Home Preparedness Consultants http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com Living Better On Less Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:56:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Emergency Preparedness – Clean Mind, Clean Body . . . Take Your Pick http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2007/03/30/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-clean-mind-clean-body-take-your-pick/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2007/03/30/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-clean-mind-clean-body-take-your-pick/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2007 23:55:55 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2007/03/30/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-clean-mind-clean-body-take-your-pick/    “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly use,” said President Kimball to a young missionary.  I have always pondered if heavenly and earthly things are mutually exclusive.

   “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  In heaven I’m sure this is true.  But here?

   It’s not true!  Cleanliness is next to cleavage.  Check any dictionary.

   Actually, cleanliness is next to impossible when public services break down after a disaster.  Billions of people today are living in horribly unsanitary conditions because their public services are a disaster.  This simple fact greets first time foreign travelers and quickly takes some of the excitement out of their adventure.  Some never regain interest in travel unless they discover modern products to keep clean.

   Waterless sanitizing hand gel is one such product.  Concentrates for clothes washing may need Clorox to sanitize the water.  You may want bottled water to use with soaps and shampoos.  These clean the outside.

   What about the inside?  What you eat and drink may really mess you up – unless you know the travelers secret.  “Listerine kills millions of germs on contact.”  Two swallows will clean you out quickly.  Don’t leave home without it.  Get some of these items in your home and think through how you’ll keep clean.

   SEE THE NEED, AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.  

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2007/03/30/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-clean-mind-clean-body-take-your-pick/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – “The Future Isn’t What It Used To Be.” http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cthe-future-isn%e2%80%99t-what-it-used-to-be%e2%80%9d/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cthe-future-isn%e2%80%99t-what-it-used-to-be%e2%80%9d/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:31:32 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cthe-future-isn%e2%80%99t-what-it-used-to-be%e2%80%9d/    “The future is ahead of us,” said that great American philosopher Yogi Berra.  Some make plans for it, and others just go along day to day without any forethought.
   “We wouldn’t have lost if they hadn’t beaten us,” Berra went on to say.  Sounds like as good an excuse as any, if you plan to run out of response abilities any time in the first hours of an emergency.
   If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  Think about it.  Think about what’s really important to you and your loved ones and what you don’t want to live without regardless of your circumstances.  Even your pets look to you to provide for them.  DO YOU HAVE A PLAN WITH MULTIPLE POSSIBILITIES to provide the basic essentials of water, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, first aid, communication, transportation and safety needs for those you love?  If you don’t want to loose, plan to win and get a winning plan.
   “A dime isn’t worth a nickel anymore.”  (Y B)  Yes, Yogi, that’s true.  And it’s going to get worse  .  .  .  ,
or better – it just has to do with how you plan to deal with it.  Opportunities can be found in gaining knowledge, gathering materials, and good tools to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.  It’s up to you.  Get going.
   “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”  (Y B)

   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9cthe-future-isn%e2%80%99t-what-it-used-to-be%e2%80%9d/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Mother’s Maple Syrup http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-mother%e2%80%99s-maple-syrup/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-mother%e2%80%99s-maple-syrup/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:30:51 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-mother%e2%80%99s-maple-syrup/    Growing up I never knew that maple syrup came ready made in a 24 oz. bottle.  Mom raised me right and I watched her make all our syrup from a small bottle of Mapleine imitation maple flavoring.   One 2 fluid oz bottle makes 24 pints of syrup along with nothing more than water and sugar.  Adding corn syrup can thicken this pancake and waffle topping as thick as you want.
   One cup water over two cups any kind of sugar, add ½ tsp. Mapleine and boil.  Couldn’t be easier.
   As a storage item big things come from this little bottle, and it is very inexpensive.  My daughter had a first fight with her new husband first time shopping at the grocery.  She quoted her Grandma:  “no Log Cabin Syrup in our house.  It’s too expensive and it doesn’t taste as good as home-made.  Put that back!”
   It made me proud knowing she listened once or twice while we had her at home.

   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-mother%e2%80%99s-maple-syrup/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Scratch Pancakes and Tortillas. http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-scratch-pancakes-and-tortillas/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-scratch-pancakes-and-tortillas/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:30:12 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-scratch-pancakes-and-tortillas/     When times are tough, making gluten breads that require kneading and oven baking may prove to be beyond energy capabilities.   Quick breads or batter breads are simple substitutes.  There is not much difference between pancakes, waffles, and tortillas, except wheat flour in the first two and corn flour in the last — both being easy to hand mix and fry cook.  Check this recipe:  (*tortilla ingredients)
     1 ½ cups wheat (*corn) flour               2 eggs                                             
     1 T. baking powder                              1 ¼ cups milk (*3/4 cup)               
     ¾ tsp. Salt                                             ¼ cup oil (*lard)
     3 T. sugar (*little or none)                   Blend, stir, or fork ingredients together for fry pan cooking.                                            
       Master one of these now for camping, R Ving, or Saturday morninging.  Kids love ‘em anytime.
    For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-scratch-pancakes-and-tortillas/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Now You’re Cookin’ With Thermos http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-now-you%e2%80%99re-cookin%e2%80%99-with-thermos/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-now-you%e2%80%99re-cookin%e2%80%99-with-thermos/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:29:33 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-now-you%e2%80%99re-cookin%e2%80%99-with-thermos/    Remember how important (and easy) Thermos Bottle cooking is as an emergency or daily way to overnight cook grains and legumes?  Well, a Wide Mouth Thermos is still an essential use item.
   Here is all you have to remember about Thermos cooking:
·         If cooking grains, use two parts water to one part grain – 2:1 water to grain ratio.
·         If cooking legumes, use three parts water to one-part beans, lentils, etc. – 3:1 ratio.
   Don’t forget to add salt and/or sweetener to taste, plus any other ingredients that add flavor.  Bullion, TVP, dehydrated onions, herbs, and spices are going to cook right along with the main ingredients.
   Get brave.  Find out now how easy it is to cook this way and how to make basic stored items tasty. “Every day is practice day for dooms day.”  Fight back against high cost processed cereals by eating what you inventory.  You may find you’ll need more sugar if you really have to eat that stuff some day.  From the important words sung by Julie Andrews:  “Just a spoonful of sugar makes the roughage go down, the roughage go down, all that roughage go down, .  .  .   .    .    .” COME ON, EVERYBODY SING.   .   .
   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-now-you%e2%80%99re-cookin%e2%80%99-with-thermos/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Pressure Changes http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pressure-changes/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pressure-changes/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:28:53 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pressure-changes/    Nightly weathercasts always tell you what the barometric pressure is.  The standard pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury.  Higher surface readings mean sunny days, while lower readings mean denser air at higher atmospheric levels, usually causing cooling, condensation (clouds) and precipitation.  Pilots like to know this stuff because an altimeter is a barometer and must be reset continuously for altitude accuracy.
   Honolulu (motto: welcome to paradise) and San Diego have the least variation in barometric pressure – about 1 inch – and near constant weather year round.   Charleston, SC (motto: you’ll be blown away with our city) has the widest variation of 3.21 inches.  Just a few inches make a big difference in the weather.
   From 1900 to the present, the highest pressure recorded was 31.85” in Northway, Alaska.   Hurricane Hugo tore up South Carolina on 22 Sept. 1989, and still holds the continental US lowest pressure record at 27.58 inches.  It packed 135 MPH sustained surface winds and dumped record rainfall. 
   Home preparedness programs can be measured by pressure, too.  The more essentials you have in inventory, the less pressure you’ll feel on your stress barometer.  Reduce the pressure.  Get prepared.
   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pressure-changes/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Can’t Afford a Maid? Think Again. http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-can%e2%80%99t-afford-a-maid-think-again/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-can%e2%80%99t-afford-a-maid-think-again/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:27:59 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-can%e2%80%99t-afford-a-maid-think-again/    Helen Free VanderBeck of Idaho Falls, Idaho, said it best in her article in the March, 1983, issue of the Ensign, entitled The Reason for Toasters:
   “There was a time when it took a father and mother and all their children an entire spring, summer, and fall to provide food and shelter for the family until the next harvest.  Then the Lord said, ‘Be a missionary.  Store a year’s supply of food.  Search out your genealogy and write your family history.  Teach your children.  Care for the fatherless and widowed, and work at the welfare farm.  Attend the temple once a month.  Read the scriptures every day as well as the Church magazines and your Sunday School lesson.  Care for your parents.  Be active in community affairs.  Have family prayer twice a day and family home evening once a week.’
   Then the Lord provided families with vacuums and dishwashers and tractors and telephones and toasters and freezers and cars so that it could all be done.”

   Good tools multiply individual capabilities manifold times. Quality servants make jobs easier and fun.
   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-can%e2%80%99t-afford-a-maid-think-again/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Rainy Day Money Storage. http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-rainy-day-money-storage/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-rainy-day-money-storage/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:26:27 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-rainy-day-money-storage/    Just in case you loose your job, the house burns down, your ARM skyrockets, and/or gas prices or other normal budget items suddenly get abnormal, you need to have some money storage.
   With monthly house payments, car payments, food and utilities, any loss of income will be quite disturbing.  “If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.”  Being debt free is it’s own best dividend.
   Today’s employees can expect at least 3-5 job changes before retirement.  That hung-drawn look is far more indicative of  “I’m between paychecks”, rather than “I’m between jobs.”  It is not unusual that 
1-3 months is required to find new employment, unless you are an IT specialist.  Then it’s 12-15 months.
   A 90-day supply of cash in savings is absolutely essential, unless you are totally out of debt.  You don’t have to think about it.  JUST DO IT.  And keep $1,000 in small bills around in case we have an earthquake.
   For more information contact (your emergency preparedness specialist).
YOU CAN SEE THE NEED.  NOW PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-rainy-day-money-storage/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Money Storage in Retirement Plans http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-money-storage-in-retirement-plans/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-money-storage-in-retirement-plans/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:22:29 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-money-storage-in-retirement-plans/    Qualified retirement plans are as simple to understand as a chicken farm.  “Qualified” means that the IRS fox is kept away from layer hens and eggs during the working years because you commit to build this flock as a replacement for you for income earning when you retire from the workplace.   
   Now, think like a chicken farmer.  Do you want a big flock or a little flock in the henhouse when you retire?  Additionally, in retirement do you want to live on chicken or eggs?  See how simple?
   You can eat your chickens once.  You can live on the eggs forever and leave your unconsumed flock to someone else, if you learn what can be done and are careful in your choices.
   However, most all pension plans and annuities intend to keep your chickens and only pay you eggs until you die.  If forced to annualize, this is what will happen to you.  For each $l,000 (chickens) you give up, you will get $X (eggs) per month for life.  That X figure can be as much as $6 per month per thousand, or as little as $3 per thousand.  If it is $3, you will get $3 x 12 payments a year, or $36 income for each $1,000 left in the plan.  That’s only 3.6% annual return on each $l,000.  LOOKS LIKE EGGS TO ME, and few at that — and that’s chicken feed compared to simple interest bank rates where you still own your money.
   Retirees, be careful.  You can get help managing your money storage as well as your food storage.
   For more information contact several qualified retirement and annuity specialists and a good CPA.
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

]]> http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-money-storage-in-retirement-plans/feed/ Emergency Preparedness – Pensions and Lifetime Income Annuities. http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pensions-and-lifetime-income-annuities/ http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pensions-and-lifetime-income-annuities/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2006 21:21:43 +0000 Glen http://www.homepreparednessconsultants.com/2006/12/14/emergency-preparedness-%e2%80%93-pensions-and-lifetime-income-annuities/    All pensions are annuities, but not all annuities are pensions.  What’s the difference?
   Pensions offer retirees life income and benefits can be shared with a spouse only.  At retirement most employer plans will offer a single choice from “six standard payout options.”  Option one pays the most money monthly, but only to the participant until death; options two through six pay less, with the spouse getting a continuing fractional amount until death.  Live long, get a lot.  Die together a day after retirement begins, payments cease.  Providers smile when liability ends and plans retain all your unpaid money.
   Annuities offer more choices, to include life and time specific payouts.  Beneficiaries other than spousal can also receive monetary benefits.  Most important, every provider pays out at a different rate based on each $1,000 of value in the plan.  To be able to shop for an annuity provider with highest rates can mean as much as double the income each month from the same plan balance.  Bank savers shop interest rates.  Retirees should shop payout rates with all structured settlements to see who will pay the most for life.
   Get information from several qualified annuity specialists.   This irrevocable decision lasts a lifetime.
SEE THE NEED AND THEN PROCEED, TO BE PREPARED.

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