Cash Chat with your host Keira Knightly! *

[drewbear]

So by now most people who chose direct deposit for their IRS rebates have their money and the paper checks are being sent out soon. So let's get a little personal, hmm? Inspired by this site, I decided to run down how I used my rebate money:

1) Deposit just over 1/3 of it into my original savings account.
2) Use $100 to open a new, higher-yield but deposit-limited savings account.
3) $100 towards extant loans. Yay, extra payment this month!
4) 3 books from Barnes & Noble (including Nurk), a pair of jean shorts from Kmart, eBay, some pizza and some "personal items" whose exact nature I won't mention here.

Since I'm slightly ahead on my loan payments and I'm getting the PTO I cashed in for my birthday on this paycheck, I may send some money towards Kiva. It looks like a good organization.

*...yeah, I don't know where that title came from either.

Comments

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I will gladly take any advice you're willing to give.

I'm already trying to stock up on dry goods and I'm looking into planting a porch garden. Unfortunately, it looks like veggies won't do very well, since my porch only gets direct sunlight for a few hours in the morning.

I've already limited my power consumption as much as I reasonably can and have a decent supply of matches, candles and a battery-free LED flashlight (it operates off a strong internal magnet; you shake it, the magnet passes through some wire coils and it charges an internal battery). I also have about 12-15 empty gallon jugs that I can fill up if I need to.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

There's this, which is a good start. You can get canned fruits and veggies for decent prices at the dollar store. Tuna is cheap, too. From the Vermont Country Store, you can get canned bread and other staples. Get an emergency blanket---these cost a few dollars and preserve body heat if you're stranded. I'd get a hand cranked radio/light combo. I really like these, in during power outages, they're the best thing imaginable.

Fill up those water jugs and rotate them; same with the canned goods. Don't get a firearm unless you're ready and willing to practice with it till you're comfortable, both with the weapon and the notion of firing it at somebody. The last is the thing that nothing can prepare you for. Think it through.

Do you have those energy-conserving light bulbs? If not, get some. Also, unplug stuff. Things use power when they're plugged in. Really, get a combination light/radio thing that goes on crank power. I can't recommend them highly enough.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Also, flour, rice, sugar, spices. Powdered milk. A good first aid kit. Hell, a bicycle. If things get bad, the roads will be blocked. Do you have a tent and a sleeping mat? These things can be cheap. Hell, I know how to improvise these things if you're lost in enemy territory. Do you have a car?

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

A bicycle is already on the list of things to get and is almost certainly going to be the first costly thing I get. If nothing else, I can use the exercise from using it.

I already have a 5-lb bag each of flour and sugar, as well as about 3 lbs each of rice and beans. I have at least half a canister each of chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, dill, onion powder and "fajita seasoning". I have multiple containers of black pepper and salt (why do I always think I don't have any salt at home? It's not like I even use it.) I also have vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation), orange extract, anise, rum extract and peppermint extract. Earlier this month I bought bags of brown sugar, both light and dark, as well as bagged hulled walnuts and pecans (ostensibly for baking cookies, but I haven't gotten around to it yet...).

Didn't think about the powdered milk; I'll pick some up next time.

I get paid this Friday and I'm going to try to get a friend with a Sam's Club membership to take me there to get more stuff in bulk.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Tuna's good for you; get vitamins, too. Make sure you have good containers; flour, rice, and sugar can go bad in moist environments. A slice of bread can absorb the moisture. Rotate stuff, especially. Buy soup in bulk. Get a tube tent. Get baby wipes. Soup is good for you and as long as you buy canned fruit without fructose corn syrup you're okay.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know about the HFCS. It's insane trying to find anything in the stores that DOESN'T use it.

Would you recommend glass or metal containers? I've been eyeing this set of square glass jars with the flip-top seal dealie. (yeah... I have no idea what that seal thingie is called)

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

It's got to be air tight, that's what matters. Put pasta or rice in there and rotate.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I don't turn on the lights much except in my bedroom at night and I do have an energy-saver in there. Hadn't thought about unplugging stuff, but it's a good point.

I'll admit that I'm not totally comfortable with the idea of owning a firearm, which is why I haven't investigated the option before now. I have had some (very) rudimentary gun safety training, though, and am fully aware of the need for continuing practice with one.

I've been looking at those crank electronics for a while (you're a bad influence. ;-)) but haven't purchased one yet. Another thing to put on the list.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

The hand cranked things are very good. You can only shake things for so long. Radioshakk (?) has a very good radio/light item for about forty bucks. Hell, use it during storms. That's what I've done during blackouts.

Don't buy a firearm unless you're comfortable with it. It took a war to make me treat firearms like the mere tools they are. A good Swiss Army knife works. Don't buy anything unless you tell me first.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of Swiss Army knife knockoffs laying around, one of which I almost always have on me, plus a pliers/knives/screwdrivers multitool. I also have about 4 different sets of toolkits that people keep giving me. I keep the most basic ones in my bathroom and kitchen and the big'un in the trunk of my car.

And believe me, I'd be asking the advice of EVERYONE I knew with relevant knowledge before buying anything big ticket, whether that be a car, a bed, a gun or whatever. You're definitely on the "gun knowledge" list.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Just don't lose it to the TSA when you're flying. God, do I hate those asshole. They're good basic tools. I can find you one for a couple bucks that's got screwdrivers and saws and stuff on it.

You know, you might want to consider a camera, too. Documenting stuff could make you money.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when I flew down to Texas last Thanksgiving, I lost my toothpaste and shampoo (fucking expensive stuff, too, dammit) to the TSA. On the flight back, mind you. The TSA here in Raleigh had no problem with my shampoo bottle size, maybe because is was only about 1/3 full, but the guy checking on the flight back was an asshole. I just glad my dad was still waiting so I could toss the offending item to him instead of it being trashed.

I have a pretty good digital cam already with a 2Gb card in it. I don't carry it around with me all the time, but I do make sure it's ready for me whenever I want it. Hell, it's the prime consumer of batteries in my home. Note: by "prime consumer", I mean that I actually have to change the batteries every couple of months.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Okay, so was this the kind of thing you were talking about with the tube tent and emergency blankets?

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

I can get you the emergency blanket at a cheaper price. In fact, I might have an extra one. They can save your life in extremely cold weather situations, so I'd keep one in your car.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I figured that REI's prices were high. (A high-end specialty store selling things at ridiculously above-market-price costs? Say it ain't so!) Where'd you get yours, or are they Army issue?

Yeah, I'm trying to make sure that any hard equipment I buy is multipurpose. I.e. they won't sit in my closet gathering dust awaiting the apocalypse.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Do you bike and stuff? Get a camelbak pack. I used these in Iraq and they're invaluable. Water is compulsory.

Like I said, I might have an extra one for you. Just email me and I'll send it to you: while I kept your note I seem to have lost your address.

[drewbeartx.livejournal.com]

I don't bike yet, but a bicycle is top of the list of big-ticket items I'm gonna get. I'll keep the camelpak in mind once I get started.

[ginmar.livejournal.com]

Get baskets for the bike, too. And a decent tent, if it comes to that. Tube tents are good for mild conditions, but if you can camp out now and then to get used to it, that's not bad at all. Camp out in your yard if you have to. Definitely get a sleeping mat. I swear by this silk sleep sack I've got; avoid any polyester blends. Silk is warm when it's cool, and cool when it's warm.

Don't forget vitamins and things like that.

Oh, hell, just head up here. As long as you're okay with fluffy cats hugging you and stuff, you'll be fine.