What can we do to put our houses in order?

[bliss_eternal]

I recall reading in the forum similiar to this one after Nov 2, that one of the most important things we can do to prepare ourselves for this second term of * is to put our own houses in order. Could we talk a bit about that?

What kinds of things should we be doing to 'put our homes in order'?

What have you done to put your house in order? What steps are you taking personally? What more would you like to do, or plan to do?

Bliss:)

[NMDemDist2]

1. get out of debt n/t

[cassiepriam]

2. cut down expenses, look for other income ideas??

in case jobs go bye bye.......

[DemExpat]

3. This is the direction my thoughts have been moving in....

along with having some good recipes of staple foods like grains and beans for sustenance in less plentiful times.

I saw a documentary on BBC or Discovery about self-sufficiency which was intriguing. The guy (in England) demonstrated how he made pots of chilled soup (beet and pea) in summer and took it down to the town market in the weekend to sell there....and make 200 pounds! That sounds like a lot to me. And got me thinking of ways to make money in seasonal manners like this.
Sounds appealing to me!

DemEx

[bliss_eternal]

4. Wow! That would appeal to me also!

I've been thinking alot about this recently. Wondering what kinds of licenses I would need to sell baked goods that I create from items I could purchase from local growers at Farmers Markets in the areas. I know that it is illegal in many states to sell items that you prepare from your own home kitchen, but I would still enjoy doing something like this... I love to bake!

[Digit]

5. You might check with a few restaurants in your area

Sometimes they will buy your goods from outsiders to serve their patrons.
They might even know what kind of license you would need.

[bliss_eternal]

6. Great idea, Digit! Thank you for this!

:)

Bliss

[NMDemDist2]

7. you can probably look up your county health dept rules online

and have your kitchen inspected if nessecary

[cliss]

8. Learning to live on less.

We've been trying to live as if society had collapsed. I think it started right before the Year 2K. Nothing happened, but it was really good practice. We studied up on emergency-type survival, I got my CPR training. We read a lot on the Internet about what to do in an emergency.

Here are the main things that we need to do before all hell breaks loose. Bush will take us there, have no doubt. Who knows how much time we have. Best to get started now.

1) Eliminate all debt. Pay off credit cards, loans, medical debt, everything you possibly can. Use the "Debt Snowball" that Dave Ramsey refers to.

2) Learn to live on less. Yes, you can do it! From one who has done it. Your life will become more serene, calm, free (you won't be in the mall any longer). You will look around at your neighbors and colleagues at work who are in the rat race and you'll feel sorry for them. Because you jumped off the wheel, my friend.

3) Start stockpiling food & water. This does not have to be a huge outlay. I started out with the 48-hour Survival Package (it's not a package, it's just an assortment of water & food that will get you through 48 hours. Next, I started stockpiling dry grains, dry soup mixes, cans, some Top Ramen, etc. My goal was to have enough for 6 months. I went to the local Ice Cream company and asked for plastic tubs. They gave me 30 free, and I took them home & cleaned them. Next, I bought pinto beans, wheat kernels, dry garbanzo beans, lentils, dry onion soup and many other dried goods, put them in a white plastic garbage sack, used a metal tie and sealed them up. This was a first step. At this point, I knew we'd make it for 6 months. Just pick up a little bit each time you shop, and you won't even notice it. And then start filling the containers.

4) The issue of cash & currency: the book mentioned that money could be a problem in the event of a holocaust. If banks are shut down, you could be stuck without money. It's always a good idea to keep maybe $200 in the family's fireproof safe, just in case. The author suggested thinking about things that could be used for barter. After the Florida hurricanes, people discovered that there was a huge need for plywood, boxes of nails, tools and drinking water which commanded hefty prices. I'm not saying be a gouger, but it's nice to have a little on hand for bartering.

5) Consider moving out of the city, or at least buying a small piece of property.

We have done all of these things. Now, while nothing may happen (I believe we're going over the abyss), you will not have wasted any money. The food can still be eaten. You will have peace of mind because you'll be able to get through.