March 10, 2010 | Posted by Joan Crain
Using a thermos bottle or other insulated jug with a tight-fitting lid to reconstitute dehydrated or freeze-dried foods is a more efficient usage of fuel and water during crisis times. A thermos retains its heat without continual fuel usage.
Instead of simmering food storage products like beans, rice, wheat, and dehydrated fruits and vegetables on a camp stove for twenty minutes (the normally recommended method of reconstitution), you can heat water to almost boiling and pour it into a thermos jug, cap it tightly, and wait an hour (wheat and beans will take about 8 hours). Although it takes more time, it uses less fuel and water, which may be in short supply during a crisis.
The right amount of very hot, but not boiling water is important. Boiling water can cause plastic-lined thermos bottles to melt and can shatter glass-lined bottles.
Expansion Room is a Must
Thermoses or insulated jugs come in many sizes—anywhere from a one-cup child’s lunch box size up to a two-gallon camping jug. A standard one-quart thermos bottle will only hold about one cup of dry wheat kernels, while a gallon-sized or bigger camping jug will hold four or five times that much.
Knowing the capacity of your thermos is important because dehydrated foods or whole grains and beans expand to two or three times their original size after soaking or reconstitution. A general rule of thumb is two parts water to one part product. Whatever the capacity of the container, divide that number by three to determine how much dehydrated food or grain you can soak in it.
Be sure to use sufficient water. Too much water is better than not enough—just pour off the excess when ready to eat or use the food in a recipe.
It goes without saying that using several thermoses at the same time will supply more options, particularly if you have a large family. If you decide to purchase one or two for future use, I highly recommend those with wide mouths. It can be very frustrating to try to scoop all the food out of a small-mouthed thermos. If that’s all you have, it will be inconvenient but remember, during an emergency situation, everything is going to be inconvenient. It’s just one of the minor annoyances you may have to put up with in order to have warm, healthy food to eat.
This post is derived from an article that originally appeared on Family-Survival-Planning.com.
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Joan has created the web site, Family Survival Planning, to help families prepare for the inevitable crises that sprinkle themselves throughout our lives. She believes in planning ahead – which means having several thermoses available to prepare food storage items.
Categories: emergency preparedness, hints and tips | 
Tags: emergency preparedness, energy conservation, hints and tips, self reliance | 
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March 10, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
Facing a daunting task or overwhelming project? Chunk it into bite-sized pieces. By breaking it down into a series of smaller individual tasks, you might be able to get your arms around it and start getting it done. Let’s look at some examples:
- Clean the house– go room by room or closet by closet.
- Clean the garage or basement– go wall by wall.
- Do the taxes– organize receipts month by month or inflows then outflows.
I think you get the general idea . . .
Two other approaches I use is to set time limits and use reward systems:
- With time limits, I tell myself I’ll only work on an unpleasant task for 30 or 60 minutes– hey, progress is progress . . .
- With reward systems, I make myself do the unpleasant first, then I do the enjoyable as a reward. True, the last reward could also be a beer or a nap after working outside all day.
I hope these ideas help you tackle the unpleasant tasks in your life . . .
This post originally appeared on DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com, here is the link to the original post, You’ve Got to Start Somewhere, So Chunk It!
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: productivity | Tags: personal development, productivity, self improvement, self reliance | No Comments »
March 9, 2010 | Posted by Brad Chaffee
Are you in the process of saving for retirement? If not, you may want to consider it a viable option, instead of counting on Social Security. Better yet, let me explain why I think it is your responsibility to be the architect of your own retirement plan.
Let me start off by asking some easy questions.
– Do you feed yourself?
– Do you brush your own teeth?
– Do you wash yourself?
– Do you dress yourself in the morning?
– Do you get yourself to work everyday?
Why do you do those things each and everyday by yourself? It’s simple. You do those things because you can, but more importantly because you should!
It’s crazy that no one thinks of saving for their retirement in the same way. Why should someone else be responsible for taking care of you when you get old? Not only can you do it yourself, but you can most likely do it better than anyone else! You are the only one that truly cares about your retirement.
Could you imagine waking up every morning and waiting for someone to spoon feed you? How about if your mom still packed your lunch, and walked you to the bus stop? Wouldn’t that be kind of strange?
You are a grown up now, and if you want something you should go get it. Being self reliant means stepping up to the plate and making some big boy decisions—for yourself, and your family.
I hear a lot of people complaining about the minuscule amount they’ll end up getting from our Government when they retire, and I cant help but wonder what makes them rely so heavily on Social Security? Why would someone take something that is so very important, and put it in the hands of a group of politicians? Does that make sense?
It’s your responsibility to save for your own retirement, so get started. You can’t complain about what you don’t have, if you never made the effort to get it in the first place. That entitlement mindset goes against everything in you that wants to be self reliant. Stop fighting it, and take responsibility for your own life.
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Brad Chaffee is the Enemy of Debt, and a regular contributor here at the Self Reliance Exchange. Brad has also become debt free by paying off $26,076.75 in just 20 months. Learn more about Brad by reading his bio. You may also contact him here.
Categories: personal finance | Tags: retirement planning, saving for retirement, self reliance, Social Security | 2 Comments »
March 9, 2010 | Posted by Mark Z
After you’ve made your own sourdough starter, here’s some ideas for care and use.
Like most folk methods (sourdough is mentioned in The Bible, Matthew 13:33. Modern translations prefer “leaven” to John Wycliff’s Chaucerian “soure dowz” and the wonderful verb “sowredowid”) there’s no need for concern over exact measurements or methods.
The suggestions below have worked for us so far. Your results may differ. Proceed at your own risk.
Sourdough is a living organism. Feed it with flour every other day, about once a week if it’s cold.
Plan ahead! Before using sourdough, take it out, warm it up gently, feed it well, and leave it for about 8 hours. You can rush things and get decent results, more time invested yields a better product.
Storage:
Sourdough can be refrigerated for long periods, even frozen. The yeasts will go somewhat dormant, requiring feeding only once every week or two. Cover your container loosely to discourage mold. If a black, turpentiny liquor forms, pour it off.
If your starter goes bad, all is not lost. Somewhere below the “yuck” will be viable sourdough. Isolate it from the molds or other problems, and get it into a new container without contaminating it. You only need a little starter. A few drops will keep the strain going with proper care.
Save sourdough longer by spreading a thin layer on waxed paper to dry. Break up the crust that forms and seal in a plastic bag. When you’re ready for sourdough again, mix equal amounts of flour and warm water, then crumble the sourdough crust into it. Proceed as usual.
Transport:
Crusting is a great way to transport sourdough. Or, put some flour in a plastic bag and place a ball of thickened sourdough in that. For air travel, double bag it, making sure there’s not too much trapped air inside, and put it in our checked luggage. The sourdough expands through altitude changes. The first method’s easier, the second yields better results.
Clean up:
Rinse with cold water. Cold water “melts” flour and water away, while hot water makes it harder to remove.
Sourdough makes a great gift. Tell its story: how and when you started it, and how to care for it. You’ll not only be giving them good food, you’ll improve your chances of maintaining your strain. We’ve lost ours twice, but have gotten the original strain from family each time. We’ve also resupplied them often when their batches get lost. It’s a little like heritage seeds—yours is a heritage sourdough, spread it around!
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Mark Zeiger is a regular contributor to The Self Reliance Exchange. He and his family homestead off the grid in Southeast Alaska. Learn more about their life through their photos and blog at www.akzeigers.com.
Categories: cooking | Tags: cooking from scratch, homemade sourdough, self reliance | No Comments »
March 8, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
Here’s a simple car repair tip that’s easy to implement – keep moisture out of your exhaust system and thereby reduce its corrosive effects. By its very nature, exhaust fumes contain moisture. Some systems contain a drip hole to vacate puddles of water that would otherwise accumulate in mufflers, resonators, cross-overs and other parts of the system.
Moisture accumulation in automotive exhaust used to be a big problem with older cars, but improvements in materials have reduced the problem considerably. Even so, it still presents a potential for unnecessary repair if you’re not careful.
The most simple way to reduce moisture accumulation in the exhaust system is to minimize brief operation of the vehicle and use it only when you know you’ll be running it sufficiently to heat up the exhaust system and drive out moisture. A good rule is 10 miles of travel. That generally is enough to warm up the car completely.
The idea is to minimize the number of times you start the car up just to move it around in the drive or on the street, and start the car up primarily when you’re really going to use it. It can save on unnecessary moisture accumulation in the exhaust, and it’s one way to save on fuel as well.
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Clair Schwan is well steeped in car repair and maintenance tips. He encourages folks to be one of the gas savers and stay put unless you really have somewhere to go. It’s one way to extend the life of your exhaust system and save fuel at the same time.
Categories: car repair | Tags: automotive exhaust, car maintenance, hints and tips, moisture accumulation, self reliance | 1 Comment »
March 8, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
One of the challenges I see in living a more frugal (and self reliant) lifestyle is trying to find new ways to rid myself of liabilities, obligations, and monthly bills and expenses from my life. Here are some of the ways you can get to work on living a quality life on a limited budget by removing liabilities:
- Pay them off now– Goodbye forever, but sometimes that is easier said than done.
- Consolidate them– Sometimes it makes it easier to get your arms around the problem.
- Divide and conquer– The other side of the coin to the previous idea.
- Suspend purchases immediately– Don’t add to your liabilities while you are busy eliminating others.
- Sell the thing that is creating the liability– You will notice I didn’t say sell the “asset” because it is the “things” we own that cost us the most.
- Suspend the liability– Warehouse it for the time being.
What does all of the above apply to? Fill in the blank. Just about any bill or expense you have can be eliminated . . .
Make some decisions and do something about them today!
This post originally appeared on DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com, here is the link to the original post, Removing Liabilities From Your Life.
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: personal finance | Tags: frugal, frugal living, personal finance, self reliance | 1 Comment »
March 7, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
Another quick and simple energy conservation tip – unplug all that energy consuming stuff that just sits around unused. Not every home appliance uses electricity while just sitting there, but many do. Some are clear to see, and others aren’t.
The microwave, alarm clock, VCR, DVD, stereo system, night lights, plug-in air fresheners, television and many other appliances all provide what’s known as a “phantom load.” That’s a power consumer that isn’t apparent, but nevertheless evident if you closely monitor your home energy system or examine your electric bill.
I’m not suggesting that everything be unplugged when you’re not using it, but there are probably many electricity consumers in your house that could be eliminated if you took a good look around. Try these on for size:
- The old “instant on” television in the basement that isn’t used but every few months. The reason it’s “instant on” is simply because it’s always on.
- A personal computer that runs all day long because it takes too long to boot up or come back out of hibernation.
- Clocks in the basement or shop that once were convenient, but are rarely used.
- The spare refrigerator or freezer that barely has enough in it to justify running.
- Night lights that are always on, or night lights that can’t tell the difference between a dark hallway and nighttime.
If you want to make your own list, then I suggest you start at your wall outlets and work your way back along each electrical cord. Sometimes it’s the only way to make certain you spot them all.
When it comes to energy conservation, only you will care. The power company charges you whether you put the electricity to good use or simply let it spin a clock in the basement that no one ever sees.
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Clair Schwan is big on saving energy. See his many ways to save energy over at Frugal Living Freedom where the motto is, “…living well, and well within your means…”
Categories: energy conservation | Tags: conservation of resources, frugal energy use, hints and tips, saving energy, self reliance | 1 Comment »
March 7, 2010 | Posted by Mark Z
February 20 marked an important anniversary in our home, the birthday of a family member whose life nourishes and improves ours. On that day, our family strain of sourdough turned 18 years old.
A batch of "18 hour" sourdough bread under cellophane after first rising. (Photo: Michelle Zeiger)
I took the purist approach in making the starter, attracting wild rather than commercial yeasts. Our sourdough prospered, and has been husbanded carefully from that day to this.
Sourdough Starter:
Slice and boil a potato or two in water until it becomes rich and thick.
Mix with a scoop of flour and one or two spoonfuls of sugar.
Place in a glass or stoneware container (bowl, crock, jar, etc.) that can be covered loosely, and set open in a warm place. Wild yeast in the air should develop a ferment in a few days.
That’s pretty much it. Once it gets started, stir in a spoonful of flour every few days. Let it grow and develop a few weeks before you begin using it.
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The great thing about sourdough is that it’s self perpetuating, so it stretches your flour considerably. Also, it chemically transforms starches into protein, “trading up” in food value. It’s also useful for an improbable array of non-food uses, such as glue and tanning.
We are constantly learning new sourdough recipes, but our standbys are pancakes, which Aly likes to make, and bread using J.B. McKinnon’s 18 hour recipe from his book Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100 Mile Diet with Alisa Smith (our review here). The chemical properties of sourdough allow skimping or forgoing common ingredients in many recipes, making for frugal baking.
Next, I’ll share a few sourdough tips and tricks we’ve picked up over the years.
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Mark Zeiger is a regular contributor to The Self Reliance Exchange. He and his family homestead off the grid in Southeast Alaska. Learn more about their life through their photos and blog at www.akzeigers.com.
Categories: cooking | Tags: cooking from scratch, make your own sourdough starter, self reliance | No Comments »
March 6, 2010 | Posted by DDFD
When March rolls around each year, my mind starts to think about the opening of fishing season in April. I start to think of a game plan– where I will fish. Not much to think about there– I tend to fish the same waters on opening day. Next, I think about reorganizing my gear. I usually pull out my vest and reallocate the gear in the pockets– I don’t carry a tackle box for freshwater fishing. I add more gear– swivels, hooks, and some new lures. I check my waders, rods and reels, nets, and other standard supplies. Finally, I imagine a productive first day of the season . . .
What I usually don’t consider is the fact that through fishing, I have developed skills that help me become more self reliant– not because I can catch fish, but rather the many other things about fishing and myself. If you read between the lines above, you might guess where I am going with this post:
- Planning
- Strategy
- Organization
- Knowledge of tools and equipment
Beyond those traits, add:
- Patience
- Trial and error
- Attention to detail
- Desire for challenge
All of these characteristics make a good fisherman, but they also make for a more self reliant individual. People aren’t born self reliant, and it isn’t something that happens overnight. Self reliance is developed and achieved over time. Start applying any of the above listed characteristics to:
- Vegetable gardening
- Alternative energy
- DIY projects
You will make great strides toward becoming more self reliant– I guarantee it. Now back to the business of opening day . . .
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DDFD believes that self reliance and self sufficiency are the roads to individual freedom. He is dedicated to living a quality life through Frugality, personal growth, development, and productivity, and Defensive Entrepreneurship. On weekends, he can be found in front of the BBQ grill.
Categories: self reliance | Tags: personal development, self improvement, self reliance, self sufficiency | No Comments »
March 6, 2010 | Posted by Clair Schwan
Freezer storage is one of my preferred methods of food preservation. As it turns out, we have a goodly amount of food that constitutes frozen assets. One lamb, one hog and half a beef is quite a bit of food when you think about all the vegetables we have in there as well. The point I want to make about freezing is that it’s a good food storage method as long as you realize two things – it breaks down the food and it slows down spoilage.
We’ve probably all heard of people freezing and thawing steaks repeatedly to tenderize them. The freezing and thawing cycles breakdown tissue. Whether we like it or not, freezer storage does much the same thing only on a more limited basis. So, the freezer can be used for preservation of many things, but you’ll notice less evidence of breakdown of your food if you focus on freezing food that is already well broken down, or food that can stand up to freezing. Think about food such as:
- soups
- stews
- casseroles
- vegetables that are naturally firm and fibrous (like beans and corn)
- meat
Freezer storage isn’t a good approach to very long term storage because it only slows down spoilage. Sure, some of the mechanisms of food spoilage can’t operate at zero degrees Fahrenheit, but some can and do. Think of a freezer like a refrigerator, only more intense. Food spoils in the refrigerator, but lasts much longer than sitting on the counter. The same holds true for the freezer; food spoils in there, but lasts much longer than sitting in the refrigerator.
With this in mind, my suggestion is to keep meat in the freezer no more than one year. Red meat kept about two years will exhibit a change in flavor, and not for the better. The same holds true of fish, except you’ll notice a change in flavor in less than one year. For all other foods, I’d generally recommend no more than two years storage. If you’d like to store food longer than that, I’d look into canning and drying as better alternatives.
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Clair Schwan freezes, dries, cans, pickles and refrigerates some of his meat, eggs and produce. He has ample food supplies for many foreseeable events, whether manmade or naturally occuring. He believes in being reasonably prepared for marketplace perturbations, but largely relies on his own sense of self sufficiency. See his adventures in a self directed life over at Frugal Living Freedom where the motto is, “…living well, and well within your means…”
Categories: food storage | Tags: food preservation, freezer storage, freezing, self reliance | No Comments »
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