Tag Archives: be prepared

How to Buy a Generator

With snow and ice blanketing or threatening to blanket most of the country, it is important for home owners to be prepared. Being without power can mean living with out electricity, water and heat, and this could be deadly in some cases. One purchase that may be a good investment, depending on where you live, is a private generator that can replace your source of electricity when your power fails. There are different types of generators, from small portable ones for a few essential services to large whole home ones that automatically switch over in the event of a power … Continue reading →

Preparing for Worse Times Ahead 3

If you lost your income tomorrow or found that food prices went up again by another 50-100 percent, could you provide for your family? I have been discussing ways of using frugal living techniques to be prepared for worse economic times ahead. If you missed the first two posts, you can catch up here. Preparing for Worse Times Ahead and Preparing for Worse Times Ahead 2. Now let’s talk about adding to that emergency fund. You can also find little ways to make money even if you are at home or need to work around your kid’s schedules. Sell items … Continue reading →

Preparing for Worse Times Ahead 2

Leading experts tell us that the economy will continue to get worse before it can recover. Are you prepared? Check out the first article in this series and then read below for some ways to prepare for worse times ahead. To get that emergency fund going, sock away any extra money you have, whether it is one dollar or a hundred. Any unexpected income should go straight to savings. Skip eating out and put that money straight into an account before you spend it elsewhere. Reduce your driving to one day a week if you can and put the gas … Continue reading →

Preparing for Worse Times Ahead

While we would all hope that the economy is going to get better soon, the reality is that it will probably get worse before it starts getting better. Leading analysts say that it may be 2010 before we can expect an improvement. This means that there will be further job losses, higher prices and the possibility of shortages as business fail and manufacturers have to reduce their production. To give yourself peace of mind, start doing what you can to prepare. Ideally, you should have three to six months of living expenses squared away in an emergency fund. While this … Continue reading →

Spend Less on Home Heating

With home heating costs going sky high, you should really take whatever steps you can now to save on the money you will be spending this winter. Oil prices are high, but so is natural gas and propane. Be prepared. Insulate your windows and doors. Drafty homes loose most of their heat through old windows and doors. Even new windows that are not properly sealed can let out precious heat. There are a number of things that you can do to insulate your windows and doors. The first is to add weather stripping and caulk around doors and windows. It … Continue reading →

Preparing for the Storm 2

(Note, although this post was written yesterday, fluctuating power caused me to make the decision to stay offline and keep my computer safe.) Have you been watching the weather for today? If you live along the east coast, you’re probably concerned about severe weather coming your way. Heavy rain, high winds and flash floods are all possibilities for many areas. In my previous post, Preparing for the Storm, I talked a little bit about how the severe weather may be affecting us soon. At the moment, our are resembles a tropical rain forest. There has been some steady, feathery rain … Continue reading →

Preparing for the Storm

When you live in the woods, you have to be prepared. Gustav and Hanna have been in the news lately, as everyone pays close attention to the hurricane and severe storm watches and warnings. I have been no exception. The little weather alert has been popping up on my browser for the last two days, warning me of severe storms with high winds and possible flooding in my area. While I am not too concerned that we will find ourselves in a situation that requires evacuation, I still need to pay attention to the weather reports, especially because of those … Continue reading →

Basic Emergency Supply Kit 3

Do you know what you need to have in your home to be prepared in the event of an emergency? If you want to help protect yourself and your family, having a basic emergency supply kit is essential. We have been talking about the various supplies that need to go into your kit. If you missed the first two articles in the series, click here to review them: Basic Emergency Supply Kit and Basic Emergency Supply Kit 2 Let’s continue with our supply list. Dust mask. A dusk mask will help filter out air that has been contaminated by dust, … Continue reading →

Basic Emergency Supply Kit 2

This is the second article in the series about being prepared at home with a basic emergency supply kit. We talked about the government’s guidelines for water and food stockpiles, as well as how to store them, in preparation for an emergency. Now we will keep going with the other items that you should have at home to be prepared. Radios. Yes, that is plural. According to the U.S. government guidelines, each household should have two radios. The first should be a hand-cranked or battery operated radio, and the second should be a NOAA Weather Radio that includes a tone … Continue reading →

Basic Emergency Supply Kit

Emergencies can vary from being inconvenient to being life threatening. While I hope that you will never find yourself in an emergency, having an emergency is always a possibility. The U.S. Government recommends that you become prepared by creating and having on hand a basic emergency kit. This kit will provide you with the essential needs that may become scarce in an emergency situation: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth. What should you include in your kit? Let’s go through the list. The most important item on the list is water. Without fresh water, it is nearly impossible to … Continue reading →