Save Big at Outlets, Thrift Store, DIY Beer Cannon, More

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin

A Digest of urban survival resources

http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

In This Issue:

1.      DIY ‘suds slugger’ beer cannon w/ free launcher app

2.      Save money while traveling with adult hostels

3.      New – Portable fuel cells you can use now

4.      Frugal living with thrift store, bakery outlets, etc.

In politics stupidity is not a handicap

--Napoleon Bonarparte

Prosperity in the 1920s vs 2011  - Politicians should do no harm

   The stock market crash in 1929 brought an end to nearly a decade of prosperity in the United States.  The crash, despite what some historians suggest, was brought about by the Federal Reserve.  Historians have also suggested that President Hoover stood by and did nothing.  Hoover should have learned a lesson from Warren Harding, the previous president.  Harding tightened federal purse (1920-21) strings by cutting spending – the economy was hopping within a year.

Hoover actually did more than any other peacetime president; in fact virtually all of the New Deal program Roosevelt launched, were initiated by Hoover.  In 1931, after three years of federal intervention, the economic situation deteriorated even more.  Wage controls and meddling with the agriculture business helped ruin the economy even more.  Indeed, during a time of mass hunger, Roosevelt ordered the slaughter of six million pigs and the destruction of 10 million acres of cotton to ‘help’ boost prices.

The passing of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff was supposed to protect American farmers and despite demands to rescind this bill, Hoover went ahead with it.  It raised tariffs by an average of 59% on 25,000 items which American industry right between the eyes.  Other countries retaliated with like minded taxes and the economy was further destroyed by the Revenue Act of 1932 which massively increased taxes and wiped out investment dollars which were sorely needed at the time.

When FDR took office, he directed the government to ‘increase prosperity’ through more central planning and control.  Of course, that didn’t work.  America did not truly see an end to the Great Depression until after WWII when we returned to free market standards again.

There’s more as to how Roosevelt did not help the economy, such as the creation of the Wagner Act in 1935.  Great for unions, not so great for businesses and the economy in the long run.  It actually made us poorer and as we’ve seen in WI and other states, we cannot afford higher than private sector wages and benefits for government union workers.

Politicians need to take the same oath as medical providers learn – First, do no harm!  Second, they need to learn to stop blaming the public for their out-of-control spending for the past 35 years.  As population, we need to stop their foolish policies or they’ll do even more harm to this country – if that is possible.  Third, we should get rid of the fed and retake the minting of our own money.

What it boils down to – whenever the government comes to our ‘rescue’ with some hairbrained scheme, it almost always does more harm than good but no politician ever seems to learn from history (think Prohibition and the subsequent rise of organized crime and today’s war on drugs).

>>> 

Get rid of gnats while gardening by tucking a few fabric softener sheets under your collar. The sheets contain linalool, a colorless alcohol which is toxic to insets.

PM’s ‘Betty Shocker’ compendium of useful stuff

Is your PC sluggish?  Try this free program that scrubs away items associated with software you no longer use or have uninstalled.

TweakNow

Build your own ‘suds slugger’ beer can cannon

Over the past two years the Poor Man has brought you DIY plans for spud guns, electric bikes, wind turbine systems, composting toilets and more.  Here’s a project to please the guys.  Takes about two days to build and offers a free Iphone controller too!  Brought to you from the good guys at Popular Science magazine. Search for the free App in the iTunes store - free download.

Popsci.com/beer cannon.  Watch this cute video of a beer cannon in action.

Beer Can Cannon Videos…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zn8WGiwNCw

New - Portable fuel cells to charge your gadgets

Hydrogen fuel cells are finally starting to make it into the marketplace - these charges can be stashed in a back pack and they’re environmentally friendly.  Check out:

MyFC PowerTrekk at:  powertrekk.com

Horizon MiniPak at:  horizonfuelcell.com

Cheap Travel Resources…

Save a bundle in your travels using hostels.

When the PM was a younger man, he used hostels for my international travel stays.  They’re not just for youth anymore.  Here are some resources to locate hostels in America

USHostels

http://www.usa.worldweb.com/WheretoStay/Hostels/

Top of your fuel tank on Wednesday.  Stations raise their prices on weekends  - thanks to GasBuddy.com!

If you’re a AAA member, you can save time and money on trips

>TripTik: Online tool and iPhone app that helps map your routes and gas prices.  Before you head out, visit their Fuel Price Finder at:

AAA.com/FuelFinder

>Traffic & Construction mapping tool: Offers a real-time online traffic update.  View live traffic cameras (not available in all areas) and find traffic delays.

AAA.com/Traffic

A dirty air filter will ruin your gas mileage.  To save as much as 14% on fuel, replace it every 12 months or 12,000 miles.  This small service can save about 50 cents a gallon!

New Job Resources…

HOME-BASED CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT LEADS AT CONTRACTXCHANGE.COM
ContractXchange.com, which posts home-based customer service jobs, contacted us recently to let us know they’ve been uploading quite a few leads.

A sampling of jobs from them includes:

*Reliance Home Comfort, Accounts Receivable: Now Hiring 12 Home Office Contract Agents

*Pizza Pizza, Bilingual Order Entry: Now Hiring 25 Bilingual Contract Home Agents

*Direct Energy Inbound Sales: Now Hiring 36 Bilingual Contract Home Agents

For more, see http://www.contractxchange.com/
Thanks to RatRaceRebellion.com

It’s getting to be BBQ time again - tenderize a cheap cut of meat by generously salting and let it sit for an hour prior to grilling.  The salt will draw out water and dissolve; then it will be reabsorbed and break down the meat.  Wipe away excess salt water just before cooking.

JobVirtue.com, http://www.JobVirtue.com>JobVirture a professional network created especially for job seekers to keep in touch with each other and to search for jobs, and for employers to post those jobs.

Our recent garage sale found a lot of leftover goods including many music Cds and movie DVDs.

CashforCDs.com to the rescue - gather six or more games, Cds or DVDs and earn cash and they pay for postage too!

Thrift stores offer path to frugal living  

The economy has kicked a lot of budgets square in the teeth.  A long time proven method of saving money is to shop at thrift stores.  Despite rising prices at most non-profit stores such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill, judicious shopping will continue to reward you with good bargains.

Shop often as merchandise changes daily…best day in our opinion is Monday and Tues, right after garage sales end and folks donate their left over goods.

1. Goodwill Outlet Stores Now The Goodwill typically has some good deals if you are willing to do some digging.

2. Freecycle Why pay when you can get it for free? Freecycle is a network of individuals who are literally giving away things. You can sign up for your local listing. Anything from pets to children’s clothing can be found. There are over 7.5 million users to date.

3. ReStore thrift shops are an offshoot from Habitat for Humanity.  You can find furniture, hardware, doors and more.  Find a location at: 

http://www.habitat.org/restores/default.aspx?tgs=NS8xNy8yMDExIDg6MjY6MDAgQU0%3d

4. The Salvation Army, which has been around for a long time.  Find locations anywhere at: http://www.use.salvationarmy.org/use/www_use.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/83B95A1CF19F4F4A8025734C0049A6FC

5.  The St. Vincent de Paul Society.  Although many consider them to be high priced, it never hurts to visit them.  Find  locations at:

http://stvincentdepaulthriftstore.com/

National Directory of Thrift Store Locations

http://www.thethriftshopper.com/

Shop often as merchandise changes daily…best day in our opinion is Monday and Tues, right after garage sales end and folks donate their left over goods.

Bakery Outlets

Most bakery thrift stores are owned by a specific well-known commercial bakery, such as Pepperidge Farm. They generally don't advertise their existence. You can find these thrift stores in the telephone book or by word of mouth. We found ours simply by driving around the area. Here are some tips to use before you go:

1. Find out when fresh goods are delivered. This could be every day or two or three times a week.  Shopping on these days ensures that you get the very freshest selection.

2. Shop on sale days. You can get amazing deals on sale days, such as 12 cent loaves of bread, pies for a dollar or less, boxes of cookies and pastries for less than a dollar.

3. Stock up. Purchase as much as you can afford and carry. Baked goods freeze well, so it pays to stock up when you find the good deals. It’s helpful to a good home freezer.  For bread, you need not take it out of the original wrapper. To defrost, just place on the counter for a few hours or wrap a couple of slices in a paper towel and microwave for a few seconds.

Look for discount days - many offer to seniors, students and military.

Find Aunt Millie’s Outlets

http://www.auntmillies.com/About/ThriftStores.aspx

This site will get you started in searching but your local Yellow Pages are a good resource.

http://www.hotfrog.com/Products/Bakery-Thrift-Store

Easy herb growing method - take a canvas over-the-door shoe organizer and poke a few holes in the bottom of each pocket for drainage.  Fill the pouches with potting soil, leaving one inch of headspace, then plant a variety of herbs in each one.

The Nanny State Update:

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner threw a bomb at America’s financial future last night, saying he is “certain” another financial catastrophe is on the way and that there is no way of reaching agreement on the debt ceiling without increasing taxes on the wealthy.

And he blamed a combination of timid politicians and credit card-debt-ridden Americans, rather than Wall Street and the big banks, for the financial woes that have beset the country over the past three years.

Geithner was speaking at a New York screening of the HBO adaptation of Andrew Ross Sorkin’s book “Too Big to Fail.” It came on the day that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., pulled out of the “Gang of Six” trying to find a bi-partisan solution to the debt ceiling crisis.

Geithner said, “I’m certain we will” experience another crisis but not when or what kind.

Billionaires Dumping Stocks, Fleeing Market

Read more on Newsmax.com: Geithner: Another Meltdown is 'Certain' — Raising Taxes on the Wealthy Will Come

That’s it from the Poor Man for this issue (I’m recovering from dental work).

Follow us on Facebook

www.facebook.com/PoorManSurvival

 Twitter

http://twitter.com/poormansurvivor

 

Keep our services free, visit our sites…

Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books

http://www.OldBookNook>OldBookNook

A Shallow Planet Production

.

Get our PM Guide to Free & Frugal Resources-Free!

Life is good, especially when you get free stuff! A lot of our subscribers don’t take advantage of the many free resources we post in each issue of the Poor Man Bulletin - you’re losing money as a result! Also, many new subscribers don’t have the time to peruse the back issues to find these free gems. The Poor Man has made it easy for you…we’ve compiled some of the best money saving and free resources gleaned from back issues for you in one PDF report. Learn how to save big time on your grocery bill, tech software, auction purchases, gardening and a whole lot more…just what you need for urban survival! We’ve added a few more new ones too! I added this file to our new subscriber welcome package which is sent automatically upon subscribing. Go to our Newsletter Subscribe page. PoorMan http://poormansurvival.com/Brucebulletin.aspx

Free stuff for illegals-Fact or Fiction? Save more at the pump

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
A digest of urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

In This Issue:
1. Free stuff for illegals fact or fiction?
2. Save Money at the pump, discount pet goods
3. Free ID Theft Services
4. Being frugal tips
5. Pension fund grab – the parting thought

"The fatal attraction of government is that it allows busybodies to impose
decisions on others without paying any price themselves. That enables them to act as if there were no price, even when there are ruinous prices -- paid by others."
-- Thomas Sowell


Free Stuff for Illegals - Fact or Fiction?

There is an email circulating the web indicating that students who are here illegally can get free housing, free PELL grants, gas cards and more while attending college. Hate to burst that balloon, but that information is false - but…

Access to welfare has been a principle of American domestic policy since colonial times. The federal law, established in 1882 and strengthened in the early twentieth century, was that immigration officials should refuse entry to any non-citizen who appeared likely to become a "public charge" and should deport those who did, although actual deportations of public charges have been rare.

Federal law does allow for dozens of benefits to those who are in America under a variety of programs but not ‘legal’ citizens. Being a refugee, temporary Visa status, asylum status, being a ’battered’ refugee and more are just some of conditions for getting free government benefits.

Since America is one of the few countries that grants automatic citizenship to children born here to illegals, this is the process most often used to get federal and state benefits such as ADC, WICK, housing subsidies, free schooling, free medical care and more. According to the Census Bureau, Hispanics reproduce at a rate three times higher than whites and account for a large percentage of welfare benefits.

In 1994, 58% of California voters approved a ballot proposition to ban welfare for illegal immigrants.

A Federal judge overturned this state law on 14th Amendment grounds by stating that it denied illegal immigrants the "equal protection" of the law. In 1994, California had an estimated 1.3 million illegal immigrants, which included approximately 308,000 illegal immigrant children.

One result was that more than 70 California hospitals closed during a 10-year time span as they could no longer afford to give away free health care.

It’s wrong to call people illegal aliens. The correct term is “Unregistered Democrats.”

As we’ve written before, Mexico is happy to have their citizens come to America as it relieves their country of the expense of caring for indigent citizens. At one time, the largest American export to Mexico were US dollars, sent home by immigrants working here illegally. Just before we moved out of AZ, the Arizona Republic carried a story of how the economic hardships hit illegals too…”Maria was unhappy because Juan could no longer send money home to finish the remodeling of our upstairs.”

Latino gangs have spread throughout the country and essentially rule many parts of LA. While living in AZ there was in increase in crime including cop killing, smuggling of guns, drugs and human traffickers. Few in AZ would argue that illegals have caused a growth in violent crime and few would deny the right for people to enter this country legally.

Most taxpayers are tired of paying for the health care and education of illegitimate children born to non-citizens. During an interview with one young mother of two out-of-wedlock children on welfare, she was asked why she didn’t use birth control. “Oh the Pope tells us not to use birth control.” Well, doesn’t the Pope also tell you not to have sex outside of marriage?

Quick Toothpaste Substitute
When you run out of your regular toothpaste, make a paste with baking soda and water—use about 1 teaspoon of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon of water.
Brush extra gently at the gum line because the baking soda can be irritating.


Poor Man’s ‘Betty Shocker’ Compendium of Useful Stuff


Grand Re-Opening Coupon For My Friends and Customers
For our Energy Saving, Green Irene webstore…
Enter this in the coupon code section of the checkout page

mytreat10

to receive $10 off a purchase of at least $25
We have 100s of new products, a great new e commerce experience and NO SALES TAX
is charged on shipments (except to NY state). We have reduced our shipping charges
as well!

Note: HURRY ! Expires Monday 5/23/11 12:01 AM EST. Cannot be used with any other
coupon code. Can only be used once per customer. Subtotal in cart must equal $25.00
before shipping or tax for coupon to register.
http://www.GreenIrene.com/PoorMan


Credit or Debit?
When you have a Visa or Mastercard debit card you normally have a choice to use it as a debit or credit card. If you are at a grocery store and the screen asks for your PIN or security code, for example, hit "cancel" and it should go to the credit screen, which just requires your signature. In this way the charge is run through the Visa or Mastercard network and you have protection if you want to dispute a charge - which you normally do not have with a bank account debit. The money still comes from your checking or savings account.

Save money at the pump.
Rich Doble, founder of Savvy-Discounts.com and coauthor of Cheaper: Insiders’ Tips for Saving on Everything

Replace your air filter regularly. A clogged air filter can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 10%. Filters typically last about 12 months or 12,000 miles, but inspect yours every three months. If you see significant amounts of grime on the filter, replace it. Check your air filter every one to two months if you do a lot of driving on dirt roads. Replacing an air filter is a simple job -- the vehicle’s owner’s manual explains how. Replacement air filters typically cost less than $15.

Check your tire pressure at least once every three months. Keeping tires inflated to the recommended pressure could improve your fuel efficiency by 10%. It also could extend the life of your tires and reduce the odds of a dangerous blowout. The proper tire pressure should be listed in the owner’s manual, inside the driver’s door of the vehicle or inside the glove compartment on a sticker.

Use cruise control when driving on open roads. Cruise control keeps the vehicle’s speed much steadier than you could on your own. Even slight surges in speed result in noticeably lower fuel efficiency.
Exception: Turn off the cruise control when driving on mountainous terrain. Trying to hold to a specific speed on steep inclines and declines tends to use more gas, not less.

Free ID Theft Services Introduced
Two new services to help protect and warn you about ID theft have just been introduced. Some individual elements of these services may be valuable, while others are worth what you are paying -- nothing. The first is AllClear ID Free. It keeps checking the Internet and reports of breaches to see if your information is found. It also helps if you are a victim of ID theft. ID Safe also does some online scanning, covers you for $50,000 of out of pocket costs, and gives you a free credit score monthly.

Daily Deals on Pet Products
Each day this site features a pet toy, blanket, treat or other goodie for your pet at 50 to 90 percent off its original price and free shipping - each deal lasts 24-hours.
www.BarkingDeals.com

Your meds can harm your pets. Keep all medications out of handbags and low shelves.

Consumers Can Use Unredeemed Gift Cards to Pay Bills
Plastic Jungle partnered with ChargeSmart, an online consumer
bill payment portal, to enable customers to use unredeemed gift
cards to make payments on utility, car and mortgage bills.
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y11/m05/i13/s04

No fuss seed planting. Dampen a length of string and dunk it into your pack of seeds. Then stretch the string out in your garden and cover with dirt. Provides an easy straight row!

Being frugal helps you to cut costs and stay away from debt

Being frugal helps you to cut down on your expenditures, save money and also stay away from debt. Being frugal doesn't necessarily mean you will have to become cheap or a miser. There are various things through which you can become frugal and can still maintain the things that you want to use. Frugality involves cutting down on the costs of your living and so you are able to stay away from falling knee-deep into debts. This is a time of hard economic crisis. The country has still not been able to totally come out of the economic depression of the recession (2007-2009).

How can you be frugal?

Some of the interesting ways in which you can practice frugal living are:

1. Rent rather than buy – It is better to rent rather than buying a house. If you need a new accommodation consider renting good place rather than owning that home. Owning a home costs you a lot as it includes various costs starting from financing it, insuring the house, costs of repairing and maintaining the house as and when needed. All these costs are not involved with renting. So, this helps you to save lots of money.

2. Buy second hand car or small car – You can also buy a second hand car or a small car or may be a low profile car instead of the high profile ones or rather a new car. The second hand cars cost you less. On the other hand, if you buy a small car or a low profile car, you won't be compromising on the quality of the car and the advantage is that you will have to pay smaller premiums against the insurance for your car. However, while buying a second hand car, try to be careful about the condition of the car as it can cost you lots if you need to repair it.

3. Give up on branded items – You can also be frugal if you give up on branded items in respect to clothes, perfumes, furnishings and even food. Local brands do not merely produce bad products. So, while you go for grocery shopping, try to find out items that are from local brands. These cost you much less. Similarly, while going to shop for clothes, for example jeans, try out some simple lesser known brands.

4. Use discount coupons – You can also be frugal through the usage of discount coupons. These help you to save lots of dollars without compromising on the quality or the quality of the product. You will be able to get these coupons from different magazines that you read and the newspapers. You can also get such coupons from different stores too and through little on-line research.

5. Make careful use of electricity – Use electricity carefully so that you don't burn extra electricity. For example, remember to switch off the lights and the air cooler while leaving the room or your home for work. In addition, you can also put off the air conditioner after some time. And can also use a power saving strip that saves power by outing off electric appliances while not in use.

6. Cook food at home rather than eating out – You can also save money if you give up on eating out regularly. It is better to eat at home and this also helps you to maintain good health as foods cooked at home are healthier.

Another very important thing to be included in frugal living is stockpiling. Stockpiling is buying those items in stocks that you need the most. If you buy items in stocks, you may even get added discounts. In addition, you will also be able to save on gas as you won't need to drive all over again in order to shop on the necessary items every two weeks. For more you may Visit : http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com

Put a large plastic bag in a big (5-gallon) plastic bucket. Then fill the bag (and the bucket) with your tools, gloves, bulbs, seeds, bottle of drinking water and cell phone, and take the bucket to the garden.
Once you’ve reached the patch of garden you plan on tending, empty the contents of the plastic bag onto the ground. Then turn the bucket over, have a seat and get to work.

The Nanny State Updates

Police Violence
Due to a variety of factors, police violence is increasingly common. Of course violence is part of the job at times, but I am referring to what in my mind amounts to police brutality and police misconduct in general. More specifically, the problem is the excessive use of force in making arrests and pursuing cases that involve minor crimes.

In reason magazine Radley Balko writes about the increasing police violence and rights-violations by officers and organizations around the country, and he never runs out of true stories to make his point. For example, in 2008 a SWAT team from the Prince Georges County, Maryland police raided the home of Cheye Calvo, mayor of Berwyn Heights, Maryland. A package of marijuana had been sent to that his address without his knowledge, one of several sent to random addresses and expected to be intercepted before delivery by a conspirator in the delivery service. Instead it was discovered by police who allowed the delivery and then broke down Calvo's door and shot his two Labrador retrievers before holding him and his mother-in-law at gunpoint for hours.

Police eventually realized Calvo was innocent, but say to this day that if they had to do it over again they would do it the same way. This is despite the fact that...
Continues here...
http://www.thesecretinformationsite.com/police-violence.html

Will YOU be labeled an "enemy combatant"?

Don't laugh. Janet Napolitano and her security council have classified what many would call "core" Americans as potential terrorists.

>Do you believe in a right to life? Then you're suspect...
>Are you an American soldier returning from war? Oh gosh, we better get surveillance on you...
>Do you sport a Ron Paul bumper sticker on your car? Maybe you should be detained...
>Do you believe in the Constitution and have a copy of it? Well, you're the biggest threat of all...

Senate Bill 3081 from the 111th Congress would allow the U.S. military to indefinitely detain U.S. citizens that were considered a terrorist threat, "without being charged with a crime, without being read a Miranda warning, without trial, without access to their 5th and 6th Amendment rights and without their rights under Article 3 Section 3 of the Constitution based on suspected activity." (RedState.com)
Thanks to Solutions from Science!

Everything is free in America…free health care, food, schools, housing and more!

A substantial percentage of young illegal immigrants end up in gangs. U.S. authorities say that there are now over 1 million members of criminal gangs operating inside the United States. According to federal statistics, these 1 million gang members are responsible for up to 80% of the violent crimes committed in the U.S. each year. Latino gangs made up primarily of illegal aliens are responsible for much of this violence.

On the issue of the whether to raise the debt ceiling—allowing the government to borrow and spend even more money—President Barack Obama has resorted to dire predictions about what could happen if Congress does not take action. The Hill reports:

If investors around the world thought that the full faith and credit of the United States was not being backed up, if they thought that we might renege on our IOUs, it could unravel the entire financial system," Obama said at a town hall meeting hosted by CBS last week but released Sunday.

"We could have a worse recession than we already had, a worse financial crisis than we already had."

>>>

Governments are bureaucracies too, of course, whose core mission is to control and regulate – not liberate – the population. Enhancing individuality runs counter to “governing.”

Far from encouraging and nourishing entrepreneurship, our system, with all-too-rare exceptions, pathologizes it, drugs it, “disciplines” it, suffocates it in the cradle.

Put your mechanic behind the wheel when your auto develops problems-he's more likely to figure out what's wrong this way vs. on the lift!

The Parting thought - Pension fund grab
- the Poor Man has warned of this months ago…only a matter of time before they target your pensions and retirement accounts too!

The Obama administration will begin to tap federal retiree programs to help fund operations after the government loses its ability Monday to borrow more money from the public, adding urgency to efforts in Washington to fashion a compromise over the debt.

The maneuver buys Geithner only a few months of time. If Congress does not vote to raise the debt limit by Aug. 2, Geithner says the government is likely to default on some of its obligations, which he says would cause enormous economic harm and the suspension of government services including the mailing of Social Security checks.

But if you think the dollar is the only paper currency in the world losing its purchasing power, think again. VIRTUALLY EVERY CURRENCY ALIVE TODAY HAS BEEN LOSING PURCHASING POWER FOR DECADES.

Yours for disgusted in America, the Poor Man - Thanks for being a fanatical follower!

Follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/PoorManSurvival

Twitter
http://twitter.com/poormansurvivor


Keep our services free, visit our sites…
Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly
http://www.OldBookNook.com

Government Attic-Declassified Documents

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
A digest of urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com


In This Issue:
1. America’s deepening crisis AND a plan to fix it
2. US Uncut-program declares war on corporate tax cheats
3. The government attic – cool declassified documents
4. EcoBold – an opportunity to sell your green products
5. Find missing manuals – fast and free

“Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom."
-- John Adams
(1735-1826) Founding Father, 2nd US President

Robber barons and Washington

It’s easy to become an anti-capitalist given what they teach in school and how Wall Street (with government assistance) managed to topple our economy. On one hand we learned in school how the ‘robber barons’ managed to build huge business empires using underhanded methods to trample their competitors (think of oil baron John Rockefeller)…much of this is simply not true.

Otherwise sensible people fall for this sham but I suggest any of them should read Ludwig von Mises’ book The Anti-Capitalist Mentality.

There is little question Wall Street barons have often entered into all too cozy relationships with Washington. Going back to the Clinton years and ever since, most Presidents have surrounded themselves with guys who have gotten wealthy by manipulating the tax laws in their favor, while ignoring workers.

Farm and oil subsidies are two that come to mind easily. Is there any reason we should be giving out billions in tax breaks and subsidies to oil companies?

Entrepreneurs like Rockefeller and Carnegie actually did more for their country than Washington with their funding of libraries, museums, symphonies and more. Professor Burton Folsom once did a study on the titans of American business and found there are two kinds of business people. One he calls ‘market entrepreneurs,’ those who grew wealthy because they improved people’s standards of living and supplied them with goods more inexpensively than their competitors.

The others he calls ‘political entrepreneurs.’ Those who amassed their fortunes due to their influence on government and gain of privilege or who they paid off in Washington to look the other way. That pretty much summarizes how those who packaged derivatives, shoddy mortgages and the like, managed to get rich while bankrupting their firms and duping the American public. One example I like to think of is the junk bond king, Michael Milken, who milked profitable companies dry while getting rid of employees.

Despite also being the head of a non-profit family charity, it was Wall Street pirates like Milken who gave capitalism a bad name. Learn more about Folsom at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burton_Folsom

Any toothpaste will do according to the ADA so long as it has fluoride-No need for high priced brands

Poor Man’s ‘Betty Shocker’ Compendium of useful information

At BuildItSolar.com, engineer, invent or and author Gary Reysa presents do-it-yourself projects, experiments, downloadable books, articles and guides, passive solar home designs, and enjoyable, educational projects that you can do with your kids. You can learn how to do hundreds of energy saving projects - from changing a light bulb to building a solar home. You can join an experimental section for backyard inventors. And, you can see some Frugal Energy Saving Projects - a collection of ninety do-it-yourself projects that cost little and save a lot.

Cheap Eats
A Web site that helps you find restaurants to eat at. This one specializes in restaurants you can eat at for under $10.
All you do is type in your city, state or the zip code of where you want to eat. Then click on the Search button. It will search the database and generate a listing of restaurants where you can eat a meal for under $10!
This Web site is a handy tool whether you’re a local looking for a cheap meal or a tourist visiting a new city.
http://www.ueatcheap.com/


Find electronic copies of hundreds of interesting Federal Government documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Fascinating historical documents, reports on items in the news, oddities and fun stuff and government bloopers, they're all here at:
http://governmentattic.org/

Find missing manuals fast – Your first option is to head to the manufacturers website to do a search. If unsuccessful with this approach, you might find the manual you need at:
www.SafeManual.com

>>>

Find your missing pet with these helpful, free sites:
www.PetFinder.com

For a small fee you can register your pet at:
www.PetAmberAlert.com or LostMyDoggie.com


New subscriber Mike has a useful site and offers this deal to fellow subscribers…
I have May Day 3600 food bars for sale. I have 10 cases left of my last shipment. Free delivery in Wexford, Missaukee, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse and Antrim Counties for a case or more of the 3600 bars. May be a gas charge beyond these counties.
Go To: www.northernfort.com
Email: northernfort@charter.net
Mike V
Northern Fort

<<<>>>

Reader Comment:

I enjoy many of your insights, especially taxing politicians on their campaign contributions - very novel. Personally, I’d cut their pensions and make them contribute to their health care costs too. What the hell, most of them are wealthy. If we wanted to cut the deficit we should eliminate our current tax system and implement a flat rate for everyone, including corporations (no more free rides). I also like your idea of eliminating taxes to individuals on the first $25,000 of income. Our leaders have proven themselves insane as they trample our rights and spend us into bankruptcy. I know it’s easy to be a critic rather than offer constructive ideas for fixing our country - but YOU do. A second American Revolution should be initiated by the states who now cow tow to all federal demands. They have the power and people would support an effort of this nature. --Jeffrey D of Atlanta

The trend toward and eco-friendly lifestyle is always growing. People are beginning to care a little more about what is in their food, the ingredients in their moisturizer, and just how earth-friendly the products they buy really are. Individual sellers are popping up everywhere to help fill those needs, and Ecobold is giving them a place to sell those products.
Ecobold is a lot like a store. Although they do not sell any products of their own making, they help connect a variety of eco, natural, and organic sellers with people who are looking for those types of products. They also cut out the costs of a physical store by selling solely online. Anyone can surf in and find the products they need, and they help introduce customers to new products by featuring a daily discount.
http://www.ecobold.com/

<<<>>>

Get free gardening advice by joining a gardening club. Add crushed eggshells to your compost. They make a good fertilizer and they keep snails, slugs and cutworms away.

The Nanny State Update…

According to the latest report on consumer prices from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:
--A pound of sliced bacon now costs 10.5% more than it did just last year ...
--A pound of salted butter will run you 17.8% more ...
--And a pound of field-grown tomatoes are up a whopping 23.7% vs. last year!

In fact, the BLS says all six major categories of grocery items rose during just the last month ... with fresh veggies gaining 4.7% hot on the heels of a 6.7% jump in the prior month!

A lot of talk about what to cut in government budgets. Perhaps if corporations like GE paid their fair share, or anything for that matter, out national debt might not be in such bad shape. In England there is a group called UK Uncut, which is protesting austerity measures against the poor and elderly. If such a policy were implemented here, we’d gain another $100 Billion annually. There is now such a movement here. Learn more at: www.usuncut.org

Frugal gardeners are finding bags of potting soil, pots and more Free at their city dump

The Parting Shot

“America’s Middle Class Crisis: The Sobering Facts” -Associated Press

Is financial Armageddon upon us? See end for a real plan to save America.

There are 8.5 million people receiving unemployment insurance and over 40 million receiving food stamps.

>At the current pace of job creation, the economy won’t return to full employment until 2018.

>Middle-income jobs are disappearing from the economy. The share of middle-income jobs in the United States has fallen from 52% in 1980 to 42% in 2010.

>Middle-income jobs have been replaced by low-income jobs, which now make up 41% of total employment.

>17 million Americans with college degrees are doing jobs that require less than the skill levels associated with a bachelor’s degree.

>Over the past year, nominal wages grew only 1.7% while all consumer prices, including food and energy, increased by 2.7%.

>Wages and salaries have fallen from 60% of personal income in 1980 to 51% in 2010. Government transfers have risen from 11.7% of personal income in 1980 to 18.4% in 2010, a post-war high.

Housing prices are predicted to fall another 8 percent in 2011. And the percentage of homeowners in negative-equity positions — with a home worth less than its mortgage — has rocketed to 28%, a new crisis high.
Zillow, a real estate analyst firm, now predicts prices will fall about 8% this year and says it no longer expects the market to bottom before 2012

These stats always make me wonder - Is the U.S. really likely to default on its debt? Or is it more likely that global investors will simply crash the treasury market first - or will what’s left of the middle class simply vanish!

The documentary film The Economics of Happiness takes a look at how the rise of consumerism since the 1950s has coincided with Americans' general loss of satisfaction with our lives. Watch the trailer at:
http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/

Saving the American Dream: The Heritage Plan to Fix the Debt, Cut Spending, and Restore Prosperity - finally, someone other than the Poor Man with a viable plan!
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/05/Saving-the-American-Dream-The-Heritage-Plan-to-Fix-the-Debt-Cut-Spending-and-Restore-Prosperity?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell


Follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/PoorManSurvival

Twitter
http://twitter.com/poormansurvivor


Keep our services free, visit our sites…
Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly
http://www.OldBookNook.com

A Shallow Planet Production

Cash back on fuel purchase, Animal Care Library, More

Bruce’s Poor Man Survival Bulletin
A Digest of urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

In This Issue:

1. Vendio offers free multi-channel storefront
2. Civilian Investigators save cities money-potential for you
3. Free animal care PDF library
4. Avoiding Craigslist scams
5. Cash back on your fuel purchases
6. Is your phone being tapped? How to find out.

I am optimistic about the future because it’s clear the federal government’s days as an ever-expanding bubble are numbered…the Fed, however, could artificially prolong and expand the bubble and because desperate governments are historically prone to extremism.
--Lee Bellinger

Farmer’s Market Adventure

Despite being billed as one of America’s most dangerous cities, we ventured out this weekend to the Flint Farmer’s Market. It was a beautiful day and we were greeted by vendors selling home made food items, vegetables, live plants, and handcrafted jewelry.

Survival Heirlooms, owned by the McCarthy’s, were offering heirloom seeds which can be purchased both wholesale and retail. They offered samples of homemade bread made from seed stock they sell – yummy! Learn more or place an order via their site at: SurvivalHeirlooms.com

Jennifer Barnes of Upper Crust Candles was there. She’s teamed up with the talented Chef Douglas St. Souver of Artisans in Culinary, a wonder of art created entirely from food. Chef Souver is a Food Network Challenge Champion and is the host of ‘thefoodinsider.com.’ A good example of locally made food ‘art.’
View his site at: Click Here for ArtisanCulinary

Although early in the season, we found a nice selection of locally grown hot house grown vegetables. Still somewhat pricy, we filled a bag with a nice variety (we threw in some home made fudge too). There were several vendors selling fresh fish and locally raised meat. The fish was very reasonable, the meat was a bit costly but the home made sausages smelled wonderful and brought back memories of the West Side Market in Cleveland, OH that I used to visit. The West Side Market still gets my top vote as being the best local market in the midwest.

The greater Cleveland area always offered the best independently owned, ethnic restaurants in my opinion. The Tic-Toc Tavern on Cleveland’s near west side had the best ribs and Gus, its owner was featured in Playboy Magazine a couple of times. Whenever I visted the west side, I always made a stop at the now defunct, Smiling Dog Saloon, where I made friends with one of its frequent entertainers, Herbie Hancock. The Poor Man likes his jazz!

It’s always a good idea to support your local farmers and merchants. The food quality is healthier and it’s a nice way to give your local economy a boost. With spring finally here, it’s time for the Poor Man to get cracking on his spring planting!

Prune broken branches before the spring growing season starts.

Poor Man’s ‘Betty Shocker’ – Compendium of useful stuff

Mesa civilian investigators save money, create rapport with public
Arizona city explores a cheaper way to report, respond and investigate crime while lowering their cost. This innovation could be a job opportunity for you while serving your community. Read the article and if interested, approach your local police department and/or city hall. Grants are available to cities who implement such programs and the training isn’t lengthy or very difficult.
More: http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2010/07/19/20100719mesa-civilian-police-investigators0717.html#ixzz1LVXWPiIr

Home improvement & DIY resources
HGTV’s The Fix. www.hometips.com.


Find a whole bunch of animal care reports here…chickens, goats, deer, etc. - free!
http://www.feeddealer.com/publications/LOL_PMI/Better_Animals/Better_Animals_Archive.htm


Get Cash Back on fuel fill ups
During a conversation about fuel prices it’s been suggested Americans are being conditioned over time to accept higher prices. Analysts are saying prices will come down 50 cents a gallon, still significantly higher than last year.

Here’s a credit card that gives rewards now and offers cash rebates on gas…The Discover Open Road card (2% back, up to $250 per billing cycle). Find this & other cards at: www.PumpandSave.com

A duck egg can be used for anything a chicken egg would, but take size differences into account for recipes. Aside from being larger, they have thicker whites & larger yokes & have higher protein content.

Avoid Craigslist Scams

I posted some items on Craigslist for a friend of mine and we were both amazed at the scam artists flew from the woodwork; scams I thought had faded away. In particular, the old “let me have my agent bring a bank check over, it’s for $500 more than your price but if you cash it, I’ll let you have the half of that.”

If you get such an offer, delete immediately. Here are a few more tips:

>Deal locally and if they want to meet, choose a neutral ground if possible, not your home.
>Take cash only, no checks, period!

>If possible, check out your buyer first by looking them up in the white pages of the phone directory. If they are listed, that’s a good sign they are genuine.

>Do not wire money or email credit card numbers - almost always a sure sign of a scam.

Do not put smoke alarms in laundry rooms, kitchens or garages…fumes and steam will cause them to go off.

Vendio offers multi-channel storefronts to sell from - free
Vendio is a multi-channel automation platform that allows you to sell on both eBay and Amazon from one central inventory controlled space. For the past few months, Vendio has been making an incredible offer of a Free Vendio Store when you sign up for any of Vendio’s services. A Vendio Store is a full-featured e-commerce website. It comes with a shopping cart built in and is set up so users can find you in Google searches.

As part of the deal, Vendio has committed to the store always being free. Once you sign up there are no set-up fees, no hosting charges and no listing or selling fees – here is a list some of what you’ll receive with the free Vendio store.
Sell products from your own free online store and pay no hosting fees, listing fees, or transaction fees!

See that last item about Vendio Applications? Well one of Vendio’s newest applications is a built-in utility that will list all of the products in your Vendio Store on Facebook.
http://www.vendio.com/

Get a web presence without a site
Websites can be expensive to host and maintain, not everyone wants take such a project on, especially if budgets are tight. Aside from Twitter, LinkedIn and face book, there are other avenues you can use to create a web presence without the expense or a lot of time.

To build an online presence consider such free blog hosting sites as: blogger.com. Wordpress.com or Tumblr.com

>Place a free business card listing at: DooID.com

>Networking site for entrepreneurs-free basic listing at: Manta.com

>Online site for handmade and vintage goods - Etsy.com

You might also consider a low-cost basic storefront site on eBay or Overstock.com

Protect brain cells by skipping fast food. British researchers found diets containing high fructose corn syrup, saturated fats are associated with memory loss in as little as nine days!

How to know if your phone is being tapped…

A few years ago when cordless phones started to become popular, it was pretty easy for anyone to buy a scanner from Radio Shack and sit in a car near your home and eavesdrop on your conversation.

Listening devices have become more sophisticated in that police and other busybodies can use parabolic devices to listen from a distance…or they can tap a telephone pole connection. If you believe you are the target of eavesdropping, here are some signs to look for:

*Strange sounds coming from the phone (static, squealing or scratching noise, volume changes or other odd sounds).
*Interference on your home or car radio.

*A phone repairman shows up - even though you didn’t call one.

*Friends or associates suddenly know things you didn’t tell them.

Search for transmitters by removing the battery, hearing or speaking component from phones. Remove or disable GPS from your cell phone. Use an air siren, like the kind boaters use, to blast the speaking piece every so often. Here are some additional useful resources to use:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/telephone-tapping-devices-how-to-tap-a-telephone.html

Resource for tools which can detect if your phone is being tapped…
http://eyespysupply.com/super-tap-buster---telephone-tap-detector.html
http://www.advanced-intelligence.com/telephone.html


The Nanny State Updates

Obama's Anti-Energy Policies Are Bankrupting America
Randall Stilley has witnessed firsthand the Obama administration's job-killing agenda. As the president and chief executive of Seahawk Drilling, he had to lay off 632 employees before filing for bankruptcy -- a direct result of President Barack Obama's anti-energy policies.

Stilley's company owned and operated 20 shallow-water rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. The lack of energy production -- a consequence of Obama's drilling moratorium and subsequent "permitorium" -- led to Seahawk’s demise. Now he's speaking out, sharing Seahawk's story in a new video from Heritage and the Institute for Energy Research. (Click to watch.)
http://www.youtube.com/heritagefoundation?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell


>A six-year-old boy from WI has been charged with first-degree sexual assault for “playing doctor” with a 5-year-old girl. Prosecutors state that it’s all about ‘making sure he gets the help he needs.’ Good thing the PM isn’t six anymore!

>Heard on the street…If bin Laden’s death spurs the US to exit the war in Afghanistan, the result would boost confidence in the US dollar and send commodity prices south. Sugar, cotton and silver prices have already gone down, will oil be next?

Plan being circulated by White House to tax you on the number of miles you drive!
A vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax could be tracked by installing electronic equipment on each car to determine how many miles were driven; payment could take place electronically at filling stations. Read the bill:
http://thehill.com/images/stories/blogs/flooraction/Jan2011/draftdot.pdf


Need to fix driveway cracks after a tough winter? Wait for a warm day. Most sealants fail when temps are below 50 or if it rains before they set. Always a quality sealant such as Quikrete.


How the fed violates the Constitution-the parting thought

The power to declare war is vested with Congress, but that body has forsaken that responsibility. In fact, we’ve not had an official declaration of war since the second world war. Presidents have gotten away with dozens of unofficial wars ever since all in violation of the Constitution.

Politicians at every level ranging from Congress and the office of the President to state and local officials have been violating the Bill of Rights and Constitution for decades.

Much of this got its start with the ‘the general welfare’ clause which Congress has taken to mean they have the power to do whatever they want; often supported by judges who seem ignorant of the law.

No, our Constitution is not some flexible document meant to be molded to left wing politics.

Jefferson and James Madison vehemently warned against the potential for unbridled power in a central government. That’s why we supposedly have checks and balances. The feds routinely trample states rights and people’s rights in direct violation of several amendments, but especially the 9th Amendment.

The enumeration of the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

James Madison promoted this view (against the ‘general welfare’ clause and its mis-use by Congress and the courts)…

If Congress can employ money indefinitely to the general welfare, and are the sole and supreme judges of the general welfare, they may take religion into their own hands; they may appoint teachers, they may take into their own hands the education of children establishing in like manner schools throughout the United States, they may assume the provision for the poor, they may undertake the regulation of all roads; in short, everything, from the highest object of state legislation down to the most minute object of police, would be thrown under the power of Congress.

Clearly, Congress has overstepped its Constitutional boundaries with the welfare system, our federal highway system and now with the mandatory health care system. Are these not impeachable offenses? Is it any wonder this nation is bankrupt?

How optimistic are you as to how much longer the government spending bubble will last? They seem to artificially prolong and expand spending but as we history tells us, desperate governments are prone to extremism. Is your financial lifeboat ready?

Yours for cautious confusion, the Poor Man

Follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/PoorManSurvival

Twitter
http://twitter.com/poormansurvivor


Keep our services free, visit our sites…
Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly
http://www.OldBookNook.com

A Shallow Planet Production

9 Unusual Uses for Beer, To Serve Man, Bomb Shelters, More

Bruce’s Poor Man Recession Bulletin
A Digest of urban survival resources
http://www.PoorManSurvival.com

In This Issue:

1. To serve man, tax campaign contributions
2. Making Money or Saving Money?
3. How to resolve customer disputes-greasing the squeaky wheel
4. 9 Unusual uses for beer
5. Frugal resources site, more cool free garden resources
6. Finding a used bomb shelter


"We used to be a free people. Now we are hedged in by millions of laws. Harassed by a plague of opportunistic lawyers. Harmed by regulations meant for our protection. Unnecessarily taxed to pay for a suffocating bureaucracy. Drowning in petty paperwork. Stifled by “rights” that rarely benefit anyone."
-- Joan Beck, Columnist

The Squeaky wheel usually gets the grease

Most of us have reason to complain from time to time. Defective products, poor service, or items which never arrive seem to top the list. Auto repair and online rip-offs always rank among the most complaints received at the Better Business Bureau.

Over the past few months we’ve experienced a ton of outages from our ISP. I have their customer hotline on speed dial. The reps who answer (all based in America) have all been pleasant and helpful. In fact, they’ve provided nearly two weeks worth of credits to us and they just sent me a freebie, six months worth of Showtime without cost or obligation. (in the past we avoided cable TV but reception is poor here and our digital antenna was destroyed by a careless worker).

Here are a few suggestions for voicing complaints which result in action.

>Complain by phone first; ask to speak with a supervisor if necessary. Keep a diary of all the actions you have taken and who you spoke with and the date.

>If that doesn’t work, write a formal letter, addressing it to the top person whenever possible.

>If you don’t get action within three weeks, call again. If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, contact the Better Business Bureau and/or your local newspaper or TV consumer affairs reporter.

>The last action to consider is contacting the office of the Attorney General in the state where you live. They have a process for filing a formal complaint which can be found on their website. You’ll find a link to nearly all of the 50 states at the PoorManSurvival.com site – click on the Consumer Help tab.

For further help and insights, check these sites which offer advice and samples of complaint letters:
www.PlanetFeedback.com or www.My3Cents.com

Get rid of gum your kids stuck to the carpet or chair by spraying WD-40 over the spot. Wait 10 minutes and then wipe it away with a clean cloth. This handy stuff will also get rid of scuff marks on floors!

Poor Man’s “Betty Shocker” Compendium of Useful Stuff

Lower Cost DIY Solar Energy projects
Here's a very inexpensive way to capture free solar energy and save on your gas or electric bills.

Some time back, I wrote about a program called Earth 4 Energy. It's a downloadable, do-it-yourself guide with plans for building inexpensive solar panels and wind turbines to capture free electricity
SimpleHeaters.com claims that you can build your own solar hot water system for as little as $70. That's for what they call a "batch heater" built with an old oil drum.
http://www.todaysplans.net/find-free-solar-green-home-plans.html

Need to measure something & don’t have a ruler? Use a dollar bill. It measures 6 inches.

Learn more about genetically modified foods - not pretty
Inst. For Responsible Technology - www.responsibletechnology.org


Welcome to Tipnut, an online guide that offers creative DIY tips, how-to’s, and projects for homemakers.
http://tipnut.com/

Nine surprising uses for beer
Beer. It refreshes and relaxes, it fuels sociability and cools the burn of spicy food. It is the most-widely consumed alcoholic beverage in the world, and the third most common beverage overall. It is the oldest alcoholic beverage produced -- and in fact, the oldest known code of laws (the Code of Hammurabi ca 1750 B.C.) called for the death penalty for drinking-house proprietors found guilty of watering down their beer. (Those Babylonians took their suds seriously.) But aside from the numero uno use for beer-Read more at:
http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/358/nine-surprising-uses-for-beer.html

Hey guys, here’s a freebie site just for you!
www.Free4Him.com


How to Create a Home First Aid Kit
While there are a number of first aid kits available for purchase, they often lack some supplies you need or have extras you do not need. Instead of buying the prepackaged version, you can save money and ensure that your kit includes everything you need by creating your own.…keep reading
http://www.ehow.com/how_3391767_create-home-first-aid-kit.html

New Website from our friend Steve - you might make some dough with this!
For years I've been selling a ebook on renting rooms - room rentals paid off my first mortgage almost twenty years ago. You may have seen it advertised here. Now I've stopped selling it and put all the pages on a new website where you can read through it at your leisure. The site is...
http://www.howtorentrooms.com

Frugal Living Resources
With the results of recession hitting everyone’s life badly, frugal living has been the need of the hour and people look for all means to save those few extra dollars that they can in every small way. There are still thousands of people who are yet to recover from the after effects of recession. This has led people to reconsider the ways of buying and also the things that they buy. Add this frugal living resource to your collection.
http://www.frugalmeaning.com/index.html

More Free Garden Helpers…
Design your garden in minutes – www.GardenPuzzle.com and www.SmallBluePrinter.com
Get a personalized growing calendar at: www.SproutRobot.com
Fend off pests & find the solution by using the free Pest & Disease Detective app at:
www.Gardeners.com

Spray your lawn and deck floor with Listerine to get rid of bugs.

Don't spray directly on a wood
door (like your front door), but spray around the frame. Spray around the window
frames, and even inside the dog house.

Old time septic tank revitalizer. Into a quart of water, mix 1 lb. of brown sugar and one envelope of dried yeast. Pour down your toilet and flush. Promotes anerobic bacteria action – works!

<<<>>>

Guest post…

Making money or saving money – Which should get more importance
With the economy in the dumper and bleak job market, many people are facing problems with their finances. Only saving money too is not serving the whole purpose. Thus, it is better to both make and save money. Both of these will help you in debt reduction and better money management. However, it is also important for you to be a responsible person if you want to make and save money.

Making extra money
As the job market is still not looking up, many people are without jobs and even those who are earning are unable to earn good money in comparison to the time before the recession. So, the ways in which you can make extra money are:

Selling things online or offline – You can sell some items both offline or online. If you have a tendency to make new things like food items or craft materials, you can sell them in your neighborhood or online. With time, your popularity will increase and thus your earnings will increase too.
Tutoring – You can also offer tutoring online or offline for the students. Online tutorials have become very much popular nowadays and so if you have a knack to teach, you can submit your questions and answers for the help of the students. For this, you will get paid.

Freelancing or blogging – You can also make money through freelancing or blogging. If you think that you have a unique writing style and if you are original, if you have a flair for writing then both freelancing and blogging are great ways to make money.

Try investing money – Another great way to generate extra income is investing your money in the different investment vehicles. There are various such investment vehicles through which you may be able to earn some extra money. For example, stock investment, forex investment, gold investment, real estate investment and so on. You will have to invest your money in any of these options, the one that you think is more comfortable for you.

Participate in market research surveys – If you think that you have some opinion on the things that are happening, you can get paid for voicing it. There are many such companies who pay you for voicing your ideas. So, this is an option to make good money. Different companies depending on the services, offer maximum or minimum payments. So, you need to find out the payment details before starting with a company.

Saving money
Some of the ways in which you can save money are:

Lowering cell phone bills – In order to save money you will have to try and lower your cell phone bills. In addition, you can even try to lower your electricity bills. Lots of dollars get wasted on high electricity and phone bills.

Lowering usage of credit cards – You will also have to lower the usage of credit cards in order to save more money and work towards debt reduction. Credit cards are mainly for emergency purposes and so it is better to keep your plastic money for that purpose. In order to lower usage of credit cards you will have to try and lower your expenditures and use cash that you have in your hands to make your everyday expenses.
Budgeting – Budgeting helps you to lower your expenditures. So, you will have to prepare a budget and if required you can use an online budgeting tool.

Using discount coupons – Another way to save money is using discount coupons in order to buy the items that you need the most and that too in large amount.

Other than the above, you should also open a a savings account and put money into it each month. Both, earning more money and saving more money will help you in debt reduction in times of financial stress. So, you will have to do both at the same time.
Contributed by debtcc community.

Want to buy a used doomsday bunker--nicely appointed?
In the opening scene of a Twilight Zone episode called "The Shelter" a suburban doctor tells his neighbors he's been constructing a fallout shelter in his basement. He's greeted with laughter and raised eyebrows. "They all thought he was crazy," says Robert Vicino, 57, a California property developer who features the episode on his website. "Then they heard sirens go off and heard news of an imminent nuclear attack." Soon the skeptical neighbors are begging to be saved.
http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0509/focus-doomsday-bunker-robert-vicino-real-estate-apocalypse-sale.html

<<<>>>

The Nanny State Updates:

Amish Milk: The Latest Target of the Obama Regulatory State

Milk might do a body good, but if it’s unpasteurized milk sold by an Amish farmer across state lines, it’s a whole other story… or at least according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Washington Times reports:
A yearlong sting operation, including aliases, a 5 a.m. surprise inspection and surreptitious purchases from an Amish farm in Pennsylvania, culminated in the federal government announcing this week that it has gone to court to stop Rainbow Acres Farm from selling its contraband to willing customers in the Washington area.

The product in question: unpasteurized milk.
It’s a battle that’s been going on behind the scenes for years, with natural foods advocates arguing that raw milk, as it’s also known, is healthier than the pasteurized product, while the Food and Drug Administration says raw milk can carry harmful bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria.

Hotels, restaurants, airlines and other businesses open to the public need to make some adjustments soon. The federal government says they must accommodate the animals that help the blind and others with disabilities.

Dogs? No, miniature horses.

This may sound like a joke, but it isn’t. According to new guidelines issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses have to modify their “policies, practices or procedures” so that the pygmy ponies can be used as service animals.

Interesting news site addressing folly of Congress - destruction of economy
http://economyincrisis.org/

Find the cheapest products without skimping on quality at:
www.Cheapism.com


Parting thoughts…To Serve Man

The recent capture and killing of Osama certainly elevated the public mood and helped the stock market. However, it seems to me the public has developed a sense of detachment to our economy, other than fuel and grocery woes, no one seems much concerned about the downward economic spiral our country is taking.

I do believe it might be a case of Americans losing faith in their political system, but it’s tempered with a why worry, there’s nothing I can do about it, attitude.

The federal government continues its policies of eroding our Bill of Rights and the Constitution, but few seem to care. Apparently, as long as the Nanny State continues to hand out ‘benefits,’ we’re all cool and choose to ignore our plight. It reminds of an old Twilight Zone episode - To Serve Man.

The Kanamits, a race of nine-foot-tall aliens, land on Earth. One of them addresses the United Nations, vowing that his race's motive in coming to Earth is solely to be helpful to humanity. Initially wary of the intentions of an alien race who came "quite uninvited," even skeptical international leaders begin to be persuaded of the aliens' benevolence when the Kanamits share their advanced technology, quickly putting an end to many of Earth's greatest woes, including hunger; energy becomes very cheap; nuclear weapons are rendered harmless. The aliens even morph deserts into big, blooming fields. Trust in the Kanamits seems to be justified when Patty, one of a staff of US government cryptographers led by Mr. Chambers, cracks the title of a Kanamit book the spokesman left behind at the UN. Its title, she reveals, is To Serve Man.

If you’ve seen the episode, you already know it’s a cookbook (how to cook humans).

When it finally dawns on mainstream America that the dependability of our dollar and economy is an illusion, that our economy is actually worse than Portugal’s, what will we do?

Many of us feel the same way about Washington…Hello, I’m from the government and I’m here to help you!

Finally, here’s a good idea I heard on talk radio this week. We should begin taxing the campaign contributions politicians receive! My how that might change the campaign picture…less ads, perhaps less corruption. What do you think?

Here to serve…the Poor Man Survivor!


Follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/PoorManSurvival

Twitter
http://twitter.com/poormansurvivor

Keep our services free, visit our sites…
Check our Resources

New self sufficiency books added weekly
http://www.OldBookNook.com

A Shallow Planet Production