What Would You Grab If Your House Was On Fire?

Answering this question is an interesting exercise in minimalist living, and highlights the things we need and cherish over the stuff we store and collect.

To make this exercise interesting, let’s consider two possible scenarios: First, you have five minutes to grab something and go. Second, you have 24 hours notice to plan and prepare.

I’ll share my list, but I’m more interested in what you would save from the fiery flames.

Scenario One: You have FIVE minutes notice.

People (and fur people) first, then things are my priority. After knowing my daughter, husband, and doggie are safe, I’d grab these hard-to-replace items and run:

• Wallet
• Passport
• Cell phone
• Computer back-up drive
• Car keys

I’d also grab my shoes and a coat. You need shoes to run, right?

Scenario Two: You have 24 hours to prepare.

The more time you have, the more stuff you can pack and rescue, so you’d need to avoid greed and pack just what you need! Time to prioritize, people!

• Everything above.
• My Home inventory.
• Home insurance policy.
• Irreplaceable items: photo albums, keepsakes.
• Primary documents: ID, birth certificate, key financial data. Yep, all the stuff you should keep in your safe deposit box. Note: Carl lost his wallet in his family house fire — it took the better part of a year to replace all the pieces.
• Secondary documents: financial statements, other records.
• Keys to everything, including my safe deposit box.
• Clothing on my essential clothing list packed neatly in a carry-on suitcase.
• Items often uninsured in a policy: camera gear, jewelry, maybe a bike.

I’d likely pack a little food and water in case the whole area was set ablaze, and thank my lucky stars to have more than a moment’s notice to evacuate.

Tactics for keeping important stuff safe.

I asked Carl to share his happy approach to a doomsday scenario. Being a practical guy, here’s what he suggests:

1. Go digital. Backup all digital data and keep an off-site or cloud copy. Keep a list of all passwords somewhere secure.

2. Safe deposit. For under a $100 a year get smart by renting a safe deposit box at your favorite financial institution. Store important documents in this box, and keep copies at home. Carl suggests keeping digital copies of all personal data, burning copies to two DVDs or USB Flash Drives, and storing the lot in your safe box as well. Also, make sure you have access to your emergency fund — you may need to access those funds to recover from the event.

3. Grab-and-Go Box. Keep a grab-and-go box with your essentials ready to go at a moment’s notice. The Motley Fool explains how to ‘construct your command central’ in this tutorial.

4. Offsite storage? If you live in a high risk area, store some of your lesser-used-treasures elsewhere. A friend of ours keeps a box of photos at work during fire season.

5. Keep a home inventory. Perfect for proving to an insurer that you owned everything on your claim. A home inventory can also jog your memory by helping you remember lesser-seen stuff. After a fire or disaster it can be VERY hard to remember everything in your closet or DVD collection.

This article comes from Homa and Garden Magazine.

Are you Prepared Financially?

Do you think you are prepared Financially?  Take this test and find out   http://www.jaredstory.com/finances_quiz.html

Constancy Amid Change

This is an address given in General Conference in 1979 by President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency.  It is still relevant today.

During World War II, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elder Albert E. Bowen, wrote a book compiled from a series of radio addresses, which he entitled Constancy amid Change (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1944). The messages of these talks were very timely. We were a world in conflict, and people the world over needed a message of certainty, assurance, and stability.
Continue reading http://www.lds.org/ensign/1979/11/constancy-amid-change

Financial Readiness: As Critical as Fully Charged Batteries

Here are some thoughts from the FTC on Financial Readiness:

Home is where most people feel safe and comfortable. But sometimes — say, when a hurricane, flood, tornado, wildfire, or other disaster strikes — it’s safest to pack up and go to another location.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says that when it comes to preparing for situations like weather emergencies, financial readiness is as important as a flashlight with fully charged batteries. Leaving your home can be stressful, but knowing that your financial documents are up-to-date, in one place, and portable can make a big difference at a tense time.

Here are some tips from the FTC for financial readiness in case of an emergency:

• Conduct a household inventory. Make a list of your possessions and document it with photos or a video. This could help if you are filing insurance claims. Keep one copy of your inventory in your home on a shelf in a lockable, fireproof file box; keep another in a safe deposit box or another secure location.
• Buy a lockable, fireproof file box. Place important documents in the box; keep the box in a secure, accessible location on a shelf in your home so that you can “grab it and go” if the need arises. Among the contents:
  • your household inventory
  • a list of emergency contacts, including family members who live outside your area
  • copies of current prescriptions
  • health insurance cards or information
  • policy numbers for auto, flood, renter’s, or homeowner’s insurance, and a list of telephone numbers of your insurance companies
  • copies of other important financial and family records — or notes about where they are — including deeds, titles, wills, birth and marriage certificates, passports, and relevant employee benefit and retirement documents. Except for wills, keep originals in a safe deposit box or some other location. If you have a will, ask your attorney to keep the
    original document.
  • a list of phone numbers or email addresses of your creditors, financial institutions, landlords, and utility companies (sewer, water, gas, electric, telephone, cable)
  • a list of bank, loan, credit card, mortgage, lease, debit and ATM, and investment account numbers
  • Social Security cards
  • backups of financial data you keep on your computer
  • an extra set of keys for your house and car
  • the key to your safe deposit box
  • a small amount of cash or traveler’s checks. ATMs or financial institutions may be closed.
• Consider renting a safe deposit box for storage of important documents. Original documents to store in a safe deposit box might include:
  • deeds, titles, and other ownership records for your home, autos, RVs, or boats
  • credit, lease, and other financial and payment agreements
  • birth certificates, naturalization papers, and Social Security cards
  • marriage license/divorce papers and child custody papers
  • passports and military papers (if you need these regularly, you could place the originals in your fireproof box and a copy in your safe deposit box)
  • appraisals of expensive jewelry and heirlooms
  • certificates for stocks, bonds, and other investments and retirement accounts
  • trust agreements
  • living wills, powers of attorney, and health care powers of attorney
  • insurance policies
  • home improvement records
  • household inventory documentation
  • a copy of your will
• Choose an out-of-town contact. Ask an out-of-town friend or relative to be the point of contact for your family, and make sure everyone in your family has the information. After some emergencies, it can be easier to make a long distance call than a local one.
• Update all your information. Review the contents of your household inventory, your fireproof box, safe deposit box, and the information for your out-of-town contact at least once a year

21 Things Your Burglar Won’t Tell You

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste… and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..
5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
Electronic Watchdog, Barking Dog Alarm
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom – and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door – understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)
10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
Door Security Bar
11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.
12. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television.
14. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
15. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
Fake Security Camera with BLINKING LIGHT
16. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.
17. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
18. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
19. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.
20. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.
21. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
FakeTV Burglar Deterrent

Here’s an idea…
Put your car keys beside your bed at night.
If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

Budget Notebook

Another way to budget from Sarah at http://www.memoriesoncloverlane.com

A couple weeks ago I shared my really simple notebook daily planner. I use a similar system for my budget. I have tried different fancy-pantsy budgeting tools...on-line thing-a-ma-jiggers that give you all sorts of serious bar graphs and pies and tabulations and what-have-you. I hated them, and they did nothing for me, and I thought they were so much more work than I thought my notebook system is. I explained in the daily planner post how I need to put pen to paper to have my brain work correctly...a computer screen just doesn't do it for me.  Continue reading at http://www.memoriesoncloverlane.com/2011/09/budget-notebook.html

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

Thoughts from Elder Quentin L. Cook

Preparing for a Layoff

According to the experts, many of us will be laid off more than once. So, it's a good idea to be prepared. It's is survivable, but still a very stressful time, even if you are one of the "stars" in your workplace. Stars get laid off, too. Don't expect a layoff to be rational. 


DO NOT look for a new job from your current place of employment! Employers in the U.S. have the right to watch what you are doing with company assets (e.g. your office computer, your office Internet connection, etc. even if you work from home), and they may see that e-mailed resume and/or your many visits to Monster, etc. That can a very quick way to get fired!

You are the most attractive to a potential employer when you are still employed. 



Getting Ready to Be Unemployed
If you've done a little ground work and some planning, you'll feel more in control when the proverbial ax falls. Here are some things you can do in advance of being laid off, both at work and at home.


Read more at: http://www.job-hunt.org/layoffs/preparing-for-a-layoff-office.shtml

Homemade Fruit Leather

3 lbs fresh fruit, washed and hulled/pitted, etc.
1 cup of 100% fruit juice {use 1/3 cup per pound of fruit}
1-2 TSBP sugar, if desired

Wash fruit and remove the hull/ pit, etc. Slice in half and place in a pot on the stove. Add fruit juice and cook fruit until it's soft. Add sugar if you'd like. I've made it with and without- we loved it both ways, so I opt to leave it out. However if your fruit is tart, it might be good to add a tablespoon or two.

The next step is to blend/ puree the fruit until it's super smooth. You can do this in a variety of ways, depending on what kitchen gadgets you have. I love my immersion blender and it works great for this- just stick it in the berries and blend. It took about 10 seconds to make a smooth puree. I blended it for about a minute just to make sure I got all the chunks. You can also transfer the fruit to a blender and puree it that way.

 Pour the puree onto 2 jelly roll pans lined with parchment paper. You might want to trim the paper down a bit so that the side doesn't fall down into the puree. Mine did once and that fruit never dried out.

Set the oven to 170 degrees and prop the door open using a wooden spoon. As I said before, I've tried many recipes for fruit leather and I think this is the step that made the most difference! As the fruit is drying, the moisture needs somewhere to escape. Just be sure to keep any toddlers out of the kitchen or block it off with a baby gate.

Dry the fruit in the oven for 6-7 hours. Check it at 6 hours and see if you can peel it from the parchment paper. The fruit will still be slightly sticky. You don't want to make it crispy by cooking it too long! If it all peels up- it's done! If you still have portions that aren't cooked, put it back in the oven for another hour.

Once it's all done, before removing it from the parchment paper, cut it into strips. Then peel the paper off. There's no need to take time to roll with plastic wrap or wax paper or anything- just stick all the strips in a ziplock bag. Stick it in kid's lunches, serve as a snack, etc. 

Goals For Setting Priorities

Top 10 things to know when budgeting your money and setting financial priorities.

1. Narrow your objectives.
You probably won't be able to achieve every financial goal you've ever dreamed of. So identify your goals clearly and why they matter to you, and decide which are most important. By concentrating your efforts, you have a better chance of achieving what matters most.
2. Focus first on the goals that matter.
To accomplish primary goals, you will often need to put desirable but less important ones on the back burner.
3. Be prepared for conflicts.
Even worthy goals often conflict with one another. When faced with such a conflict, you should ask yourself questions like: Will one of the conflicting goals benefit more people than the other? Which goal will cause the greater harm if it is deferred?
4. Put time on your side.
The most important ally you have in reaching your goals is time. Money stashed in interest-earning savings accounts or invested in stocks and bonds grows and compounds. The more time you have, the more chance you have of success. Your age is a big factor - younger people (who have more time to build their nest egg) can invest differently than older ones. Generally, younger people can take greater risks than older people, given their longer investment horizon.
5. Choose carefully.

In drawing up your list of goals, you should look for things that will help you feel financially secure, happy or fulfilled. Some of the items that wind up on such lists include building an emergency fund, getting out of debt and paying kids' tuitions. Once you have your list together, you need to rank the items in order of importance (if you have trouble doing so, use the CNNMoney.com Prioritizer for help).

6. Include family members.
If you have a spouse or significant other, make sure that person is part of the goal-setting process. Children, too, should have some say in goals that affect them.
7. Start now.
The longer you wait to identify and begin working toward your goals, the more difficulty you'll have reaching them. And the longer you wait, the longer you postpone the advantage of compounding your money.
8. Sweat the big stuff.
Once you have prioritized your list of goals, keep your spending on course. Whenever you make a large payment for anything, ask yourself: "Is this taking me nearer to my primary goals - or leading me further away from them?" If a big expense doesn't get you closer to your goals, try to defer or reduce it. If taking a grand cruise steals money from your kids' college fund, maybe you should settle for a weekend getaway.
9. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Although this lesson encourages you to focus on big-ticket, long-range plans, most of life is lived in the here-and-now and most of what you spend will continue to be for daily expenses - including many that are simply for fun. That's OK - so long as your long-range needs are taken into consideration.
10. Be prepared for change.
Your needs and desires will change as you age, so you should probably reexamine your priorities at least every five years.

These tips come from Money magazine.

Emergency Comfort Kit

This idea came from a school teacher.  These kits are placed in a large barrel in each classroom and used in the event that there is an emergency at the school.  It would be a good idea for home too.

Family photograph
Travel game
Book
Emergency contact card: allergies, medications, Dr's number, our phone numbers
Wipes
Water bottle
Granola Bar
Notepad with pencil and crayons
Letter from mommy and daddy

They suggested using a 1 gallon clear zip-lock bag for these.

Build Your 72 Hour Kit in 52 Weeks

This is a great site for putting together a 72 kit.  I know a year seems like a long time but your can use the schedule as you like.  If you are starting from scratch in can be a little intimidating.  Hopefully this will ease a little stress.  The best thing you can do is just get started.  http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/07/build-your-72-hour-kit-in-52-weeks.html

Evacuate Your Home

9 checklists to help you prepare for evacuation  http://www.apinchofjoy.com/2012/07/evacuate-your-home-9-checklists-to-help/

Are You Prepared?

Some great ideas from 72hours.org   Check out their site:  http://72hours.org/

10 Essentials for Your Roadside Emergency Kit

Do you have a roadside emergency kit in your car? Have you ever wondered exactly what you should have in that kit? I have. Here is a list from a great blog...      http://loveyalyn.blogspot.com/2010/07/10-essentials.html

Natural Disaster Emergency Preparedness Resource Library

Natural disasters impact thousands of people's every year. Each disaster has its own specific effects on property and people, though disaster-relief organizations may try to help you in the event of a natural disaster, you must have your own plans in effect as well. Being prepared for a natural disaster reduces anxiety, fear, and the potential for loss. To learn more about how your family can prepare for the various disasters that may strike, consult the link below.             http://www.insurancequotes.org/2012/02/13/natural-disaster-emergency-preparedness-resource-library/

How to Make an "Everlasting Candle" from Crisco

 Good idea when the power is out:
 http://greatnorthernprepper.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/how-to-make-an-everlasting-candle-from-crisco/

Emergency Preparedness for Couples

It seems to me as if a lot of the resources for emergency preparedness are directed to families...with houses...with extra freezers...and lots of storage.

I don't have any of those things.

BUT-- that is no excuse! I still believe being prepared is super important, even for couples still in school, young professionals, etc. It's taken me a while (and a few times of doing it wrong) to finally figure out how to make this work for us (in our small apartment). Hopefully some of you young couples can use this to your advantage and get your emergency supply organized!

http://lifedesigncraft.blogspot.com/2012/01/emergency-preparedness-for-couples.html

Personal Finance Help Website created by BYU

The purpose of this Web site on Personal Finance is to instruct members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and others around the world about personal financial management from "another" perspective. This instruction is provided through a series of lessons delivered over the Internet and available through free personal finance manuals. While there is no college credit given for reviewing this material, there is a wealth of information provided that can help you learn about personal finance.

The web site can be accessed at:  http://personalfinance.byu.edu/

Seven Baby Steps by Dave Ramsey

Baby Step 1

$1,000 to start an Emergency Fund

An emergency fund is for those unexpected events in life that you can’t plan for: the loss of a job, an unexpected pregnancy, a faulty car transmission, and the list goes on and on. It’s not a matter of if these events will happen; it’s simply a matter of when they will happen. Learn more

Baby Step 2

Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball

List your debts, excluding the house, in order. The smallest balance should be your number one priority. Don’t worry about interest rates unless two debts have similar payoffs. If that’s the case, then list the higher interest rate debt first. Learn more

Baby Step 3

3 to 6 months of expenses in savings

Once you complete the first two baby steps, you will have built serious momentum. But don’t start throwing all your “extra” money into investments quite yet. It’s time to build your full emergency fund. Learn more

Baby Step 4

Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

When you reach this step, you’ll have no payments—except the house—and a fully funded emergency fund. Now it’s time to get serious about building wealth. Learn more

Baby Step 5

College funding for children

By this point, you should have already started Baby Step 4—investing 15% of your income—before saving for college. Whether you are saving for you or your child to go to college, you need to start now. Learn more

Baby Step 6

Pay off home early

Now it’s time to begin chunking all of your extra money toward the mortgage. You are getting closer to realizing the dream of a life with no house payments. Learn more

Baby Step 7

Build wealth and give!

It’s time to build wealth and give like never before. Leave an inheritance for future generations, and bless others now with your excess. It's really the only way to live! Learn more