GOT PREPAREDNESS?

It's great to be prepared because you never know when disaster will strike.  You just hope you have everything in order for when it sneaks up on you.

But beware!  Disaster will strike our own little neighborhood on September 19th!  As your emergency preparedness specialists, we are warning you now...be ready. You are going to need all the emergency preparedness items/skills you can get for our 2011 emergency preparedness challenge: "Got Preparedness?"

Beginning on the morning of September 19th, we will post a challenge on our blog each day for 5 days.  Each challenge will fit into one of the following categories:
Home and Auto Emergencies
Food and Home Storage
72 Hour Kits
Evacuation and Emergency Communication
Survival Skills and First-Aid
Financial Preparedness
Fire Safety

Points will be awarded for completed challenges along with prizes for families with the most points.  At the end of the challenge, join us for our Emergency Preparedness Fair on September 24th at 9:00am. 

Each family must sign up to participate and be eligible for prizes.  Please post a comment on the blog or e-mail or call Kammi to sign up. 

You've been given the heads-up.  Disaster will strike.  Are you game?

Financial Preparedness

In April 1975 General Conference,  Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: "Save and invest a specific percentage of your income. Liquid savings available for emergencies should be sufficient to cover at least three months of all essential family obligations."

Building a savings is important for every family.  In April 2009 General Conference Elder Robert D. Hales said: "All of us are responsible to provide for ourselves and our families in both temporal and spiritual ways. To provide providently, we must practice the principles of provident living: joyfully living within our means, being content with what we have, avoiding excessive debt, and diligently saving and preparing for rainy-day emergencies."

The challenge for the week is to save $5 to $10 more per paycheck than you already are.  Put that $ into a short term savings (to help cover emergency costs such as car repairs, doctor bills, etc.)

Although 3 months of all family obligations may sound like a lot, you can eventually get there.  Don't be overwhelmed, saving just a little each month will slowly build up and become a blessing to you in time of need.  The Lord will bless you when you follow the counsel of his Prophet and Apostles.

If you currently aren't putting any money aside into savings, see if you can sacrifice something to start your savings.  Just $5 a paycheck is all you need to get going.  As Bishop Hunt said in Ward Conference, we need to do these things today!  Now is the time.

Self Reliance

The first paragraph in the June Visiting Teaching message reads:
"...We become self-reliant as we learn to love work, as we seek inspiration to find the best ways to provide for ourselves, and as we work with family members to meet basic needs."
This week's challenge is to come up with a project around the house, possibly emergency prep. or home/food storage related, and work together as a family to complete it.  Remeber to be creative and find something for every family member to do, no matter their age.  Be sure to encourage a happy attitude as your work together and teach your family to love work, a very basic and  important first step in becoming self-reliant.
Please leave a comment on the blog to share your experiences.

Coupon Class

The Coupon Class is scheduled for this Thursday, May 19th at my home (1883 Independence) at 7:00pm. 
I have received no responses on the blog about the class.  I need at least 10 people to come in order to hold the class.  If you are planning on coming, please post a comment on the blog.  Then I will know how many to plan on. 
Bring your friends and family too!  And don't forget, I'll have some kind of yummy treats there. :)
Please see post below "Savvy Shopper Coupon Class" for details about the class.

Thanks.

$80 Sleeping Bag for $30 - until May 7th

Big 5 Sporting Goods is closing out $80 zero degree sleeping bags for $30 until May 7th.  This is a great item for your emergency preparedness stash.
Bro. Tillotsen said there were only a few left at the AF location so you may want to call around or see if they can arrange a rain check.
Also, there are a lot of these same bags at Cabella's on sale for $40 if you'd rather go there.
Big 5 link: http://big5sportinggoods.shoplocal.com/big5/default.aspx?action=detail&storeid=2503823&rapid=0&listingid=-2084064311&offerid=

Food Storage Item of the Week - Pasta

Smith's has Ragu pasta sauce for $0.99 and American Beauty pasta for $0.49 when you buy 10.  So, pick up 5 of each and get them in your food storage!
Click this link for more of Smith's great deals this week: http://smithsfoodanddrug.mywebgrocer.com/Circular.aspx?c=1999&n=1&s=2724019&g=ca06359e-c815-42eb-9f5e-fe34daa8e2c5&uc=DFB8E50002

Savvy Shopper Coupon Class

I will be hosting a Savvy Shopper Coupon Class at my home on Thursday, May 19th at 7:00.  This is for anyone interested in saving some $ on groceries and I highly encourage you to come! 
Just yesterday I came home with free Nivea Body wash, $0.50 kid yogurt 4 packs, free kid's toothpaste, $0.50 brownie mix, $0.50 Betty Crocker scalloped potatoes, and $0.93 2 lb. powdered and brown sugar.  I spent about 2 hours prep time and saved $35.50 in coupons. 
This is a great skill to learn in general, but is also such an easy way to stock up Food Storage!  At $0.93 per powdered sugar, I can afford to by 5 of them and store them.  I have a ton of toothpaste, soap, body wash, breakfast cereal, pasta, pasta sauce, brownie mix, BBQ sauce, etc, etc, in my food storage just from buying 5+ at a time with my coupon deals.
The class will be put on by Savvy Shopper and will teach us how to combine coupon deals with sales, organize coupons, use printable and loadable coupons, and use the Savvy Shopper free website to plan shopping trips.
Please leave a comment on the blog if you are able to attend so I may plan accordingly.  Please bring friends and neighbors!