Preparation Can Be Simple and Helps with Your Fear Level

ל Lamed
She is not afraid of the snow for her household:
for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31: 21

We never know when an emergency or diaster happens in our own area. Preparation can really be simple. It requires just a little planning. I recently found this article, 9 ways to prepare for disaster, http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insurance/InsureYourLife/9-ways-to-prepare-for-disaster.aspx?page=1 . It covers finances, water, food, important documents, wills and the 72 hour survival kit. I consider this as simple as it gets. Of course if you can expand on preparation - I would recommend it!

Being Prepared as you can helps your fear level!

Judy

An Economic Survival Sustainability Plan for a Crisis

ל Lamed
She is not afraid of the snow for her household:
for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31: 21

This morning I was thinking about Joseph’s plan to survive the famine in Egypt. A modern application would be to have a survival plan or a sustainability plan for the current recession/depression or retirement or the years of agedness. Genesis 41:34 says the plan was for everyone to save a fifth part” or 20% of the yearly harvest (income) for the future famine (recession/depression/retirement/aged years). The government enacted the program for the people. Today our government has enacted a plan to handle this crisis. Yet, it would be wise to implement Joseph's program for our own home.

Now the question is how this 20% should be divided up looking towards the time of famine. The answer might be found in Genesis 47:13-21. This is how the people of Egypt handled the famine. First the people used cash to pay for food. Next they used portable wealth or long term investments such as horses/flocks/cattle, which today would be either selling or borrowing against our long term investments such as cars, furniture, collectibles, etc. Then at the last they sold or borrowed against the property and against their wages to keep going. The result was they worked for the government and lived in apartments in the cities and survived the famine.

Drawing from this I think it is wise to have the 20% divided up into three categories:

1. Cash or cash equivalents (In a 7 or 30 year system this would be items that would be used in1 year or less.)

a. Cash/gold/silver
b. Short term savings
c. Food for 1 year
d. Garden seeds
e. Medications
f. Clothing

2. Long Term Assets/Investments

7 year system - In a 7 year system this would be items that have value of 1-3 years.
30 year system - In a 30 year system this would be items that hold value 1-5 years.

a. Gold/Silver/Jewelry held for a hedge against inflation
b. Long Term Investments such as stocks, bonds
c. Your paid for furniture
d. Your paid for collections
e. Your paid for vehicles
f. Wheat/Grains

3. Property. Equipment Income Producing Skills (Education)

7 Year system - In a 7 years system this would be items that have a value of 7 years.
30 year system - In a 30 year system this would be items that have value up to 30 years.

a. Your home
b. Your business/employment
c. Your livelihood
d. Your education/training to increase and maintain your livelihood.

I find an exercise like this helps me in strategies for the future. I maintain a list of my items and how much they are worth. I then divide them into the three (3) categories to try and keep a balance between the categories. This 1/3 in Cash and cash equivalents, 1/3 portable wealth and long term investments, 1/3 land, equipment and livelihood/education categories help me make sure my life values are balanced.

Have fun trying this exercise on your life. Judy

Being Prepared for the Unexpected - Be like the Stores Stock the Shelves!

ל Lamed She is not afraid of the snow for her household:

for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21

"Not being afraid..." brings up many issues in my mind. Today I will address the ability to Sustain my family during the unexpected. Mexico right now is trying to contain a very deadly flu. Now I live in the Pacific Northwest. But the Mexico to my region connection is active. It could be in my backyard quicker than I would want to think about. In a situation like this I would not want to be out in the public very much. It is critical that I maintain a supply of what my family needs and uses at home. A harvest to harvest [1 year] approach is good.

Spring is a perfect time to reassess the family pantry and bring it back up to "filled". It is easy to let the pantry slide during the winter months. We have eaten quite a bit out of ours. It is time to reshake the shelves and see what needs purchased. Fortunately the garden [I hope you are planting one!] will give wonderful fresh food this summer. Yet the need to have the necessary items is all the more critical now. Be like the stores and Stock to those shelves!

Happy Pantry Stocking!

Judy

P.S. A helpful article "Stay at Home Toolkit for Influenza"

http://www.co.nezperce.id.us/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=5FH434lyuKo%3d&tabid=450&mid=1057

Hard Asset Economics and the Sustainability of My Family

ל Lamed She is not afraid of the snow for her household:

for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:21

My problem is I was too close to my Mother and Grandmother both of which went through the “Great Depression”. Through the years I have watched as the economic cycles have gone up and down. I remember in the 1970s when it seemed like one day everything was fine and the next day gasoline and toilet paper were scarce. Hard Asset Economics includes such items as: food, clothing, household necessities and cash has always been important.

My husband and I were in Eastern Washington State at the time of this 1970s economic “dip”. We were living in agriculture country. I was standing in the grocery line and a woman in line was talking about the costs of food. She thought it was not worth the costs to put up a store of food at home. At that moment my “keep a financial costs journal” button kicked in. I recorded all the costs including a freezer. I saved at that time over ½ in food costs. Now I worked hard and was living in an agricultural region.

What are “Hard Asset Economics items? They include for a family items such as: food, clothing, household necessities and cash. “Sustainability of My Family” is number one to me. I have a theory. If I take care of “me and mine” and “others did the same for their families”, there would be few families that would need help. I always set aside though extra for those individuals that are in real need.

In April 2007 when food for a short time was an issue, my “Hard Asset Economics” and the “Sustainability of My Family” buttons kicked in. I no longer live in an agricultural region. Therefore, I used the tools I had – the Internet. I purchased in bulk a wide variety of necessities. The saving has been amazing as prices have risen.

Sometimes this approach is not the “cheapest” approach. Even though by shopping when there are sales and planning ahead, it usually means a family will save considerably. It does though mean my family will have the items when I need them – not when the stores have them.

Next time you are in the store purchasing your necessities, take a peek at the number of the items on the shelf. You will discover that in this “Just-in-Time” supply chain business model there might be 6 of each of the items. If there was a breakdown to the supply chain such as a natural disaster, those “6” would be gone in a minute! By planning ahead using “Hard Asset Economics” and the “Sustainability of My Family” you will not be in the rush to get the basics of life.

Judy