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Thursday, May 26, 2016

If I had some duct tape, I could fix that-More DIY Tips


 

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…


ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

 

MacGyver: If I had some duct tape, I could fix that.

 

 

   Most folks, young or old, rich or poor, like to save a buck.  Why else would so many people shop thrift stores or attend auctions?  This past week my wife, ‘the thrift master,’ grabbed a high end gas grill that someone planned to discard.  It was rusty but the jets and gas lines were good and it included a partially filled propane tank.

 

A good cleaning with a wire brush and replacing the gas hoods with new ones [cost: $24] made for a pretty good deal.

 

At an area auction my winning bid of $11 got me a hunting grade sling shot, a nice CO2 pellet gun with a box of BBs and CO2 cartridges, a new electrical power cord,  shooting range ear muffs and more.

 

PM Know-How Tips

 

·         Toothpaste cleans permanent marker from many non-porouse surfaces.  Squeeze a liberal helping of toothpaste on the mark and scrub with water until clean.  If the surface is finished or delicate, test a small area first.

·         Homemade lantern from stored supplies – turn a headlamp into a proper lander by wrapping it around a clear two-gallon milk jub full of water which bounces the light in all directions.

·         Emergency water can always be had by tapping whats left in your hot water tank-it is usable but you should still boil it or bleach it before drinking it..  Turn off the power to the tank and close the supply valve and then place a bucket under the drainage valve.  Open a hot water tap somewhere in the house to let air into the system and water will begin to drain.

·         Best racoon [and fly killer]…I wrote about his DIY mixture last year and everyone, including me swears by it because it works.  Golden Malrin by Star Bar – mix half with cola [Pepsi or Coke] in an old bowl and place near where the critters are getting in.  Something in the syrup attracts the little beastie and one sip and they keel right over and die so it is NOT safe to place around children or your pets.

·         Best non-lethal self-defense spray:  Kimber’s [same firm that makes sidearms for many law enforcement agencies] Guardian Angel Pepper Blaster II.  Range of 12’, 112mph, will penetrate a mask [my wife & I both carry one].  Available on Amazon.

 
 


Easy Cleaning For Kitchen Appliances

 

·         Your blender-you don’t have to hand scrub each part after every use.  Instead, fill the pitcher with hot water just after using it and add two drops of dish soap.  Run the the blender, then rinse.

·         Your microwave-squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a bowl, and add ½ cup water plus the lemon halves.  You’ll be steam cleaning the microwave to loosen messy splatters, so run it on high for three minutes, then let the steam work for 5 minutres before you wipe off all surface.

·         Your garbage disposal-a smelly disposal can be cleaned by pouring in ½ cup baking soda, 1 cup white vinegar, 2 cups ice, and 1 cup salt.  While cold water runs, run the disposal until the ice is gone.

·         Slow cooker – Stupporn buildup can be defeated by running the pot on high for a few hours wile it’s filled with water, a squirt of dish soap, and ¼ cup of baking soda [you might try adding boiling water if you are in a hurry].

  

 

Resources

 

Snag Cheaper Air Fares

If you have flexibility in the dates of your trip and want to know when airfare is cheapest, visit Google Flight Explore at: Google.com/flights/explore

Enter your destination, how many days you'll be away, the number of stops you're willing to make and if you have an airline preference.

The site shows you current prices for various dates in the coming days, weeks, and months, enabling you to spot and book the cheapest fare.

 

 

Even with supplemental insurance I still have co-pays to contend with with and premiums continually escalate every year for nearly everyone. I see a lot of doctors each year and learned to always ask for itemized summaries of bills.

 

If you're under-insured here are some helpful sites which offer tools you might find useful:

 

FairHealthConsumer.org: Provides cost estimates for medical and dental services in your area.

 

CareCredit.com: Avoid using credit cards to pay medical bills, instead try this source for six-month interest-free financing [you must have reasonably decent credit to qualify]

 

eDrugSearch.com: Ways to save on prescriptions.

 

NoMoreMedicalDebt.com – Resources to avoid medical debt

 

You should also check with your county or state health center for Medicaid resources. Though time consuming to qualify, it can be worth your while, especially if you have children in need.

 
 
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A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

 

2 comments:

escapeartist said...

Always love your stuff [of course, you could include more of your humor]

Larry said...

cool stuff my man!