Category: Homework

Why We Love the Lifestraw Prepper Water Filter

It’s common knowledge that you can’t survive long without water. Usually, having a clean water supply isn’t a big deal. Most people have access to plenty of it. Yet, it’s those times of emergency and those times where you’re away from a clean source of water that can have a significant impact on your life. That is why we wanted to test the Lifestraw Prepper Water Filter.

Prepper Water Filter

If there’s a situation where the only water you have to drink may be contaminated with bacteria, you could be in trouble. You’d be forced to take a chance and drink it anywhere, opening yourself up to some severe health risks.

People need water to survive and oddly enough, the human body is made up of about 75% water. On average, a human will lose approximately a half-gallon of water each day through urination and perspiration. This amount increases when you sweat due to excessive heat or activity. The fluids lost, simply must be replaced to maintain good health.

With this information, it is easy to understand why water is so crucial to survival. For this reason, it is a great idea to keep an extra stash of water on hand in case of an emergency.

Make finding water a priority

Even if you have some water with you in your survival kit, it is important to locate water quickly if you are stranded for a period of time out in the wilderness. Depending on the length of the situation, you may need more water to drink. It is never too early to plan ahead and search for water.

Adults can survive for several weeks without food but will last only days without water. When fluids that are lost are not replaced, dehydration occurs. Symptoms of dehydration include weakness and loss of mental capacity. Dehydration can not only be serious, but fatal. Finding water is crucial for outdoor survival. This is a skill that must be learned in order to survive.

Find water before food

Often, people make the mistake of searching for food before they give much consideration to locating safe water for drinking. Never wait until you are out of water to decide it is time to look for something to drink.

Finding water can be tricky and takes time. Furthermore, water must be made safe to drink. This task also uses up your valuable time. Keep in mind, that your body is continuously losing water that must be replaced.

While you look for water, it is important to avoid dehydration. To prevent water loss, stay cool. Rest whenever possible. Overexertion will only add to the amount of water your body is losing. Find shade and avoid direct sunlight. Avoid alcohol and fatty foods. This simply wastes the water your body has on hand.

Water needs to be potable

Know That all water is not the same. Although the body needs water to survive, unhealthy drinking water can have serious problems associated with it. Learn about what types of water are considered safe and dangerous. Learning how to properly treat water is a life-saving skill for outdoor survival.

It is wise to make sure that your outdoor survival kit contains the tools you will need to treat water and make it suitable for consumption. You should know how to use the products in the event of an emergency.

Simply having the tools to purify water is not enough. It is imperative that you learn how to properly use these items to make the water safe to drink.

Lifestraw Personal Water Filter in a hand

One of the top tools we love that should be in every bug-out bag or medic kit: a Lifestraw. 

Lifestraw Prepper Water Filter

Fortunately, there is a way that you can always be prepared. If you have a Lifestraw Personal Water Filter, you’ll never have to worry about being able to drink water. 

It’s the perfect tool in the event of a crisis, and your survival is depending on water. One of the reasons that it’s such a perfect item to have around? The simple fact that it doesn’t take batteries in order to operate it. You will never have to worry about it not being usable. It also doesn’t have any parts that need to move for it to work, so you’ll never be caught with a water filter where the elements have worn out. 

This Lifestraw is a great item to have on hand at home, as well as in your car. The filter is strong enough to keep out even the most robust bacteria. That means that you would have protection against nasty things like Giardia and Salmonella. 

You also won’t have to worry about cryptosporidium or E-coli either. The filter is especially helpful when you’re going to an area that’s known to have problems with the safety of the water supply. 

How Lifestraw Works

How to use a Lifestraw Personal Water Filter

The filter is lightweight and can fit into your pocket or backpack. Since it doesn’t require you to mix any chemicals, you don’t have to worry about being thirsty and having to wait to get something to drink. 

You can insert the filter right into a body of water and drink as much as you want. Because it does the job so well, if you know you’re going to go out hiking or camping and you’ll be near water, you won’t have to load down your gear with bottles of water. 

All you need to take to have something to drink is the filter. It can effectively eliminate 99.9999% of bacteria found in water. The EPA rating on this water filter is higher than the score needed to pass approval. 

Lifestraw Personal Water Filter 3 pack picture

It’s simple to use, too. All you have to do is take the caps off the ends and put the bottom of the filter straw in the water source. As you drink through the straw, the membrane stops the bacteria from reaching your mouth and holds it there. 

All you get is good, refreshing water. You’ll want to get one of these filters for every member of your family so that you are prepared in the event you’ll need them. 

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Best Supplements for Immune System : Vitamins to Look At

During stressful situations, your immune system will naturally become stressed, and this can make you more vulnerable to infection. It’s essential to stock up on vitamins that will help your immune system stay in tip-top shape. We came up with a list of the Best Supplements for Immune System stability and strength.

Best Supplements for Immune System article cover image of a hand holding pills

Let’s just look at vitamin C as it is commonly known for its immune-boosting effects. Keeping a supply of it onhand can help you stave off illness. Whenever you got a cold or the flu, you may have heard your mom (and doctor) warn you to drink plenty of fluids and get extra vitamin C. That’s because this particular vitamin can help boost your immune system.

Stock Up on Vitamins to Boost Your Immune System

It’s preferable that instead of waiting until you’re already sick, you bulk up on vitamin C beforehand – to stave off any foreign invaders ahead of time. You can find vitamin C naturally in oranges and other citrus fruit.

Aside from boosting your body’s natural defense system, taking regular doses of vitamin C helps your body heal from minor cuts and wounds. Your tissues benefit from the intake of vitamin C as well, as do your teeth and gums.

This unique vitamin contributes to your absorption of other vitamins within your body, so a deficiency in vitamin C can have prohibited other nutrients from helping your health. Each organ needs specific vitamins to stay healthy and to function correctly. Vitamin C helps those other nutrients get carried out to the organs and tissues that need them most.

Best Supplements for Immune System : Vitamins to Look At citrus fruit for vitamin c

Your muscles need vitamin C to stay healthy and flexible, which can help lessen some of the pain you may suffer from now – or in the future. It helps your joint muscles retain their resiliency so that they can bend adequately with a good amount of pressure placed on them.

Vitamin C is also known to be an antioxidant, which helps eliminate free radicals within your body. This simply means that it can help prevent you from developing some types of cancer. Can you see how this made our list of the Best Supplements for Immune System yet?

It can also get rid of toxic byproducts that can be produced from fat metabolism.

Because of its ability to neutralize the toxic byproducts, vitamin C is now known to help prevent heart disease.

It promotes healthy blood flow, which can help fight against atherosclerosis. The healthier your heart is, the longer you may live! Vitamin C can be purchased in pill form that you can get from your local grocery store or as a supplement online.

You can also find it in oranges, strawberries, and cantaloupe. In vegetables, you can find it in tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage. If you’re not into fruits and vegetables, then it’s recommended that you drink a glass of orange juice every day. Get your daily dose of vitamin C and give your body the boost it needs to stay healthy!

Best Supplements for Immune System variety of pills that work well together

Vitamin C, though, isn’t the only vitamin that will help you, and many scientists believe that vitamin C works in connection with other vitamins but isn’t as effective alone. It actually helps your body absorb iron better!

Why Iron Is Important for Your Health

An iron deficiency isn’t apparent to spot, but it can wreak havoc on your overall health, leaving you feeling sluggish and tired without an apparent explanation. Restless leg syndrome, anemia, dyspnea, and an odd disorder called pica are all a result of having a low iron count. We have to have it in our list of the Best Supplements for Immune System strength.

Restless leg syndrome causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs when you’re at rest and trying to sleep. It can cause insomnia because as you’re trying to fall into a slumber, your legs are still feeling like they need to get up and walk or move around.

Some people who suffer from this have reported that they experience involuntary movements with their legs when they’re at rest or an annoying tingling sensation that drives them to give up on getting rest, so they get up and move around to make it go away.

Why Iron Is Important for Your Health

The restlessness they feel usually can only subside when they move their legs around to wear them out. Although the exact cause of restless leg syndrome isn’t known, those who suffer say that an increase in iron helped alleviate the problem.

Anemia is another condition that’s caused by an iron deficiency. Anemia is when iron levels are low for an extended period without relief, which makes red blood cell production ineffective. This disorder causes chronic fatigue and weakness for the person suffering from it.

It can also cause dyspnea, which is shortness of breath. The low iron levels cause oxygen not to flow freely, therefore sapping you of energy. You can also experience heart palpitations and increased sweat production, and it can even lead to heart failure if left untreated!

Pica is an odd disorder seen in people with a low iron count. Pica is a term used for those who crave unusual items that are considered not edible. Low iron causes your body to want iron. Sometimes, this can result in people eating paper, buttons, and chalk – and in some cases – soil!

Pica can result in other hazardous conditions that may result from eating unhealthy items. Eating soil, for example, can cause a person to contract bacteria or microscopic worms. This behavior can sometimes be treated simply by consuming extra iron.

Why Iron Is Important for Your Health

Low iron can cause excessive bleeding in menstruating women or women who shouldn’t be menstruating at that time. The blood is thinned to the point that blood clotting becomes a little more complicated, and you could essentially lose other nutrients that your body needs.

If you think you’re low on iron, have your doctor run a simple blood test to find out if you’re anemic. You don’t want to take too much iron – just enough to get your levels back to a normal, healthy state. If you need to take it or want to stock up on it, we love THIS brand on Amazon.

More of the Best Supplements for Immune System Strength

Selenium is a mineral that’s been shown in studies to help boost the immune system and prevent disease.

Vitamin D is something your body naturally produces when it’s exposed to sunlight. But if you’re stuck indoors during a pandemic, you’ll likely need a supplement. Vitamin D supplements can be added to your storage to keep your immune system healthy and help you to fight illness.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps your body fight stress. It is especially helpful in increasing your body’s ability to produce antibodies when it comes into contact with a virus.

More of the Best Supplements for Immune System Strength

Zinc is a mineral that’s been found to help boost your immune system. Zinc is one you only need to begin taking if you feel that you’re becoming ill. It can help your body produce more white blood cells and shorten infection time.

Both vitamin B2 and vitamin B6 are known for improving the immune system’s ability to fight infection. Most vitamin B supplements contain both of these and additional forms of the vitamin as well.

Echinacea is an herbal formula that is a natural antiviral and antibiotic. Having this on hand is useful at the first sign that you’re ill. You don’t want to use this to prevent illness.

Much of your immunity lies within your gut through beneficial bacteria. Unfortunately, the antibacterial products and medications that are common can also cause you to have reduced resistance. Taking a daily probiotic can help you have a more robust immune system to fight off infections naturally.

Garlic is also a natural antibiotic and antiviral that helps to reduce inflammation in your body. Eating fresh garlic is the best, but you can store herbal supplements contain garlic in your emergency supplies.

You may get most of what you need by taking a multivitamin daily. Vitamins can help make up for any nutrition you’re missing from your daily diet. This is especially important if you primarily depend on canned foods for your meals in times of duress.

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In Case of An Emergency Apps To Check Out

In Case of An Emergency Apps? Technology is on the rise each day, and we must stay up-to-date with its development has it has advantages to benefit our lives. There are millions of different things technology has given us, and we can certainly say they are worthwhile.

In Case of An Emergency Apps article cover

So many times, we are affected by natural disasters, and lack of preparation allowed them to deal with us in the worst. Over the years, the relevant disaster preparedness management authorities have been trying to develop a plan to help persons better prepare and protect themselves. As such, invention of emergency preparedness apps has been created to help.

There are thousands of different emergency prep apps you can use though there are some more effective than others. We have done some research on a wide selection of these apps and can agree the following are top apps you may want to consider downloading…

10 Great Emergency Prep Apps

1. Disaster Alert

The Pacific Disaster Center controls this app by putting relevant and useful information and tips that persons can use to help prevent and/or protect themselves in case of an emergency.

There is a free as well as a paid version of this app, and it showcases a world map with icons indicating the types of disasters that are prone to a given area.

This app provides period updates about disasters such as flooding, pandemic outbreaks, earthquake, volcanic eruptions, and more. However, if you need more detailed information about your hometown, you may need to upgrade to a paid version. After all, a $12 fee might save you a lot in the near or far future.

2. Red Cross Ready

This app is excellent in the sense that it works whether you have a phone signal or not. It provides you with practical checklists, instructions, and updates on how to prepare for an emergency, what to do during, and the aftermath activities.

3. Earthquake

Get periodic updates from around the world as they are issued by scientific and research centers about pending earthquake disasters. This app provides quick alerts of pending emergencies in addition to information about pending tsunamis.

Factual information is provided by the NOAA’s National Weather Service, The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and the National Tsunami Warning Center. 

4. My Radar

The information provided by this app comes through the NOAA data stream and provides real-time updated maps of emergency events around the world. It also shows wind and ocean currents to keep you on guard for any impending conditions and strictly monitors incoming weather systems.

My Radar app provides exclusive information on temperatures and other similar climate conditions around the world.

5. Storm

This app is created by a team known called Weather Underground, which provides extensive information o storm advisories, various weather blogs, emergency alerts, and more.

Storm monitors the wind and current to send fast alerts of impending weather conditions. The accuracy of the information provided will help you to react accordingly to each disaster threat.

6. Red Cross First Aid

The Red Cross First Aid app is an excellent choice as it helps in guiding you on how to respond in case you get injured during an emergency. It details first aid information for issues such as broken bones, burns, asthma attacks, and other injuries. However, for other severe problems, the main recommendation is to visit a hospital soonest.

In Case of An Emergency Apps

7. WebMD

Have a medical emergency, and don’t know what to do until you get professional help? Then the WebMD app is what you need to have. It provides information on diagnosis, medical procedures, medication, and more.

Also, the WebMD app is efficient in allowing an individual to effectively diagnose a particular illness based on direct signs and symptoms associated with the condition being experienced.

The app has vital information on various brands of medication, what they are used for, and their potential side effects. You may want to get this app so you can prepare yourself for quick medical attention before an emergency strike.

8. Emergency & Family Communications

This app is, by far, one of the essential apps you need to have. When an emergency hits, forms of communication are affected, and you have no way of saying if your family is okay or not.

The app helps you stay in touch in getting updates from across town or from emergency management authorities. There are many other communication apps you can choose from to download.

9. Zello

Zello is an exciting app that allows you to communicate with friends, family, or your local authority through a pre-programmed system. The app will enable you to send out information even with low signal in the event of a disaster strike.

Though it requires WIFI to fully function, it is still operational in a low-bandwidth area, and any recorded messages can be retrieved whenever you get the chance. This app was one of the most downloaded during Hurricane Harvey that hit the United States a few years ago.

10. International Travel

Traveling abroad should not only include your fun activities for your vacation, as disasters can strike at any time. The Travel Smart app helps keep you posted on any pending emergency event based on your location, what you need to do, prepare, and how to respond during and after.

Though a Canadian-based authority created it, Global Affairs Canada, it should not be a barrier for downloading even if you are in another country.

The app has extensive information on historical emergency events for a given region, emergency preparedness tips, potential natural disasters, and much more. Travel abroad knowing you will be safe and your family kept in the know.

There are thousands of other apps you can choose from to keep you posted on emergency events around the world. However, these provide a more efficient and reliable service no matter the location you are. Your safety depends on you, and there are local authorities in collaboration with technology-driven entities, which have made it easier for you to achieve it. 

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15 of the Best Prepper Movies Worth Watching

It is interesting to think of the Best Prepper Movies worth watching as part of your emergency preparation homework. Movies tell a different story than what we experience in real life even most of them connect with us in real life.

Best Prepper Movies

They help us to understand that people who live millions of miles away from us are experiencing the same thing, so they too can put it on screen. A lot of these movies are “disaster-themed” and watching can help you understand and learn a few things.

Disaster Movies Worth Watching

You can put them into practice or adjust the way you prepare for a natural disaster. But what movies can you learn from? Here is a list of some of the most exciting films with a lot of lessons.

Let’s look at the Best Prepper Movies

Titanic

This movie tells the accurate tale of a shipwreck back in the earlier years. Titanic is a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after hitting an iceberg. No one expected this to happen, but as it did, everyone was in a state of shock and panic in trying to escape.

One of the most important factors one can garner from this disaster is to have a backup plan should anything happen. We all know that if they had a larger substitute boat traveling the journey, more persons would be alive. Always have a second plan.

Armageddon

Space and its elements have a way of threatening global-watch authorities, and the movie Armageddon proves that. Going above and beyond to protect what matters most in light of pending destruction is the lesson this movie provides. A selfless act might be what will leave you and your family safe after the worst is over.

The Poseidon Adventure

The Poseidon Adventure is a disaster-themed movie which saw negligence claiming the lives of many even though a natural disaster was the main reason behind it. The ship was up for retirement after serving for years, and against the advice of experts, the new owner decided to run another trip.

Around midway through the sail, a tsunami hit, and the ship overturned and started to sink. Not many details are available about emergency gears, and this should be the ideal message learned to always prepare yourself for the worst, even when everything seems okay.

15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching contagion movie poster

Contagion

This truly scares me, as germs are an invisible threat to worry about. We had to put a few titles like this into 15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching. Sickness is no joke, and it is not partial when it sets out to attack whoever it pleases.

The only way you can be safe is if you are not in close range or you are fully immunized. Contagion is a movie centered on the development and spread of a deadly disease that claimed a few lives. However, a team was put on it to remedy the issue, and before long…things were under control.

Synopsis of the story? Get a medical check now and again and, if not, get immunized to protect yourself from the onset of transmittable diseases.

The Perfect Storm

Getting lost in the depth of a natural disaster is never an easy thing to deal with, and The Perfect Storm movie details the truth about this. Andrea Gail was a commercial fishing vessel that set out for mission back in September of 1991 but didn’t make it home.

Amidst a warning to stay off the seas during an impending storm, the captain and his crew decided to brave it…might have been the worst mistake. They didn’t survive as the waves overshadowed them. A note to focus on, whenever there is news of an impending disaster and warnings from experts, you need to take them seriously.

Deep Impact

Deep Impact is a science fiction movie that tells of an impending meteor that is heading for earth and set to create mass destruction (extinction by extension). However, a few persons decided to take up the challenge to “save the earth”, and their mission after many failed attempts finally resulted in something good.

The moral of the story, you may ask? Always have a second plan in case the first fails. Also, it teaches you adequate preparation and critical thinking while in the middle of distress and a disaster.

Disaster Movies Worth Watching

Backdraft

While a fire isn’t always a natural disaster, it had to be considered for our 15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching list. A fire has no set time when it will happen or what will be the starting point.

Either way, preparing for the disaster is critical, as, unlike other emergencies, you cannot regain most items from a fire. This movie tells of some reasoning behind why a fire starts and how one needs to prepare and equip themselves for what may happen. Take note, and be cautious!

Only the Brave

Only the Brave is an exciting movie that tells about the life of some men that were “given up by society and family”. However, it happens that they were the said ones to create a haven from fire disasters in the areas they live in.

Life is unpredictable, and how you treat the information you get depends on the results you will receive. Everyone needs to be serious about all warnings about a disaster.

The Towering Inferno  

Fire is a natural disaster that can cause significant damage if not careful. The Towering Inferno movie tells of a sad case where a newly designed building that caught fire from an electrical shortage. Could it have been avoided? We would say yes, as warnings came to shed some of the power connections.

For us, living in the real world, it is safe for us to understand how electricity works and make the necessary checks and upgrades as needed. Don’t gamble with your homes and business…get a certified professional to check your connections at least once every two years.

15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching world war z poster

Best Prepper Movies: World War Z

World War Z is a horror movie that teaches strength, persistence, and courage, even in the middle of a disaster. The actors faced what could cause their life, but with much preparation and proactiveness, they manage to get the job done in achieving what was best for survival. Disasters don’t only mean tsunami, an earthquake or storms but also comes in various forms.

The Impossible

The world of a tsunami can change the world we currently live in an instance without giving adequate time to prepare for it. The movie tells a thrilling story of a family who went on vacation to bond with each other then had to split up when disaster struck.

Time went by so fast when one form of communication managed to help in letting others know what was going on. This movie teaches us to be mindful of the areas we visit and also to research any potential disaster which may happen in the area and how to prepare ourselves.

The Day After Tomorrow

This movie is a story that tells what many of us experience…a terrible storm and sometimes getting trapped in some remote areas. But amidst everything, we have to stay positive, don’t panic, and with effective communication, there is hope on the horizon. Also, do not bypass critical information that you may receive from authorities of a pending disaster. Get prepared for the worst. 

Disaster Movies Worth Watching

This is the End

This is a biggie and one that happens daily around the world. 15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching had to include a gem or two about earthquakes. Earthquakes are inevitable and happen in an area at least once. But what happens during and after is what makes the most significant difference.

The movie, This is the End tells of an emergency earthquake that comes with other strange events that most people didn’t understand. However, the most important thing to learn from this movie is communication and understanding. Amid a disaster, they still managed to gather essential items needed, yet “lack of knowledge” caused the said items to go to waste. Let your household know what is going on and expected in case of a disaster.

Best Prepper Movies: Twister

Tornados are no joke, and this movie Twister shows the depth of what this means. There are so many efforts in this movie to predict and alter the way a tornado affect a given area but to no avail. However, with adequate planning and multiple tries, the team on the job was successful in its mission. This movie teaches us never to let go of working towards what we want (the best amid a disaster).

Dante’s Peak

Living near a volcano, even if it is deemed dormant by authorities, is still a risk when it comes to disasters. Dante’s Peak once showed little sign of eruption, but when things started to change, authorities had to inform everyone of the danger lurking from the peaks, and they had to move right away. However, this mission came after a few negative feedback issues.

This story teaches the strength to believe what your heart tells you to prepare for the worst before it is too late. Also, panicking is not an ideal solution to any problem.

That is how it made our list of 15 of the Best Disaster Movies Worth Watching…can you think of one we missed? Please share!

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How to Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency

How to Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency? To prepare yourself for financial trouble, you need to have at least 3-6 months’ worth of expenses saved up.

How to Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency

When I say expenses, I mean your bare expenses. Take all of the luxuries out of your bills and you’ll know exactly how much money you need to survive each month.

How to Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency

How much do you have in the bank right now? No wait, don’t tell me. Instead, just look for yourself. Then ask yourself one question:

“What would happen to my family if all of my income sources went away?”

Do you have an answer? Is it a bad one? Is it a good one? Would your family be able to survive only on what’s in your bank accounts right now?

If you’re like most people, the answer is, unfortunately, “probably not.”

Why you need to save money

Preparing your family for a financial crisis is honestly the single most important prep that you can do. You can prep all you want for weather-related incidents, but in truth, if the weather is bad enough, all of your preps might not make a difference.

Failing to prep for a financial crisis though can literally tear your family apart at the seams though. Loss of income can cause loss of your home, kids going hungry, marital fights, and more.

So how do you protect yourself?

You save. It really is that simple.

What are your expenses?

Your basics are household costs, food, utilities, and any school costs that your kids have. Everything else should be considered a luxury and if you’re living with no income coming in, unable to be paid for.

These are the items that you pay extra to have in your life so if you don’t have extra money coming in, then doesn’t it make sense that you can’t have extra items in your budget?

Three to six months is the absolute minimum that you should have, but if you want to be really prudent about it, save a year’s worth of expenses. Loss of a job can sometimes be a very long situation and if you have a year of expenses in the bank, you’ll know 100% sure that you’re covered.

Building an emergency fund is critical for financial security and, more importantly, peace of mind. Many Americans admit to being kept up at night, losing focus at work, and even struggling with anxiety because of financial stressors at home. If you’re one of them, I hope I can help you find peace in building your emergency fund – even if you don’t have loads of extra money just sitting around.

Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency: Evaluate where you’re at.

3 Steps to Build Your Emergency Fund FAST

In the financial world, everyone talks about getting out of debt, buying a house, and building an emergency fund. Whether your emergency fund is a “baby” fund at $1,000 (the bare minimum), or looks more like $10,000, evaluating where you’re at and setting goals will help you achieve them much faster.

Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency: Evaluate where you’re at.

You can’t move forward unless you know where the starting line is. The baseline is where you’re at right now, with everything else being UP from here. Start with an evaluation, and be honest with yourself. If you’re spending way too much money on fast food or makeup, don’t beat yourself up over it – just fix it.

To do a thorough evaluation, check your bank account, Paypal, Cash App, etc. This includes prepaid debit cards or any other accounts you may stash and spend money from.

How’s your money situation? Is your income higher than your expenses? How much extra do you have each week, or each month? Write all these numbers down, as they’re equally important in figuring out where you’re at, and fixing the leaks. We’ll talk about that in a moment.

I like to print off my bank statements and go through everything line by line to see where my money is going. You can print 1, 3, 6, or even 12 months off at a time. It all depends on how in-depth you want this financial audit to be.

Check out these great books to read on how to change your financial situation:

The Simple Path to Wealth and Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. They are both worth looking into.

Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover Live! – 7 Baby Steps – this is a great video to watch!

Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency: Fix the leaks.

After I’ve printed off my bank statements, I go through and highlight necessary expenses in one color, and unnecessary expenses in another color. This is an easy way to see what’s going on at a glance. I like to call unnecessary expenses “leaks”. If you want your boat in tip-top shape, you must repair all the leaks!

How often did you purchase fast food? How expensive was your last date night? How many last-minute grocery trips did you take because you didn’t have a meal plan? How many times did you buy a soda or snacks from the gas station? How many coffee runs did you make?

Everyone has their own budget leaks, so take some time to sit down and figure out what yours are. While going through your bank statements, the leaks will usually become clear pretty quickly! Many of us have expenses each week, or even every few days, that we don’t consciously take into account when evaluating our financial situation. These are the most dangerous leaks, because we don’t even realize we have them!

Fixing the leaks is a must, no matter how much money you make – or how tiny the leaks may seem at first. If you add up all the “little” leaks over a 6 or 12 month period, you’re going to notice your boat is sinking much faster than you may have realized. Either way, the leaks need to be patched, right? Small or large, they’ll still cause problems.

You don’t have to go from 100 all the way down to 0 overnight. What I mean is, if you’re used to a coffee run every morning, you don’t have to quit cold turkey. Buy coffee to make at home and see how close you can get it to what you’re used to. Then, start cutting back.

You may realize you like the coffee you make at home even more than the stuff you get at the coffee shop. I know when I cut back on coffee runs, I loved that I could make it at home and choose my favorite brand of syrups. Plus, plant milk is an additional $.60 when I get it added to my coffee at Starbucks. At home, I can have a gallon of it and it’ll last forever! 🙂

Next, we will talk a little about adding income to your budget. Even if you make a large salary, you’ll need to fix the leaks to find extra money to build that emergency fund.

Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency: Fix the leaks.

Prepare Your Family For a Financial Emergency: Make more money.

Building an emergency fund comes down to a simple principle: more money in, less money out. If your income isn’t already covering your bills with some left over to add to your emergency fund, changes need to be made. The good news is, these changes aren’t painful. The bad news? You’re not going to build your emergency fund overnight.

There are hundreds of ways to make extra money to build your emergency fund faster. Whether you start a blog as a semi-passive long-term income stream, or you deliver for UberEats after your 9 to 5 job, the amount of extra income you can earn from a side hustle is endless.

Even if you can cut expenses, most likely you’ll still need more income. YouTube is a wealth of information, complete with full videos (all for free!) about how people just like you and me became millionaires because of their side hustles. While the millionaire life isn’t everyone’s goal, you can easily make an extra thousand dollars a month (or more!) with side hustles.

The next steps…

No matter how intense you are with fixing your financial leaks or making more money with a side hustle, your journey is your own and you shouldn’t feel bad about any setbacks.

Life happens, things get in the way, and paying off debt can be painstakingly slow. However, you’re on the right path and you CAN do this! Keep reminding yourself of that! Negative self-talk can set you back even more, so keep it positive.

As I said at the very beginning of this post, not preparing your family for financial stress and trouble is just asking for trouble. If you don’t feel as if you can save even 3 months’ expenses, that’s fine. Just try to do something. A little bit in the bank is better than nothing in the bank.

 Leave me a comment and let me know what your emergency fund plan is! I’d love to hear it.

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10 Awesome Websites Preppers Love

Ask any prepper and they’ll tell you that one of the best ways to prepare for any emergency is to continue learning. Learning new skills isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have a farm out in the middle of nowhere.

Computer hardware and peripheral Using CD or DVD as digital data storage for office work.

The best way to learn (at least the educational side of things) is to visit different websites or forums and talk with people who already know how to do what you’re trying to learn. These 10 awesome websites preppers love are perfect just for that purpose.

10 Awesome Websites Preppers Love to Visit

Just check out this list of fun ideas. Keep in mind that you can often find great Facebook Groups too – just make sure you remember the golden rule about prepping: don’t tell people what you have!

It is as easy as looking at the story of the Ant and the Grasshopper.

While you might think it would encourage them to start their own prepping, it usually doesn’t. However, they do remember that YOU have stocked up on all the important things and will probably come knocking on your door when the SHTF.

Depending on how desperate they may or may not be, you might have serious trouble on your hands.

It is safe to socialize online with like-minded people, just stick to ambiguous information about your name and actual location.

Now, let’s get to those fun sites!

Zombie Squad

Don’t let the name fool you, Zombie Squad is a legitimate prepping forum and a legitimate 501c3 charity. With posts dating back to 2008, there isn’t much that you can’t learn here.

Occasionally the site is down for updates – that happens a lot with pages that include a forum.

The Survival Mom

The Survival Mom blog has been around for years and Lisa, the owner, gives you practical tips and tricks for how to prepare your family for whatever may come.

Besides her blog, she actually has a few food storage courses.

Food Storage Made Easy

Looking for tips on how to prepare, store and maintain your food storage? This site has it all!

They are pretty big with Thrive products, if that makes a difference to you or not.

I like their recipe page.

Survival Boards

A lot like the first site I mentioned, Survival Boards is chock full of awesome info!

Warning – they do tend to get a bit political. TONS of posts about the Chauvin trial right now.

Other than that, there are a lot of current events that affect us all mentioned that rarely see time on the nightly news.

The Prepper Project

The Prepper Project is great for new preppers. They offer page after page of great info!

There are a lot of product reviews on there that make for a great insight to what a newbie needs to look for.

Homesteading Today

Looking for a tamer forum to learn from? Check this one out!

This is really more of a message board but they are very helpful to newbies and it is pretty easy to search out info threads on what you want answers for.

Youtube

It might sound silly, but Youtube is FULL of fantastic videos on prepping. You can find everything from food storage to security demos just with a quick search!

I often find one or two that match what I am writing about and add to the articles so you don’t have to hunt them down yourself!

Survivalist Blog

Survivalist Blog is another that helps you learn new skills and get fantastic ideas. I especially like their post on how to prepare a family of 4 easily!

They talk not only about prepping but about homesteading too – along with a frugal take on DIY options for most things.

SHTF Plan

This one isn’t a site that you will learn a lot from, but preppers do read it for the alternate news. Take it with a grain of salt and make your own (and informed) decisions about what is posted.

I will say that they are Trump lovers – hardcore.

Personally? I like to keep my politics out of my site so you can focus on what is really important: information on how to take care of yourself and your family.

Survival Blog

Not to be confused with the other one, Survival Blog is one of the oldest running prepping blogs period. It is so full of great info that I would never be able to even touch listing it.

While these sites aren’t the end all be all, they are some of the best out there for prepping. Take the info they provide and educate yourself with new skills and ideas.

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