No money to prep

[jimLE]

that reminds me.drive around the neighbourhoods..i collected the frame from a water bed one time that someone was throwing away.and built a work bench from it

 

[Danil54grl]

I love me some throwaways. . . son and DIL got some great cast iron outside furniture that away. I am always on the look out for whatever may be thrown out. Even found some good wooden cabinets for the shop that away

 

[jontte]

as I have 3 sons,the one in the middle is very interested in blacksmithing,so he get's his own forge,so in the near future maybe I can order some stuff from him and get daddy-discount..perhaps

 

[jimLE]

i also watch the both sides of the road when going from one town to another..got me a good ice chest that way..
well jontte..yall move over this way? lol

 

[jontte]

never know Jim..never know...blacksmithing would suit him very good as he's sometimes very philosofical..and you need to think what you do...me? I got the attentionspan of a goldfish...

yup,keep eyes open..you can find absolutely fantastic stuff

 

[DrHenley]

Our grandparents didn't have any money to prep either, but they did it anyhow.

 

[jontte]

and they did a splendid job!!

 

[Gazrok]

You might be amazed at what you can find around as junk.

I built my whole bunny habitat with spare wood I had (like old stall boards, left over plywood from other projects, old broken fence posts, etc.). I even had a roll of chain link fence I got in a barter arrangement once (one of our horse boarders was short on board for the month), so used that. All I had to buy was some more screws, hinges, gate latches, etc. Everything else was recycled.

Better yet, I still have enough materials for two more projects I want to do.... dog house (I even have a few pieces of old metal roofing) and garden fence and gate (which I'll build from scrap wood and chain link). (again, will just need to buy some fixtures).

you have a change jar brother?

Definitely a must have. We basically convert our jars to a WalMart gift card around Christmas time, and use it for Christmas shopping. Typically, it is about $100-$150, so a nice little additional money around the holiday.

 

[Maverick]

We have a pole barn that houses nothing but re-use, we don't throw anything away that may have some use especially wood, we have tore old homes down for free strictly for the wood, windows and doors, we clean up the wood and store it. Bartering can save money and in many cases all it's going to cost you is your time.

 

[Danil54grl]

We tend to save everything around here too. . . hunny says I am a pack rat cause I tend to save all our old coffee cans, buckets, clothes, etc. . . . you just never know what project will come up. Keeping all the old buttons and zippers come in handy, even old tees can repair worn out undies. Yes, I am that cheap. Really he has no room to talk though. I know what he has out in his sheds. And they are almost all at full capacity. I only have my gardening shed and one other that one of the kids has basically been using to store his furniture in, but he is currently in the process of buying a house, so that will be gone soon.

 

[Brent S]

I built my whole bunny habitat with spare wood I had (like old stall boards, left over plywood from other projects, old broken fence posts, etc.). I even had a roll of chain link fence I got in a barter arrangement once (one of our horse boarders was short on board for the month), so used that. All I had to buy was some more screws, hinges, gate latches, etc. Everything else was recycled.

Better yet, I still have enough materials for two more projects I want to do.... dog house (I even have a few pieces of old metal roofing) and garden fence and gate (which I'll build from scrap wood and chain link). (again, will just need to buy some fixtures).


Definitely a must have. We basically convert our jars to a WalMart gift card around Christmas time, and use it for Christmas shopping. Typically, it is about $100-$150, so a nice little additional money around the holiday.

Hell, I went to Costa Rica for a week on my change jug once! Never underestimate the power of the Penney, espechially when saved for three or four years.

 

[Rob Painless]

This is a good thread & I'm glad Benjamin started it....I don't want to see it die off. This is where so many people, who would like to delve into prepping, get discouraged. I just want them to know....getting prepared is not necessarily about spending money. It can be more about how we spend our time. Learning, planning, discussing our ideas with others ( like here!) and making improvements to and around one's living space are all important. If I can figure out how, I am gonna start putting a link to this thread on all greetings in the New Members Check-in area. I think it's a great place for a lot of folks to start.

 

[jimLE]

i've started doing better,when it comes to buying the foods we eat.i'd go through the diff foods we have.and only buy whats needed that month.and buy just a lil extra can or 2.or extra mac n cheese.or a package of 8 cans of tuna.we now have enough vieanna sausage to do us for 3 or 4 month.in which we have enough BBQ sauce for all that.and then some.we're stocked up on knorr rice and pasta side,corn bread and chicken stuffing.hamburger and tuna helpers.peanut butter.and of course cans of chili.ranch style beans,baked beans,black beans, pork n beans, and green beans.and because of that.i can now leave those items alone until i need more of one or more of them.and that allows me to buy other items..

 

[Brent S]

i've started doing better,when it comes to buying the foods we eat.i'd go through the diff foods we have.and only buy whats needed that month.and buy just a lil extra can or 2.or extra mac n cheese.or a package of 8 cans of tuna.we now have enough vieanna sausage to do us for 3 or 4 month.in which we have enough BBQ sauce for all that.and then some.we're stocked up on knorr rice and pasta side,corn bread and chicken stuffing.hamburger and tuna helpers.peanut butter.and of course cans of chili.ranch style beans,baked beans,black beans, pork n beans, and green beans.and because of that.i can now leave those items alone until i need more of one or more of them.and that allows me to buy other items..

I like stocking up on rice, beans, mashed patatoes, pastas, etc. they all are easy to make and can be mixed with just about anything. They also store really well. I have a good sized collection of mason jars now, and with oxy absorbers they store well for years. It really dosent matter what you store as most of the country is completely unprepared. Just by thinking about it and doing a little each week or even month you are allready smarter than most.

 

[Myrrph]

I normally stock when there is an offer. Curry Lamb, Curry beef only once a year, so I stock 4 to 8 cans each time. Tuna happens few times a year, so 2 cans each time. I tend to do stock up once a month to once every 2 months on cans which are on promotion. Same with rice.

 

[jimLE]

i do need to buy some bags/boxes of rice and beans.and then can them as is..i wonder if i can do that with instant potato flakes..i buy the 6-packs of tuna.in which we don't eat to often.but yet its there and we have it.

 

[Brent S]

i do need to buy some bags/boxes of rice and beans.and then can them as is..i wonder if i can do that with instant potato flakes..i buy the 6-packs of tuna.in which we don't eat to often.but yet its there and we have it.

I have a few cases of the wallmart brand potato flakes in jars. I imagine you could even make a substitute for flour with them as well. I eat lots of potatoes here, in all sorts of ways. One note about tuna. I had some cans that became dog food as after a year or more they started seeming 'off'. I don't think they store as well as chicken.

 

[jimLE]

we get the 1 gallon cartons of potato flakes at sams club...i went through our dry foods on my home made shelves yesterday..in which there's good n bad there.bad news,is we let certain dry foods go bad.good news is.i now know that i WILL start dry canning certain dry foods now.in which i now need more canning jars,seeing how i've started canning..

 

[jimLE]

i started going to a 2nd hand store in town,a while back..in which i've been getting some good deals there..one item i got there for $15.00,is a collapsible cot with air mattress.air mattress holds air.and the cot is like new..they have hand tools there.like open and closed end wrence's.ratcehting hand drills,etc etc..i plan on getting another drill or 2,seeing how i already have 1..their worth their whight in gold,and then some,where there's no electricity..

 

[bigpaul]

a few extra cans every time you go to the store costs very little, its where we all started.