I was once a young wife and mother to a toddler. Hard at work learning to be a good wife and mommy. I got to stay at home which meant I made meals 3x a day for my family. I was a house wife. I had a food budget and yet I found myself calling my husband once or twice a week to pick up meals.

When I went to my Mommy & Baby group I found that several families with double the amount of kids had grocery bills less than mine! How could this be?

Frankly I was confused. I didn’t know where I was going wrong. I had been raised in a variety of settings due to my parent’s divorce and remarriages. We always seemed to be learning to live somewhere new. I was never taught how to actually run a home.

It took time to admit it to myself but I was a food waster. I realized that I was making critical mistakes with our food starting with: what to feed my family: what to buy at the grocery store: how to cook at home: and very importantly how to put away our food.

1-      I was wasting our food money. I am a cookbook hound. I love looking at the yummy recipes in those glossy books and trying to recreate them. That is nice but most call for food that is WAY outside the budget of a college student’s family. Instead of using that money more wisely and stretching it over the full month I was buying high priced items that cut days off how far our food budget would go.

2-      I bought ONLY name brand items. This was a hang over from my upbringing when we could not afford name brand. Deep inside I saw being able to buy name brand as showing the world (or myself) that we had stepped up in the world. Again I was wasting our food money.

3-      Cooking low quality food. I had these lovely highlights of dinners that were great. But in order to get those highlights I had to skimp in other areas. That meant that Monday through Thursday meals were just scrapped together or Hamburger Helper type meals. Not healthy and not yummy. Made it that much easier to call for take-out when faced with day 2 of not so good food.

4-      Cooking too much food for our size family. At the time I had no extra freezer and we really were 2 adults eating with a toddler just nibbling. I tended to cook for a much larger crowd. That meant we tended to overeat, not healthy. Also there was a lot of food leftover. That food would generally go into the fridge and a meal of left overs might come from it but in general it was shoved to the back of the fridge and forgotten until it crawled out and pleaded to be put out of its misery.

5-      Chaos is not a good form of organization. As you can tell from the food lost in the fridge my kitchen was in a state of chaos. There was no organization. I had no idea if cans were old or spices were out of date. You just pawed through the shelf in question until you found what you were looking for, or gave up and went out and bought it again. Yeap, back to that wasting the food budget.

6-      Using food to its greatest extent! I never thought to use the turkey bones and pieces leftover from Thanksgiving to make a broth. I didn’t use the ham bone to flavor a pot full of beans. When I was done with the meal immediately in front of me I threw out the rest and cleaned up for the night.

7-      The worst food wasting sin I committed was sheer laziness. There were times when I woke up the next morning and found that I had set last night’s leftovers aside but never put them away.

Acknowledging that I had these blind spots was the first step in correcting them. There is no shame in not having been told how to cook, maintain a home, raise a family, or homestead. Many of us have holes in our skills base. Consider how to run your kitchen, food budget, and food storage as another skill that needs to be worked on. Find a mentor. Search out a great blog or book. You can change from a food waster to a thrifty foodie mom!

© 2013, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

With warmer months approaching, many of you will be delighted to see the power bill in the mail because this season brings the lowest charges.  There’s (usually) no reason to turn on the heat, and often, just opening the windows and turning on a couple of fans is enough to stay cool.

If you live in a hot climate, the opposite is true.  Soon, you’ll be facing the largest energy bills of the year because at some point, the air conditioner will be running.  We have at least one $500 electric bill every summer.  It can be a real killer when times are tight.

Whenever you’re expecting the smallest power bills of the year is the time to pay it forward.  Add an extra $20 or $50 or whatever you can afford to that bill.  You’ll be accumulating a credit balance that will help cover the more expensive bills down the road or cover the expense for a month or two should your income take a dive.

Another method is to figure the average bill, using your annual total, and start paying that amount every month, beginning at the time of year when you’re using the least amount of power.

You can do the same thing with other utility bills.  It’s a good idea to stay at least a month ahead with this expense, if possible.  It’s money in the bank when you need it.

© 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by RambergMediaImages

We are taught to think in a monthly budget or a paycheck-to-paycheck budgeting manner. What would you say if I said it’s time to throw that idea out the window for your food and supplies?

image by GranniesKitchen

This information is great. Realize that I won’t cook this much ground beef every week. Some weeks I might be veggie heavy or chicken is on the menu. If I get this amount of ground beef, though, I know that I have five meals a week fully covered.

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by timetrax23.

Often a new skill is as close as your public library.  No special training is required to learn about medicinal herbs, for example.  Other skills can be learned by watching free videos on YouTube.  That’s how I learned some of the trickier knitting stitches.  Some of the videos I’ve watched recently are a treasure trove of preparedness knowledge and skills.

Canning chicken breasts

How to can ground beef

Building a shelter in the wilderness

Camping in comfort

See what I mean?  Free information is out there, everywhere.

One approach that works for many families is to find and learn a skill that involves everyone.  Orienteering is a great life skill for kids and parents alike, and one that might save a life someday.  Geocaching combines the great outdoors with navigation skills, and of course, target shooting doesn’t have to cost a ton of money and is a great sport.  Our kids have trained using inexpensive .22 rifles whose ammo sells for less than $20 for 500 rounds.  4-H clubs teach kids, and families, important agricultural and homesteading skills and provide a new circle of friends with similar interests.

Grab a phone book and browse through the various government agencies in your area.  They’re supported by your tax

image by GoodNCrazy

dollars and many of them have free resources.  The Game & Fish Department often has low-cost and free training available to would-be hunters and sharpshooters.  Cooperative extension offices, run by the USDA, offer an amazing assortment of free information on everything from food safety to disaster preparedness.  You’ll find them to be a source of hundreds of articles, perfect for your Survival Mom binder.

Another source of free training can be found in your circle of neighbors, relatives, friends, co-workers and their circles of friends and family.  Just find someone who is completely nutty about their hobby or interest, and believe me, they’ll give you all the information and training you could ever want!

A few years ago I was a knitting maniac and started a homeschool knitting group, made friends with other knitters, and spent tons of money and a lot of time at the yarn store.  I loved nothing better than to help someone learn how to knit.  Now that I think of it, people began to avoid me when I took out my yarn and needles…hmmm.  But my point is, by asking around you are sure to find hunters, fishermen, home canning experts, piano tuners, and experts in all sorts of areas who are passionate about their special talent and would love to mentor an enthusiastic learner.

Skills and Knowledge are an important area of preparedness.  Your dollars might not be stretching as far as they used to, but in tough times, others may be willing to exchange food and other goods for what you can do or for what you can teach.  The best thing is, you can develop many of these skills and gain massive amounts of knowledge without spending a dime!

© 2010 – 2012, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by lorelei

“I don’t care what it costs!  I’ve got to have a pair of black beaded pumps by tonight!”

Been there.  Done that, and done it again and again and again!

In the world of preparedness, having your back to the wall and being desperate for one supply or another is a sure way to put yourself and your family in a vulnerable situation and spend excess money needlessly.

Here’s an example.  A case of 24 bottles of water runs about $3.99 at my local grocery store.  On a hot day at the ballpark, I would probably pay $2 for a single ice cold bottle, especially if my kids were whining.  Now, imagine a disaster has struck my town.  Electricity has been out for four days, we have to purify whatever water we have with bleach or our SteriPEN.  Now how much would I pay for a bottle of water or an entire case?

The time to prepare on a budget is right now before your survival depends on it, and cagey entrepreneurs discover an easy way to get rich by charging desperate people outlandish prices for basic goods.

What’s stopping you from clipping coupons or printing out money-saving coupons online?  Is there a reason why now isn’t a good time to spend a couple of hours on weekends cruising garage and estate sales?  Have you checked your local dollar stores for bargains on your survival lists?

Don’t let time slip away from you and discover the only way to get the most basic necessities is by paying cutthroat prices.  Prepare now while time is on your side!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Our family is simultaneously trying to become debt-free, save as much money as we can, have at least six months of food on hand, and take care of some badly needed DIY home projects.  Believe me, I need every cheap resource I can possibly find to help me toward my prepping goals!  The four cheapest resources I have found are all available to you, too!

1.    Garage and Estate Sales

Been there, done that?  Aren’t thrilled about buying other people’s junk?  When you’re prepping, your shopping will have a focus, and I think you’ll find these sales a useful resource.  Keep a list of items still needed for your 72 Hour Kit or general preparedness.  This list will help you visit more garage and estate sales in less time because usually, with a quick glance, you can tell if a sale has what you need.

Even better, use online garage sale locators.  Google “local garage sales” or something similar.  You’ll be surprised at what pops up!  Often, these sites will list items at the sale, and this can help you choose which sales to visit.   You can also find estate sales in your area here.  I prefer estate sales since everything in the house will be sold, down to half used bottles of Windex.  Here are a few things I’ve been looking for:

• tools — I don’t want to count on, “Made in China” if we’re ever truly in a bind.  Tools made decades ago will be high quality with lots of years still left in them.
• backpacks, gym bags — I need two more backpacks for our personal 72 Hour Kits and miscellaneous gym-size bags are great for holding all kinds of gear to take camping.
• camping equipment — we have a tent but nothing else.  My husband is hardly Grizzly Adams!  I would especially like an outdoor cook stove.

Remember, once you know what you want, the search goes much more quickly!

Oh!  BONUS TIP!  Retirement communities often run their garage sales Thursday through Saturday..  You can get a jump on all the other bargain hunters by heading to these neighborhoods early on Thursday mornings!

2.    Freecycle.org

Freecycle is exactly what it sounds like.  Recyling things you own by giving them away for free. Once you’ve signed up with a Freecycle email group in your area, you’ll begin receiving regular notices from other members with offers of free “stuff”.

I’ve seen some great items offered on Freecycle that would help out any prepper.  Watch for glass canning jars, camping equipment, water barrels, dog crates, and so much more.  Usually what is offered is mentioned in the email’s subject line so you can scan through them quickly.  Remember to offer things hanging around your house or garage that you no longer want or need!

3.    Dollar Stores

Don’t forget to visit your local dollar store!  Apparently, dollar stores are becoming quite trendy.  Who would have guessed?

I took a stroll through one near my home last weekend, and here are some of the best bargains I found.

• binders starting at just $2
• a package of 8 small memo books for $2.  These are great for keeping in your car, your 72 Hour Kits and your purse.
• vinyl shower curtain, $2   Multiple uses for this including a ground cover and a quickie tent.
• can opener, $1.25
• chess game, $4.  Would be useful in providing entertainment during a crisis.
• triple antibiotic cream, $2.30, along with a good variety of other pharmaceuticals
• large bottles of spices for $1
• a can of Quick Flat Fix, $3
• a 6-pack of Top Ramen, $1.10

Not everything is a great bargain, but you won’t know that unless you’re paying attention to prices at regular retail stores.  Would you believe, I didn’t think my town even had dollar stores until I checked out these websites.  What a find!

• Dollar Tree
• Family Dollar
• Big Lots!

4.    Friends, Relatives, Neighbors, Casual Acquaintances…

You get the idea!  Every one of us has stuff around the house, in the attic, out in the garage, in a storage unit, etc., etc. that we’ll never use again, and so do your friends, relatives, neighbors, and so on.  When you get to the end of your prepping list, and you still have items you need, why not ask around?

Consider a casual barter agreement to get what you want, such as a few hours babysitting in exchange for a tent or a set of sleeping bags.  Here’s a great article on the age-old practice of bartering.

We don’t know when an emergency will happen, and it just makes sense to get your preparations in order as quickly as you can.  If you’re like me, your don’t have an infinite amount of money to prepare for everything, perfectly, all at once.  I decided to jump in and do what I can, when I can, and I’ve been pretty impressed with how quickly my prepping has come together with these four money-savers!

Check out these four cheap resources and see if your dollar doesn’t go a whole lot farther!  Soon, you’ll be ready for just about anything!

© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by amanky

It’s official.  I’m addicted to prepping.  No longer can I enter a store of any type and not look for bargains for my food storage, 72 Hour Kits or just basic preparedness.  Whether it’s an all-time low price on bottled water, laundry soap at $2.50 or cotton balls on clearance, I’m a sucker for bargains in the name of preparedness.

Today I entered a grocery store with six items on my list: dog food, cat food, dishwasher soap, zip-loc bags, ice, and milk.  When I left, my bill was $95.  Why?  Well, the store brand laundry soap was on sale two bottles for $5, so I bought six bottles.  I picked up a bottle of canola oil for just $2.49, and then the cans of pasta sauce were only ninety-nine cents each.  See what I mean?  Once I spot something I know I need in my stash, I’ve got to have it! 

Stocking up on food and supplies takes money, and the one warning I would pass along to my readers is to not over-spend.  Let’s face it.  Most of us are trying to pay off debt, save money andstock up all at the same time.  To help make this happen, many preppers clear out cupboards and closets of unwanted goods, sell them on eBay or in garage sales, and then use the proceeds to buy more rice and beans.  Others cut back on monthly expenses or look for ways to bring in a few extra bucks each week.

Before you start stealing money from your kid’s piggy bank, remember to pace yourself!  Virtually every type of supply is still plentiful.  Unbelievable bargains can be found at estate sales, on Craigslist, and in thrift stores.  You and your family really can become comfortably prepared on a budget.  Just beware the addict’s high!

© 2009, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

image by roadsidepictures

For most of us, our food storage pantry is being filled on tight budgets.  Most SurvivalMoms are watching the food ads and clipping coupons.  However, grocery prices aren’t always what they seem.  One grocery manager told me that before an item goes on sale, they often increase the price a few cents the week before to help make up the difference in their bottom line.  He also told me that sometimes they just change the color of the price tags with no discount, but a bright yellow or orange makes it seem like the item is on sale.  Sneaky!!!

So, if you’re on a budget, want to have at least several week’s worth of food on hand and you want to outwit the grocery store manager, here’s what you need to do.  Know when a grocery item is truly a bargain by keeping a price book.  This is an old fashioned concept that really works.  A price book is just a list of the lowest prices you’ve paid on specific food items.  Once you have these prices in your price book, and in your head, you’ll know when you’re looking at a real bargain.

For example, if the lowest price you’ve ever paid for a gallon of milk is $1.89 and you see it advertised as an “In-store Special!” for $1.99, you know it isn’t a bargain.  Buy it if you need it, but otherwise, for stocking up purposes, wait until you see it at that lowest price or lower.

Organize your price book by grocery categories, such as frozen foods, cleaning supplies, meat, dairy products, canned foods, etc.  I’ve seen some SurvivalMoms set up Excel spreadsheets for their data.  It really doesn’t take long at all to activate that bargain lobe in your brain when you become accustomed to recording prices on a regular basis.

© 2009, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

© 2009, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

photo by fsse8info

For some time now I have been getting some great freebies in the mail directly from Wal-Mart.  I’ve been stocking our 72-Hour Kits/Bug Out Bags with things like over-the-counter medications, energy bars, and feminine products, and I haven’t spent a dime on them.  With a little determination, free product samples can be found all over the internet.  Read this, Freebies 101, and then check out some of my favorite sites.

Wal-Mart

The FreeSite

Cool Freebie Links

Be aware that you’ll have to register your name and address, since the freebies will arrive in the mail.  If you start getting unwanted newsletters from the websites or manufacturers, just click on “unsubscribe,” and you’ll be free of them!  Nothing beats going to the mailbox and finding it full of free stuff!

© 2009, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.