Frugal & Easy Supper !!

None of us really felt like doing anything this weekend, not even really cook. So, I was trying to come up with something that would be easy and that I could throw on the grill to cook. I remembered Hobo Packets ( this recipe is for the oven , but if you read in the comments you can see how to do it on campfire , which is what I do on my grill ) and fixed them up real quick , put them in the grill on the back porch and about an hour and 15 minutes later we ate!! Yummy!!

Do you know any other type of cheap and easy recipes??????


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Homemade upside-down tomato planters

This is a great thing to do with any extra cloth bags that you have laying around. I have quite a few of them that I have gotten free in the mail.

This is so easy to do. Take the bag, cut a small hole in the bottom, insert the root ball (I wrapped the root ball in the fabric first to make it easier to get it through the hole), spread the fabric out across the hole to keep the soil in, add the soil, and water thoroughly. Hang up somewhere strong because these are HEAVY. Also , remember to hang them where they will get full sunshine for a few hours a day.

Use the smaller sized reuseable bags. This can get too heavy in one of those bigger sized bags.

You can also do this with a hanging planter. Just use the same idea with cutting a hole into the bottom of the pot.

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Dehydrate Food In Your Car??

When I first saw this , Car Dehydrator , I was thinking "No Way". But I tired just a small piece of apple in mine and it worked. Great idea and FREE!! It just really works on the same idea as a solar dehydrator

. I could do a ton of food in my mini van!! This weekend it is supposed to get HOT here and I am going to do some more apples. My toddler loves apple chips. WOW! My mind is going a mile a minute with this one. I LOVE anything that is free and uses no power!!

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Have A Safe & Happy 4th Of July!!

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Make An Olive Oil Lamp

How cool is this. I just seen this on Mother Earth News on how to make your own Olive Oil Lamp. I really like this idea and the ease of it. Plus , It gives me something to use all of my jars that I have been saving.


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Staying Cool With No Power?

How do we stay cool when we have no power?? I have ordered a small solar powered fan that I hope to get soon, but what do we do if we do not have one of those??

I have thick curtains on my south facing windows to keep the hot sun out. But when there is no breeze and it is 95 degrees out , what else can we do to keep cool??

Please post in comments any ideas.......



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A Solar Shower

When times get bad you are still going to want to keep clean and comfortable. I am trying to get my husband up and about to making a solar shower. I have seen a bunch of information on Google and it does not seem to hard or expensive. I would love to be able to get a shower even while power and more are out of commission. I also want to build a solar water heater , which I have plans for out of one of my magazines or books. That way I can have warm water on hand to wash clothes , my hair, or hands with!!
I have even thought of buying one of those camping solar showers. That might work if my husband cannot build one.

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72 Hour Survival Kit - What's in Your Bag?

You have already heard about survival kits, and you see the importance of protecting yourself and your family by having one for each member of the family. These kits are also known as 72 hour survival kits, disaster kits, emegency kits or emergency disaster kits. Whatever you call them, the question now is, what should you put in your survival kit.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Dept for Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness experts your survival kit should contain at least the following.

* Water -
* Food -
* Flashlight
* Waterproof blanket / sleeping bag
* Emergency Radio
* First Aid Kit


Those are just the bare essentials, you may want to include several other items to help you make it through an emergency, and perhaps even allowing you help others. Other items you could consider are:

Light and Communication:

Hand cranked cellphone charger

Rechargeable Squeeze Flashlight

36 Hour Emergency Candles - These can also be used for a emergency stove

Green Emergency Glow Sticks - These typically last 12 hours each

Survival Whistle

Compass

Signal mirror

Flint starter - for starting fires

Waterproof containers or bags

Box of 50 Waterproof Matches

Bic Style Lighter

Shelter and Warmth:

Emergency Survival Sleeping Bag

6-20 Hour Body Warmer - these can heat up in minutes with an average temperature of 130 degrees.

2-Person Tent

Emergency Poncho with Hood

Tools:

Mulit-Function Knife

Leather Palm Working Gloves

Respirator Dust Masks

At least 45 Feet of Nylon Rope

Hygiene and Sanitation:

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Wetnaps and soap

Dental floss pick

Hand and body lotion

Feminine Hygiene items

After putting toghether these essential, you can also add items that may be of particular interest to you, or add prescription medications that you would need to keep taking. Perhaps an extra set of eyeglasses.

The best way to pack these items is in a backpack or other easily portable container that you can easily grab and go when an emergency strikes.

A 72 hour survival kits are worth their weight in gold during a disaster, I have over 20 years Military experience and have provided emergency relief several times, and I know that having a survival kit is indispensible. I would never go into a disaster relief situation without the proper survival supplies. I strongly advise everyone to have a emergency disaster survival kit for every member of the family

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Thrift Stores Always Have Great Books!!

Last night I went to the thrift store because I was bored and I actually got something that is great!!! I got this book, MAKING THE BEST OF BASICS Family Preparedness Handbook
, I could not believe it when I seen it on the shelf! It is an awesome book. Full of tons of information. I read it through last night and I found some great stuff in it. I know that I will read and reread this book a ton.


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Keep Important Papers Safe

I know that we all want to have a stockpile of food, batteries, baby items, meds, and more, but we also have to keep important paperwork on hand and safe.
Grab a waterproof plastic tote and fill it with all of your important paperwork. Family documents will be safe and all in one place this way. Keep all of your Identification papers, policies, bank and credit card info, medical info, and anything else that is important for the running of your house.
I also have a tote that is full of other types of info. Survival books, maps, first aid books, phone books, and more.
I have them "hidden" out in the open. They are "end tables" with pretty fabric covering them. We do not have a ton of room in our house , so I had to come up with something. They look ok on either side of our thrift store couch with lamps on them and no one knows what they are!!!


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