Post by Matilda on Aug 6, 2015 15:01:32 GMT 10
This info gleaned from www.happyprepper.com
Some Practical Things To Do & Acquire Now!
Shop for Shtf Clothes. OpShops are the best locations and you can pick up jeans, shirts, Tshirts shoes, etc. for cheap. Launder them now (use 2 cups of vinegar in final rinse and dry in SUN not dryer). Stow in a strong plastic lidded totes with tissue paper between each item and add a couple of oxygen absorbers 300cc as well. Even sprinkle some dried lavender in to stop any insects. Make sure you include children's clothes and shoes going out a few years. Pregnant? Think about cloth nappies to fall back on.
Do today's laundry TODAY! The last thing you want is a pile of dirty clothes if SHTF. And using precious water on dirty clothes AFTER Shtf goes against everything why we are prepping.
Get those Doctor, Dentist and Optometrist appointments out of the way. I am the worst culprit for this as I put off going as long as I can.
Buy that STA-BIL this weekend. (It extends the life of fuel)
Keep your car/s filled with fuel. I used to leave it until it was 1/2 full. Not anymore. Now once it reaches 3/4, I fill it back up.
You'll always need oil changes, coolants, spark plugs, and air filters. While you're at it, stock a fan belt and timing belt and tow strap.
Now is the time to be thinking about a portable toilet. And the chemicals to break down the waste and toilet paper. (eBay). We all like the luxury of nice toilet paper by I noticed COLES has DELSEY toilet paper - 1000 sheets for $1.50. Probably not very 'soft', but if you are using a chemical toilet, 4 ply will probably take longer to break down than this one. Officeworks also sell a large range of commercial grade toilet paper.
Buy that book that you have been wanting that will be useful after SHTF. Just do it.
Children?Grandchildren? Start stocking up on board games/books. Garage sales, I believe, are the best sources for these. If the ad says, children's clothes, toys, furniture and is in a relatively 'new' subdivision, you will find bargains. Another thing to think about is school items stretching out a few years. You might just need to 'home school' for awhile. While expensive, a set of encyclopaedias might help in this regard. I have seen lots at the OpShops due to the uptake in Internet.
Talk with Nan and Pop or a relative that remembers the Great Depression. They will be a wealth of information.
Start buying HERITAGE seeds.
Start stockpiling rag. Buy up on auto shop towel. Bunnings often have this on special.
Spare tarps? Try to avoid blue. What about stockpiling timber ply in case of a broken window.
Do you have old pennies? Hang onto them and add to them as it could be a good barter item due to their copper content. Copper is dirt cheap at the moment, but stockpiling it would be difficult due to its weight, but if you have somewhere to store it, go for it.
Don't forget your pets. Buy extra biscuits now and break them down and store in mylar bags and store in lidded buckets with oxygen absorbers.
We don't like to think about it but head lice, scabies, bedbugs and fleas will increase due to limited money being spent on food and not these problems. Stock up now, but also seek out natural deterrents that may help keep the costs down. Make sure you stock up on flea collars etc. as well as fly spray, ant deterrent etc.
Make sure you know how to make an electrolyte drink? This is a link from this article I'm gleaning info from.
www.happypreppers.com/drinks.html
Make extra payments on your mortgage - over the counter - and get a receipt.
Make a zeer pot. A zeer pot is a type of primitive refrigeration system. Have the materials ready to go.
Or have the materials ready to make a Coolgardie Safe which is very Australian. forest.mtu.edu/pcforestry/resources/studentprojects/BryanJames/BuildCoolgardie.htm
Stock up on buckets. For $1.00 at Bunnings, they will be worth their weight in gold after SHTF.
Stock up on
ASPRIN, www.happypreppers.com/aspirin.html
BLEACH, www.happypreppers.com/bleach.html
BAKING SODA www.happypreppers.com/baking-soda.html
BORAX www.happypreppers.com/bleach.html
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE www.happypreppers.com/hydrogen-peroxide.html
STEEL WOOL www.happypreppers.com/steelwool.html
Buy note pads and pencils. You can buy writing pads very cheap almost anywhere. Good quality pencils and pencil sharpeners.
Paper plates, bowls etc. and plastic disposable cutlery. For the first few days, conserving water will be very important. These items can be bought at the cheap shops and later used in a fire.
Syphon tubes - for water and fuel.
CO Detector. Carbon Monoxide is a killer. Using kerosene, etc. inside to heat or cook, could be deadly. Remember those that died recently in the shipping container? . For around $50 at Bunnings you can buy a CO detector.
Flat Tyre Repair kit in a Can. To get you going until you can stop and get the tyre properly changed. Any auto shop stocks them, ie supercheap auto.
Stethoscope.
A Stethoscope can cost as little as $25.00 If you don't own one as part of your preps, then now's a good time to get one (maybe one of our resident medicos can advise?) . Why would you want to have a
stethoscope if you don't already know how to use one? Because you may run
into someone who has the skills, but who has no equipment! A first
responder, paramedic, nurse, or doctor may be in your vicinity and you can
barter this person's skills for the food or equipment he or she may not have.
Water Bob.
Available via Survival Supplies Australia www.survivalsuppliesaustralia.com.au/products/water-bob.php for $65. The Water Bob converts your household bathtub into a water storage facility for emergencies or outages caused by storm surges, water main breaks or other emergency situations. The Water Bob turns any standard bathtub into an emergency water reserve storing up to 100 gallons of fresh drinking water for up to 4 weeks.
Brandy.
Brandy can be used in many ways, including medicinal. There are many uses for Brandy and one is warmed Brandy for fighting the flu. It was given to children during the war to fight typhoid. And when SHTF it will be a good barter item.
Some Practical Things To Do & Acquire Now!
Shop for Shtf Clothes. OpShops are the best locations and you can pick up jeans, shirts, Tshirts shoes, etc. for cheap. Launder them now (use 2 cups of vinegar in final rinse and dry in SUN not dryer). Stow in a strong plastic lidded totes with tissue paper between each item and add a couple of oxygen absorbers 300cc as well. Even sprinkle some dried lavender in to stop any insects. Make sure you include children's clothes and shoes going out a few years. Pregnant? Think about cloth nappies to fall back on.
Do today's laundry TODAY! The last thing you want is a pile of dirty clothes if SHTF. And using precious water on dirty clothes AFTER Shtf goes against everything why we are prepping.
Get those Doctor, Dentist and Optometrist appointments out of the way. I am the worst culprit for this as I put off going as long as I can.
Buy that STA-BIL this weekend. (It extends the life of fuel)
Keep your car/s filled with fuel. I used to leave it until it was 1/2 full. Not anymore. Now once it reaches 3/4, I fill it back up.
You'll always need oil changes, coolants, spark plugs, and air filters. While you're at it, stock a fan belt and timing belt and tow strap.
Now is the time to be thinking about a portable toilet. And the chemicals to break down the waste and toilet paper. (eBay). We all like the luxury of nice toilet paper by I noticed COLES has DELSEY toilet paper - 1000 sheets for $1.50. Probably not very 'soft', but if you are using a chemical toilet, 4 ply will probably take longer to break down than this one. Officeworks also sell a large range of commercial grade toilet paper.
Buy that book that you have been wanting that will be useful after SHTF. Just do it.
Children?Grandchildren? Start stocking up on board games/books. Garage sales, I believe, are the best sources for these. If the ad says, children's clothes, toys, furniture and is in a relatively 'new' subdivision, you will find bargains. Another thing to think about is school items stretching out a few years. You might just need to 'home school' for awhile. While expensive, a set of encyclopaedias might help in this regard. I have seen lots at the OpShops due to the uptake in Internet.
Talk with Nan and Pop or a relative that remembers the Great Depression. They will be a wealth of information.
Start buying HERITAGE seeds.
Start stockpiling rag. Buy up on auto shop towel. Bunnings often have this on special.
Spare tarps? Try to avoid blue. What about stockpiling timber ply in case of a broken window.
Do you have old pennies? Hang onto them and add to them as it could be a good barter item due to their copper content. Copper is dirt cheap at the moment, but stockpiling it would be difficult due to its weight, but if you have somewhere to store it, go for it.
Don't forget your pets. Buy extra biscuits now and break them down and store in mylar bags and store in lidded buckets with oxygen absorbers.
We don't like to think about it but head lice, scabies, bedbugs and fleas will increase due to limited money being spent on food and not these problems. Stock up now, but also seek out natural deterrents that may help keep the costs down. Make sure you stock up on flea collars etc. as well as fly spray, ant deterrent etc.
Make sure you know how to make an electrolyte drink? This is a link from this article I'm gleaning info from.
www.happypreppers.com/drinks.html
Make extra payments on your mortgage - over the counter - and get a receipt.
Make a zeer pot. A zeer pot is a type of primitive refrigeration system. Have the materials ready to go.
Or have the materials ready to make a Coolgardie Safe which is very Australian. forest.mtu.edu/pcforestry/resources/studentprojects/BryanJames/BuildCoolgardie.htm
Stock up on buckets. For $1.00 at Bunnings, they will be worth their weight in gold after SHTF.
Stock up on
ASPRIN, www.happypreppers.com/aspirin.html
BLEACH, www.happypreppers.com/bleach.html
BAKING SODA www.happypreppers.com/baking-soda.html
BORAX www.happypreppers.com/bleach.html
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE www.happypreppers.com/hydrogen-peroxide.html
STEEL WOOL www.happypreppers.com/steelwool.html
Buy note pads and pencils. You can buy writing pads very cheap almost anywhere. Good quality pencils and pencil sharpeners.
Paper plates, bowls etc. and plastic disposable cutlery. For the first few days, conserving water will be very important. These items can be bought at the cheap shops and later used in a fire.
Syphon tubes - for water and fuel.
CO Detector. Carbon Monoxide is a killer. Using kerosene, etc. inside to heat or cook, could be deadly. Remember those that died recently in the shipping container? . For around $50 at Bunnings you can buy a CO detector.
Flat Tyre Repair kit in a Can. To get you going until you can stop and get the tyre properly changed. Any auto shop stocks them, ie supercheap auto.
Stethoscope.
A Stethoscope can cost as little as $25.00 If you don't own one as part of your preps, then now's a good time to get one (maybe one of our resident medicos can advise?) . Why would you want to have a
stethoscope if you don't already know how to use one? Because you may run
into someone who has the skills, but who has no equipment! A first
responder, paramedic, nurse, or doctor may be in your vicinity and you can
barter this person's skills for the food or equipment he or she may not have.
Water Bob.
Available via Survival Supplies Australia www.survivalsuppliesaustralia.com.au/products/water-bob.php for $65. The Water Bob converts your household bathtub into a water storage facility for emergencies or outages caused by storm surges, water main breaks or other emergency situations. The Water Bob turns any standard bathtub into an emergency water reserve storing up to 100 gallons of fresh drinking water for up to 4 weeks.
Brandy.
Brandy can be used in many ways, including medicinal. There are many uses for Brandy and one is warmed Brandy for fighting the flu. It was given to children during the war to fight typhoid. And when SHTF it will be a good barter item.
