s usually a heck of a lot more healthy than going out to a restaurant. 33. Cut back on packaged and convenience foods and learn how to make cheap meals yourself. Pasta. beans. Eat them. 34. Make leftover friendly food. Casseroles and crock pots are your best friends here. 35. Make your own coffee. Time to break-up with your favorite barista.36. Drink more water. Water is free, and it’s good for you. Drink it instead of flavored beverages that cost money and pad your waistline.37. Limit going out to eat to one time a week or less. And when you do go out, split America’s massively-sized portions in half and use a coupon.38. Grow your own vegetables. Can’t do this right now because we live in apartment, but it’s a future goal. I have friend who has had tremendous success with growing his own vegetables. He saves money, and he says it makes him feel like a homesteader.39. Buy store brands. Here’s a secret that brand name companies don’t want you to know: sometimes generic brands are made at the very same factory as the brand name product, they just put a different label on it. Sometimes this isn’t the case, and the generic really is inferior in quality. So just do some experimenting to see what works. 40. Have a weekly menu. I don’t know about you guys, but when Kate and I don’t have a menu planned out, when the question of “What are we going to eat tonight” rolls around, it’s pretty easy to respond with “Let’s go out.” A weekly menu can help you reduce the amount of times you go out to eat, thus saving you money on expensive restaurant food.Entertainment

41. Cut the cable. Farewell Snooki.42. Board games and like. Boggle. I love Boggle. 43. Matinee and Dollar movies. Movie theater experience without the movie theater prices. And in the case of matinees, without the interrupting teenagers.44. Take advantage of your local college or university. Colleges often have free cultural events and lectures that are open to the public.45. Trade and borrow with friends. If you need tools or other items to do a job around the house, instead of going out and buying them, check with your friends or neighbors to see if they have it and if you can borrow it. You can also do this with books, CDs, movies, and video games.46. Use the library. Kate and I are total library hounds. We use it to score not only free books, but current CDs and DVDs as well. If you haven’t used the library in awhile, you really need to give it a try. With the Tulsa library system, you can look up a book online and no matter what library it is at in the city, you can request that it be delivered to the library closest to you. A few days letter, you saunter into the library down the road, and the books, CDs, and movies you wanted are waiting for you on the reserve shelf. It’s magical really.47. Feed your mind online. The public library is not the only place you can get free mind-expanding materials. From university lectures from the country’s best professors to engrossing TED talks to classic books in the public domain, you can find enough free brain food on the internet to keep you occupied from here to eternity.48. Keep an eye on subscription services. Netflix, magazine, and online subscriptions can add up fast if you’re not careful. Do a subscription audit to see if you’re using the service enough to warrant the cost and if you can find free alternatives to your current subscriptions. Did I mention the library?49. Rethink your hobbies. Some hobbies cost a ton of money. Case in point: gun shooting. I’ve been getting into marksmanship and enjoy going to the range to pop off a few rounds with my Colt Python .357. But one of the things that surprised me about range shooting is how much ammo costs. Holy freaking cow! So I’m finding ways to make gun shooting cheaper, like practicing my dry firing at home. If you have a hobby that’s costing you a lot of money, find ways to make it cheaper. If you can’t do that, you might consider dropping it all together and finding a cheaper one, at least until your cash flow increases. Don’t know what to replace it with? Check out our list of manly hobbies.Computer/Tech Stuff

50. Use free tools and software for all your computing needs. It’s amazing how many programs you can get these days that are completely free. Instead of forking over money for Microsoft Office, use OpenOffice or Google Docs. Wikipedia has a massive list of open source software that’s completely free. Check to see if there’s a free version of what you’re looking for before spending money.51. Refill ink cartridges instead of buying new ones. 52. Print in draft mode. It uses less ink.53. When you buy new computers or printers, keep the old cables. You never know when they’ll come in handy.54. Buy refurbished. If you need a new computer, check the company’s website that you want to buy from to see if they have any deals on refurbished items. I know lots of Apple fanboys who can’t afford (or don’t want) to buy Apple products new, so they buy a gently used version of the product they’ve been lusting after.Utilities

55. Regularly clean the coils on the back of your refrigerator. A clean coil uses less energy.56. Keep your freezer full. An empty freezer requires more energy to keep cold. If you don’t have anything to put in your freezer, fill up milk jugs with water and pack them in your freezer to take up space.57. Kill the electricity phantom. Whenever you leave a device plugged into a wall socket, it continues to constantly draw a small amount of energy. All those plugged in appliances can take a toll on your electric bill.58. Seal energy leaks. Energy leaks in your house make your heater and A/C work harder to maintain the temperature of your home. And the harder your central heating and cooling systems have to work, the more money you have to spend. Spend a weekend finding and sealing any energy leaks. 59. If you have a cell phone, get rid of your land line. 60. Put on a sweater or open up a window. Heaters and air conditioners can use a lot of energy to keep your house warm or cool respectively. If you’re feeling chilly, put on a sweater before you turn up the thermostat. If you’re feeling warm, open up a window. Fresh air makes you feel a lot happier too.61. Turn off the lights. It’s a not a big thing, but every little bit helps. Follow your mom’s advice. Turn the lights off when you leave a room.62. Use compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs. I include this suggestion rather begrudgingly. I’m not a fan of the light that CFLs or LEDs give off. It’s flat and reminds me of being in a hospital. Give me the warm glow of an incandescent bulb any day. But I can’t deny the energy savings of CFLs and LEDs. Although they cost a little more than regular bulbs, they last up to 10 times longer and use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.63. Plant shade trees. According to the U.S. Forest Service, “Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 — 50 percent in energy used for heating.” If you can, plant some trees on the side of the house that gets the most sun.64. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and shower heads to limit your water usage. 65. Lower the Water Heating Temperature. For each 10 degree reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%-5%. 120 degrees is probably hot enough for most homes.66. Put an insulator around your water heater. If your water heater needs it, surround it with a water heater insulator. That move right there can save you around 4%-9% in water heating costs.67. Winterize your home. Winterizing your home makes your place more energy efficient so you can keep your family warm and toasty in the cold weather months without breaking the bank on energy bills.Gift Giving

68. Make your own gifts. Brew some beer, make a birdhouse, or create a secret book safe. Use your imagination and your craftsmanship.69. Offer to give a service, like mowing someone’s lawn each week for the entire summer instead of buying stuff. You can also put together a coupon book for someone like your wife, with coupons redeemable for things like “one free back rub.”The flylady.com has many more cheap and free gift ideas for men, women, and children.Miscellaneous Advice

70. Buy quality. Sometimes we get a little guff for promoting top-dollar products like Saddleback bags. Isn’t buying such expensive things incompatible with frugality? No, actually. Frugality isn’t about being cheap. It’s about getting the best value, and sometimes that means paying more to save more. It’s important to think about things in terms of cost-per-use as opposed to total cost. Let’s say you buy a pair of cheap boots for $50, and they’re neither comfortable nor particularly good looking, and so you only wear them when you have to which is once a week before they wear out in three years. The cost-per-wear on the “cheap” boots is thus 32 cents. Now, let’s say you spend $350 on a pair of top-quality, truly well-made boots. They’re really handsome, and you wear them every chance you get, which is four times a week. And they last you 50 years (with maybe a re-soling here and there). The cost per wear on the “expensive” boots is 3 cents. 3 cents! So which is the more frugal choice? This is a truth your grandpa knew well and why he actually had stuff to pass down to you.71. Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. It’s a creed your grandpa and grandma lived by to get through the Great Depression, and it’s just as applicable today. I get a lot of satisfaction from trying to make my stuff last as long as possible. Particularly with clothes. Pants come open up at the seam? Sew them back up. T-shirts too ratty to wear in public? Turn them into dust rags.72. Foster a DIY mentality. Before spending money on hiring somebody to do a job for you, see if you can figure out how to do it yourself. When money’s tight, you can always use your other stash of equity: your time. Not only will doing things yourself save you money, but there’s a satisfaction and pride you get from being self-reliant. Of course, be careful with this advice. If it looks like it’s a job you can’t do or if screwing it up would cost you more money to fix, hire somebody to do it.73. Be your own man. A big reason people spend money is social pressure. Don’t let others dictate how you’re going to live your life or spend your money.74. Read up on personal finance. Knowledge is power. I subscribe to several personal finance blogs. Many of them post tips on thrift and frugality. My two favorites? Get Rich Slowly and The Simple Dollar. And I recommend checking these books out from the library: Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin and The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.75. Have a 30 day waiting period for big purchases. If you see something that you think you just have to have, before you hand over your credit card to buy it, put it on a “I’ll buy this in one month” list. If after one month you still think buying the item would be worth it, then get it. In my experience, after waiting a month you often realize you really don’t need it, so you save the money you would have spent. Score! And if you do end up getting it a month later, the power of delayed gratification makes the purchase more enjoyable than it would have been had you just bought it immediately. Score!76. Use cash. In my experience, I tend to spend less when I use cash for most of my purchases. There’s just something about the tangibility of cash as opposed to debit cards that makes it hurt more to part with your money. When Kate and I were in hardcore debt repayment mode, we used the envelope budget system.77. Learn to haggle. We’ve got a great post on this important skill coming next month. 78. Buy staples in bulk. Buying in bulk cuts down on the cost per usage. If there are items in your house that you use regularly, buy them in huge quantities. Diapers, baby wipes, trash bags, paper towels, soap, etc.79. Don’t enroll in your bank’s overdraft protection program. At first blush, it might seem like a good idea; overdraft protection means that if you go to make a purchase with your debit card, and you don’t have enough money in your account to complete the transaction, the bank will “loan” you the money…and charge you a $25-$35 fee for their generosity. But that’s a big price to pay to avoid the embarrassment or inconvenience of having your card declined. And these fees can add up fast, because here’s what many consumers don’t know: most banks will purposefully process your largest transactions first, and then your smaller transactions after that. So let’s say you have $285 in your checking account and you buy a coffee for $3.50 in the morning, a sandwich for $5 at noon, and then some college textbooks in the afternoon for $300. The banks will process the $300 transaction first, thus depleting your account, and then charge you another $35 fee for the coffee and for the sandwich, and bill you for $105 in overdraft fees. Banks used to automatically enroll their customers in overdraft protection programs, but a court ruling last year made that illegal. But it was a big money maker for banks, so they still aggressively try to get you to sign up. Every time I check my bank account online, I get a pop up that asks if I’m sure I don’t want to enroll in their overdraft protection program. You just have to say no and keep saying no.80. Avoid other fees. Businesses these days seems to be nickel and diming consumers any way they can with extra fees. Banks, airlines, and credit card companies are the big culprits. Be a responsible and savvy consumer and you can avoid most of these fees. Use ATMs in your bank’s network to avoid ATM fees and pay your bills on time, always. And fly Southwest! No extortionist baggage fees, friendly service, and one of the best safety records in the biz (recent holes in the plane notwithstanding).What are some more ways to save money and be frugal? Share your tips with us in the comments!http://artofmanliness.com/2011/04/27/money-saving-tips/

http://www.stopagingnow.com/liveinthenow/

GMO Dangers: How Much More Proof Do We Need?

May 23, 2011
Posted by Josh Corn

Last week, a reader posted a critical comment on an article I wrote that explained why, in my opinion, we as consumers should be concerned about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) entering our food supply. Here’s some of what he had to say:

“Despite all the assertions and hype, the author cites not a single reference to a specific peer reviewed study on the harmful effects of GMOs. You can get such damning papers for asbestos, nicotine, dioxin and PCBs, but good luck on finding it for GMOs. What the author also fails to mention, GMOs, developed for the 3rd world are designed to be pest and drought resistant as well as increase yield sizes. Compared to organics, which indisputably use twice the land and resources for similar yields as conventional farming (as reflected in the price), how can you reconcile your flat out rejection of GMOs as being environmentally friendly?….Do you hope to get a few billion more notches in your belt by banning GMO’s while you sit safe and sound in the West, nibbling on your overpriced organic carrots?”

My initial reaction upon reading this comment was that it was a classic example of GMO “greenwashing.” This is the term applied when non-green practices and products are made to seem green – usually by the PR departments of large companies. I recently read a Food & Water Watch fact sheet on the greenwashing of genetically engineered crops by Big Agra companies like Monsanto. These companies and their supporters claim that GMO crops are needed to solve the global food production problems caused by climate change.
Here’s an excerpt:

“Monsanto advertises that biotech crops can feed the world “from a raindrop,” suggesting that GE crops are especially climate change resistant. In 2011, Roger Beachy, then director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s primary research agency, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, suggested to Scientific American magazine that GE crops protect traditional small farmers by reducing the need for agrochemicals. But this greenwashing doesn’t change what is just agribusiness as usual: more agrochemicals, more fossil fuels and more intensive agricultural production.”

I encourage you to download the full fact sheet and read it in its entirety to learn more about how GMOs benefit Big Agra companies — not farmers, not American consumers, and not even people in areas of the world facing food shortages.

The other bogus claim that Big Agra makes is that GMO foods are perfectly safe. Yet there is undeniable scientific evidence that proves the contrary — GMOs pose a grave threat to human health.

Here are two examples of condemning research that has been in the news just in the last few weeks:

1) 19 studies link GMOs to organ disruption
In April, disturbing headlines announced that a review of 19 studies concluded that consuming GMO corn or soybeans leads to significant organ disruptions in rats and mice, particularly in livers and kidneys. The researchers who conducted the review stated that the GMO soybean and corn varieties used in the studies “constitute 83% of the commercialized GMOs” that Americans currently consume.”
Writing about the review in the Institute for Responsible Technology’s blog, Jeffrey Smith explains that Big Agra often makes excuses when study findings point to health risks associated with GMOs:

“If statistically significant problems show up in their studies, biotech company researchers often attempt to explain away the adverse findings. But the authors of this review paper describe their excuses as unscientific, obsolete, or unjustified.”

2) Toxic insecticide found in human blood
According to an article that appeared on NaturalNews.com the results of new research, which detected a GMO insecticide chemical, known as Bt toxin, in human blood is proof that its widespread use is a threat to human health and a major public health concer.

“The biotechnology industry’s house of cards appears to be crumbling, as a new study out of the University of Sherbrooke, Canada, recently found Bt toxin, a component of certain genetically-modified (GM) crops, in human blood samples for the first time. Set to be published in the peer-reviewed journal Reproductive Toxicology the new study shreds the false notion that Bt is broken down by the digestive system, and instead shows that the toxin definitively persists in the bloodstream….Upon taking blood samples, researchers detected the Bt Cry1Ab toxin in a shocking 93 percent of maternal and 80 percent of fetal blood samples. And 69 percent of non-pregnant women tested positive for the toxin in their blood….The fact that Bt toxin was detected even in unborn babies shows that the chemical is easily passed from mother to child, and that it persists far longer than the biotechnology industry claims it does.”

These two studies are certainly cause for concern, in my opinion, and these are just a few of the most recent ones. There may not yet be a vast body of peer-reviewed clinical research (i.e. hundreds or thousands of studies) demonstrating the grave dangers of consuming GMOs, but the fact is GMOs are relatively new and many long term human studies have yet to be completed. In the absence of these studies, to just assume that GMOs do not pose a threat to human health defies all logic. Do we really need to wait…until it’s too late?

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM)’s official position on GMOs is that they “have not been properly tested and pose a serious health risk” and that a moratorium on GMO foods should be put in place until long-term studies demonstrate their safety. Many other environmental, public health and consumer protection organizations around the world have echoed these sentiments.

My final parting comment is this. If Monsanto and the other Big Agra companies are so sure that GMOs are completely safe, why do they vigorously lobby against any efforts to label foods containing GMOs? If their GMOs are so amazing and solve so many problems, wouldn’t they want to flaunt it, rather than hide it? I think they surely would, unless they have something to hide, and are concerned about liability.

So, I challenge anyone out there who thinks they have proof that GMOs are in fact safe, to post a comment below with a link to such a study. Or, if you have additional evidence that GMOs are dangerous, I encourage you to share that as well!

http://www.stopagingnow.com/liveinth...oof-do-we-need

bttt

Two Letters Re: Bugging Out Via Boat

By James Wesley, Rawles
May 24, 2011 10:10 PM
several links on this post

Dear Jim,

I disagree with [SurvivalBlog Editor at Large] Mike Williamson's opinion on boats as a bugging out survival alternative. With proper planning, thought and equipment selection; as well as the appropriate "ships stores", and with all the knowledge necessary to any other solution to the problem, the right boat will allow you to avoid many of the perceived problems associated with a complete breakdown of society. It's no easier or harder than any other subject, just different and less common. Just look at the volumes of material on your site, the problem is never solved and there is never a perfect solution; just new knowledge and different views. That having been said, I will agree with him in one area; the historical definition of a boat is: "A large hole in the water that you will continually try to fill with money"; particularly true if it's a "state of the art" recreational boat. The same may be said of a "cabin in the woods".

Let's look first at the benefits of a boat; not a ski-boat, pontoon boat, river boat, houseboat or little boat of any kind. Not a plastic "yacht" or it's dingy; not a sail boat smaller than 60' and not a small fishing boat or motor-sailor, but a "retired" commercial fishing trawler from 45 to 60 feet in length. You can buy one of these for conversion to private use for as little as $30,000 or as much as you can afford to spend. Most of these boats were constructed in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s. These are real survival boats; not glitzy plastic floating condos, but rugged ocean going work boats. They are like a basic semi-truck versus a custom mini-van. Some are wood, some are steel and some are fiberglass; although the wood and steel versions are more common, and for this purpose wood is the most desirable. Why? Among many other reasons, wood floats and the other materials sink. You can hammer a nail or put a screw into wood with a screw driver and they will hold. It's not the case with either steel or fiberglass. Wooden boats are much easier to heat, and ride better in rough water. If you are not worried about cosmetics, you don't have to varnish them, paint them, or buff them (but you probably will). If a bullet or something else pierces the hull below the waterline, you can pound a tapered wood plug into the hole with a hammer to stop or slow the leak. All large boats leak, get used to it. That stray or directed bullet could damage something inside the boat, but it could do the same thing to your four wheeled BOV.

If you can keep fresh water (rain) out of the bilge, wooden boats won't rot below the water line. Salt water actually preserves the wooden hull. Any boat run aground, or into something below the surface can be damaged. Wooden boats are easier to fix, should that happen, than either fiberglass or steel. A little research into this will show you the pros and cons of each material, but my preference is wood, for this purpose. Most of these wooden fishing trawlers have hulls that are two structural layers of wood that are each 1" or more thick.

Most fishing trawlers of these lengths range in width (beam) from 13' to 18', have a pilot house above decks containing a small galley (usually with a diesel fired stove), head and sleeping quarters, a small engine room, very large fuel tanks (usually 2,000 or 3,000 gallons or more) and huge unused open spaces (fish holds) beneath decks. They generally don't have mouse driven computerized auto-pilots and electronic charting systems, although you can add them. The fish holds can be remodeled into sleeping quarters, heads, refrigerated storage, etc., etc., etc.

They ride deep in the water, and have a draft (the depth of the hull beneath the water) of 6' to 8' . Most have only one diesel engine, and one or more diesel generators. They travel slowly (about 7 to 9 knots) about 10 or 11 miles per hour. Some burn as little as 2 or 3 gallons of fuel per hour, giving them tremendous range. They are all powered by very reliable commercial diesel engines, and many often exceed 30,000 hours of operation between engine overhauls. They have tremendous load carrying capacity, with much more voluminous hulls than pleasure boats. They are built for function, not glitz or speed. Because of their deep draft, they are much safer than pleasure boats in rough water. In case you're wondering, there is no boat of this type that will outrun any pirate. The idea here is out of sight, out of mind. The ocean is a big place, without too many residents; shouldn't be too difficult to find a little privacy, and the vast majority of other boats will be looking for the same thing, not trying to take over yours. Boaters are used to assisting other boaters. When selecting a survival group, boaters may be a better choice than many others.

Volumes can be written on equipment and stores for a boat, but with the exception of a water maker and some other items that are unique to boats, it's not much different than equipping a retreat in the Rawles style. Employ the same thought processes to a boat. You can do it with the latest technology, or remember that it all worked before the latest and greatest "high tech invention", and still will. Grow boxes can be put on deck, dehydrated and canned foods-extra fuels below decks. Weapons are weapons, very little different here, although a negligent discharge here could "sink" your dreams. A power boat will eventually need fuel, just like any other vehicle that moves under its own power, although 3,000 gallons of fuel will last a long time, and won't go bad. If a sail is rigged onto a trawler, it can be called a motor-sailboat, and would be the best partial solution to this problem, but provide one more opportunity for mechanical failure and maintenance. (Another topic for another time.) Keep it simple, solve the problem. You're trying to survive, not dress up for the upcoming Obama ball; but wait --maybe we actually are.

If you don't like your neighbors, or the horde cometh, pull up anchor or untie from your moorings and leave. Once off shore, neither is as great a threat; but as with bugging out in any form, you must have a plan and know where you're bugging out to; you can't stay in the Bug Out Vehicle forever - no matter what it is. Some longer than others, a boat maybe the longest. Charts instead of maps, the terminology of equipment is different but solutions similar. When the initial upheaval passes, return with a plan, or stay in that little cove off the northwest inside passage a little longer. When you return you and yours will still be alive to worry about it and deal with it; whereas otherwise you may not. If your main interest is avoiding maintenance and investment in your survival, stay home in the basement and buy a couple of granola bars.

Remember, this type of "retreat" can be moved to avoid the crowd, whereas your little piece of heaven in northern Idaho, cannot. The down side is, this one can also be stolen or sunk. But that little cabin in the woods can be burned down, well poisoned, overrun and made uninhabitable. - Tom H.

James Wesley:

Just a quick note: Many of your readers may believe a boat is a good Bug Out Vehicle - and they may well be correct. The 1,000 Days web site chronicles the 'adventure' of living at sea for over 1,000 days.

This may be of interest to everyone planning long term food storage and related subjects. - D.E.K.

JWR Replies: My view of boats lies somewhere between yours and with Mike Williamson's. Properly, boats should be seen as means of transportation, rather than as retreats. They are vehicles, not destinations. Unless you have a truly viable intended destination (or preferably several), then except for millionaires, a "well-stocked" boat is just a great way to eventually starve. This is analogous to the many letters that I get from readers who say that they plan to equip RVs as their "alternative to buying a retreat". There simply isn't enough room for a three+ year food supply on most boats, and there certainly isn't enough deck space an to raise crops. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you can be self-sufficient on a boat. Your intended landfall(s)--preferably at an inland brackish water port--will be crucial. Without a good destination, with friends waiting there, the law of averages is sure to catch up with you.

http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/05/two ... via_1.html

Letter Re: Diabetic Preparedness - Storing Insulin in a Grid Down World

By James Wesley, Rawles
May 23, 2011 8:43 PM
several links on this post

Sir:

Al this debate on the best DIY refrigeration method [for insulin] omitted a key question: What is the real shelf life for insulin, if you keep it properly refrigerated? Thanks, - J.E.C.

JWR Replies: Definitive data is available in this diabetes journal article: How Long Should Insulin Be Used Once a Vial Is Started? http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/9/2665.full

The article notes the following from a pharmaceutical manufacturer for refrigerated, unopened bottles:

"Lantus was found to meet stability criteria for at least 24 months when stored between 36 and 46°F (2 and 8°C) (Aventis, data on file).

Accelerated stability testing at 77°F (25°C) revealed a slight loss in activity by 9 months. Testing at 95 - 102°F (35 - 39 °C) for 1 month revealed an increase in impurities without loss of activity. Lantus should be stored in a refrigerator to maintain the labeled expiration date. In the absence of refrigeration, unopened vials of Lantus should be discarded after 28 days."

http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/05/let ... ednes.html

Letter Re: Minerals, Nutrients and Essential Oils for Survival

By James Wesley, Rawles
May 23, 2011 8:42 PM
several links on this post

Jim:
Regarding this statement in a recent article [by M.G.M.] :

"To test your body's need for iodine, you place a drop on your wrist or foot, if it absorbs within four hours, your body is in need of iodine. (You will want to slowly build up [with an incrementally larger area of skin covered], over months so as not to disrupt your thyroid), if the mark stays close to eight hours, then you are sufficient in iodine. Your body will soak it up if you need it."

This is an old wives' tale. The visibility of iodine on the skin is influenced by a great many things, but least of all by the amount of iodine already in the body.

This paper contains the following text: http://becknaturalmedicineuniversity.co ... e_skin.pdf

"From the published data, the skin iodine patch test is not a reliable method to assess whole body sufficiency for iodine. Many factors play a role in the disappearance of the yellow color of iodine from the surface of the skin. For example, if iodine is reduced to iodide by the skin, the yellow color of iodine will disappear because iodide is white. In order to regenerate iodine on the skin, one needs to apply an oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide, complicating the test further. The evaporation of iodine from the skin increases with increased ambient temperatures and decreased atmospheric pressure due to weather conditions and altitude. For example, the yellow color of iodine will disappear much faster in Denver, Colorado at 5,000 feet above sea level then Los Angeles, California at sea level, irrespective of the amount of bioavailable iodine."

The data in the paper also suggests that this test can't work as described, because the body will absorb far more iodine than it needs.

That paper references this paper which states: http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/45/1/85.short

"The percentage of iodine penetration through the skin is the same, irrespective of whether the cells have a high or low vitality, or are dead, and irrespective of the direction of penetration. Activity of the cells, therefore, does not seem to be indispensable for the penetration of iodine."

That seems pretty conclusive. - P.N.G.

Categories: First Aid/Medical http://www.survivalblog.com/first-aidmedical/


http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/05/let ... nts_a.html

Congressman Warns: Those Who Can, Should Move Their Families Out Of the City


Mac Slavo
May 27th, 2011
SHTFplan.com
Comments (271)

There are a whole host of events that can bring the world as we know it today to its knees. From a hyperinflationary economic collapse to an electro magnetic pulse originating from the sun or a nuclear weapon , there exists a real and present danger that our system may, in the near future, experience unrecoverable shocks to the power grid and clean water infrastructure, a halt to just-in-time agricultural transportation systems and a collapse of the currency exchange mechanisms that make the economy function.
US Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), lived through the great depression, so he’s seen how bad things can get. In a new documentary, Mr. Bartlett and others discuss the dangers posed to those living in cities and ways that your family can survive if the worst were to ever happen.

Roscoe Bartlett:
We could have events in the future where the power grid will go down and it’s not, in any reasonable time, coming back up. For instance, if when the power grid went down some of our large transformers were destroyed, damaged beyond use, we don’t make any of those in this country. They’re made overseas and you order one and 18 months to two years later they will deliver it. Our power grid is very vulnerable. It’s very much on edge. Our military knows that.
…
There are a number of events that could create a situation in the cities where civil unrest would be a very high probability. And, I think that those who can, and those who understand, need to take advantage of the opportunity when these winds of strife are not blowing to move their families out of the city.
Source: Urban Danger Movie





We realize that for most people this may be decried as fear-mongering and crazy survival talk. We can’t help but point out, however, that it’s not just Representative Roscoe Bartlett, economist Marc Faber, and trend forecaster Gerald Celente that are recommending you prepare and head for rural areas. The US Pentagon and Military are very much aware of these possibilities and they’re preparing for exactly the scenarios described in this documentary.
The threat is out there, and just because it hasn’t happened in our modern-day society up until now doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future. In fact, it has happened through history – strife, poverty, depression, economic collapse, war. You name it and somebody in history has lived it. The government spends hundreds of billions of dollars on emergency preparedness, disaster planning, continuity of government and war gaming these scenarios. There’s a reason for that. We recommend our readers take a queue from them and others who are warning of these outlier possibilities.
For a taste of what’s in the movie you can view the first 20 minutes of Urban Danger below:





View the entire documentary (for FREE) at the Urban Danger web site.
(Also available on DVD)

http://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-pr...-city_05272011

Eating Bulk Food On A Daily Basis
May 30, 2011 by Peggy Layton


At some point during your accumulation of food stores, you probably bought bulk food of some sort. We started buying 5-gallon buckets of rice, beans, oatmeal and other food a few years ago. The funny thing is we kept buying rice, beans and oatmeal in small quantities from the grocery store to eat on a daily basis.

In some cases, like oatmeal, this makes sense. In other cases, it’s cheaper to buy in bulk, so it’s kind of like jerking meat by the pound and still buying the stuff you regularly eat from 7-Eleven.

You might be different, but we were really kind of intimidated by the big buckets. Really, it was just a lot of unknowns. How do we reseal the buckets? How do we keep from losing 5 to 10 pounds to spoilage?

I realized the blunt answer is kind of like everything else with preparedness: It’s much better to have experience with these issues before an emergency than to learn it all when you are stressed.

When we opened our buckets, we discovered our local emergency-supply store uses an inner 7-gallon Mylar® bag to extend the shelf life to 20 to 30 years. (Yours may or may not have that. It would be smart to find out.)

The process of using food from our long-term stores is pretty straightforward. Here’s one way to do it:

1. Cut open the Mylar® bag. Make as small a hole as practical so you can easily reseal it.

2. Put a week or a month’s worth of food in a smaller container. You can use sealable plastic bags, widemouthed jars or empty plastic drink containers.

3. Burp the Mylar® bag in your plastic bucket to get the air out of it. You probably won’t need your oxygen absorber if you’re actively using the item.

Of course, if you think it will take you more than a few months to use up the entire bucket, you might want to put in some oxygen absorbers. If you don’t have oxygen absorbers, you can substitute dry ice. If you don’t have dry ice, you can “float” the container with carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide canister. I have found carbon dioxide tire inflators that are activated by a lever to be particularly good for this. Since carbon dioxide is heavier than air, it will go to the bottom of your container and push out the air. For most applications, one 12-gram carbon dioxide cartridge will be more than enough.

4. Seal your Mylar® bag. If you have a FoodSaver®, you can use it to both suck out the air and seal the Mylar® bag. If not, you can seal the Mylar® bag by pressing it between a 2-by-4 plank and a hot iron. You probably don’t want to use the same iron you use on your dress clothes. If you don’t have electricity, heat up an old-fashioned iron or piece of metal on a stovetop or in a fire. One trick you can use if you don’t have a FoodSaver® is to seal the Mylar® bag mostly closed and then suck out the remaining air with your mouth or with a pump like you would use on inflatable beds and toys. Once you have sucked out the air, finish sealing.

5. Close your 5-gallon bucket with a Gamma Seal® Lid. The plastic lid makes your bucket airtight. Just unscrew the lid when you want access in the future. The lids cost between $5 to $10 apiece, depending on how many you buy.
Canning is also a great option for taking bulk quantities of food and making them more manageable. One of the biggest advantages is you aren’t limited to food that comes in 5-gallon buckets. You are able to can food from anywhere — your garden, a local farmers’ market or your grocery store. Unfortunately, that is a topic that is beyond the scope of this article.

I alluded to something earlier, and it’s worth repeating. Bigger isn’t necessarily better. As an example, we can buy two-packs of oatmeal from Costco for slightly less per pound than we can buy it in bulk long-term storage containers. There are tradeoffs, of course. With bulk packaging, we have another solid bucket when we’re done, but we have to buy a Gamma Seal® Lid for it. The smaller containers from Costco are easier to store and are more portable.

That being said, don’t let the possibility of a better deal being out there stop you from taking action now. In other words, if you find yourself at a big-box store and have the option of buying something immediately or checking bulk pricing somewhere else, go ahead and get some supplies at the big-box store. You never know whether there will be a hiccup with the supply chain or if food inflation will cause the prices to go up before you have a chance to buy in bulk.

Are you an old-timer at buying foods that you use on a daily basis in bulk? Please share your hard-earned wisdom by commenting below. With the price of food going up on an almost daily basis, have you accelerated your emergency-food buying?


http://www.personalliberty.com/survi...basis/?amp&amp

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