USA Banana republic

Ironically Davos can’t deal with the rebellion of hungry folks that are unemployed. There is no “middle class” in the USA most of the lower 70%  are bailing out Wall street and the Banksters. The USA has become a “Banana Republic” Where the Elite have the power and we are given food stamps, energy assistance and pay and pay while we lose value on every investment. Yes most of us are warm and have some shelter, food and water we are slaves to the system. We have Ipad, Ipods and Kindles. Cheap TV’s HD and texting, yet we can’t name our neighbor. But we have cable, Rule of law? don’t be silly, banksters and Wall street make Billions and are fined $10,000. That’s not a fine that’s operating costs. I bet they spend more on utility bills. But we bailed them out and bought their stock. Did you get a check on that stock? Did you get a dividend? All I know is since my house lost value and LCD’s and Iwhatevers are so cheap that offsets my food and energy costs according to the Fed.

Well you corporations got low employment costs that you wanted. Except you stopped paying us and we can’t afford that LCD, I whatever, cars and homes. Good job Wall Street, bankers and corporations, you killed the “Golden Goose”. If you are afraid to cut up the card, ask yourself why? Could you live without a Credit Card?
If not why?
What can the average person do about it? Get out of the system, go Galt and get basic. Get out of debt, Cut up your credit cards, or  payoff monthly. You don’t need them. If you can’t pay cash , think if you really need it. Prioritize needs and wants. I may want satellite or cable TV I don’t need it to live.
Grow some plants in home or in a garden. No you won’t be independent most likely you will get about 1/3 of your produce via a garden. But it’s all tax free and you aren’t paying folks to create “Frankencrops”
This will cost you money up front. But you can do it. You are not serfs from Europe. Your forefathers emigrated to make a better life or your parents or grand parents did. You got good stuff in you.
I want you always to think outside the box. You are not a slave to oligarchs or the elites. You are unique, special and made in the image of God. That is worth saving, you are not an animal. You have a soul.
It will get get ugly. Set your moral compass now.Cause you will have to make choices. Make sure you can live with the choices you make.

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I had a great January. The world not so much…

I was able to get some items I had been looking at for some time. Or at least some good substitutions at a good price. I got a little Silver and found a great buy on used Mr. Heater. What’s great is Tactical Intelligence just did a review of the biggest model and thought it was pretty good overall. I like propane since it stable and easy to store unlike some fuels not to dangerous if treated with respect and a little common sense. Plus I like that I can use it in the house or in the RV or a tent to take the edge off the cold.
Got my PJ’s and a couple of robes that are very warm and are great for cold weather. Paid off the used car and dropped my insurance rates a few dollars a month. Topped off some food needs and “the country store” ( My pantry) got some good additions on spices, soap, dish soap, pet food and TP at a good price. I got some bunnies for free from my Aunt about 2 years ago and I gave back 3 free bunnies last year. She was a “snow bird” but hung around this winter because of health problems in the family. Well she now has a 6 week old litter of 8 bunnies and started a quilt that consists of over 760 pieces and is doing great. I guess a lot of us in the family are throwbacks. 🙂
The Middle East and N. Africa is all “Higgedly piggiley” since the USA started exporting our inflation. Funny the PTB’s didn’t take in consideration folks with no jobs, rising food costs and Global Markets that can be crushed by a few greedy elites stealing from folks and folks getting tired of it. This is scaring the PTB’s worldwide cause unless the “sheep” go along, the whole game falls apart. What most PTB’s fail to realize that food and fuel are critical to most folks. A few percentage points in cost are huge to the poor. You can’t stretch starvation over a year as cost/benefit ratio nor freezing or hypothermia. Then again maybe they can since all people are is a drain on the PTB’s resources.
What’s funny is these folks have no guns, and what they are doing is phenomenal. Can you imagine this happening in a country with guns? I’ll give the protesters this they know they are on their own and still they fight.

Fuel up this weekend!!

Some folks are starting to realize where the Suez canal is located and we may see a gas price hike. In the next week it might be a good idea to top off all vehicles and cans, get Kerosene and propane if you can afford it as well. I know a lot of you all are like me and you get your stuff when you get your paycheck and you don’t always have the cash on hand for emergencies or potential price increases. This is where your MAD money comes in to save your butt.
Emergency Fuel preparedness:

1.  Try to keep tanks 1/2 full
2. Have enough fuel on hand to fill up your gas tank even on empty. 
3. I like keeping 3 (6 gal.) cans full and rotate them 1 at a time in the car every 3-6 months. Otherwise use stabil over 6 months of storage.
4. 3 (20 #) Propane tanks: 1 in use, 1 full, and 1 waiting to be filled.

Don’t get fuel if there is a long line and folks are cranky. Chock it up as a learning experience and try again at a safer time.
Is your bike ready to ride? Do you have alternative transportation if needed? Think of this as a test of your preparedness. You can see where you are strong and what needs some work. Good Luck 

It is Simple, if not easy

I can piss and bitch and moan about the feds not saving me. Why should they? Are you a cog in the machine or are you as an individual that has value. What makes me happy may not make you happy. Okay I’ll let you be happy and I’ll go off over here and be happy. Not so hard, you go make quilts and I’ll play  video games. Either a quilt will be valued or video game play will be valued. I think the market will decide value. Not the feds.
I am not a cog or gear interchangeable part for other cogs or gears. I’m a human being dammed by my weakness and willing to reach to the heavens. I’m not your tool and I’m not your property. I’m well armed, I know the Constitution If you are threatened by that so be it.

We have all heard what the Feds are doing to us. What are you doing to them?

The only actions you can control are your own. Hell anyone with a small child will tell you the same. But, you can only control your own actions and reactions. I’m not saying be complacent just when it comes down to it all you can control is you. So it’s your choice, you can get unemployment or drive around delevering pizzas for Pizza hut. You can learn and practice baking bread or buy from a store. You can order from the latest Dollar + menus or make your own. You can keep banking with JP Morgan, Chase, Ally (GM) or Bank of America or you can get local. get off credit and go cash and layaways. Pay down debt  Of course it’s diffacult. What do you want a tummy rub? Grow up and be an adult. Your fault, My fault, no one’s fault we got to fix it. 1 person at a time. Cut up your credit cards, You don’t need it!!Do you have seeds or canning or a smoke house or root cellar? Why are you worring about a car or HD TV and DVR? When you can’t feed your family for a month?
Sorry I had a monent there on my own family.
Your power is limited, if you cant influence freinds and family how much luck will you have in states congress or federal? I am not saying give up you just got to be selective. Get local, start small and dont take the Feds crap. Be noisy, we may not agree, but give us a look.

WOW! things are starting to get sporty!

It is getting chaotic. Food and unemployment riots are spreading in N. Africa. Big stuff in Egypt happening, while Egypt does not have oil it does have the Suez. Politicians leaving and trying to leave with gold. I’ll agree you can’t eat gold but you can’t eat lead either and yet everyone recommends some lead in your prep via ammo. I think gold and silver represent security Financially, as lead is to security immediately measured in kinetic energy and lead grains propelled at significant FPS. No one on the survival sites I ‘ve been to recommends storing  Diamonds.  Yet Diamonds can cut anything (has industrial uses) and are seen as wealth for the elite. No one ever recommends storing gem stones. But we have long drag out fights on PMs (Precious Metals). Alcohol or tobacco are not needed for sustaining life yet almost all survival sites recommend storing these items for use or barter. Why?
I think it as simple that people want these items. There is a perceived value. While it may not say much about most of us, some folks will do anything to feed their addictions of Avarice/Greed, drugs/alcohol and nicotine. I don’t know why folks like gold? Silver has many industrial uses. But gold not so much. Yet wars have been fought for the access to gold. For well over 6000 years the “GOLD STANDARD” has been the gold standard. I guess I became resigned to the fact that gold has value simply because folks believe it has value. Just like the stones of Indonesia or the glass beads given to Native Americans. I don’t know why folks like gold,  but they do, Why do folks value a piece of cotton covered in green ink? Because several folks think that cotton and green ink will get them what they want. And are happy to trade for it. Simple if not easy. I’ll keep buying silver and hopefully I can get some gold in the future.
The reason I bring this up is money and value is different. We got not no time to mess around we got to get basic then move forward. I hate to say this but all of your paychecks, benefit checks are nothing but 1’s and 0’s inputted by a person making min. wage or bit more into a PC. Now we move on to value. Is your dollar worth a loaf of store bought bread? how about home made bread? I can make a loaf of homemade bread for 30-40 cents per loaf including power. Tell me the price of any bread you get in the store. All my prices remain the same on “Artisan breads” or a sandwich loaf on ingredients and power. Buy fresh pasta or make your own? Same story, about 1/3-2/3 cheaper to make from staples. I save money cause I do the work of the processors. I buy low and live high. Instead of ordering out for food at $20.00 + I’ll get a rib eye roast and cook it at home.
Things to look at: Shelter, Security, Water, Food and sanitation. Have those on hand first. Then expand, What I see as important or a priority maybe well down your list. But if you have the first 5 you should be able to get the basics on hand. You got those then you can tweak your program.

Sales this week

Fred Meyers has a some good buys via the flyer. I’m not sure about your store but mine has plenty of flyers in store and I just grab one when I get there. Now back to the sales

Med. cheddar cheese 4# for $7.00 only $1.75 per pound Great for waxing or get the latest use by date and store in the fridge.
Petit Sirloin steaks $2.88 per pound. Big package 6 steak min.
Langer’s juice 64 oz 3 for $5.00. That’s $1.67 each and it cranberry and pomegranate and good for health. Especially the cranberry juice for preventing urinary tract infections.
Several Vitamins are buy 1 get 1 free. I like the Natures Bounty brand. Fred Meyers doesn’t usually double the price on the vitamins when on sale.
Speed Stick deodorant/antiperspirant .99 cents each
Big K soda 2 liter bottle .69 cents
Fred Meyer TP $3.99 12/24 rolls
FM Butter 3 # for $5.00 another $1.67 each

So that’s what got so far this week. Hopefully I’ll have some more good buys add on Wed. this week from the other stores.

A few money saving ideas

I don’t know about all of you, but I’m always looking for new ways to save money! Every time I find a “Saving money” 90-95% of the time its the same old top 20. Turn off your lights, Proper tire pressure, yada,yada,yada. Hey, I’m looking for some new info not the same old crap I can get in every magazine, newspaper and radio or TV show for the last 30 years. Now the following are some I have picked up and you don’t usually see in the MSM.

1. Eliminate vampire loads. Get some extra power strips with long cords and plug your PCs, TV/Home entertainment systems, Microwaves, Coffee Pots into them and just flip the reset switch to kill the load.
2. Timing your Electrical Load. Try to use your heavy load items such as electric ovens and dryers after 9:00pm Weeknights or on the weekend. Just by timing I have saved around $15-$20.00 per month and that’s for one person. I do have one of those smart meter so I saw the savings quickly. 
3. This in kind of an extension of #2. Cook up a big pot of rice and pasta on the weekend if your family eats them during the week. After cooking the pasta al dente plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. You can easily refrigerate them both and have a start for quick meals. To reheat the pasta just dip it in boiling water for about a minute or two. Rice gives you a start on fried rice stir fry, nuke it for a side dish or use it for rice pudding desserts. This will save you both time and energy through out the week. 
4. TV programming. I use Dish Family package $19.95 per month $5.00 extra for the local channels. An HD receiver and antenna is about $150.00 as a one time cost. Plus the internet has several places you can get TV shows for free or cheap. I know some folks swear by “Netflix” but I have not used them so I can’t say anything but they could be a low cost alternative to cable or Satellite.
5. Telephone: I use Magicjack which is $40.00 for the first year and then $20.00 each year. Magicjack also runs a sale of 5 years for $60.00. It’s not perfect, sometimes there is an echo or a little cutting out. Not bad just noticeable occasionally. If you don’t have home phone service this might work for you. Google voice and Skype may work for you as well depending on how you use a phone. I prefer pre-paid cell phones or Cricket if you just need a cheap cell phone for emergencies and mobile communications. 
6. If your freezer isn’t full, fill some bottles or even plastic bags with water and freeze them to make it full. Just 1 or 2 at a time because you don’t want to overwork the compressor. Your freezer won’t have to work as hard to keep it cold. Plus if the power goes out the extra ice it will keep it cold longer.

I hope this gives you some info that’s a little less Mainstream and I have done most of these and  they do save me money.  If you have some way to save money it would be great if you could share it with all of us.

Makes a difference in My life?

We have to get real. Does Obama dyeing his hair matter? He still believes what he believes. His actions speak louder than any words he has uttered. Some folks look good in gray hair some don’t. Obama sucks in gray hair. Okay now that we got his dye job out of the way does his hair color have anything to to do with the state of the nation? Is his hair color relevant to where we want this country to go? Arguing about if he dyes his hair passes for political discussion now? Lets look at his word and actions. Not his hair color.

If you are new to prepping you need to get HOT!

Inflation is not going away. It does exist as anyone going to the grocery store or the gas pump sees this daily. Buy in bulk. It maybe 50 # bags of corn meal, beans or rice. But those will give you the “best bang for the buck”. Remember 50# of rice or beans equals 500 4 oz. serving
Grow a garden, containers raised or sunken beds. Have the seeds on hand for a couple of years and go “Heirloom” seeds if possible. Learn scratch cooking, everytime you bake a loaf of bread you save .75 cents to 3 dollars you don’t spend in the stores. Plus Artisan breads are very easy, though take some time. But it’s free time and you can do something else. Start thinking low-tech, I’m not saying don’t use your gas or electric oven, but do you have a work around? Could or would you think of making meatloaf  in 15 minutesor bread in less than 30 minutes in a  pressure cooker/canner? I know I didn’t. What an awesome fuel saving device a pressure cooker/canner. Now I’ll be trying out some recipes I’ve found. A few no cook, pressure cook and intergrating can meats in the menu ala Rhonda. I hope to intergrate most grains though Rhonda owes me some Popcorn polenta/corn recipes.
I’ll give out some money saving ideas I have used that work well. It’s about getting lean and tight. Getting the most bang for your buck. Not paying for what you don’t need and getting basic. You can add whatever you want and can afford. My lifestyle is way off normal as a disable vet. But these are things that save me money. You may find a way to make them work for you.