| Weather is the one thing you can't control. But | | | | should also have a well stocked medicine chest, |
| you can control how you are prepared for | | | | with pain medicine, bandages and other first aid |
| emergencies and bad weather situations. And you | | | | items. Take inventory of it often and replace the |
| can do it frugally. | | | | expired items as needed. |
| From flooding and hurricanes to mudslides and | | | | Many disasters or emergency situations leave you |
| blizzards, we all need to be prepared for disasters. | | | | without water. It is a good idea to have a few |
| You don't have to spend hundreds or thousands | | | | weeks worth of water stored. You should rotate |
| to become prepared. | | | | your water regularly so that it remains fresh. I |
| First, you should stay educated. Know what the | | | | buy bottled water on sale, but you can also fill |
| possibility for disaster in your area is. Some areas | | | | containers from your tap. |
| have fewer disasters than others. But there are | | | | Food is a primary issue. You should have a |
| always surprises. In the winter, you may live in an | | | | stocked pantry at all times. One year, my |
| area of the country where you should keep your | | | | husband and I were snowed in unexpectantly. We |
| eye on the weather report for snow conditions. | | | | had very little food in the house as we had |
| Some people must worry about hurricane or | | | | planned to spend the holidays with our family. We |
| tornado seasons. | | | | actually opened and ate a few Christmas gift sets |
| Learn the basics of food storage and useful | | | | we had bought for others. |
| crafts. You will be able to get through a disaster if | | | | Since then, we are fully prepared for being |
| you know how to make things work. In fact, you | | | | stranded at home. Stock up on dry and canned |
| will find that a lot of frugal tips are essentials | | | | foods when they are on sale. Buy things that you |
| during disasters. You may need to know how to | | | | will know how to prepare. Canned meats and |
| make things from scratch or make do without | | | | spreads that can be eaten cold are an excellent |
| electricity. Learn the things that will help you | | | | addition to an emergency pantry. Don't forget to |
| survive. | | | | include plenty of vegetables, fruit and grains, not |
| For example, if you know that your electricity | | | | just meat and powdered milk. Soups are often a |
| could be disrupted in the event of a disaster, you | | | | good addition as well. |
| could learn to build a solar oven for cooking | | | | You may need to keep some extra cash on hand |
| without fuel. Or you may have a wood stove in | | | | for emergencies. Many banks or financial |
| your home that you could cook on. You might | | | | institutions may be closed during a disaster, so |
| even consider shopping around for a generator on | | | | you will want to have access to a small amount |
| sale to run your fridge and deep freeze on to | | | | of money. |
| keep your food fresh. | | | | There are many ways to prepare for |
| If you do have a wood stove or fireplace, make | | | | emergencies. You don't have to go out and buy |
| sure that you have wood and pots and pans that | | | | everything at once. Make a list of the necessities |
| can be used to cook in. Cast iron cookware is | | | | and start stocking up on things a little at a time. |
| best, which you can often find at yard sales or | | | | Before you know it, you won't even have to |
| second-hand stores for a reasonable price. | | | | make that last trip to the store before the snow |
| Make sure that you always have at least a | | | | hits. You will be ready. |
| month's worth of your prescriptions on hand. You | | | | |