Prepping On A Shoestring

[Ajax]

Hey AG where do you get the cans.


Andy

[CastingFool]

A tip for getting plastic 5 gallon buckets is to go to your local big name supermarket that has a bakery. Just ask them if they have empty buckets available. Walmart sells the empty buckets w/lids, for $1, and they have been washed. Other stores just give them away, sometimes you have to wash them yourself. Buckets come in various sizes and shapes, and sometimes are more convenient in smaller sizes.

[Ajax]

I get mine from the local bakery for $1 per pail.

Andy

[starmac]

Hey AG where do you get the cans.


Andy

Not AG, but up here all big dept stores have them. Wallmart Fred Myers,costco, Sams and lots of old time hardware stores. Down south would be a different story, but there are canning supply places and the Mormon church has stores in most states that sell them along with about anything else that has anything to do with storeing food long term.

[olafhardt]

I live in Colorado, so my prepping consists of high value crops.

Yeah, Colorado has defined the term "Rocky Mountain high".

[clownbear69]

A tip for getting plastic 5 gallon buckets is to go to your local big name supermarket that has a bakery. Just ask them if they have empty buckets available. Walmart sells the empty buckets w/lids, for $1, and they have been washed. Other stores just give them away, sometimes you have to wash them yourself. Buckets come in various sizes and shapes, and sometimes are more convenient in smaller sizes.

Thanks for the tip

[Blacksmith]

I noticed the local Wally World has put the summer camping stuff and fishing gear on the clearance rack. I picked up some reduced price fish hooks for use as trading goods, they don't take up much room but are hard to make. I also bought a years supply of toilet paper for two people on sale.

This is a good time to find reduced prices on seasonal merchandise stores want to clear out to make room for the holiday stock.

[BrassMagnet]

White rice and Pinto beans for dry storage is what I buy. It's something I eat fairly often, and actually like. Some people can't stand them, so it's different from person to person. General rule of thumb is don't buy stuff you won't eat to rotate.
My most recent thought is pressure canning for meats. Depending on where people live there is probably a generous season for at least some type of meat or fish. I got a new seal for the pressure canner, and a new gauge. Just got to get some lids and some meat for them and I'll be ready to go.
That's a thought for you. You don't have to worry about freezer burn, or your freezer losing power and thawing out and spoiling all of your meat.

I asked a game warden in Colorado about possession limit and I was surprised to find out canned or frozen trout or salmon count against your possession limit. I always thought it was what you had that was fresh. So if there is a four trout limit and you catch and freeze three or four trout per day each weekend during the summer there will be a large fine and a criminal charge if the game warden searches your freezer. I
f you have venison or elk in your freezer and they search expect them to DNA test each and every package to see if the meat came from more than on animal. My family used to always cut and wrap every animal harvested by any family member and a few friends in the same kitchen at the same time with the same grinder and cutting boards. My little sisters used to portion out and wrap the meat while the rest of us were working to cut and slice. I am sure my little sisters paid more attention to the art work they were doodling on the packages than to being sure only parts of my critter went into my pile.
I wonder how we would have fared back in the day?

[starmac]

Now that is some weird law. Here we have a limit on fish with a 2 day limit in possession limit UNLESS it is frozen, or otherwise processed (canned) and it doesn't have to be in the home freezer. Lots of folks take a generator and freezer when they go to spend a week or two fishing. As far as dna testing, what if moose meat is from 2 different years, or several different friends gave you some LEGALLY. I have had to work straight through hunting season the last three years running, but have legally put moose and caribou meat in my freezer every year, it is hard to beat good neighbors.

[BrassMagnet]

Now that is some weird law. Here we have a limit on fish with a 2 day limit in possession limit UNLESS it is frozen, or otherwise processed (canned) and it doesn't have to be in the home freezer. Lots of folks take a generator and freezer when they go to spend a week or two fishing. As far as dna testing, what if moose meat is from 2 different years, or several different friends gave you some LEGALLY. I have had to work straight through hunting season the last three years running, but have legally put moose and caribou meat in my freezer every year, it is hard to beat good neighbors.

In Colorado, for someone to legally give me elk meat I must have an unfilled elk tag and the meat fills my tag and my tag must be kept with it until it is all consumed.

[JohnnyFlake]

Even If I never use 5 lbs of Matzos and ultimately throw them out for 99 cents, less than a coke or cup of coffee, they are a "shoestring" prepping supply. And in the event of TEOTWAWKI they will have far greater value to use or for trade.

Matzo, Hardtack, Pilot Crackers, etc., when properly sealed, will easily last 15/20 years and still be very edible.

[Blacksmith]

Matzo, Hardtack, Pilot Crackers, etc., when properly sealed, will easily last 15/20 years and still be very edible.

It is better than Soylent Green!

[JohnnyFlake]

It is better than Soylent Green!

You Got That Right!!!

[GhostHawk]

I guess my wife and I have in some way or another have been prepping on a budget for as long as we have been married. 20 years this last may.

I also am a fan of beans and rice. Pinto beans by preference, and while I was raised on Uncle Ben's I have been very happy lately with the quality of both Richland and Riceland in 25# bags. I like to break it down into 5 or 6 food storage bags and suck the air out. Same for sugar and salt.

Lately I got thinking about that beans and rice, you know, some kind of meat for flavor, almost any kind really would be better than nothing. Of course a good ham bone is king, bacon is ok if it is thick sliced or ends and pieces. So I bought a case of Spam thinking that would be better than nothing.

A lot of it is just going to the store regularly, knowing what things normally sell for. And having a enough extra dollars on hand when you see a bargain. That is the time to strike and buy in bulk.

Ramen is another favorite of mine. A little bit of chicken turns a ramen from depressing food into good food. They sell chicken jerky as dog treats. It isn't cheap almost a dollar a pound, but it is almost all pure chicken. A little of that in a food saver bag would go a long way. And yes I have cut some up, put it in a glass dish with some water, + 2 min in the microwave. Has a good flavor to it.

Ohh and if you have a canine friend he will love you for a piece of one.

I have apple, apricot, chokecherry, wild plum trees planted in the yard plus wild grape vines.
Jams and Jelly's stashed away in the basement by the case.

Don't forget the spices you like. Salt, pepper, I am fond of Mrs Dash on my fried potatoes, etc.

We have also stocked large cans of dried vegitables as I do not have a green thumb. (Trees are different)

Butter powder, egg crystals, canned butter all would be worth their weight in diamonds in a shtf scenario.

Even if it is one or 2 things in larger quantity than you might normally buy. Like a gallon of Canola oil instead of a liter. It adds up, but buy what you use and eat so you can cycle it.

[Blacksmith]

The other advantage of buying in quantity when it is on sale is most stores have sales that rotate so the same things go on sale every so often and if you buy enough to get you to the next sale for that item you end up always getting the sale price. That frees up a little extra money for prepping stock and as you build your supply pantry it gets easier to make it to the next sale.