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We have been prepping for oh, 5 years or so now. We piled up a year's supply of food for the 2 of us pretty quickly, though not in the conventional way as described here. We have the Big Berkey water filter, a planned (but not yet built) retreat, a couple generators, a wood stove that we intend to take, numerous firearms, more canning jars than we have room for, a load of open-pollenated seeds under refrigeration, fertilizers, tools of all sorts, and more gear than we can shake a stick at.
Our problem is that we have 2 daughters. Each one has a husband, and between them, 6 grandchildren. DW and I both have brothers. None of these other folks are preparing. So we figure we'll need to do it for them -- or we'll end up just eating their share if nothing bad happens! This all came about as DW and I were preparing to retire, so the "retreat" will be our retirement home, likely in a very remote northern area of Maine. We don't want to get too far away from family.
We should have been retired by now. But the money is just too good, and buys us more trucks, more gear, more savings. We're also practicing our "skills", but not yet "living the life". So that's about where we are!
I first had the idea that I should prep (actually start) about the time after Obama got a peace prize. I had lots of debt though and I could have begun very small even with debt, but only begun purchasing a few things this summer. Have plenty of clothes, 3 months food, connections of where I'm moving to soon. Just as important as having stuff, I learned a couple things, nothing very specific, but I have a much better idea where and how I want to live over past several weeks and research. Also been developing a skill to keep a source of income even after unemployment runs out. I still would like,
highwater boots
water filters
ammo, for weapons I don't have (barter)
strut work on my car
raw land far out to bugout and live on with little expenses
Dealing with my family and not being stressed out is an ongoing challenge that I'm trying to eliminate. I guess I'd like to hear any status of other people.
Do the struts yourself, often not such a bad job. The serious strut tools available for free, just pay a deposit at some major retail auto supply stores, Ebay can supply struts as welll as local salvage yards. Get get control of your transportaion cost.
You will find videos on youtube.
Funny knowledge of bumper to bumper car repairs and intervals sometimes seems more valuable the a good College degree. Many of the local yards know us.
Keeping old cars going is one of my favorite worlds, but unknown to many or even most people.
It also starves the beast and feeds me.
Last edited by 1957TabbyCat; 11-08-2011 at 06:29 AM..
Do the struts yourself, often not such a bad job. The serious strut tools available for free, just pay a deposit at some major retail auto supply stores, Ebay can supply struts as welll as local salvage yards. Get get control of your transportaion cost.
You will find videos on youtube.
Funny knowledge of bumper to bumper car repairs and intervals sometimes seems more valuable the a good College degree. Many of the local yards know us.
Keeping old cars going is one of my favorite worlds, but unknown to many or even most people.
It also starves the beast and feeds me.
Thanks for the tip. I had firestone do a free inspection of what it needs, and thier cost attached made me laugh. I'll definitely consider doing it myself, or take it to a local guy who can do it for half that. With all the problems my car had, I could have spent 5k in the past year, but my car is worth 2k so I just kept it going for less than its worth. I understand any 2nd hand car will cost money soon down the road, but its financially smart to keep them going vs. pay $$ for a 2nd hand car u know nothing about, but not to pay to much for labor. We did struts when I was in highschool and it seems easy enough. Just need the tools and lift and an alignment bay. If I was smart 5 years ago, I would have bough a quality expensive jack and basic tools and did suspension work/brakes myself. But guess I didn't have much money then or a driveway. Abandoned store parking lots aren't fun neither.
I had firestone do a free inspection of what it needs, and thier cost attached made me laugh.
Don't forget that Firestone, or any other automotive repair facility, will do what is in their own best interest, not in yours; i.e., they will include all sorts of things that your vehicle "needs" but which in reality you can do without. Are your struts really so bad that the vehicle handles dangerously? If not, and if you don't personally care about superb handling, you can let the struts go for a very long time.
I am not sure what information you are looking for. Over all I would say I am 85% complete. no real debt and have plenty of bullets and beans to help survive SHTF for 10 people for a bit over a year. Plus heirloom seeds, medical supplies, firearms, training, a 65 kwh generator, tools and alot of extra gear. not to mention clothes, personal items, feminine products. the list goes on and on. needless to say I am bugging in instead of bugging out. I hope to move Montana or Idaho in the next couple of years if at all possible taking everything I have accumilated with me.
please remember for whatever you have, if you dont have the training on how to use it, then when SHTF it will be next to useless.
Don't forget that Firestone, or any other automotive repair facility, will do what is in their own best interest, not in yours; i.e., they will include all sorts of things that your vehicle "needs" but which in reality you can do without. Are your struts really so bad that the vehicle handles dangerously? If not, and if you don't personally care about superb handling, you can let the struts go for a very long time.
Yea. That clown said I need new tires when they have the most visable thread and I only had them little over a year. My car makes noise from all the pot holes in my area so they look pretty bad, if I lived in a normal area probably be different. I'll be loading things when I move so don't want them to fail driving on a mountain with trucks and ice.
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Do the struts yourself
