Things you can do to prep for Y2k with no $$$.

1. Go to the library and find books on the native population (you know the people who lived here before the Euromutts (like me) came and wiped everybody out.)

Find out how they lived in your area. What kind of structures did they live in? What did they eat? Did they migrate? How did they prepare food?

2. Go by Kinkos or other copy centers and ask them for the discarded paper. Will make great coloring supplies for kids later on.

3. Don't throw away christmas tree this year, or gift wrapping. Cutup and save for kindling.

4. Read, read, read. Especially first hand accounts of pioneers ar other folks who lived in interesting times.

5. Clean your closets. Know where the scissors are. Put all your candles in one place etc...

6. Dont throw away any plastic bags unless they are too gross. Keep bread bags etc...

7. Think about what skills you can barter with. Brush up on ones you haven't used in a while.

8. Exercise!!! Go for a walk every day. Get used to using your feet to get you places.

Things you can do with a little bit of money.

1. Go to thrift store, garage sales etc.. Buy every candle you see no matter how stubby.

2. Prepare Y2k gift baskets for Christmas. Beans, rice, TP, candles, matches etc... You may be laughed at. Deal with it.

3. Buy a gallon of bleach every time you go to the grocery store.

4. Buy a bag of beans every time you go to the grocery store.

5. Buy salt and sugar every time you go the grocery store.

6. Buy Halloween candy on sale.

-- River Soma (riversoma@aol.com), November 07, 1999

Answers

Clip coupons and purchase the coupon item only when it's on sale. This is a good way to purchase barter items cheap (toothpaste, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, etc.) Buy up discountined/discounted holiday paper plates, napkins, paper towels, etc. You can always use them for microwave everyday, picnics and camping if it's a BITR. Shop the $1 stores or canned food outlets. Thrift stores for sweaters, jeans, sweatshirts, etc.

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 07, 1999.

Great suggestions, River Soma. Good to see you here again!

-- Faith Weaver (suzsolutions@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.

Not much use in finding out how the natives used to live in NYC - not a hell of a lot of good it would do you now!

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), November 07, 1999.

Learn to make big poopies in the woods

-- (natureboy@tribal.rites), November 07, 1999.

exercise differently. get on the floor, hands and knees, crawl, stoop and lift and carry--stretch.

Go to garage sales--pick up blankets, pillows, clothing--set up a swap fair with like-minded folks---get a fishing rod, reel and line--go to the pawn shops--you'd be amazed what ends up there. For you who are not squeemish and live in an area with an open garbage area--go have a looksee at what shows up. Keep your to-get list with you at all times. Prepare for one more person--who knows who may come to your door cloaked with an answerable need.

-- grandma moses (sorediscovery@grandkidshome.com), November 07, 1999.

"Learn to make big poopies in the woods" (natureboy@tribal.rites)

No NB, you learn how to compost "humanure" properly, cheaply and safely...it's simple and very cheap to do. I highly reccomend "The Humanure Handbook" to folks who anticipate living in a "non-flush-it- away" type of world...(which could be a lot of us). Been using a "sawdust" toilet for a while now...works well.

River....Yep, bought the last of the halloween candy at Safeway Sunday night, have enough beans, sugar and salt...bought 30lb of honey though, doing the bleach thing when it's on sale, stockpiling pasta now, etc. Got some good sealed boxes of various bandages (sterile gauze pads, sponges, roll gauze) very cheap from the hospice thrift store. Stop by there whenever I pass by.

I love finding deals for my preps (like my $10 reconditioned Alladin kero heater) and take pride in finding cheap goodies. I read the "Frugal Zelot" books and got some great tips. Sadly, at this stage of the game there are some things I planned on getting, looked and waited for a deal on that didn't materialize. So I bite the bullet and go for the best deal I can (...while I still can).

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), November 07, 1999.

Question about bleach. I use it a lot, but are you talking about using it for sanitary reasons, killing bacteria, or for making water safe to drink???

-- D.J. Phillips (gardengal@land.com), November 08, 1999.