One thing you don't want during the coming "crunch" -- a polite word for "collapse" -- is to be dependent on the system. The more you can take care of yourself, the better off you'll be physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually. Here are 20 ways to become more self-sufficient while you still can:

1) Get a small solar power system that can be used to run a laptop or recharge batteries

2) Drill a water well and install a hand pump or solar-powered DC pump

3) Set up a rainwater collection system

4) Stash some cash: stock away some green dollar bills and lots of U.S. nickels and Junk Silver

5) Own and learn how to use a handgun, rifle and shotgun

6) Store some ammunition

7) Own and know how to use a water filter

8) Start a garden this spring and acquire more food production skills

9) Save garden seeds so you can plant the next generation of food

10) Acquire a wood-burning stove for heat and cooking

11) Possess a large quantity of stored food; enough for at least 90 days

12) Get to know your local farmers and ranchers

13) Store up valuable barter items that are relatively cheap today: Alcohol, coffee, ammo, matches, etc.

14) Safely store extra vehicle fuel (gasoline, diesel) at your home or ranch
Be sure to use fuel stabilizers to extend their life.

15) Learn emergency first aid skills and own first aid supplies
This could save a life or possibly save a trip to the emergency room.

16) Start growing your own medicine
Plant and grow aloe vera, oregano, garlic, cayenne pepper and other medicinal herbs that can replace a surprisingly large number of prescription drugs. Oregano, for example, is a potent antibiotic. Aloe vera treats cuts, scrapes and burns.

17) Own emergency hand-cranked radios so you can tune in to news and announcements

18) Boost your immune system with vitamin D and superfoods

19) Increase your level of physical fitness

20) Learn how to raise animals such as rabbits, chickens, goats or cows
.

Is There a Gaping Hole in Your Preparedness Plan?
I am a licensed HAM Radio Technician (CALL SIGN KF5RLN). Frankly, my reasoning for pursuing this licensing was quite simple: If the communications grid ever failed, I wanted my friends and neighbors coming to ME for help. As a Christian, I believe we should be the calming effect in times of distress. What an opportunity to counsel and pray for others who need the Lord! Yes, when it comes to Communication, I want folks coming to me!

I have a question for you: If communications break down, will YOU be ready?

From the Kennedy assassination to the World Trade Center attacks, phone systems always go down in emergencies. When the next one occurs, you could be part of a community that never missed a beat when communications go down: the community of Truckers. They have their own grid of "mobile devices" – CB radios mounted in and powered by their big rigs.

If you are EVER caught in a traffic jam, no matter where, truckers always have the low down! Whether you're traveling for casual reasons or in an emergency evacuation, being able to tune into truckers' CB chatter is essential to avoiding problem areas and re-rerouting.

All along the U.S highways, truckers are linked up through CB radios, and they're able to pass information quickly between themselves. Usually it's about traffic, but in an emergency, access to this pre-established network can be extremely valuable. 


Ability to Communicate Is Your Lifeline  During an Emergency
During any kind of emergency, access to information about what's happening – about ongoing dangers, road and bridge closures, evacuation orders, or new threats – can make all the difference in how well you and your loved ones come through the crisis.

A communication plan is part of any complete preparation plan. Information can become just as important as food and water during a crisis. And you can't plan to rely on normal communication channels.

Power outages and storms can cut off your access to news from T.V. or the Internet. And during an emergency, there's a predictable increase in call volume, often enough to bring both cell phone and land line service to a screeching halt.

What you really need is access to the trucker network, and better yet, some kind of two-way radio of your own. Personally, I recommend a CB.

Four Ways You Can Use a CB Radio to Stay Connected During an Emergency
CB radio (short for Citizen's Band radio), is made up of 40 channels within the 27 Mega-Hertz band. It's a short-range communication system used by individuals and businesses alike, but the most well-known users are America's truckers.

The typical CB range is 2 to 20 miles, depending on the terrain and the size of your antenna. But when you listen to the trucker channels, you can extend your range, in a manner of speaking, because they essentially have an informational relay system already set up.

1. To tune into truckers and other drivers, listen to Channel 19 and occasionally switch over to Channel 17. These two channels are used most by travelers.

2. Another important channel is Channel 9. This is the lone CB channel reserved for emergencies by the FCC. That means if you have a CB radio, you can't call out on that channel. During an emergency, though, you want to listen to it regularly to gather any information you can about what is going on.

3. Many towns and cities also designate a channel for local residents. Finding out your own town's CB channel gives you another source of information during a breakdown or emergency. Through this local channel, you can hear from businesses, churches, and community organizations that have news to share. And you can relay any valuable information that YOU happen to have as well.

4. A fourth way to use your CB radio during an emergency is to set up a family-and-friends channel. This basically just means agreeing ahead of time with your nearby friends, neighbors, and family members who own CBs what channel you'll use to communicate on. 

No License Required
One of the reasons I recommend CB radios over other options like HAM radios - for which I spent a great deal of time, money and effort - is that the CB world is still a bastion of freedom in a highly regulated world – you don't have to purchase a license to operate a CB. 

To use a HAM radio, you have to file paperwork with the FCC and pay a licensing fee. So, not only are CB radios cheaper, but they don't create a paper trail in the government's labyrinth of bureaucracies. In my opinion, the less the bureaucrats know about you, the better.

Another advantage – a CB doesn't require a large, conspicuous broadcast antenna in your yard.

Buying a CB radio is easy. You can pick up a cheap model for around $50 on Amazon. Or you can opt for something fancier if you're able to spend a little more.
Just make sure you pick a radio that has a few key features.

The main feature to look for is RF Gain Control. This feature allows you to filter out weak signals to cut down on background noise. Without it, you'll have to listen to a constant stream of competing signals, trying to pick out the signal you want to listen to against all the others. It can get very annoying and diminish the usefulness of your radio.

If you opt for a higher-end CB radio, consider purchasing one with a sideband or SSB. This feature will give you access to the upper and lower bands on either side of the usual 40 CB channels. Those bands can come in useful for setting up a family-and-friends channel. And they don't have as much traffic, so the signals are clearer, too.

Finally, you might also consider augmenting your CB radio with a power mike. These mikes don't extend your radio's signal, but they can make your voice clearer and easier for receivers to understand. That's a valuable feature if you're ever in the position to send out a call for help.

A CB radio is an inexpensive way to make sure that you can stay connected during a crisis. It gives access to critical information during an emergency and provides you with a method to reach out for help if you need it. Every savvy Prepper should have one. Don't worry about speaking the CB lingo... during an emergency, no one is likely to care.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

PrepareToday!

By all means, 

keep that change!

Rough seas ahead? Many are predicting a financial meltdown as 

soon as this year. Even if such a "Doomsday" prediction were 

wrong, what could possibly be wrong with protecting your wealth 

TODAY?

For what it's worth - and I am not expert - the period ahead does 

not seem like a time to get aggressive with your money by 

gambling on the market. Preserving your wealth is the ticket! 

Acting now is apt to make you a relative winner in terms of what is 

coming down the pike, IF it comes. Be careful about how you 

measure wealth. For too many, wealth is defined by how many 

dollars one possesses. Sorry, but the dollar is no longer a reliable 

standard. Wealth measured in dollars is likely to grow as a result 

of inflation, however, wealth measured in terms of PURCHASING 

POWER, is the critical measure. 

In Texas, we call that "more bang for your buck." 

Maintaining the purchasing power of your wealth can be difficult 

to do in the middle of a "Stuff Hits The Fan" situation. However, 

there are some things EVERY American can and should be doing 

RIGHT NOW in order to preserve wealth.

Here are some examples:

Give yourself a pay raise: Exchange your devaluing paper money 

for what's called "Junk Silver" - U.S. coins minted BEFORE 1965. 

Why? Because dimes and quarters minted then are 90% silver and 

will become quite valuable the moment an incident takes place. 

Right now, without a catastrophe, Disaster Ready Americans are 

exchanging as much paper money as possible for Junk Silver 

dimes, the value of which, as I write, is about $2.18 each (pre-65). 

If they ever find themselves in a bartering situation, better to barter 

with small stuff than a bar of silver or gold! Most tellers will 

already be familiar with a U.S. dime. Can you imagine the look on 

their face if you handed them a shining silver round? Besides, who 

wants to leave the store with pockets bulging and jingling with 

silver change. Might as well wear a sign that says, "Bad guys, 

come get me!" Incidentally, ten Junk Silver dimes are now worth 

over $25. A few month ago, those same ten dimes were worth just 

over $19.

Well worth a plumb nickel: Nickels minted at 1946 to today are 

STILL worth having, ONLY because of the value of the metals 

used to create them. $2.00 worth of nickels are actually worth 

about $2.89 today... and rising! A metal nickel is 75% copper and 

25% nickel. It costs the Fed 9 cents to make one. No way they can 

keep up with it! The Fed is talking about making a steel nickel or a 

ceramic  or zinc nickel. Vending machine people lobbyists have 

been fighting them on this but it WILL happen sooner or later. So, 

get some! Jan 2011 a nickel was under $11 pound. Currently, it's 

up to $13 pound. Go to the bank and exchange your cash for a roll 

of nickels. There are 25 BILLION in circulation, divided by 308 

million people in the USA and that only $4.05 cents worth of 

nickels EACH! Also, there's no sorting involved; nickels are made 

up of the same materials, barring a rare silver nickel from WW2 

era.  

Remember, we are NOT talking about coin collecting here. I have 

plenty of dimes with late 1800's and early 1900's stamped on them, 

but I don't want them for their collector's value. I'm all about their 

SILVER content. When I'm counting coins, I DO look out for old 

and rare coins and, when I find them, I do cull the herd and keep 

those separately. If a collector ever showed an interest, sure, I'd 

sell. But if no one comes along, during tough times, even the guys 

with the most impressive collections will be using their rare coins 

to buy bread. Store owners will care about nothing but their silver 

content.

Enough about silver, what about COPPER? Take a look at all 

those pennies you have laying around. Those minted after 1982 

are, in essence, worthless play money. However, those dated '82 

and earlier are made of copper and copper - as you can probably 

tell by the many reported thefts of all-things-copper - is on the rise. 

Copper pennies are worth around $3/lb. these days, over 3 cents 

each. Look closely at those '82 pennies because BOTH were being 

minted that year. TIP: Shinier pennies are, most likely, worthless.

I have found this exercise to be exciting and enjoyable. Also, 

because I recognize the value involved in changing my thinking 

about my change, it's become another income stream for me.

If you need help, just ask!

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo   

GET YOUR FREE SAMPLES NOW!

Hoping to hear from you!

A year ago, I posted a message asking for the physical mailing addresses of anyone interested in continuing to hear from me in the event of an Internet shut-d*wn or disaster. Sadly, I received less than a dozen responses.

But things have changed since then. A blind man can tell something's very DIFFERENT in our nati*n and in our wrld.

I cannot help but agree with the prediction stating the Internet will be shutting d*wn between now and 2015. If it isn't shut d*wn completely, it will be overly-g*verned and certain websites will be seized. The g*vernment will shut-d*wn anyone who references the Sec*nd Amendmnt, Chr*stianity, fo*d sh*rtages, financi*l c*llapse, g*vernment dominati*n... anything denying that the answer to every problem is a bigger g*v't when just the opposite is true.

Cens*rship is already here! Faceb*ok recently shut down dozens of sites referring to pr*-gun rights, pr*-2nd Amndmnt... and it's likely to accelerate. Many nati*ns have already experienced the impact of an organzed p*pulace - a res*stance m*vement using text messages, cell ph*ne cameras, Faceb*ok, Tw*tter and eMail to c*mmunicate.

If you'd be interested in watching an eMailed vide* by Mike Ad*ms where he discusses "20 D#rk Predicti*ns of 2013," let me hear from you. Send a REPLY with the words "DP13" in your SUBJECT BAR. Already, DOZENS have responded to this request! Please include your physical mailing address - using an occasional asterisk as you've seen me do in this message - if you'd like to receive my messages by regular mail. 

I pray I will NEVER have to use this info.

Ask Father for Wisdom. Remember, if he is for us, who can be against us? I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

I'd like to stay in-touch, no matter what the devil sends our way.

Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
miketummillo@me.com

Following is an article I had previously written on this subject which might be of interest from Sept 2011: When the Great Shaking shakes your Computer System

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/10335131-when-the-great-shaking-shakes-your-computer-system

7 Reasons to Stockpile Canned Food

Though I STRONGLY recommend GOFoods to my friends, the #1 comment I get is, "I can't afford that." (They fail to realize the cost break-down per meal is about $2 per person. Nevertheless, with this in mind, rather than have you do nothing, I recommend you do what my wife and I did  to get started Prepping: Buy canned goods. Ten extra cans every time we shopped - and bottled water - has added up to a pretty good Prepping Pantry. 

The main disadvantage of cans: Storage and Weight. They take up room and, in a bug-out situation, would be heavy. GOFoods for several months fits in a 5 gallon bucket. Here are some of the advantages of canned goods:

• Price. If bought in bulk, you can save 75 percent by acquiring most canned foods instead of freeze-dried or dehydrated foods.

• Long lasting. A lot of canned foods have a shelf life of between one and several years.

• Variety.  If you’re starving, you’ll eat anything, even if it’s the same thing over and over again. But if you’ve stored plenty of canned foods, you won’t be starving, and you and your family will really appreciate the variety.

• Calories. When you’re surviving, the last thing you should be worried about is watching your weight. You’ll need plenty of calories and that’s what canned food has.

• Water. There’s very little water in freeze-dried and dehydrated foods, but most canned foods contain the water that will make preparation easier.

• Familiarity. Your family probably already eats chicken, beef, ham, fish, vegetables, stews, beans and pastas, right? They’re all available in canned form, as are many other foods.

• Safe storage. Bugs and rodents can sometimes infiltrate boxes and bags, but seldom do they break through a can.

In case you're still interested in GOFoods, I recommend you get started the way we did... kick the tires! Order some FREE SAMPLES and see if you even like the stuff (we LOVE it, especially when we add our own meat and cheeses).

Click the logo below to get started..

9 Mistakes Typically Made by Preppers

1. Failing to inventory stored food supplies.

I have been storing food for so long I can not rely on memory alone to know what I already have and what is still need. This is my number one mistake and one that I plan to remedy in two ways.  First of all, everything new that I purchase will be inventoried right away.  This is what I call my  "going forward" plan.  Then, as time allows, I will methodically inventory everything else. The key, of course, is not to co-mingle the old with the new.  Sure, I may end up with some duplicates but that is better than being so over-whelmed I do nothing at all.  Your plan may be different given the dynamics of your space and your time.  All I can say is that if you are fairly new to prepping, don’t let this one slip by.  Keep track of what you have from the get go and save yourself a lot of grief down the road.

2. Identifying the most likely risks and prepping for those first.

When I first started, I went off willy-nilly preparing for all sorts of calamities.  Earthquakes, terrorist attacks, pandemics, nuclear melt-downs, civil disobedience – you name it, I tried to prepare for it all.  These days, I recommend that one of the very first steps that you take when prepping is to evaluate the most likely risks in your area and within your personal domestic situation. 

Most if not all city, county and state governments will have emergency management websites that will help you sort through the most likely disasters to occur in your area.  Add to this an assessment of your location.  Are you in a city where gangs, mobs or terrorist attacks are likely?  Do you live in a remote area where the failure of transportations systems or the lack of fuel will cut off you off from supplies from the rest of the world?  Is your employment situation tenuous requiring that you build up some cash reserves to get you by just in case the job goes away? 

Clearly, at the beginning, some choices will need to be made regarding the best use of your prepping budget.  Just remember that food, water and first aid supplies should be at the top of everyone’s list.  After that, assess the most likely risks and plan accordingly.  A good place to start is 12 Months of Prepping – The First Year which is a recap monthly supplies, skills and tasks to get you starting on the road to preparedness.

3. Preparing mostly to bug out rather than bugging in.

We all talk about having a bug-out-bag and without question, having your most basic survival items in a pack that you can grab and go if you need to get out of dodge in a hurry is important.  But beyond that, over and over I see people acquire all sorts of gear for surviving on the run -  perhaps in the woods or bush in a remote location. 

I know that in own case and also with the majority of the readers on Backdoor Survival, hunkering down and bugging in will always be preferred to taking off into the unknown with our stuff.  For many, the choice to bug in has to do with family, health concerns or financial considerations.  That, plus the availability of stored supplies makes bugging in – or staying at home – the choice when a disaster strikes. 

At the end of the day, take care of your bugging in needs first and foremost.  Plan for outdoor cooking facilities (perhaps an existing charcoal grill?), supplemental lighting (like this $21 Dorcy Wireless Motion LED Flood Lite), stored water, and a portable generator now.  Later, down the road, you can expand your supplies to include the essentials for truly bugging out.
That said, pay attention to mistake number 4.

4. Failure to evacuate at just the right time.

When the storm of the century is heading your way, know that it is time to evacuate.  Load up your vehicle and go.  As much as you feel that your are better off in your own home, if the authorities tell you to leave – and even if they do not – get out of harms way as a precautionary measure.  Do so while you still have the ability to load up your vehicle with supplies and fill the tank with gas. 

Sticking around when there is at least a 50% chance of a disaster occurring (hurricane, flood, landslides, tsunami,wildfire) is just plain silly.  Remember mistake number 2 – failure to evaluate the risks?  Part of your planning should be to determine the trigger point for evacuation as well as identification of an evacuation site and a route to get there.  Better yet, plan an alternate route as well.

5. Having the gear but not knowing how to use it.

I am guilty of this one as well.  I have a Kaito emergency radio as well as some Midland FRS radios.  Sure, I know how basically to use them but what if I needed to use some of the more esoteric features?  My bad.  I also have a hand held compass – a nice one at that – and yet in these days of GPS navigation, would I know how to use it? 

Get out the gear two or three times a year and put it through its paces.  Not only do you need to know how to use it, but you need to make sure your gear is in good working order.  Blades need to be sharpened, batteries need to be charged and skills need to be refreshed.

6. Underestimating other humans as a threat.

In a perfect world, we would all get along and go about our business in a mild-mannered way, not bothering anyone or causing others harm.  Alas, as humans this has never been the case.  From biblical times forward, man has opposed man.  There have been and still are warriors, and armies, soldiers and dictators, enemies and foes. 

As recent mass shootings have revealed, mental illness or drugs can make good people go bad.  Add the uncertainly and chaos created by an unstable society and the potential for human threat because a major cause for concern.
Whether you embrace firearms or shun them, you still need a way to defend yourself, your family and your property.  Consider pepper sprays, martial arts, and other defensive mechanisms in addition to traditional firearms.  It is foolhardy to believe that having some means of defense is not needed because “there is no one out to get you”.  Desperate people are dangerous people.  And the lack of food, water and supplies will turn ordinary people into desperate people in a heartbeat.

7. Buying stuff while ignoring the need to develop skills.

Buying stuff is easy.  Save up your money, select your merchandise and go to your local outdoor emporium or Amazon and make a purchase.  On the other hand, learning new skills (or practicing old ones) takes time, patience and bit of study.  Do you know how to start a fire without matches or a butane lighter?  Do you know how to take advantage ofnatures bounty by knowing how to fish or hunt?  And what about growing your own food?  Could you do it? 

Developing skills to become self-sufficient are every bit as important as having a closet full of the best gear money can by.

8. Lacking the knowledge to properly store your food supplies.

There are six enemies of food storage:  Temperature, Moisture, Oxygen, Light, Pests and Time. 

Okay, some might say there is a sixth enemy: namely the two legged type that gets into the tastier items (such a cans of brownie mix) and eats them without telling anyone. 

Seriously though, storing food for the long term – meaning five years or longer – does take some care.  Brush up on the basics of food storage and set up an active rotation program.  You don’t necessarily have to store food for 10 years or longer but what you do store – even for a year or two – should be protected to the best of your ability. 

One thing to keep in mind that except for the problem with pests, most food will still be edible even if it is not stored at optimal temperatures in a moisture and oxygen-free environment.  But why not learn proper storage methods to insure maximum taste and nutrition.  The following articles will help educate and there are plenty of others elsewhere on the internet including YouTube.  A few hours of your time is all that it will take to make you a food storage expert.

Food storage and Beans: Using Mylar bags and a Food Saver
Food Storage Part I – A Primer on Oxygen Absorbers
Food Storage Part II: Unraveling the Mystique of Mylar Bags
Food Storage Part III: Food Grade Buckets, Lids and Gamma Seals
Food Storage Mistakes and Goofs

9. Relying only on yourself and ignoring like-minded members of your community.

When I first started prepping, I did not mention my new little “hobby” to anyone.  You know, OPSEC and all that.  But about a year into it, I realized that I could not do it all on my own.  There were things I was having trouble grasping on my own and I needed help.  As I tip toed around the edges of my community, I found some like minded people and much to my surprise, I found that I had skills and knowledge that they lacked. 

The mutual exchange of skills and knowledge ensued along with some informal agreements to team up if circumstances required us to be on our own for any period of time.  This included teaming up for shelter and food as well as defense. 

The importance of having a peer group of like minded comrades in my own community was strengthened as I read R. P. Ruggiero’s Brushfire Plague and continues as I explore other truer than life survival stories,.  How you decide to expand your community contacts is up to you but be advised that when it comes to survival 1 plus 1 will definitely add up to more than 2.

The Final Word

These days I feel fortunate that I have come so far with my prepping activities.  Moving beyond obsession, the prepping way of life is now a part of my core.  It is “what I do” as well as being a hobby and a passion.

Indeed, I have made some mistakes along the way and many of them are listed above.  There will surely be others down the road but I know that will be okay since they will afford me an opportunity to learn and grow.  At the end of the day, life is all about growth, opportunity and the ability to take care of oneself physically, mentally and spiritually.  To me, that is what prepping is all about – mistakes and all.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!

Gaye