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Thursday, June 29, 2017

Must-Have Foods to Put In Your Survival Pantry+Other Resources


Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…


ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources
 
 

15 Must-Have Foods to Put In Your Survival Pantry+Other Resources

I’ve noticed that most preppers know the importance of food storage, but few of them have the must-have foods for adequate prepping sitting in their survival pantry.

Well, my job is to help you get prepared to the best of my ability; that’s why I came up with this handy-dandy checklist of long-term food storage. This covers all the basics, from commonly known foods that are long-lasting and crucial to survival, to those that aid in medicinal uses.

Rather than spoil the fun, I’ll get right down to it – here’s my checklist of:

15 Must-Have Foods to Put In Your Survival Pantry


1 – Rice


Rice is a huge staple in most people’s diets, and for good reason. It’s cheap, healthy and a great source of carbs. Plus, you can dress it up with all kinds of sauces/toppings for a whole variety of versatile dishes. I recommend storing plain white rice, as it has a longer shelf-life than brown.

2 – Meat Cans


You should buy these in bulk and keep a variety on-hand, such as pork, beef, and chicken. Feel free to add canned fish, too, such as salmon and tuna. Canned meats are great for long-term storage, and can be used in a ton of different dishes to keep your taste buds interested.

3 – Oats


Oats are a crucial ingredient for a number of foods, such as oatmeal, breads, and cookies. Plus, they have great nutritional value, and are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.

Fun Fact: you can use oats for more than just the tasty treats listed above – you can also use them to add bulk to casseroles and meatloaf. This is a trick used in the Great Depression – mostly to help folks get full faster with as little ingredients as possible.

4 – Coffee And Tea Bags


If you need coffee or tea to wake you up now, what makes you think it’ll be different in a survival situation? Stay alert by stocking up on your favorite coffee (choose from instant, pre-ground or whole bean) and teas (caffeinated and non-caffeinated).

5 – Chicken/Beef Broth Cans


Broth is great for adding flavor and giving you a boost of sodium in your diet. Plus, you can throw your favorite veggies and meats in there, bring it to a boil, and serve it as a hearty soup.

Helpful Hint: boil your rice in chicken broth (instead of water) to make it extra delicious.

6 – Powdered Milk


Much like its liquid counterpart, powdered milk is a great source of vitamins A, D, and B12, as well as protein. However, unlike the liquid version, powdered milk stores for WAY longer. When you’re in a crisis, you’re going to depend on this substance for bone-strengthening energy.

7 – Fruit Cans


Fruits are generally high in fiber and nutrition, yet are often overlooked by preppers – this is a shame, since their canned versions are often delicious and store for years. Add some sweetness to your diet by stocking up on your favorite kinds such as pineapple, pears and peaches.

8 – Vegetable Cans


Veggies are overlooked by lots of preppers, too (after all, how many people actually like to eat their greens?). However, missing out on veggies means missing out on a lot of vitamins and nutrients in your diet. Plus, many preppers say they actually like the canned versions better than the raw. Stock up on canned veggies to keep you feeling full and energized.

9 – Honey


This one might seem counterproductive; after all, isn’t honey just basically pure sugar, and mainly used to sweeten your tea? Well, all these are true, but honey also has some surprising medicinal benefits. For one, it is a natural anti-inflammatory, and helps reduce cough and allergy symptoms.

It’s also a natural antibiotic, and can be applied to wounds and burns to help treat them. Plus, you might scoff at the sugar content, but not only does it help keep the honey last for years, but it also acts as a natural energy booster and helps boost memory.

I should mention that honey, though helpful, can’t assist you in every emergency – however, this first-aid kit can. Explore its usefulness and versatility (it’s perfect for your car, home, or office!)

10 – Variety of Seasonings


So many preppers don’t think about the importance of seasonings! Condiments such as garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and cinnamon (i could go on and on) are healthy, nutritious and add a boost of flavor to your survival food.

Plus, let’s be honest – eating the same foods day in and day out can get tedious – you’ll liven up your taste buds and make these meals more bearable with the help of spices and seasonings. Stock up on all your favorites.

11 – Pectin


Most preppers couldn’t tell you what pectin is, but it’s incredibly helpful. Pectin is a natural substance found in berries, apples and throat lozenges.

It’s what causes jams, jellies and fruit juices to thicken up, and is the element that really soothes your sore throat (sorry, that cherry flavor in the lozenges is just to keep the flavor bearable).

Stock up on pectin to help you if you get sick, and use it for thickening up your jams and jellies so you use less ingredients.

12 – Pasta And Spaghetti Sauce


No prepper should be without these two ingredients. The pasta will help keep you full and energized, and the spaghetti sauce is low in fat and saturated fat.

Plus, both items can be found for incredibly cheap and can be stored for years. There’s few long-term storage meals that offer this kind of bulk for your buck.

13 – Cooking Oils


It’s a lot easier to cook stuff in the pan when you’ve lathered on a little bit of oil. Plus, oils are great for storage and offer lots of healthy, nutritional benefits. Stock up on plant-based cooking oils for survival.

14 – Peanut Butter


Peanut butter may just be the perfect snack – not only is it great by itself by the spoonful, but it also helps make a variety of delicious sandwiches. Plus, peanut butter is naturally packed with protein and fat – crucial for muscle building and energy levels. Make sure to stock up on this long-term storage snack.

15 – Purified Drinking Water


This is one of the most important items on this list. After all, it’s been proven humans can survive up to three weeks without food, but only up to THREE DAYS without water. Stock up now on lots of gallons of purified water

Now I know this list was chock-full of survival pantry supplies, and I believe in every single one of them. However, I’m also a big believer in making things easy for myself, too. After all, prepping should still be fun, and as stress-free as possible.  Watch the video link from Healthy Prepper:

https://youtu.be/hQAYpYZo40Y

 

 


I’m sure you’re familiar with MREs. But unless you have military field experience or you’re an avid outdoorsman, this piece will answer a few questions you probably have about freeze-dried food.

Questions about storage, shelf life, preparation, taste, nutritional value and more. Plus, you’ll discover what that weird four-digit code printed on each MRE is and why it’s important to track it.

Be sure to read this article before your next trip to the Army surplus store — especially if you’re considering adding MREs to your emergency food storage.

Because you never know what will happen, and you should be prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones no matter what tomorrow brings.


At some point or another, I’ve discussed the importance of having virtually every single one of these items when the SHTF. But this post from Ask a Prepper puts them all down in one convenient checklist.

Take a look and count how many of the items on this list you already have. This will give you a better idea of just how prepared you really are to handle an emergency — and you’ll know what still need to buy before the next big disaster strikes.
 


Protests are becoming more and more common in our increasingly polarized nation. And while I stand behind everyone’s right to free speech, I never want to find myself caught in a demonstration turned violent.

Here is a great article from Joe Alton over at DoomandBloom.net with 13 tips on safely navigating civil unrest in your town.

Some of the recommendations are also aimed at helping you protect yourself while participating in a protest. Because civil debate and the right to peacefully demonstrate is one of the hallmarks that makes this country great.


You can have all the food and fancy survival tools in the world, but if your bug-out bag lacks this one item, you’ve essentially signed your own death certificate.

I’m not trying to be hyperbolic or frighten you. It’s true. And I can say that with certainty, because this particular device saved MY life when an overseas mission went awry.

Now I make sure I have one of these handy gadgets in every single bug-out bag I’ve put together for myself and my family members. And I recommend you do the same. Because someday, this object could be the one thing that stands between you and certain death.

Additional Resources

Is there an ultimate rifle setup for survival self-defense? (Video) »
When you're doing a job, using the right tool makes the job easier. This is true if you are doing carpentry, working on a vehicle, laying bricks or, defending yourself or family during a breakdown of civilization or martial law scenario. 
More »


Self-defense tips for older folks »
Every week our member service advisors at the USCCA get calls asking about self-defense strategies to help our older members. During a typical conversation, the caller will say something to the effect of, "I'm not as young as I once was and I can't do those drills. What can I do to fight better?" 
More »

 

P.S. I personally buy a lot varied freeze-dried foods from Harmony House, Wise Foods and other suppliers as they pack easily and the shelf life is long.  I store them in sealable totes which stack easily in our fruit cellar.

Yours for better living,

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays & free reports that I provide annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.  You can make a donation at top of this page via PayPal.

 

Support our efforts by shopping my storefront…


 

 
A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

 

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Making Money, Saving Money, Stopping Bill Collectors, Making Your Wife Happy & More Tips


Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…


ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

 


Tips of the Week: Making Money, Saving Money, Stopping Bill Collectors, Making Your Wife Happy & More

 


https://www.theladders.com/p/23080/work-from-home-salary?utm_swu=1054&utm_campaign=DNL90_06252017&utm_content=6FBIhostagetricks&utm_medium=email&utm_source=daily_newsletter_email

 

These five flexible work-from-home jobs let you work on your own schedule (and squeeze in naps when you need to). They also call for your skills and experience, so you can continue to flex your brain and do work you love while raising your little tykes.

 

1. Online tutoring: $20+ an hour

2. Remote or freelance writing and editing: $50,000-60,000 a year

3. Developer: $75,000 a year

4. Virtual recruiting: $30-40 an hour

5. Healthcare outreach: $25-30 an hour

 

For simpler, quicker ways to make extra money while you’re home with kids, try these 14 ways to cash in on naptime.

 



 

8 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money
These jobs can beef up your bank account, and you choose the hours you want to work.

 

Got Consumer Gripes? Here are High Level Company Contacts


Sometimes the regular customer service department of major companies won't help you with a problem despite your pleas. Here is a hand-curated list of top company executives in various industries compiled by Christopher Elliott, a leading consumer advocate/reporter best known for his travel writing.

http://elliott.org/company-contacts/

 

10 FREE date ideas your wife will love


Now that we have a newborn again, we are kicking ourselves for taking our weekly date-nights for granted.

And honestly we often just skipped them because "something came up".

As someone who is married (and wants to stay that way) I have learned that investing time in my marriage is ALWAYS time well spent.

So, if you are married, do yourself a favor and schedule a weekly date night - and stick with it!


 

Auto Loan Woes for Many Consumers…

 

"In the first quarter of 2017, the percentage of trade-ins on new-vehicle sales that had negative equity reached a record 32.8 percent. The average amount of negative equity, at $5,195, was also a high, Edmunds data show." Let me translate that to English, nearly 1/3 of people who buy a new car owed more on their old car than it was worth. By nearly $5,200!

The article went on to say: "Loans lasting 73 to 84 months have also increased, according to Experian, making up 32.1 percent of new-vehicle loan share in the fourth quarter of 2016, compared with 29 percent a year earlier. On the used-vehicle side, loans lasting 73 to 84 months accounted for 18 percent of the share, up from 16 percent a year earlier."

To put that simply, it means that to keep their payments low, 1/3 of new car buyers chose a loan of between 6 and 7 years! And even 18% of used car buyers chose a loan that long. That's an significant increase from past years, which means that the trend is getting worse!

What can you do about it? First, become informed. For instance, on a 3 year auto loan for $30k, after one year, the amount you'd still owe would be down to $20,300 (assuming a 3% interest rate). If you had a 7 year loan, it would only have dropped to $26,100.

 

Take action to make sure that you don't become a casualty of the auto loan debt trap. When you've been paying for a car for 3 or 4 years and you're still upside down, that's a sign that you're headed for trouble!

 


5 Free Letters Written by Government Attorneys To Stop Bill Collectors

Download Copies of Letters from This Link:


1) The "More Information" Letter

2) Dispute and Proof Letter

3) Don't Call Me I'll Call You Letter

4) The "Talk To My Lawyer" Letter

5) Drop Dead Letter



Download to Learn How Bill Collectors

Are Breaking the Law When They Call You


Download to Learn to Flex Your Rights with Bill Collectors



       
Learn How to Collect $1,000 from Debt Collectors

Who Don't Follow the Law


Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays & free reports that I provide annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.  You can make a donation at top of this page via PayPal.

 


Additional Resources

What Are You Willing to "Give Up" to Win Financially?

Sacrifice is the act of giving up something you value for the sake of something that's more important to you. What are you willing to sacrifice to improve your financial situation?

 
Flexible spending account (n) A special savings account you use for certain out-of-pocket health care costs like doctor’s office co-pays or prescriptions. You contribute pretax money. Similar to a health savings account, except FSAs can only be set up by employers.

 

Even though you’re contributing the money, FSAs help you save money on medical expenses, because you don’t pay taxes on those dollars. You might not realize you can use your FSA for a host of things not often covered by traditional insurance — like sunscreen, lead-paint removal in your home, service animals, abortions, condoms, sunglasses and more. Here are 26 surprising things you can buy with your FSA.

 

Find resources for making money and more here:

Support our efforts by shopping my storefront…


 

 


A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production

 

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Easy Enhanced Home Security Measures


 

Poor Man Survival

Self Reliance tools for independent minded people…


ISSN 2161-5543

A Digest of Urban Survival Resources

 


Easy Enhanced Home Security Measures

One of a preppers’ (or any homeowner’s) greatest fears is an intruder breaking into their home, whether it’s while we’re comfortable in our own bed or away at work or on vacation. Securing the home perimeter is essential to keeping your home and family safe. If s***t hits the fan, you better hope your home defense system features several well thought out lines of defense.

There are many ways that the home can be secured, ranging from small changes in your daily life to high-tech security systems and cameras. Whether you live in a rural area or in the middle of NYC, protecting your home is a priority. Choosing a safe location is a great way to secure your home, from there, there are many things you can do to make sure your home is intruder-proof.

First Line of Defense:


  • Fences, Gates, Bushes
    • Define and defend the boundary of your property. While man-made fences and gates are a great way to keep people out, they may signal to intruders that you have something they want. Bushes and shrubs offer boundary definition that also serves to block an intruder’s view of what you might have that they want, while adding aesthetics to your landscape as well! While bushes and shrubs add a barrier, they can also serve as a hiding place for intruders, so make sure you keep them neat and trimmed, forcing any intruder into an open area on your property that can be seen from the home.
    • Thorny plants such as holly or roses near entrances into the home also add a deterrent. Keeping these near ground-floor windows adds an extra thorn in any intruder’s side.
  • Dogs
    • Dog, a man’s best friend, is a great guard! While his barking may be annoying to you at times, he sure is loyal to you and your home. Any intruder would be afraid of climbing over a fence of a guarded property. If you are really serious about keeping your home secure, get both an indoor and an outdoor dog. Put interconnected bells on the strategic points of the fence around your property so if an intruder tries to climb over, he will set off your makeshift alarm, which will surely wake up your dog.  [Some experts say a small, ‘yippee dog’ works best]

  • Lights
    • I can’t stress enough how important lights are! Don’t be stingy when “shedding light” on possible intruders. Make sure you get motion sensor lights for strategic areas around your home, shed and garage. When you’re not home, keep a light on outside and look into timed lights for the inside to create an illusion that someone is home.
    • Use large house numbers and place them where they are easily seen if the cops, ambulance, or firefighters have to come. This could be on the home, high enough to see from the road and with a light shining on them at night. If you live in a rural area, far off of the road, make sure your house numbers are large on your mailbox, tree, or post on the road and be sure that they’re reflective or have a light shining on them.
  • Neighbors
    • Get to know them. They may or may not be a resource for keeping an eye on your house. Keep in mind that they may also be a threat. This is where the “keep your friends close but your enemies closer” proverb comes into play.

High-Tech Defense:


  • Security Systems
    • There are plenty of companies to choose from: ADT, Honeywell, LifeShield. If you live in an urban area, the alarm is more likely to bring the authorities to your home in time to catch the intruders. Even in a rural area, the alarm itself could deter an intruder and the authorities could catch them at their next target. Do keep in mind that these systems require batteries and cables to work, as well as personnel that monitor your security system. If they don’t show up at work due to a disaster – you are on your own.
  • Cameras
    • A camera system is something that you can spend a lot of money on, or you could do it cheaply by rigging it yourself. Make sure they can see the entirety of your property: around the house, along the driveway (maybe you have to put them in the trees or make-shift shelves). A camera system could also help keeping the kids in line—try sneaking out now! You can set up live feed on a secured web address and be able to check what each camera sees from your phone, tablet, computer or directly on a screen in your command center (safe room is a great place to have a screen that runs on a generator).
    • We use window and door jambs – wood and/or metal bars cut to size which prevent windows and doors from being opened and added to the we’ve included battery operated sirens which go off when a window has been tampered with [you can find these on eBay].  Some folks place trays of marbles on floors below windows inside their homes.  Burglars stepping inside onto the floor will slip on these causing a commotion.
    • Install a safe room in your home if you are in a position to afford it.
    • Keep weapons handy at convenient spots throughout the home and ensure each person knows how to use them [not always advisable if young children are present].  Even loud boat air horns can prove a deterrent however.

 



·         Perimeter alarms and trip wires have come up a lot in prepper circles, so after I read this post from The Survivalist Blog, I knew I had to share it with you.

·         This piece covers some inexpensive alarm systems you can purchase as well as those of the DIY variety. Some of these alarms provide visual confirmation of an intruder and some give you an audio warning. A few of them are single-use, while others can be used over and over again.

·         While there are certain precautions everyone should take when it comes to home security, perimeter alarms aren’t a one-size-fits-all type of thing, because it all depends on the area you want to secure. Click on the article above and take a look at the options to see what would work best for you.

    • Many folks use mounted cameras and for larger areas camera bearing drones!

Did you come up with a creative DIY security rig or alarm idea? Send it to us so we can share it with fellow preppers.

To your survival,

 

Thanks to fellow contributor, Richard Marshall

 


BONUS POINTS:

Prepare Your Survival Plan for All Five Phases of a Disaster

Yes, there are five phases of a disaster that you need to prepare for.

Most people aren’t preparing for ANY of the five phases… and even experienced preppers are only looking at one or two.

But these recent evacuations show that isn’t enough.

What if you’re forced from your home? What if your vehicle gets stopped? What if you only have mere minutes to make an escape decision that will mean the difference between life or death for you and your family?   [Here are a few primary ways of getting out of Dodge]:

1) Major power-line paths — These typically run in very wide, straight paths out of town and can have access roads along them.

2) Waterways — Depending on where you live, a boat can get you out of Dodge faster than any highway can. Look at your local map to see what paths are options for you.

3) Railroads — They’re meant to travel across the entire country and can be a lifesaver in a forced evacuation. However, you may not be able to drive the entire way as you reach water crossings or run out of vehicle access paths.

The last thing you need to have your mind on is what stuff will I need?

Have your plan and all your survival gear already prepped for all five survival contingency plans and you’ll never have to worry about how to prepare.

I highly recommend you use the survival plan we lay out in our survival gear guide you can get for free right here…

Look… don’t be one of those people who puts off planning for these emergencies to the last minute.

That’s what victims do.

Now is the time to put together your “five-phase plan” so you’re not scrambling around like everyone else trying to think about what to do… where to go… and what to pack.

It’s not hard to prepare for… but if you put it off until the flames (or floods, chemicals, winds or whatever) are headed toward your door, you’re going to get caught in the trap with all the others who didn’t prepare.

Additional Resources


There are plenty of reasons and economic collapse could happen. A lot of people assume that this is political but there are plenty of other reasons a collapse could occur. Cyber Terrorism Unfortunately we live in a world where the banking system is very susceptible to cyber attacks. It has been proven all too many. . . Read More   The post The Best Barter Items For Economic Collapse first appeared on Backdoor Survival.



The key word in that question is the word “need.” The word “need” implies that you have a goal. Is your goal to: Lose weight? Survive for a long period – say a month or longer? Power your body so that you can do more? Sustain your current weight? The reality is that the amount. . . Read More


The Poor Man’s Essential Survival Package


The Doctors Protocol: Secrets of Survival

--How to Survive the Coming Economic Collapse

--Guide to Self Reliant Living

--Becoming Self Sufficient for Six Months

--How I Found Freedom in an Un-free World

 

Download link:


 

Yours for a productive 2017,

Bruce ‘the Poor Man’

 

Contributors and subscribers enable the Poor Man Survivor to post 150+ free essays annually. It is for this reason they are Heroes and Heroines of New Media. Without your financial support, the free content would disappear for the simple reason that I cannot keep body and soul together on my meager book sales & ecommerce alone.

 

Support our efforts by shopping my storefront…


 

A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production