Weekly Assignment and Food Storage Ideas (Week of April 15th)

Hi Carson Ward Family, Family and Friends,

Quote:

"The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it." Proverbs 27:12

How can I afford Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Items?

Many times I hear people tell me they cannot afford setting up their Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness items. I have been thinking a lot about this statement. Yes, we can afford it, we just need to change our priorities and find ways to save money so we can afford it.

As we raised our family of 6 children, Robert was the only one that worked, I was a stay at home Mom. It was not always easy financially, but we made it work by being frugal with what the Lord had blessed us with. We could not afford to go on expensive long distance family vacations but our children always had fun. We learned ways to plan outings and have fun with very little money!

If we give up the family trips (and as couples) to the movie theatre (with snacks a good $30+), expensive video games and systems, and expensive family activities and vacations, we could find the money for our Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Supplies. Let me list some fun things you can do as an individual, a couple and a family to save money. The money you would have spent on the more expensive fun things can be put into your Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Plan. "Everyone thinks you need a lot of money to have "real" fun as a family, but the truth is that imagination will pay the way and save tons of bucks." Heidi Sonboul

Inexpensvie fun things to do:

1. Give up one family (or individual/couple) outing to the movie theatre a month and rent a movie. Buy snacks at the 99 Cent Store and make popcorn. Take the money you would have spent at the movie theatre and put into your Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Budget.
2. Buy a kite, or two or three, go to the park or beach and fly the kite as a family (or a couple). Have a contest who can keep theirs up the longest. Take a picnic lunch along. Take photos. The Korean Bell in San Pedro, off of Gaffey, is a good place to fly a kite.
3. Go to the Cabrillo Marine Museum in San Pedro. Parking is about $6-7, or park on the street and walk in. The Museum is free but they do like to get donations, even just a couple of dollars is fine. Try to plan the trip when the Feel Tank will be open. Make a game out of it, how many different kinds of sea life can you find, have them write down the names. Take a picnic lunch along to eat at the beach and have a contest of building a sand sculpture. Remember to take along small buckets, large spoons, etc..
4. There are lots of museums in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas that are free and interesting to visit. The Getty Museum is free, just pay for parking. Go onto Google and search for them.
5. Go to the Griffith Park Observatory, it is free. There is a show that cost $7 for adults, $3/4 for children and $5 for seniors. Make sure you go to the underground level, great displays and things. Even if you do not go the show it is a lot of fun. Take a picnic lunch.
6. Go to the Griffith Park Train Park and ride on the junior train and ride the horses (younger children). Prices are inexpensive and the children love it! Take along a picnic lunch.
7. Purchase art supplies at the 99 Cent Store or the Dollar Tree and have a "Portrait Night". Have each family member do a portrait of each family member. Have each family member pose at a time. Lots of fun.
8. Do a treasure hunt with items around your home or neighborhood and have the ending treat to be ice cream (Sundaes) at home.
9. Take a lot of empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls and tape them together. Try and make a large maze out of them and see if you can get a small ball to roll from one side of the house to the other.
10. Play old board games and have popcorn.
11. Make your own home like a movie theater. Set up a concession stand and give the family members hand crafted tickets to get into the movies and purchase items at the concession stand. You could play old home movies or even rent something from the Red Box.
12. Play hide and seek in the dark at night. Great fun when the power goes out. Keeps the children from being afraid.
13. Using a few art supplies, have your family write your own story and put it into a book.
14. Make up a game of "how fast can you_____?" Do as a family. Example: Take some string and see how fast you can wrap it around a tree, or how fast you can bounce a ball around a small park, or see how long you can stand on one foot, or see how long someone can balance on an exercise ball, anything will work. This gets everyone laughing and wanting to try.
15. Have a water balloon fight, but not just any water balloon fight. Get out towels and toss the water balloons back and forth.
16. Purchase some bubbles and the large wand sticks, I found these at the Dollar Tree. Take them to the park and have a picnic. Who can make the biggest bubble? What fun!
17. Set up an obstacle course in the yard. Make it as easy or hard as you want depending on your family. Have ice cream sundaes they put together themselves.
18. Set up your own Angry Birds game with supplies from your kitchen and the children's toys.
19. Set up a family talent show night. Put up a curtain and spot light and have each family member perform something. Record and show back the Talent Show. Eat popcorn will watching the show. Lots of fun!
20. Take your bikes to the beach and ride along the bike path. The path goes from Torrance Beach to Marina Del Rey. Take a break and play in the ocean.

Remember: It does not take a lot of money to find great and fun things to do as an individual, couple or family. Use your imagination!

Setup a Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness Budget:

Each week add $1-$2, or more if you can, to a jar that is labeled "Family Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness". Once you have about $20, purchase items for your Food Storage and/or Emergency Preparedness Supplies. Or save longer for more expensive items like a family tent, etc.. Only purchase items that are on sale! That way your money goes further.

How much do you spend a month?

For a month keep track of everything you (both the husband and wife) purchase and the cost, every penny, everything! Keep a small sprial notebook in your pocket or purse to write down the items. At the end of the month look over the list. You will be amased at how much you spend and what things you could have done without. Eliminate those items and start a Food Storage/Emergency Preparedness Savings account or jar.

April Goals: Sanitation (purchase a portable toilet, toilet paper, baby wipes)/Add Grains, Rice, Cereals and Dry Pastas to your Food Storage

Remember: If you signed up for one of the Portable Toilets, I must have your $20 by no later than Sunday, April 29th. If I do not have your money I will not order your toilet.

Weekly Assignments:

1) Add another large bag of rice and large container of instant oats.

2) Add 5 packages of Baby Wipes to your Sanitaiton Supplies. Just 99 cents at the 99 Cent Store or the Dollar Tree. Or, purchase a large box of them at Costco or Sam's Club.

Sad News:

Our Los Angeles Dry Pack Cannery is changing their hours. They will only be open now on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-2pm by appointment only, and Saturdays from 9am-2pm, no appointment needed, but a good idea to make one anyway. The reason for this change, the members are not using the Dry Pack Cannery as much as they used to, SAD! Half of those that use the Cannery are non-members. If we do not use our Dry Pack Cannery I am afraid they may close it someday!

Food Storage Ideas:

Ways to use your stored wheat, flour, and yeast: " You may want to look into Artisan bread. Do a Google search and put in Artisan bread Zoe Star Tribune. This is a way of making Artisan bread, french bread, bread bowls, pizza crust, pita bread, etc. and it couldn't be easier. You literally put in flour, water, salt and yeast in a bucket, stir it up and let it sit for 2 hours. Cut off a piece of the dough, shape it, let it sit for 40 minutes and bake. It's hot, home made bread with a crusty outside and soft yummy bread inside. You can even put the leftover dough in the fridge and make bread every day. Give it a try!" Wendy Dewitt

Remember: Post your name and comments for our April FREE Monthly Giveaway Drawing to be held Sunday, April 29th. I love your comments and ides. Keep them coming!