Hello All,
Yep it has been ages since I posted. The main reason is because I have been too embarrassed by my lack of prepping. Last week was the first time that I admitted to a fellow prepper that I have done close to nothing for the last 4 years. It didn't kill me to "confess" to her, I guess it is about time that I shared a few of the things that I have learned in hopes that it helps someone else along the way.
4 years ago, the SHTF in a very big way for me and here are just a few of the things that learned
- 14 months without an income is way too long. I do not care how much you prep, you need an income of some kind if you want to drive, live in a house (insurance, property taxes, upkeep)
- once having an income again, 1/4 your original income is still not enough even if you have NO DEBIT. I am talking no credit cards, no mortgage, no car payments, no kids going to school
- food fatigue can land you in the hospital for malnutrition. You can have 100s of pounds of different kinds of foods but if they are they same 12 things on a regular bases, you will stop eating as you will no longer feel hunger the same way. Your body and mind might be screaming for food but it just doesn't seem that important once you pass at certain point. Having a lot of different kinds of spices does not make a difference, rice is still rice.
- your garden may not produce a dern thing. Issues with my health, my neighbours and the weather have only produced about a bushel of blackberries and that was only this year.
- being sick all the time will drive people way. They give up after a while so you end up being a lone wolf (unless you are married then maybe not)
- you will be emotional. You could end up angry, depressed, sad, have anxiety, etc and go up and down like a yo yo.
My suggestions off the top of my head so that no one else ends up like me (or close to what I have gone through)
- no debit, now not later
- dried goods lasted longer then canned goods, stock up on dried more then canned
- live on 1/4 your income for a month to see how hard it really is
- down size / de-clutter your home of things that you don't use on a regular bases. See what you can multi purpose use.
- write down (not on the computer) various places that you can get free meals, clothes, food products, cleaning products, bus schedules
- use your vehicle less; get used to walking, riding a bike, taking a bus, anything in case you end up without a vehicle. (I found out that for me to get to work it would have taken me over 5 hours a day of travel time without a car. I do still have my car)
- build a barter network with people that don't care if you are around very often
- build up your skills in home repair; can you replace your own roof or windows or do plumbing or take down a large tree?
Now I can finally see the beginning of the SHTF going down. I guess that is why I am back on the board.
Well, the best advice is from experience...welcome back, may things get easier, and healthier for you.
Give a man a gun, and he can rob a bank. Give a man a bank, and he can rob the world.
Oldschool, I'm sorry to hear of your hardships. Welcome back and I hope things continue to improve for you.
I think we all go through hardships periodically. Even minor changes to our personal situation can cause an obstacle and require 'adjustment.' I retired last January and this was a big change in how I looked at life. I suppose we all continue to grow and that doesn't stop with age. I do however feel blessed. Glad that you're back.
None you improvise, one (or more) is luxury.
Hi oldschool
thank you for taking the time to write this and welcome back.. A very honest write up and good information on the dried goods over the canned goods, they do indeed last longer. I had already learned the hard way in my early 20's about how tired you can get eating the same thing over and over again. after a few months I was ready to hunt and eat anything I could find in late winter in that bush.. I remember lifting up that meat and just putting it down again.. and no spices do not make it on the basic level change.
Its one of the reason that I studied plants so much and became a much more active forage person, I learned to like more wild flavours just to give me a difference in taste and textures. I had a hard lesson this past winter about illness and how it can take its toil, and just as I was getting better, hubby went and ended up with broken bones and I had to take over the whole farm on my own.. That was a good eye opening as well.. we had gotten bigger then we needed to be on some things and we were to lean on other things.
Last year really was quite eye opening in a number of ways and adjustments have been made an will continue to be done.
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
thank you all for your kind words
Its one of the reason that I studied plants so much and became a much more active forage person, I learned to like more wild flavours just to give me a difference in taste and textures.
Farmgal, I would have loved to be able to do some foraging but my ill health kept me from doing pretty much anything.
fingers crossed -- only 5 more weeks until I see the next specialist (3rd specialist, 3 years total time to address health issues). I am hoping he came wave a magic wand and make me "better". No clue what I am going to do if I get to yet another specialist with another wait time of over a year.
It's very good to hear from you oldschool! I'm truly sorry about all the troubles you've had.
Thanks for all the great advice from your loads of experience.
I hope to see you next year if you can make it to the next Eastern Ontario meetup.
PrepHer
It's very good to hear from you oldschool! I'm truly sorry about all the troubles you've had. Thanks for all the great advice from your loads of experience. I hope to see you next year if you can make it to the next Eastern Ontario meetup. PrepHer
thanks it has been too long since we had a chance to get together
If you are coming next time Old School.. come to the farm.. have a visit (maybe use a guest bed, and stay a extra day or two) 🙂
http://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.wordpress.com/
If you are coming next time Old School.. come to the farm.. have a visit (maybe use a guest bed, and stay a extra day or two) 🙂
you are the best. thank you
I wanted to high light this point from my original post:
--14 months without an income is way too long. I do not care how much you prep, you need an income of some kind if you want to drive, live in a house (insurance, property taxes, upkeep)
I do not have a partner, a family or a friend to help. How many of you, by yourself could go 14 months no income, no shopping?
I wanted to high light this point from my original post:
--14 months without an income is way too long. I do not care how much you prep, you need an income of some kind if you want to drive, live in a house (insurance, property taxes, upkeep)
I do not have a partner, a family or a friend to help. How many of you, by yourself could go 14 months no income, no shopping?
Could do, be tight on medicine but may be able to stretch things out to 14 months
Could do, be tight on medicine but may be able to stretch things out to 14 months
That is wonderful.
sugar I forgot about meds - I ran out at the 6 month mark and ended up getting help from my doctor. I have since gotten the one med that will cause serious issues if it was discontinued abruptly.
Could do, be tight on medicine but may be able to stretch things out to 14 months
That is wonderful.
sugar I forgot about meds - I ran out at the 6 month mark and ended up getting help from my doctor. I have since gotten the one med that will cause serious issues if it was discontinued abruptly.
Like life, business or prepping, there’s always something that we miss or didn’t give it, it’s full value or impact. Forgetting about a food item etc is one thing, but for those like me or you who need meds, it is an entirely different thing. I have seen it time and time again in gov or corporate emergency plans. This for even a sort 24-48 event in a security center. No clue who needs what to function, no idea if the people they will depend upon in an emergency know if there are medical issues with family and it’s impact on employees leaving a home in chaos to man / peoplekind the forts.
It’s wild how much, medicine or family members mental or physical conditions is not factored into plans. “Geez, we never thought of that” is a common phrase!
The anger that will explode at a hospital and subsequently on the streets when a loved one can not obtain medical help would be very volatile. People will switch off or change their attitude or civility when a loved one dies in their arms due to an absence of treatment. So two issues. One anger and the other shutting down / giving up. Even my loving wife, who is beyond compassionate initially questioned my desire to have more then six months of meds. I said, well put a plastic bag over your head and see how it feels to breath. She said, I am so sorry, I didn’t look at it that way. Love of my life and salt of the earth, but because I can function with meds, she didn’t understand my fear of being unable to breath. We know have roughly a years worth of meds. Will need to stretch it out by skipping some doses but we hope to be good. That said, I doubt it will be doable because of the stress of survival and the demand it will place upon my body. Higher stress, higher consumption of life giving meds. I am in the process of re-evaluating my supply.
I need to convince doc to give me prescriptions for prednisone as well as other day to day meds.
Meds are my Achilles heal and it’s something that really ticks me off.
In my case, my meds are government regulated on how you can buy them as I am told "they have street value". I couldn't even refill a prescription 5 days early. 🙁
….We now have roughly a years worth of meds. Will need to stretch it out by skipping some doses but we hope to be good. That said, I doubt it will be doable because of the stress of survival and the demand it will place upon my body. Higher stress, higher consumption of life giving meds. I am in the process of re-evaluating my supply.
Clarence, I've been wondering about this. As I understand it, the maximum prescription that can be filled in Canada legally is a 3 month supply. I suppose if you went to two different physicians for the same medication, you could compile 6 months worth at a time. With medications being included in the electronic patient record this might become more difficult than it once was. Otherwise, I suspect that you would have to resort to the black market. I imagine that it also depends on the particular medication, as many quickly lose their potency.
None you improvise, one (or more) is luxury.