Reduce Stress & Keep It Simple

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Our ancestors believed in investing in at- home self reliance. We have strayed away from this common sense to gambling in a financial mania. Never have so many abdicated so much to so few who know so little and do not care about the consequences for others that have trusted them. This condition bodes ill. How about beginning the accumulation of a bit more water, food, fuel, medication, cleaners,toilet paper and cash one modest step at a time on a day by day basis. Total decisions increase stress and trauma. Gradual actions toward more self reliance leads to heightened confidence and peacefulness within. Keep it simple, make progress and keep well. Will welcome your comment. All best wishes, Watchful

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), February 03, 1999

Answers

Yes, start with what you really need, then - stop.

-- Blue Himalayan (bh@k2.y), February 03, 1999.

Finally someone is thinking like me! Make it fun get the family together on this. If you haven't started try to stock up a weeks supply then go for two you will be surprised how fast it adds up. Now is a good time to but those how to books to use. read it learn it and practice it. A little can go a long way. Remember it hasn't been that long since people didn't have half of what we have. When you have to run to the store to get something get 2 or 3 of what ever you went after. If nothing else you save a few trips to the store. We have close to a years supply of things we use now. If Y2k is a flop then hey we don't have to shop for a long time. Good luck!!

-- Caroline (misfit13@usa.net), February 03, 1999.

How much do I need and when do I stop? I've been storing for a while and then I stop because I think I have enough. Then a bug-a-boo thread comes on here and scares the bejeebers out of me and I start storing more. So, how much is enough?

-- filledtothegills (filledto thegills@wow.com), February 03, 1999.

Break down what you have into days-worth. then think Planting to harves to plant to harvest and do the math.

The numbers slide as you use the first harvest. but......

cr

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 04, 1999.


On the subject of "how much is enough"

If it's something that you will use within its usefull life, then how much ever you have of it is not enough. The need will far outweight anything most of us have ever experienced or can hardly imagine.

When it is consumable it is REAL money. What you've called money all you life is NOT. I can think of very limited uses for paper money when I can not trade it for something I need.

What do I need? Food, Clothing, and Shelter.

That's where my money is.

Greybear - who doesn't really want to get into long discussions about the store of value or M1,2,or3 etc.

- Got money?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), February 04, 1999.



Excellent advice, Watchful. For those whose schedules permit, find out when your local Big Lots gets "the truck" in. Ours arrives on Tuesday mornings. On Wednesday mornings, my only GI friend and I are at Big Lots to see what's been stacked on the shelves since our last visit. Love those "cuppa" thingies, side dishes of rice and pasta plus good soups. Canadian made, two servings of the sides, .69 each. Buy some to add variety to your stash. Baxter's soups, .39 a can. Yes, .39, no typo. For lazy days and to conserve fuel, boil in bag rice, 8 generous servings at .99. Small cans of oysters, crab, sardines and anchovies (around .99) will add much-needed protein to diets. About $10, $15 or $20 a trip will slowly round out your basics and give you the ability to add variety to what might be an otherwise deadly-dull diet. With the various governments apparently beginning to spin Y2K into a no-problem scenario, looks as if we have a bit more time to complete our preparations. Just don't tell anybody, right?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 04, 1999.

Old Git,

Big Lots is a great place for picking up paper products, garbage bags, household cleaners, etc. One word of caution. The canned foods they sell are quite often at or near the end of their shelf lives. I've found canned veggies on the shelves that were more than two years old!

The same goes with the over-the-counter medications. Generally, they are within a month or two of expiration.

-- Bingo1 (howe9@pop.shentel.net), February 04, 1999.


We also do a lot of our Y2K shopping at Big Lots. I wasn't aware that foods were near the end of their shelf lives (thanks for that info!), but I would caution Big Lots shoppers to watch for dented cans. I am often amazed at the low prices. We have many cans of pinto beans that were 33 cents.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), February 04, 1999.

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