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Yesterday morning I was sleeping in when my dad called asking about packing some wheat and rice he has into buckets for long-term storage.  He also mentioned he was going to head over to the local LDS Home Storage Center and pick up another 100 pounds (4 25 pound bags) of white wheat.  We can fit 100 pounds into 3 5-gallon buckets so it makes it nice to get the wheat in 100 pound increments.  I asked if I could tag along.

When we got there it was pretty busy.  While filling out our order forms, I asked if we needed to put a mask and apron on in order to go pull some of the pre-packed stuff they had in #10 cans.  A younger missionary replied “Yes” (which I was expecting).  Then another missionary who has been there for quite a while said that you can’t buy the #10 cans of stuff unless you’re “working” in there.  I just replied “Oh, alright.”  For a split second I wanted to retort that I’ve come plenty of times and they’ve let me buy a few cans of things when I’ve just been there for bulk items, but I really didn’t have a problem with that rule so figured it didn’t really matter.

I had also thought of mentioning how I’ve served there (at that location and others) countless times in the past few years and sometimes bought stuff and sometimes didn’t.  Adding that I guess I shouldn’t volunteer my time unless I know I want to buy something because that’s the only time I can buy something.  But I quickly realized how prideful and unproductive that would’ve been.  Besides, I think dry packing is actually extremely fun.

So now I’m trying to coordinate with some of my family on when they’d like to go do some dry pack this month so I can get some of the things I need/want.  We like to pack stuff in groups of 6 since that’s how many cans are in a box.  That way we have entire boxes of stuff, not a mix and match scenario.  We still have a few that we need to “true up” and also a few that we’ve used 1-2 cans on that need to be replenished, so it’ll be a fun time at the cannery!

PS – They had run out of both white wheat and black beans (I wanted to pick up the beans).  So we’ve got to make another trip there anyway!

Huh?

Call me spoiled, wasteful, whatever.  One thing you will NEVER call me is without toilet paper!  This past week we had the latest phone book delivered to our door.  Being the techno-savvy couple my wife and I are, we don’t have much use for such “old tech”.  Before putting it in the recycle bin (need to see if there’s a way to get off the list completely) I tried thinking of possible uses I would have for it.  Sure it’s flammable in case of an emergency, but at the same time I’m not so sure how healthy the dyes used on the paper would be to inhale or get around food you’re cooking on the fire.  Maybe as a simple starter it would work, but I don’t really need that at this point in my preparations and don’t have the excess storage needed to keep it around unless it actually serves a purpose in my preps.

Then I remembered what I assume is a wide spread hypothesis about using it for toilet paper.  I thought, “Hey, maybe that’s not such a bad idea!”.  Turns out after thinking about it, I think it’s a horrible idea!  Just imagine…  The lights are out, you’re eating food storage meals (probably stuff you’re not used to eating day in, day out).  You aren’t going to have many comforts going for you in a time like this.  Now imagine having an upset stomach and using hard, sharp, pointy pages from the phone book to clean yourself after using the toilet.  Ouch!

Long ago I figured I’d keep some extra toilet paper around, but after mentally putting myself in a bad situation (sometimes I do that to try and think of where I might be lacking in my preparedness), I committed to NEVER being without toilet paper.  There’s simply no reason for it!  The only downside to storing 1-2 years worth of the magical “TP” is its bulk.  Other than that, it’s inexpensive and readily available.  Also, you know how various movies or TV shows poke fun of apocalyptic events alluding to using greenbacks to wipe your butt?  Well, you can get a lot more TP now for your greenbacks than when you have to use them as toilet paper!  And TP will be a lot more comfortable too

Additionally, I also think toilet paper would be a VERY attractive bartering item in an emergency.  Things that we take for granted in our daily lives will seem like incredible luxuries after an earthquake or other major disaster.  I predict toilet paper is just the kind of thing (like tampons, but that’s another post) that people will go head over heels to trade for.

Ok, so how much should I store?

Toilet paper has got to be one of the easiest things to calculate how much your family requires.  Since you (hopefully!) already use it in your daily life, just figure out how much you currently use per week/month and multiply it accordingly.  There are a few considerations you should think about while coming up with your number though:

1. Calculate ALL toilet paper sources!  Counting just how much you use at home will give you an incomplete answer.  You need to at least estimate how much you use while away from home (work, school, etc…).  Depending on your family situation, you could easily only use half of what you actually require while at home.  I know we use a lot more when my wife and I are off work.
2. Pad your numbers.  If you’re like me, this is just one area you don’t want to skimp on!  If you estimate you’ll need 5 rolls for your family per month (probably not realistic but just as an example) and the package you buy comes with 6, just assume you need 6 rolls per month for your family.  Not only will it be easier to know where you stand with your preparations (just count the packs and that’s how many months you have), it won’t hurt to have a bit extra that you can give/trade with others.
3. After you get your magic number… multiply it by 2.  If you’re to the point of relying on this stuff, you’re going to be eating foods that you might not be used to in your daily diet.  This can lead to upset stomachs, which can burn through toilet paper faster than a match!

Storage space could become an issue at some point of course, but other than that what’s your excuse?  If you’re worried about the cost (even though it’s pretty dang cheap already), you can figure out what you view as absolutely necessary, and then any “extra” could be whatever the cheapest single-ply public restroom reject tissue you can find.  It will still seem like silk when the alternative is cardboard!

What else?

I’m still working on my own GHB (Get Home Bag) that I keep at work so haven’t published details on it yet, but one thing that I’d make sure to put in any 72-hour kit, GHB, car pack, etc… is some toilet paper.  For my GHB at work I just unrolled several squares and put it in a zip baggie.  It compressed pretty well squeezing all the air out.  You just never know when you might need it!  I like multi-taskers as well and can use the tissue as tinder or even to press on a wound if needed.  I wouldn’t suggest using toilet paper to treat wounds unless it’s the only option though as it tends to “stick” and tear apart (which makes sense given its intended purpose).

Finally, if you do come to a point where you’re using the phonebook, newspaper, etc…  while you’re doing your business, grab some of it and continuously crinkle and expand it.  This will help break up the fibers a bit to make it softer.  It will still be harsher than TP but not nearly as bad as just ripping a page out and going to town.  The thought of that makes me shudder!

Well, it’s time to make another loaf of bread again.  I finally got the Nutrimill electric grinder and boy does it make things easier!  I expect to do a full review in the coming weeks.  I am generally not a prideful person, but you know, it’s pretty hard not to be sometimes.  At least with our bread…  It is extremely good I think, especially considering the lack of experience we have, mostly thanks to my brother-in-law’s extensive research.  Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I proudly proclaim that we haven’t bought a single loaf of “store bread” in several months.

I think the most common time it comes up is during conversations about the continual trend of increasing food prices.  I always chime in, “That’s why we make our own bread.”  While that’s not entirely true (there’s plenty of reasons why we bake our own bread), it fits with the current topic and generally provokes a question of how much we really save.  Based on what our supplies cost at the time of purchase, we’ve estimated our per loaf price is somewhere between $1.50-2.00.  It largely depends on how much honey you add to the mixture as honey is getting very expensive.  We’ve toned it down a bit (also substituted white vinegar for the lemon juice we initially used) and I think we’re right around $1.50.

That might not seem like a huge savings, but extrapolate it a bit and you get some good numbers.  It also depends on what kind of bread you’re currently buying at the store.  If it’s the cardboard Wonder stuff, well ok, maybe you’re not saving a whole awful lot.  Then again, why are you eating it in the first place?  Gross!  Comparing similar quality and taste yields more accurate results:

This is the exact same brand and flavor of bread we had been buying for a long time.  It’s quite good really and was the goal behind what we wanted our own bread to taste like.  Add tax onto that and you’re at about $4.45 per loaf

Using the figures above, we save almost $12.00 each month baking our own bread.  Or $144.00 per year.  That easily pays for a Netflix subscription!  Plus, it rotates our food storage (especially that pesky dehydrated milk!) and is better for you than even the freshest stuff you’ll get at the local grocery store.  Small artisan bread shops might be as good as good homemade bread, but the premium you will pay in no way justifies going to places like that!

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone,” so I thought I’d include some other ways to save on your grocery bill while helping build your food storage at the same time.  With ever-increasing food prices across the board, it’s important to know how to cope and adjust your habits accordingly:

• Buy generics.  At least that’s what I call them.  In Utah at least, that would primarily be Western Family.  Now, I don’t mean to just blindly buy anything with their label (the WF Organic Black Beans are nasty!) but give them a try at least.  I need to figure out exact numbers, but we save a lot doing this and I think quite a bit of it actually tastes better/fresher than the “top” brands.
• Use coupons.  Admittedly I don’t use this technique as much as I should (except at Costco, we are insane Costco coupon cutters).  I remember when I was a kid my mom had a small plastic container group by store and category of food and we’d sit there and cut them out of the mailers every week.  If you’re not a big coupon cutter like me, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at those mailers…  That’s why you should also…
• Plan your menu around sales!  Even if you don’t want to clip coupons, look at the ads and plan your menu around items on sale, especially meat.  On sale protein is a great way to plan some awesome meals for cheap.  I’ve found it also forces you to try out new meats and recipe’s.  Granted, just because calamari is on sale doesn’t mean I’m going to buy it.  I do have limits!
• Notice unit pricing.  This one seemed like commonsense to me but I catch so many people not doing this at the store I just have to say something.  The bigger package isn’t always the best buy!  While this generally is the case, if the smaller version is on sale, it’s quite often less per ounce, pound, etc… than the big brother equivalent.  While I don’t think you have to pull out a calculator for each item, you should be able to get pretty close in your head.  If you’re rusty on your math skills, most of the shelf tags will list the price per ounce (unit) of the item making for a very quick and easy way to compare what the best deal is.
• Bulk up.  And I don’t mean protein shakes.  But wait, didn’t I just get done talking about how smaller is better?  Well sorta…  sometimes…  maybe…  I know, how about “it depends”.  Having said that, most of the time buying bulk is the way to go (as long as you plan on using all that bulk before it goes bad of course).  This is where the big box stores (Costco / Sam’s Club) shine.  Although you have to be careful here as well and consider the unit pricing rule.  Not often, but sometimes it’s actually more expensive to buy the super-mega-size mayo.
• Buy in season.  If you have a constant craving for avocado on your burger like me, you definitely know what I’m talking about here.  For the rest of you…  How can you not like avocado!?!  Anyway, it’s bad enough that produce has risen (and keeps going up) so much lately, but when things are out of season the prices soar.  Think about it…  The whole idea of “out of season” implies that it’s not natural for them to be grown where you’re at.  This means one of two things:
  1. They are brought in from other regions where they ARE in season or;
  2. They are grown in a test tube in some scientific facility

  Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration but the principle remains.  Buy in season and save money.  You can save even more by…

• Grow our own.  While our initial attempt at square foot gardening didn’t fare so well, we’re looking forward to round 2 next year.  There’s a lot of resources online on this and hopefully I’ll document our (this time successful) process next spring.
• Shop with a list.  The main reason for this is simply to reduce impulse buying.  Instead of cruising each isle checking out all the selection, you know exactly where you want to go and what to get.  You will be surprised how much you spend when you cut impulse items.  This goes hand in hand with…
• Don’t go hungry!  We struggled with this one for quite a while.  We would head to the store right after work before eating dinner.  One time we stopped at the Training Table first for a nice meal (meaning cheese fries!) and noticed even while we were in the store after stuffing ourselves that even the food we planned on buying didn’t look very appetizing, let alone that bag of cookies or 12-pack of soda.  We try and go on full stomach’s now and it’s helped a lot on stopping the impulse buys.
• Keep convenience foods to a minimum. It should be obvious by now the relevance of this tip.  It’s what started the whole topic!  Sure, baking your own bread, cutting your own vegetables, grating your own cheese, etc… takes time.  Time that seems to slip away more and more each year.

It’s these baby steps that make a difference.  Maybe if you’re able to save on your groceries while simultaneously building a solid pantry of food storage items, you’ll find yourself less stressed financially, less worried about your employment, more confident in your emergency preparedness plans, and just happier in general.  The satisfaction I have gained in implementing several of these things in my own life is immense.  Go bake some bread already so you can feel it too!

One of my favorite blogs to read is The Suburban Prepper.  Living in very urban Salt Lake City myself, the ability to discern and proactively avoid bad situations is a survival skill I can’t afford to let atrophy.  I read a post there a while back titled Man-imals.  Go read it.  You will fall into one of the following categories of people after reading it:

1. My eyes are opened
2. What is this guy smoking?
3. Duh.  I’ve known this for years!

Hopefully you don’t fall into category 2.  That would be unfortunate…  You can vote at the bottom of this post and let everyone know where you fall!

Since this site is geared towards the people of Utah, I wanted to expand on his post with what I view as Utah-focused ideas and observations.  Living in Utah is simultaneously a blessing and curse in regards to disaster preparedness and dealing with emergent situations…

Blessings:

1. The fact that there is a good sense of community and “togetherness” for most Utahns can’t be ignored.  When it gets down to it, I believe the people and communities in Utah will (for the most part; depends on the length and severity of the disaster) band together and help each other through the event.
2. With a large population of LDS members many should, theoretically at least, be more prepared for a natural disaster than others in different parts of the country.  Everyone knows the LDS church advocates and instructs members to maintain a store of food for when times are rough.  While not all members heed this advice, others outside the church in Utah understand the wisdom of such direction even if they don’t agree with other beliefs.  Going to stores and talking to others of all faiths, I think overall the people of Utah are doing well with this.
3. We are still a medium-sized city (talking Salt Lake valley here of course).  It gets harder for any organization, whether it’s the government, churches, private individuals, etc… to provide relief after an event as population size and density grows.  It’s the essence of “supply and demand” in economics.  Too many mouths to feed, not enough food or relief workers.  Luckily we’re not a New York or Chicago.  Living there would be nightmarish! (and I don’t just mean during a disaster either)

Curses:

1. In the same breath of considering the sense of community in Utah, you must recognize and consider the inherit divide between “Mormons” and “non-Mormons”.  For most it’s nothing intentional while others (on both sides) butt heads at every occasion.  This should be something both groups give serious consideration prior to a disaster occuring.  Not to trivialize high school but that’s what I think about when I consider the religious divide that needlessly exists here.  Yes, I said NEEDLESSLY!  Unfortunately, it’s also something that can only be cured before a disaster strikes.  You aren’t going to be mending many fences (literal or figurative) when you’re struggling just to get clean water and food in your body.  Quite the opposite: each group will cling to each other; their lives may very well depend on it.
2. Knowing that a good many Utahns have some kind of food storage and other preparations can be a weakness as well as strength.  Those struggling will be more prone to target those they know (or believe) might have something they want.  It’s not about how well off you are, it’s about how well off you are relative to anyone else…  Think about that before the next time you start spouting out the nitty gritty details of your food storage plan to someone.  You might not be concerned about telling your coworker those details at this moment.  Of course, at this moment their stomachs are full or have been in the past 6 hours…

Now, those “curses” sound like a lot of gloom and doom, it really just depends on what level of disaster your planned preparations are designed for.  If you are just concerned about a bad snow storm or even an earthquake that takes out 1/3 of the houses in the Salt Lake valley, this may be a bit overkill.  I happen to believe much worse could happen and while I maintain faith in the general good nature of those around me, I can’t risk ignorance in preparing for the real monsters of this world in all shapes, sizes, and forms.

It’s about being prepared for the worst while praying and striving for the best; in both disasters and our fellow citizens.

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I’m a fan of promoting other local efforts that help promote self-reliance and emergency preparedness.  I came across this one a few months ago after reading a KSL.com story about it.  At the time it was lacking enough content to really recommend it (or use it myself), but I checked back this morning and it’s come a long way.

It’s SimplyLivingSmart.com and is an ambitious effort by a Utahn woman to utilize streaming video lessons as a method of instruction and informing people about both the basics and advanced topics related to preparing your family for bad times.  Check it out.  Their Food Storage Calculator is more comprehensive than the one at ProvidentLiving.org but just as easy to understand.

My only hesitation with the site is that you have to register and login to view most of the content.  I understand they want to build a community and monetize the site, I’m just the kind of guy who hates to have to register to view content.  Other than that, it’s very well done and has lots of information to go through!

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