Thoughts on where to GO when Bugging Out

This may seem really mundane, but here goes.  Do you live in an area where a regional natural disaster may occur?  If so, some thoughts on evacuation and... personal needs.  What if you were part of a regional evacuation, a la Sandy or Katrina? Traffic is slow but moving. Or if you find yourself in another situation where stopping just is not an option, are you prepared if nature calls?

For men, gizmos like the 'autojohn' may be useful.  If it is even still available, it's basically a funnel and container to allow you to urinate without leaving your seat in the car.  For the distaff, it's a little more complicated.  What if you also have several children in the car for a day's drive?

For this potential (and given a small bladder), I added Depends or similar product to my preparedness shopping list. I eventually bought a package of 10 Tena brand pull-on underwear when I found them on special for about 60 cents a piece.  If we need to leave, I plan to unie-up so  I'll be able to go on the go without the hassles of stopping, or the pain of trying to get back in the seemingly infinite line of cars. 

Especially from the ladies, what's your plan or solution?

More about Living Below your Means, a key to preparedness

Apparently, in this new economy, frugality is becoming part of the main stream.  In my last post on Living Below your Means, I discussed a lot of major purchases, like cars and houses.  I also addressed a working wardrobe ( at least for women).  Today I'll discuss more mundane topics, like food and everyday household needs. Most of what follows is for non-perishables but you can apply this to produce that you preserve or freeze. For fresh produce, see my posts on Bountiful Baskets food coop.

One of the major transitions to a frugal lifestyle for us has been getting off the 'just in time' method of purchasing food and supplies. That may sound odd, but there are several points of economic benefit to the 'buy on the dip' method for non-perishable items. The two that I appreciate most are having the items when you need them and being able to buy when they are most affordable. With most savings earning little or nothing, and many consumer packaged item prices still rising, you may 'earn' more by having tangibles than by waiting to purchase as you need them.  I am not advocating filling your garage with toilet paper, but having more than 1 roll per person on-hand may be a good move.

Most consumer products have prices that change over the course of weeks or months.  Most obvious are Christmas or Patriotic theme items, but virtually all products have a price cycle.  Part of the frugality cycle is tracking a few of these and combining the dips with coupons or special offers. This improves your preparedness by having a little cushion of critical or high use items, like toothpaste or toilet paper, on hand.  I'll share a few examples.

Recently I bought contact lens solution for a friend using this method.  Normally, the product was $15.99 for a 2-pack of 16 ounce bottles (about 5 cents an ounce).  I saw it on special for $13.89. There was also a 'bonus pack' with 2 24-ounce bottles for the special price.  A $5 gift card was offered if you bought 2 boxes, AND I had 2 $1-off coupons for the product.  So I bought my friend 2 boxes for $12.89 each and deducted $5 from the total because I used the gift card on my purchase.  The  final price to her was $10.36 per box or 2.2 cents an ounce. By the time she is running low on the product, it will probably be on special again. In the interim, she can spend the $10 not spent on contact solution to take advantage of another cyclical product special, like toilet paper.

To start the transition to cyclical 'stocking' you need to pay attention to what you use and how quickly your family uses it. You may also want to know your first and second choice of brands.  I like AngelSoft toilet paper, but the Target brand is almost identical. I monitor prices and when one dips into my target price range, I pounce. No, I don't fill the garage, but I may buy a 24 or 36 roll package to last a while.

I find my best deals on consumer packaged items at Target or Costco. I won't really discuss Costco because the nearest one to me is 70 miles away, so I only shop there if circumstances require that I go to the BIG city.  The Target is much closer, so I'll share my strategy which usually reduces my cost by about 30 percent. We buy the local Sunday newspaper. I clip the coupons from the enclosure, but only on products I normally buy. These more than pay the cost of the paper.  Next, I go to Coupons.com looking for any new coupons on items I normally use. Last, I go to the Target website for their coupons.  The great thing about target is that they will let you coupon match AND use both coupons on sale and clearance items (many stores won't allow matching, especially on their sale items).  So , another example: I love the Glad handle-tie trash bags. Target had a coupon for $1 off one box (I had 2 of those), I also had a manufacturer coupon for $1.25 off two boxes.  I found 2 boxes of 56 each on clearance for under $6 per box. Final cost was about $4.25 per box. The reason these boxes were on sale was that the new boxes, which cost $8.99, had 68 bags per box. End bargain was 7.5 cents per bag versus 13.2 cents.   Yes, I was fortunate to find them on clearance, but I had about a 3-shopping-trip window to use the coupons, so I waited for a sale or clearance. Because I still had half a box at home, I could AFFORD to wait for a better deal.

The other thing you'll notice is that I calculate the UNIT PRICE.  That is the only way you can find the best price. Example:  recently cotton swabs were on sale in the 300, 500, 600, 750 and 1000 swab packages. Yes, I did the math. The swabs in the 500 swab-packages were about 30 percent less expensive than the 1000 swab-packages. Who would have known without a calculator. Hey, use the one on your phone!

And speaking of your phone.... I have a neighbor who pays an unbelievable amount per month  for their phones and service. I still have my 2006 flip phone.  I don't do a lot of texting, and I don't have Internet access on my mobile. I pay for a fixed number of minutes and they nick me 20 cents if I send a text. My bill is less than $50 per month, and I'm looking for a cheaper provider.  Problem is that not many providers want to do business in this part of fly-over country.  The ones that provide service where we need it, the boonies between major cities in the Western US, charge a premium. If the interstate exits with services were closer together, I'd drop it altogether. I'm just not ready to volunteer walking 20 miles to the next exit when it's 105 outside if the car goes south, unless there's no other option.

UVpaqlite Update

I ordered several more items and they arrived quickly.  I am especially pleased with a product that they sell but don't make, the NEBO work light. This LED light is 6.25 inches long and weighs only 2.34 ounces including batteries, but puts out a huge swath of light. It was designed with a lot of thought. The on/off button is on the top and there is a clip so you can easily attach it to the front of your shirt and have access to the on/off switch. The clip is also magnet with several swivel positions, so you can stick it on something steel and aim it in your desired direction.  It will definitely light your way.

 The GIDS (1.5 inch spots) are interesting, but I noticed that one of them was about a third as bright as the other 5. I tested that observation by putting them all in the sun, and sure enough, that night there was a runt in the litter. Upon inspection, it seemed to have gotten only a fraction of the glow-material compared to the others.  I notified the company by e-mail and asked how they would like to rectify. Their response was fast: they would send a replacement. It arrived today, and rather than replace the single GIDS, they sent a card of 3. Wow.  I am so impressed.  Most of their products are made in the USA and they have great customer service. Guess whose getting UVpaqlite products for Christmas and birthdays? Everyone I know!

Canning Supply Deals

It's getting to be canning supply clearance time at some retailers.  Keep you eyes peeled.

Even if you don't can, there is a special bargain on Vitamin C in the canning supplies. Ball brand Fruit Fresh is a little dextrose and a lot of Vitamin C. Each quarter teaspoon provides 230% of the RDA, and there are 141 servings per 5 ounce container. Not sure how this compares with your vitamin C source, but when on sale near summer's end it may be a preparedness storage solution for you.

Another useful supply item is pectin. Remember Kaopectate? Yup, clay and pectin are the main ingredients. If you read the labels carefully, you can find both liquid and powdered pectin with minimal other ingredients.  If you buy in the stores, look for the 4 ounce or larger jars of dry pectin, not the boxes with a lot of packaging and a couple tablespoons of product.  We also keep the liquid pectin for canning and home remedy use. It's already hydrated and smooth for adding to jam fixings or a bowl of oatmeal.

Note: I am not a medical professional. I make no claim that pectin or vitamin C are good for you or will benefit your health. Do your own research on the usefulness of these substances and make your own decisions.  Sheesh.

Overdue Product Recommendation: UVpaqlite

I usually wait a while before recommending a product. In this case I have used the product daily for over a year, and am ready to highly recommend the brand.  I will also buy more in the near future.

The product line, UVpaqlite, is pretty cool. These US-made products are highly portable, self-recharging lighting products.  My first was a gift from a friend.  The product line was somewhat limited back then, but I bought a few more of the X-small of these:



 

So what was my product test? It was primarily about the light: how much light, what was needed to recharge it and how long it would last, both short and longer term.

 

I have occasional insomnia. When I wake up and can't get back to sleep, I leave the bedroom so I don't wake my bread winning Husband. Before this product, I'd tried some flashlights and other carry items.  Invariably I'd forget to take them back to the bedroom, so would end up stumbling in the dark.  My solution: Using 3 of the extra-small UVpaqlites, I set up aiming points on a path from the bedroom to the study.  These are hung in out of the way places, like door hinges and light fixtures where most people would not notice them.  None of the locations are in direct sunlight.  More than a year later, these aiming points glow brightly enough to get me safely back and forth in the dark a couple or three times a week. Even at 3 or 4 AM, they are still glowing.

 

The larger items are not inexpensive, but they never need batteries so what you pay is for long term lighting. The lighting packets are incredibly light weight and come with a little chain on them.  If you are camping or backpacking, you can hang them on the outside of your tent or pack during the day and they will recharge. Otherwise, they are very low maintenance.

 

Use as markers and beacons can't be underestimated. My insomnia-path is also a secondary escape route from the bedroom. A spot on your phone or flashlight may help save a life. Think about the airline announcement about the lights on the aisle floor... small paclite spots (1.25 inch diameter) can lead to a larger light at the closest exit. 

 

Now that I have confidence in the lighting technology, I plan to purchase a few more items from them.  Larger lights for preparedness supplies and glow spots for home. I need to mount some low lights in a few spots to illuminate the occasional sleeping dog!  

How much does an ounce of prevention cost?

We've all hear the old saying: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."  I question the cost- benefit ratio on that adage occasionally. Today's is an easy one.

Our home is downstream of a wildfire that is now more than 90,000 acres large and less than 50% contained. The nearest burned perimeter is about 10 miles away and includes terrain that is up to 5,000 feet higher in elevation.  Weather patterns are setting up to start the summer monsoon rains within the next 10 days. There is a reasonable potential for black muck and goo to make it to our little town. It is also reasonably possible for a frog-strangler to bring some of that nastiness as a good-sized flood.

In 1999, we had a flood from about a .75 inch rain that flowed about 20 inches deep through our yard. It was the first flood of any significance since 1972 (long story, very high water, dead people).  The 1999 20 inches was about 3 inches below the threshold into our house. Since then, we have built a 2 foot wall on the upstream side of our property but outside the chain-link fence and built up the driveway outside the gate by about a foot. Unfortunately, that leaves a 10-foot wide driveway 18 inches below the wings of the wall where flood waters and goo can come in.  The plan was to insert boards so that they are between the stone wall and the chain-link fence and would be held in place by the pressure of any small floods. Oops, we forgot. The boards were on-hand, but have since been used for something else (they were really nice 2 X 12's that someone gave us).  

We have flood insurance, but that only helps recover from a horrid mess. The experts describe the source drainage area as a "50,000 acre Walmart parking lot covered with feet of ash and rock poised at a 45 degree angle above the town."  I believe we need a little more protection, but not at great expense.  So here's my solution, which cost me under $20 at Home Depot.

The 2 foot piece of rebar will be used in conjunction with the U-bolts and the nipple (lower left of pic) to make a stop for the wide gate.  In the 1999 flood, the long lever-arm of the wide gate made it vulnerable to popping open. Someone drove down the street through a foot of water and the wake popped the gate open. We went from a trickle to a real flood in our yard in about 30 seconds.  So how will this work? Using a small auger on my drill (and possibly a pick) the 6 inch nipple goes vertically into the ground to hold the rebar. The rebar will pass through the 3 U-bolts attached to the chain link and into the nipple to strengthen the closure of the gate. This assembly will be about mid-way on the gate. The physics would move it closer to the opening, but if I do it wrong, we could puncture a tire as we drive in. That will significantly raise the cost of an ounce of prevention.

This gate-closure strengthening will work in tandem with the next part, using the 2 lag bolts and the 4 larger U-bolts (to the right of the rebar in the photo) . I have 2 large scraps of 5/8 inch exterior grade plywood. Neither is large enough to cover the opening but if I drill matching holes and bolt them together with a small overlap, the two will cover the opening to about 3 feet of depth.  Step 2 is to drill smaller holes in the corners of the new, larger  plywood  to accommodate the U-bolts.  I'll attach the U-bolts to the fencing (at least one side to a fence post, as they are anchored with concrete) outside the gate, so the weight will not compound the gate problem. Because of the hydrologic dynamics of the location, once some water is slowed or stopped by this, the water will drop sand and gravel and build up the driveway, helping build a larger 'dam' against subsequent flood waters.

It should take me about 90 minutes to do all he work except driving the nipple in the ground. Once the plywood is prepped, it can be kept nearby until needed and then assembled in about 15 minutes. Emplacing the nipple in the hard ground is the wild card, time-wise.  I can also put one of those rubber end caps over it so it will be open to receive the rebar when finally needed.

Is this a great permanent solution to future flood? No.  This is an ounce of prevention for an abnormally bad but low probability (but certainly possible)  post-fire flood response.

The risk is real but low to moderate.  The potential damage is high if it happens.

At less than $20 bucks an ounce, I'll take an ounce of prevention, please.

Emergency Support Plan Discoveries

Sorry about the long silence. I spent some time (about a week longer than I had planned) in the small community where we often vacation, and had an eye-opening experience.  The place is an unincorporated community consisting of a couple of named towns and the surrounding ranch communities, for a total of about 300 people and perhaps 150 occupied homes. We have a very good volunteer fire department with a great EMS team. They have very good incident command, and coordinated well with the Federal Incident Commander for the fire operations. What they did not have was a community support plan that could be implemented by the Incident Commander/ Fire Chief in the event of an emergency that required sustained support for the local affected, displaced or evacuated population. Such a plan could cover anything from an extended power outage to deep snow, flood, fire, to you-name-it.

Here's the scenario: Wildfire required the 1 AM evacuation of about 30 people from one of the unincorporated towns in our extended community. A few of us in the unaffected part of the community got the 'hey you' and were asked to set up coffee and breakfast for the evacuees, with a statement that the Red Cross would be there for lunch. About 9:30 AM, the 5 of us realized there were 30 people with no lunch as the RC had not shown up yet. We rushed home and returned with some lunch items by about  1115.  We also made phone calls to line up some dinner donations, just in case the RC was delayed further.  By dinner time, we also were directed by the fire chief to provide 3 meals per day for the non-federal fire fighters, between 45 and 60 meals per day. We also realized that with 100+ degree temps, a cooling center was needed, so that was started and opened to all.

That evening the Governor spoke at a public meeting, stating that the RC support had broken down on the interstate and would be here 'tomorrow.'  Gov also made a pitch for all to donate to the RC. The state dept of sanitation rep stopped by to provide training and some goodies like gloves and thermometers so we could run an approved food service operation for the evacuees, volunteers and firefighters from our community center kitchen. 

To make a long and frustrating story short, a rep from the RC showed up on Day 5 of the evacuation to find out what was needed. Turned out someone from our FD decided that we had it all under control so told the RC not to bother on the morning of Day 3. Made me crazy that someone with no authority and without checking with the Hey-you team would do that.  The person also didn't think to mention it to the Captain of the Hey-you team, so we were all still expecting the RC to show up and take over. Fortunately, by that time we had a little organization running, lots of donations from local residents and businesses in the region and a schedule for donating food so we wouldn't end up with lots for lunch but nothing for dinner. We had enough unprepared food donations that residents could pick up some when they signed up to prepare a dish for a meal the next day.  Wal-Mart from a town 40 miles away was one of the major donors of a lot of fruit, bottled water and individually-wrapped items for the firefighters.  Many thanks to them along with a local grocery and several restaurants and a local RV park .

To date, the evacuees remain evacuated. Fire fighters are still being fed with donated food. Not sure what the RC ever provided, other than the meeting rep last Friday.

With my planning background, all this made me nuts.  Gov suggesting people donate to an organization with them having no intention to support the evacuation (too small or some such nonsense), no plan, hey-you turning into a monster requirement with no plan and no dedicated resources, FD personnel making important support decisions affecting many lives without any coordination, etc.. Fortunately it turned out well, this time.  There were several casualties along the way, including long-term relationships ruined by disagreements on how to run the operation so that people were fed and that no one got sick. I did provide/suggest some structure to move the process from adhoc chaos to a somewhat orderly one. Had to return home so not sure how much of that stuck. I have started drafting an emergency support plan with modules for differing types of support that can be 'plugged and played' as needed. I'll submit to a few local people for their consideration for any such future emergencies.

Let me know if you'd like me to post the draft in case you, too, are in a small, close-knit unincorporated community that lacks a support plan for those affected by a disaster.

Why is this Frugal?  We had great potential to waste resources from the generous community due to lack of organization. We also had the potential for 'generosity fatigue' from the same folks. In a small community, those precious resources must be frugally managed or people will not be so generous next time.  Also, if there is a perception of waste or theft, businesses will not donate and more of the burden will fall on already weary people.