Letter: Shopping for Storage Foods at COSTCO

Dear Jim, I just returned from COSTCO on big “stock up” trip for my retreat. (My family retreat/cabin is 155 miles away, and COSTCO is less than 20 miles away from my house.) Aside for maybe driving over 300 miles to Salt Lake City to buy from one of the big storage food companies, is there any better way to stock up, without my UPS driver knowing [what I’m getting]? Am I missing something, or is COSTCO the way to go? Thanks, – L.D.M. JWR Replies: As I mentioned in the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course, shopping at Big …


Two Letters Re: Route Security

Route Security by Chuck S. was a good article, but I would add a few things:   –          Newer cars will have daylight running lights and some basic tools may be needed to disable them for real covert night travel. –          If you can afford them, and practice using them, NVGs are great for covert night travel. –          Relying on Fuel en route is a gamble. Ideally, carry the fuel you need to get to your destination. For that, you should have a fuel supply stored and rotated. Use proper storage containers and procedures for safety. Use fuel stabilizer to …


Recipe of the Week

Kathy H.’ s One Pot Stuffed Pepper Stew: 1 lb. burger 1 small onion, chopped  3 bell peppers cut into 1″ pieces (I like all different colors) 1 T. olive oil 1. In 5 qt. Dutch Oven. Saute all above ingredients until meat is browned about 5 min. Do not drain meat.    1 c. rice (I used Mahatma Jasmine) 1 1/2 c. beef broth 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes (don’t drain) 1 tsp. seasonings of your choice.  basil, oregano, etc.   2.  Add rice, broth, tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover.  Cook rice …


Economics and Investing:

CNBC’s Rick Santelli tells Obama he can’t redistribute wealth if there is no wealth The biggest export from America? The middle class. The tradeoff for cheap goods and financial cronyism is coming back in a big way. Items from The Economatrix: The Level Of Economic Freedom In The United States Is At An All-Time Low When A Dollar Store Is Too Expensive: Growing Class Of Poor Americans Unable To Afford Items At Dollar Stores. Disabled Veterans Get Back Pension Raises


Odds ‘n Sods:

Here is yet another great post from preparedness bloggers Frank and Fern: Baby Chicken Wrap Up.    o o o Reader D.C. suggested a fine essay over at Sipsey Street Irregulars: The Firearms and Ammunition of “Alas, Babylon”    o o o I’ve heard from several readers about the relatively new Remington Model 770 rifles, as a low-cost alternative to the better-known Model 700. These use 6-groove button-rifled barrels. Model 770 rifles can be found new and factory equipped with a 3-9×40 variable scope for less than $375, or less than $500 in the more weather-resistant stainless steel variant with …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“The Progressives, as Marxists like to call themselves, have had it pretty much their way for a hundred years now. Wilson’s era brought us the Federal Reserve and the IRS, and took state representation away from the Senate. Franklin Roosevelt’s era brought us the welfare state, “rule by commerce clause”, big unions and the military-industrial alliance. Since then we’ve seen the War On Poverty, which we lost, the War On Drugs—or Prohibition II which we’re also losing in the same way we lost Prohibition I, a debt-backed dollar and a huge, ever more coercive and entrenched government with an unhealthy …


Notes from JWR:

January 19th is the birthday of the late Carla Emery (born 1939, died October 11, 2005.) She is well known in self-sufficiency circles as the author of The Encyclopedia of Country Living. (Which was re-released in a 40th Anniversary edition.) — Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice …


When The Schumer Hits (Literally), by Prepper EMT

Many things will change in a SHTF scenario but one of the most life altering will be the lack of 24/7 medical care.  Many people today take little to no hands-on care of their own personal health, and they are more than happy to let the doctors and nurses at their local doctor’s office or hospital take care of it for them.  Unfortunately, the day when local healthcare services will not be available could be closer then a lot of us think.  With the ObamaCare debacle in full swing, it’s high time each and every one of us begins to …


Letter Re: Composition of U.S. Five Cent Coins

Hello, I just read your article about stocking up on nickels. You suggested requesting new “wrapped” (fresh Federal Reserve Bank issue) rolls but then there were updates regarding the [potential] change to steel nickels. I did additional research and it appears that the nickel is still made of 25% nickel and 75% copper. Correct? So the suggestion would still be valid today. Correct? Or is it better to not request “new” nickels? Thanks, – Patrick F. JWR Replies: To the best of my knowledge the composition of U.S. has NOT changed since 1946. Although there are tentative plans, there have …


Letter Re: How To Use Your IRA /401k to Fund a Survival Retreat Property

Hello, One of your letter writers about IRA funding of retreat property said that “you can’t distribute half a house,” therefore the distribution could be a big tax hit. You cannot use or live in an IRA owned property until you take 100% distribution and take the tax hit at tax time, it is true. However, you can take gradual partial distribution over time to make the tax hit more tolerable. I have an IRA property that is a rental and the IRA ownership is currently 100%. I will start taking small distributions when I must at 70 and 1/2 …


Economics and Investing:

Economy shows signs of sputtering Marc Faber Warns “The Bubble Could Burst Any Day”; Prefers Physical Gold To Bitcoin Items from The Economatrix: The Number Of Working Age Americans Without A Job Has Risen By Almost 10 Million Under Obama. JWR’s Comment: Of course Obama would like to believe that even even the law of Gravity does not apply to him. But the truth is that there really are fewer Americans working now, than when he first took office. Low Wage Capitalism With A Dab Of Cronyism: Of Job Sectors With The Highest Growing Raw Number Of Positions 9 Out …


Odds ‘n Sods:

There are a couple of very interesting new posts over at the Paratus Familia blog: Bee Venom Therapy – Pain Relief from Your Own Back Yard, and Apple Cider Vinegar – Good for What Ails You    o o o SIG Sauer is Asking Us to Rethink the Polymer Striker Fired Pistol with the P320—SHOT Show 2014. My question: Will the new Model 320 accept SIG P250 magazines? I hope so, but I suspect not.    o o o Several readers mentioned some great commentary from Mac Slavo that ties into a recent news headline: Why I Cannot Support Concealed …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace …


Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 50 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $9,700+ worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A.) Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course. (A $1,195 value.) B.) A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, and C.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $350 value.) …


Firearms: Understanding the Performance of Your Rifle Through Trials and Tribulations

Many times, we get so caught up in buying our toys and getting them out of the package to play that we don’t pay attention to the fine details that really matter. It’s no surprise that prepping has generally been all about more, bigger, and better firearms and ammunition. Yet, there is so much to be learned about the proper use and care of your firearms that becomes lost on the average person. Many times we buy the gun, we get it out of the package, throw all of our tacti-cool stuff on it, maybe shoot it a few times, …