Are there Long Term Food Storage Options that you can purchase with your SNAP/EBT Card?

 Its Disaster Preparation Month! Food costs are soaring. Go through the grocery store where you usually shop and write down the prices and amount in the packages of ten things your family eats regularly this week. Think back on where those prices were in 2018, then in February of 2020, then this time last year, and compare it to the cost now. Two months from now, look at where those prices are again.

Prices of food are rising and the amount of food in packages shrinking not just due to scarcity, transportation costs, labor costs and inflation. Costs are also going up due to greed and retailers testing what the market can bear.

I got a DM about planning for those not just on a strict budget, but for those on government food assistance. Just because you don't pay by cash or credit/debit cards, does not mean you should not also prepare for upcoming food shortages and price increases.



There are now EBT/SNAP eligible Long Term Food Storage options online at Amazon. In addition, Costco now sells some items that can be bought with your SNAP benefits. In addition, there are some food chains (like Lidl, Aldi's and Trader Joe's, all under the same corporation) that have very good frozen food options that hold up good when re-heated, and bulk foods that are reasonable for buying.

                                    

Think ahead, what happens when the Pandemic level aid that has increased the amount of your EBT/SNAP benefits ceases? You should be storing dry goods, canned food versions of food you normally eat and frozen foods as a hedge against when that day comes. 

Water is increasing in price. Start using $20.00 per month and buy water for long term storage for you to use when water systems are tainted or fail. 

We will talk food storage next week. Don't forget, DON'T buy the kits or buckets that are advertised, you don’t normally eat most of those things. Don’t get in the habit of storing foods you don't eat, unless you plan on trading/bartering with them with others. Chances are if you don’t eat them, they won’t either.

Here is a link to an Amazon List I have put together for some EBT/SNAP Eligible long term food storage solutions. You can view my list, and I add to it regularly. 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1HVXEE8MIQFCW?ref_=wl_share

#DisasterPreparednessMonth
#disasterplanning
#disasterpreppingforprocrastinators
#ebt
#disasterpreparedness

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink

 You can't live without it, but we take it for granted. We think, "Water will always be here, all I have to do is turn on the tap." But what if what is coming out of the tap is tainted? Or the water supplier's system goes down? Recently, E-Coli has been found in the Baltimore, Maryland Water system, Polio has been found in New York's water system and Jackson, Mississippi's water treatment system was damaged by flood waters.

Baltimore Water System infected with EColi

After a major catastrophe, the cost of water in the area you live will skyrocket. We aren't in a crisis mode where I live, and the price of a 24 pack of bottled water has risen from 3.50 pre-pandemic, to over $5.00. One thing we know about the new pricing of food products is it has no basis in reality. It's not a combination of factors such as transportation costs, labor, or even the rising prices of commodities that are making prices go up. It's simply greed. And the issue with greed driving prices is man's greed has tended to be without limits in our long history.

Storing stacks and stacks of 24 bottle packs isn't feasible for most people. But having something on hand is a necessity now. Part of your improved pantry has to be stored water. I recommend that you start to store both 5 gallon bottles and long term storage water. These larger bottles can be found at hardware stores, Walmart and big box discount stores like Sam's Club, Costco and BJ's. 

You'll need two pump options, one manual and one electric. The manual is a the backup in case power is lost. If you find one that runs on battery power, that is a good choice. Always have two options. You can get a manual pump for about the same as an electric pump. Get your family used to using them now, so it's not such a big transition. You can find them at Amazon, Hardware Stores and Big Box retailer's. Look at the reviews, as some don't come with good directions.

Also, know your family usage of water. If you buy larger bottles and find lots of them sitting half full at the end of the day, then you need to buy the smaller bottles for them to use. Monitor their water usage, they should be drinking adequate amounts of water to stay hydrated. In the event of a pending storm, you could always clean your tub really, really well and store water there. You can also use the manual pump to move water from the tub to bottles in an emergency, it will take a little ingenuity on your part, but assess the situation and act quickly.

How much water should you be drinking?

Adults should be drinking 6 to 8 - 8 ounce glasses of water per day. Children should take in half of that amount. If you need to flavor your kids water so they drink it, try to use a flavoring choice that is low in sugar. Get children used to the taste of Agave Syrup early. It's much better than artificial sweeteners, and can even be used with people who have to watch their sugar intake due to medical issues. 

Also, watch the color of your urine and that of your children during emergency, drought and times of high temperature. Depending on color, you may need to take immediate action to hydrate a loved one.

Don't forget to put your water into a rotation pattern also. Try to buy purified water instead of Spring or Alkalinized water. The vast majority of people's PH is adequate. If you find there is a brand you prefer, then budget out how to have some of it on hand. 

You can't live without water. Make a plan now to have stored water on hand so you won't be a victim of price gouging. Also, if you can drive away from your local area where there is a water issue, you may find water cheaper at another location. Calculate the cost in gas and time before you do this, however. And set a limit on how much you want to pay for scarce items in your mind, then determine the cost of storing it at its current price now. It's time to start keeping track of pricing so you can prepare ahead of rising costs if at all possible.

Time to put up a new pantry!

 It's time to put up a new pantry. What are the rules? They are listed in Month Three of the Shopping Lists Books. They come in two formats, one that is purely shopping lists, the other with shopping lists and scriptural references.

Things have changed since Covid first began, what we thought was going to be a skirmish has turned into a protracted war with numerous attacks dropping from the sky without warning.

So, let's pivot to focus on long term hedges we can employ now against our newest attacker: INFLATION.

Focusing on Long Term Food Storage will help keep your food costs down over the long term. Winter is coming, which means fuel costs will go up, delivery chains will continue to degrade and prices will continue to rise.

Now is the time to go to your nearest LDS Home Storage Center and start putting up some Long Term Storage foods. I would urge you to start here for two reasons: First, they sell number 10 cans by the can. You don't have to end up with 6 #10 cans of Dehydrated Onions. Second, their prices are reasonable, on par with what you would pay at today's prices for groceries.

As per my instructions in 'Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators', make sure you don't buy things you don't normally eat, don't overbuy in panic mode, and make sure you have space to store AND take items with you in case of an evacuation order. Hurricane Season is here.

Go to this website and find the nearest center to your location. Call ahead for days they are open and to find out where you come exactly for access. You do not have to be a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints (I am not), to buy from their facilities. They only take Credit Cards, check what the payment policy at your facility is.

I started with number 10 cans of Flour ($5.38), Quick Oats ($5.03), Onions ($8.36), Spaghetti ($4.75), Elbow Macaroni ($4.88) and Hot Chocolate ($5.32). You decide what is best for your family.

I don't want to purchase a grain mill to grind flour, even though the 25 pound bags are good choices. I intend to open my cans and put smaller measures into Mylar bags with Oxygen Absorbers, properly labeled and stored in my other 5 gallon buckets.

Make a plan! Next, we will cover how to order long term storage food off of Amazon with SNAP/EBT. Everyone, absolutely EVERYONE, needs to start putting up a pantry as a hedge against inflation. It's time to start looking at expiration dates, then stocking up on what you and your family eats.

https://providentliving.churchofjesuschrist.org/.../home...

#DisasterPreparednessMonth

#disasterplanning

#disasterpreppingforprocrastinators

#ebt

#DisasterPreparednessMonth

Time to get busy!

I haven't posted in a while, but inflation, weather, and food prices are all showing signs of not just rising, but being the new normal. Coupled with the ever changing factors of war, man made disaster and uncontrolled viral outbreaks, it's time to pivot again. 

How prepared were you in December of 2019? Let's not make that mistake again, if you procrastinate, you're in the right spot!

 I was going to post which room we should be working on for Spring Cleaning, but Evacuation Preparation is coming across as more relevant now.

I can't explain it, tis is what Im feeling moved to post. Back in September of 2018, I put up a blog post encouraging everyone to get their N-95 masks, with links on this blog. I don't post here that often, but things are heating up on planet earth. No country is immune to disasters.

So, before we get our house in order, it may be best to get the shirts on our backs organized. Never know when you'll need to be ready, ad its always better to prepare ahead of time.

Hindsight is nowhere near 20/20.

You know I am a procrastinator. The titles of my books say it all. "Disaster Prepping For Procrastinators", because everyone can do a little, should do a little, to keep the wolf from the door. 

It's been a year since the world shut down due to the Coronavirus. Now, I haven't been silent, don't get me wrong. I've just been on other forms of Social Media, making sure I posted not just information, but encouraging posts. People need hope when it seems all things are out of control. If you had faith in God before the Stay At Home Orders were first handed down, your faith has either been strengthened or it has failed you in this time. 

The good thing is if it was strengthened, you were able to pass that strength on to other people. If it was weakened, don't despair. God is waiting for you to come back home. 

What has the last year taught you? Are you seeing people for who they really are? I mean, who they REALLY are, under all of the smiles, civility and nice comments? Learning to read people has become important in this time. It's almost an introductory course in understanding where the true heart and intent of humanity is when the chips are down. Who would you leave behind your back? And who would you keep in front of you, where you can keep a good eye on them?

What would you have stockpiled or put away that would have helped you through this past year? Well, there is good news on that front. The shelves are starting to be stocked once more with things even I had overlooked that became like gold during the Pandemic...Lysol Spray...toilet paper...paper towels...plastic gloves...canned goods...for some, even alcohol became a necessity. 

Well, do you believe that things are almost over, or should you continue...or start...to prepare to ride out the storm to come? What is your gut telling you? When you pray, what are you hearing? 

If there is one thing I have learned in this past year, it's that I don't want to wonder, when I can be sure. I don't want to sit around this time next year asking myself, 'What could I have done differently? How could I have prepared myself and my family? What decisions am I making right now that could impact me in a negative manner in the future? What help was available to me that I have left on the table? Have I honored God in all I have done? Have I taken care of my neighbor as I would my own flesh and blood? Have I given enough? Have I prayed enough? Do I truly, after all that has happened, believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living?"

I wrote two accompanying books, 'Forms' and two 'Shopping List' Books, one of which came with accompanying scriptures. 

One of the Scriptures that has ran through my mind since the pandemic occurred is Proverbs 6:6-11. It states,

"6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

So, prepare for the worst, believe in the best. Believe the vaccine's will work. Believe the mutations won't be as bad as expected. Believe that the shelves will continue to stay full. Believe that you have prepared as best you could, and prepare as much as you can. Now is the time to plant gardens. Now is the time to remember the ant. We've had enough television binging. Enough overeating. Enough worry. Enough anxiety. Enough fear. And more than anything, enough procrastination. 

This is my first Pandemic Post on my Blog in over a year. You can follow me on Instagram at @trishaalindsey if you stand in need of some encouragement. If you don't do Instagram, my posts are automatically copied to my Facebook Author Page, Trisha Lindsey, Author. 

My thoughts are pretty much the same as yours as we have gone through the ups and downs of the past year. I don't post every day, but try to hit every Sabbath if I don't make a post that week.  Please. Be encouraged. God is in control.

#BeEncouragedTAL

Now What?

Well.  We are into the thick of it now. This has been such a hard experience to go through, so many lives have been lost. We see so many people doing all they can to care for others, and others still only concerned about themselves and their rights. But I am going to unequivocally press towards sheltering in place, come hell or high water, for as long as it takes to either find the best way to lower infection rates, a cure or a vaccine. If you don't have that view, you might want to move onto another Blogger. 

This is a unique opportunity that is making us slow down, care for others as we care for ourselves and take each day as it comes, adapting and recovering so we can face another day to come. I will press the point that we only have a finite number of medical professionals and essential personnel to help us through this Pandemic. 

As such, not only are thanks in order, but we owe it to them and our loved ones to work together to flatten the curve of infection so facilities aren't overwhelmed.  If you don't agree with this, once again, move onto another Blogger. I am saying up front, this is a positive space, and NO negativity is going to be tolerated.  This is all about solutions, help and working together to prepare ourselves, our families and neighbors for the long haul.

There are indications that the #Coronavirus was here in the United States much earlier than we believed. Most indications show it will be here a lot longer than we believe, making us adapt as the regular seasonal issues we face start to come upon us. Tornado Season is upon us in the South.  Hurricane Season, Flu Season, and other issues are still to come, so how do we manage to prepare for them, in the midst of all of this turmoil?

Well, 2 years ago, I finished a book series called, "Disaster Prepping for Procrastinators". I didn't know when, but I did know that we live in a world where chaos can break out with little or no notice. It was written to not only organize myself but to break down what could be done with less money, time and resources when it comes to Disaster Preparation.

I didn't need 20 pounds of flour and enough food to feed a small army when there was only my daughter and myself to take care of. I knew I'd need to be able to buy things we normally ate, on a budget but all the books and sites I came upon were advance prep for the Zombie Apocalypse. So, I set out to re-write the system, with a Christian and Secular alternative. If you want to skip ahead, you can purchase the book in both paperback and Ebook, with the Shopping Lists and Forms Booklet.  If you can't afford them, then I'll just start a month to month synopsis, keeping things in line with the book's advice. Here is the Amazon Link for the book series:

https://amzn.to/2ShKQIu

So, starting in May, I am going to start to offer pages of that book for free on my Social Platforms, modified slightly to account for #Covid-19, but also as a way to look ahead to prepare for the upcoming seasons to come so that we aren't caught flat-footed.  Just like the series, these posts are going to be bare-boned so that with a minimum amount of money and things you already have around your house you can get organized.  You can start to put aside things you don't use or need for later disposal, clearing space for you to live in. We will focus on places you can fix to shore up your home, based on three tiers: Free, Low Cost, Medium expense.  These things will help you until you are back on your feet again.

So, look for upcoming posts, so that you can prepare for the next 6 to 12 months in the midst of this chaos. If you have a plan, it's executable and you see results at the end of each week, it will persuade you that you are getting things done. 

The first post is going to focus solely on how you should clean up each space in your home. It will accompany the next post that will focus on gathering and storing for your current and future needs.  Many of us now have gone out and purchased food, water and other necessities, so we will focus on how to integrate what you have on hand, with what you need to have on hand.

As you know, I am a Christian, and integrate all of my writings with real Christianity.  If that is going to offend you, please follow my posts, but don't disparage my beliefs. That negativity is something that myself and others just don't need at this time. I'm not posting to convert anyone, but this has to be a space where people's beliefs aren't brought into the discussion in a negative way.You can also find encouragement on my Instagram under the hashtag, #BeEncouragedTAL