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How many real emergencies have you gone through when a flash light broke?
This is not about emergencies but a hoarder.
I have never had a flashlight break in the middle of an emergency. But I have tried to use a flashlight during a power failure and found it to be defective more than a few times. Mostly problems with batteries leaking. So it was good to have a back up. Honestly right now I don't have a working flashlight in my home. I'm going to buy my first headlamp soon. If that works well, I think I'm going to buy four or five of them and have them in different drawers around my apartment. Then if I have an extended power failure, I can jump from one to another, if the batteries go dead.
But I admit I'm a low level hoarder. On the subject of cookware. Right now I'm 100% eating frozen food. But I have a fair amount of good quality cookware, that I'm not going to get rid of. Because if I decide to start cooking again, it will cost me quite a bit of money to replace that cookware. Hoarding anything that you might use in the future is being frugal.
I have never had a flashlight break in the middle of an emergency. But I have tried to use a flashlight during a power failure and found it to be defective more than a few times. Mostly problems with batteries leaking. So it was good to have a back up. Honestly right now I don't have a working flashlight in my home. I'm going to buy my first headlamp soon. If that works well, I think I'm going to buy four or five of them and have them in different drawers around my apartment. Then if I have an extended power failure, I can jump from one to another, if the batteries go dead.
But I admit I'm a low level hoarder. On the subject of cookware. Right now I'm 100% eating frozen food. But I have a fair amount of good quality cookware, that I'm not going to get rid of. Because if I decide to start cooking again, it will cost me quite a bit of money to replace that cookware. Hoarding anything that you might use in the future is being frugal.
Unless your flashlight is in continual use, it's better to keep the batteries separate and just install them when needed. Also, don't store extra alkaline batteries in the refrigerator or freezer. They are best left in their original packaging and placed in an accessible drawer or cabinet.
As for cookware, I would not suggest getting rid of cookware just because you're going through a phase of eating frozen meals. That's silly and akin to suggesting someone donate their winter coat just because it's July and 95 degrees outside.
Unless your flashlight is in continual use, it's better to keep the batteries separate and just install them when needed. Also, don't store extra alkaline batteries in the refrigerator or freezer. They are best left in their original packaging and placed in an accessible drawer or cabinet.
As for cookware, I would not suggest getting rid of cookware just because you're going through a phase of eating frozen meals. That's silly and akin to suggesting someone donate their winter coat just because it's July and 95 degrees outside.
The problem with keeping the batteries separate, is that in an emergency trying to find and install batteries in the dark is not easy. That is why I will probably get a handful of headlamps. I'll use rechargeable batteries and make a note to pull them all out and recharge them at least once a year.
And yeah, that's my thinking on the cookware. I don't know if I will ever use that stuff again or not, and it would be nice to clear out the cupboard space. But if I do need to use it again, it would cost me $500 - $1,000 to replace it all. It just doesn't make good economic sense to get rid of stuff like that if you have the storage space, and there is any chance you might use it again.
The problem with keeping the batteries separate, is that in an emergency trying to find and install batteries in the dark is not easy. That is why I will probably get a handful of headlamps. I'll use rechargeable batteries and make a note to pull them all out and recharge them at least once a year.
And yeah, that's my thinking on the cookware. I don't know if I will ever use that stuff again or not, and it would be nice to clear out the cupboard space. But if I do need to use it again, it would cost me $500 - $1,000 to replace it all. It just doesn't make good economic sense to get rid of stuff like that if you have the storage space, and there is any chance you might use it again.
A handful of headlamps? Just how large is this apartment of yours?
A handful of headlamps? Just how large is this apartment of yours?
As I said its so I could switch from one to another if the power was out for an extended amount of time. Two would be the minimum though. I would also probably keep one in my car.
As I said its so I could switch from one to another if the power was out for an extended amount of time. Two would be the minimum though. I would also probably keep one in my car.
Do you stay up all night? The sun will come up in the morning, and a set of good quality alkaline batteries should last a few hours at least.
I guess. I'd just get ready for bed and go to sleep, so I can't imagine needing to cycle through multiple flashlights with a lifespan of at least several hours each. I have a Petzl backpacking headlamp that uses two AA batteries. Set on high beam, it will last about 3-4 hours. Set on low beam, it will last for about 24 hours. That seems more than long enough to be sufficient for a typical power outage. The sun will come up in the morning to allow me to change batteries if needed!
I guess. I'd just get ready for bed and go to sleep, so I can't imagine needing to cycle through multiple flashlights with a lifespan of at least several hours each. I have a Petzl backpacking headlamp that uses two AA batteries. Set on high beam, it will last about 3-4 hours. Set on low beam, it will last for about 24 hours. That seems more than long enough to be sufficient for a typical power outage. The sun will come up in the morning to allow me to change batteries if needed!
Thanks for the info. That is good to hear. Like I said I have never used one. It's on my To Buy list. Maybe I'll push it up the list a bit.
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