Emergency Money: 5 Steps to Survive the Financial Crisis If the Unexpected Strikes

Victory Garden

The previous message on costs of a garden was off. There are expenses, yes. The rewards once you have it together are HUGE. There is a learning curve however, start learning now. Not waiting till when you HAVE too. Start learning all you can via books, experienced friends, visiting vegi-gardens of a type like you hope to have. Learn composting, and organic style gardening. Learn French intensive wide/deep bed gardening, cheap and productive. In a small yard if you have decent sunlight, & water you can likely grow a fine garden.

Get this book: "Four Season Harvesting" My wife and I live in zone 6, and we raise a garden all summer & ALL WINTER with unheated double row covers and cold weather crops. Yep, you heard me right All winter.

- Whether you have a garden or not, turn off the mindless TV time waisting talk shows, get up off the couch, get on your jeans, go outside and improve your soil in an area for one - NOW!

- High quality dwarf fruit trees (but do your homework up first much to think about in selecting them: cross pollination, type, zone (3-5 yrs before first fruit)

- Berry Bushes (thornless blackberries), Blueberries (we pick gallons each year and freeze) but blueberry bushes are tricky (esp starting them out - got to get it just right at the get-go), like very acidic soil (amendments) and have picky water requirements especially when young. have to do your homework on them too.

- learn to mulch your garden.

- once soils are amended, soft and in good shape, a tiller may not even be necessary anymore, turn with a garden fork. But If you start out with clay soils it may take you years to get to that point. Composted organic matter and tons of it over a long period of time can get you there.

- Plenty of work, but very, very satisfying, and if food prices go through the roof as the dollar inflates, you will likely still be proudly heaping some fine steaming nutritious dishes on the table.

Bill of MN @ May 17, 2009 09:06:41 AM

RED ALERT!! The Unexpected Already Happened!

Most of what lindilu ashbury of NH says is 100% right.

I agree that edible plants should be grown in SMALL quantities for most people. In flower pots for example. Or one of those window boxes.

Putting in even the simplest outside garden is work and is not cheap.

You need chicken wire to keep the rabbits out, something to break the soil, like a rototiller, and plenty of time. Maintaining a modest garden will take up many hours a week (That many of us may have right now!).

You will probably need fertilizer, pesticide and lots of water. Gardening is not for everyone, be careful that you don't spend too much money at first. You can buy lots of tomatoes for what it may cost you to start from scratch.

I know some people might be gardeners that might read this and I don't mean to discourage anyone. But you know how costs can add up quickly when gardening. Especially starting out.

It's easy to spend $300.00 or more on a nice size garden, just to set it up and get it running.

BTW ANY tomato plant will grow downward, so don't fall for TV ads about droopy tomato plants. Just plant them as you would a hanging basket.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2046663_plant-hanging-tomato-plants.html

Nice list lindilu ashbury of NH!

Dave H. of NC @ Mar 28, 2009 16:47:20 PM

Simplify

We might ask, "How simple can my life be? Just how much do I really need? What can I do without? How can I improvise instead of always buying things, especially gadjets I don't really need? From where does my happines come? Outside or inside? Can I find hwappiness within my own heart? How little, emotionally, do I need from others, eg. for approval or validation, etc.? The more self-reliant we are, the happier we can be. Then, we can be free to help others, and we'll have more to offer them...

eugene gauggel of NY @ Mar 26, 2009 11:28:42 AM

Two Basic Survival Ideas

1.Dig a well and plant a garden. 2. Cover your rear and don't bend over.

jkfields of IN @ Mar 23, 2009 09:29:06 AM

Cutting Costs for Emergencies Funds

Getting rid of the first or second car? That may work well for those who live in the cities of America but not for those of us who live in rural America.

I live in a small logging community in rural America. If you're not a logger, teacher, CNA, OTR Truck Driver or cook...you commute 42miles away to the next city. Its the way it is and has been for years. We like where we live its just that most industry has died out and so we've decided to commute rather than move away and close up our town.

We want to keep what we have here...each other and our slow paced way of life with family values. We do not want to move to the next city where crime is prevalent, and our children have to play indoors all of the time. Some of us do share rides and/or take turns with others, driving our vehicles but for the most part...we drive ourselves alone because we all work different places at different times.

We're the ones that hang our laundry outside, shop once a month and grow our gardens year round. And we want to keep our way of life this way. We spend time with our families and friends, help our neighbors and our community when called upon. Yes, we live in a time warp and we really like it and intend to keep it this way. We still take our children to church on Sundays, and attend church socials and potblesses too.

Our wonderful little community use to have a lumber mill years ago but it blew up and was not built back. We had a railroad then too but after the mill blew up, the community has slowly dwindled in buisness and its residences. But those of us who live here like it and plan to stay, no matter the circumstances. Many families like my own, have been here since the early 1800's when our community was founded. We're not leaving and mass transit will never come back to our community as long as we remain small and hidden in a National Forest of our state, and thats just fine with us.

lindilu ashbury of NH @ Mar 22, 2009 00:14:59 AM

Getting Rid of a Vehicle

Getting rid of a vehicle would be great for all major city dwellers. However, there are some of us who commute everyday from the suburbia or from rural America. Farmers and cattlemen still have to hold down two jobs where I live and often commute to jobs 40+ miles...one way. Everybody will, if they haven't already, adjust accordingly, to save money, for emergencies.

lindilu ashbury of NH @ Mar 21, 2009 23:50:06 PM

Other Ways to Save Money for Emergencies

1. Hang out your laundry on nice sunny days instead of using the dryer.

2. Eat at home. Most meals can be prepared and served within an hour's time. Need a quick fix but need the nutrition...do fresh pasta dishes. Most super markets carry fresh pastas. All you have to do is have a boil pot of hot water and within minutes, you and you're entire family are eating.

3. Make Every Trip Count. So gasoline prices are not $4-5.00 per gallon right now...But if you pretend that it is...will save you $$$$$. I do the 3 item or more, thing. Meaning that I have to NEED 3 items before I get my vehicle out for it.

4. Make a MONTHLY MENU and stick to it.

5. Make your grocery shopping list according to the menu and other household items, needed each month.

6. Shop for groceries and household items, 1 time a month. Shop at your local discounted retailers. Map it out and try really hard not to back track. Buy most used items in BULK, if you can and if you have the room for storage.

7.What about fresh produce for the month? No problem. You shop for it, get it home, wash it and prep it, and store/freeze it for later use:) This prevents spoilage and waste, saves your time money:)You can freeze your celery, onions, carrots together...the Trinity or apart. Your fresh tomatoes? Peel under hot tap water and place in freezer bag whole, sliced or diced. Same for most fruits. Do use the bagged salads. Make your own folks. Use the easily spoiled foods first like the salads, during the first parts of each month.

8. Invest in making your own bread with a bread machine. With whole grain breads being up over $3.00 per loaf...it adds up. Buy a bread machine to insure fresh ingredients, to eliminate preseravatives and additives, and reduce costs. Your bread machine will pay for itself in a matter of 2-3 months for most growing families. Fresh breads in a bread machine makes for great, fresh breads that are available, saving you another trip or errand:)

9. Grow your own garden. So you're busy...as we all are. Buy containers if you are limited on space and grow the vegetables that you use and like the most. Plants and seeds are cheaper than store or farmer's markets, folks and it doesn't take much time either, AND there again, it'll save you a trip back to the grocery store:) You'll have it on hand. Freeze first, can and dehydrate secondly. Canners and dehydrators come with instructions:) Jars are usually reusable too:) So growing your own garden will save you time, money, and is more healthful to you and your body.

10. No sodas in the house. Drink hot or iced teas. Teas are more healthful and more inexpensive than sodas...even the store brand kinds. Make having a soda a treat...like when you do go out to eat for a special occasion.

11. Use window air conditioners. They're cheaper to operate, cheaper to purchase and easy to install.

12. Install natural gas space heaters throughout your home. Its cheaper to operate than a central unit. Good luck:)

lindilu ashbury of NH @ Mar 21, 2009 23:40:12 PM