Preparedness: Yes, you can afford to build a pantry

 

Yes, you can afford to build a pantry

I work hard for my money. I got my first part-time job when I was sixteen, the same day I got my driver’s license. It was in a local factory with an evening shift and I was able to work four hours an evening, four days a week. My starting pay was $1.65 an hour. My parents were firm – if my grades slipped, I was through with having a part-time job. 

I desperately wanted my own car, a 1969 Camaro to be exact, so I made sure I maintained my B+ to A- grade average. 

What did this experience teach me? Work hard and save big to obtain the things you desire. And at this point in my life, I want that well-stocked pantry. What I won’t do is pull money out of my savings to attain it. 

The best way to build your pantry is to identify the items you and yours must have on hand and set aside an extra few dollars a pay to begin. I know even that small amount might be hard for some, but consider what you may be purchasing with those dollars that you don’t NEED. Maybe you don’t need that case of soda, or that pack of cigarettes. Maybe you can consolidate a few trips in your vehicle to reduce your gasoline expense. You can figure it out. 

What should you buy first? I’d go with water. In a true emergency, every human and furry family member will need water so get that out of the way first. After that, customize to fit your needs. For the two adults in my household, it’s coffee and cereal. We’ve been known to snack on dry frosted wheat cereal instead of popcorn during a movie. Yeah, sugar content, but it happens. 

Do what is best for you. 

Decide what it is you must have and how much of it needs to be in the pantry. Once you’ve achieved that, go it your second item. Keep building no matter how slow it seems to go. You’ll get there. I’ve been working on my pantry for over a year and I’m still not where I want to be but I’m not quitting. Having a handicapped individual in my household means I need to prepare not only for us, but for him in case something would happen to me. He has to be able to manage on his own until he can sort out his future. That’s my circumstance and I’m working with it. 

Is this work? Yes, it is, but it’s a “job” that will benefit you and yours. 

Remember every little bit you can do will benefit you in the long run, and that’s what preparedness is – a long run, not a sprint. 

Next in the series: The "get home go-bag"

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor (The Hideaway)

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, pantry prepping, preparedness, inventory, home food preservation, Doomsday prepping, stock rotation, first-in first-out