Regardless of how many #10 cans of “just-add-water-ready-to-eat” stuff you have, at some point you're going to have to learn to use a kitchen in much the same way as your granny or your great-granny did, so we've put together this list of 38 essential kitchen items for any survivalist.
1. Matches
If you don't smoke, why on earth would you need matches? Well, if you're going to learn to cook like granny, that will probably include cooking on top of a wood heat stove or on a wood cook stove with an oven. I know there are ways to start a fire with a magnifying glass, some straw and some kindling, but believe me, matches are easier.
If you're really good at starting and keeping a fire throughout the three daily meals, you could use as little as one match a day. If you're not, 20 may not be enough. We have found that the most economical matches are book matches, like you get with a pack of cigarettes. They come in a box of 50 books, 20 matches per book, for about $1.50 in many stores. That's a lot of lights for cheap. Wooden kitchen matches go for about $3.50 for 250 matches. See the difference? When you're living off the grid, every penny counts.
2. Can-Opener
As an off-gridder, I'm definitely not talking about the kind of can opener that plugs into a wall. Have at least two good, sturdy hand operated can-openers. The newer ones from China do wear out. We've worn out quite a few. We also have an Army C-Ration P-38 can-opener. It takes a little practice to use this device, but once you get the groove going on it, you can open a #10 can in a few seconds.
3. Hand Grain Mill
We personally like the Wondermill Junior Deluxe Hand Grain Mill. (Read The Survival Mom's review here.) For the money, it's the best we have found. What can you do with it? Grind wheat, rice, barley, oats, rye, lentils into flour. It can also be used to make nut-butters, like pinion butter, walnut butter, chestnut butter. It will also make cornmeal. The uses are virtually endless, especially if you eat a lot of whole, natural foods. Not all grain mills can be used for this many purposes.
4. Cast Iron/Stainless Steel Cookware
If you are going to be cooking over a wood stove of any kind, you need durable stainless steel or cast iron cookware. Aluminum (besides not being good for your health) tends to warp on wood cook stoves. Black, cast iron pans heat evenly, hold the heat for a long time and do not warp – not to mention giving you a little dose of iron in your food.
Enamelware is best, and so is stainless steel. Make sure the roasting pan will fit into your oven! Wood cook stoves don't have the same huge ovens as gas or electric stoves.
6. Tea Kettle
Stainless steel or copper works best for this archaic kitchen appliance. In the winter, a steaming tea kettle on the wood stove not only serves as at-the-ready for tea or coffee, the steam warms and moisturizes the air. Just don't let it boil down all the way before refilling it.
7. Colanders
Metal (stainless steel) is best. If you have or want some plastic colanders, understand that they will break over time, and most of them are made with BPA in the plastic.
8. Cookie Sheets
These versatile sheets can be used for breads, biscuits, cookies, for drying fruits or veggies. Avoid Teflon coatings or aluminum cookie sheets – get stainless steel.
9-21. Hand Utensils
Again, my recommendation is metal (stainless steel). It's much better than plastic, and with stainless steel and cast iron cookware, you don't have to worry about scratches:
Spatulas
Ladles
Serving spoons
Serving forks
Slotted spoons
Pastry cutter
Rolling pin
Sharpening steel
Cheese grater/slicer
Whisk
Potato peeler
Meat tenderizing hammer
22. Measuring Cups and Spoons
Once again, stainless steel is the best choice for these. A 4-cup glass measuring cup with a pour-spout would be a nice addition, too. Pay attention to the measuring spoons and cups you use most and have at least one or two backups. Those also come in handy on days when you're doing a lot of cooking and/or baking and reach for the same measuring tools over and over again.
23. Good knives
Good knives are ones that will keep a sharp edge for a reasonable amount of time, not go dull instantly upon use. If you can find old, carbon-steel knives in yard sales or flea markets, they are best – Old Hickory, Old Timers, Imperial are some brands to look for.
READ MORE: Check out The Survival Mom's list of things to look for whenever you go to a thrift shop or yard sale.
Updated article originally authored by Sheila at SurvivingSurvivalism.
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener, www.summitspringsgardenwriting.com Epsom salt (or in other words, hydrated magnesium sulfate crystals) is a naturally occurring mineral with virtually hundreds of uses around the home and garden. Many gardeners swear by this inexpensive, readily available product, but opinions are mixed. Read on to learn more about using Epsom salt as pesticide, and how to use Epsom salt for pest control in gardens. Epsom Salt and Garden Pests You may be familiar with using Epsom as fertilizer for your garden plants or even your lawn, but what about Epsom salt insect control? Here are a few ideas for using Epsom salt as pesticide: Epsom Salt Solution Insect Control – A mixture of 1 cup Epsom salt and 5 gallons of water may act as a deterrent to beetles and other garden pests. Mix the solution in a large bucket or other container, and
Nearly every January, I try to hit the gift show at the Atlanta Americasmart. It's always fun to go down there and be inspired by so many things and shopping some clothing sample sales and the cash and carry jewelry floor is a big draw too. This time, I took my friend, Heidi, with me and we were there for about 4 hours. Not nearly enough time to see everything in these 3 huge buildings, but it was fun nonetheless. This was just a couple of days before I left for my cruise, so I was thinking cruise related items too. I didn't buy much, but found a couple of things.
There are so many great home decor floors to look at too, but unfortunately we had limited time to do more the day we went.
4.5/5 (20) Editor’s Note: This post is another entry in the Prepper Writing Contest from Huples. If you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly win a $300 Amazon Gift Card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today. Around six years ago I stopped running (got suddenly sick […]
By Amy Grant Do you ever get those mixed bags of unshelled nuts? If so, then you are probably familiar with Brazil nuts, which are actually not botanically considered nuts at all. What are Brazil nuts then and what other Brazil nut tree info can we dig up? What are Brazil Nuts? Brazil nut trees (Bertholletia excelsa) are the sole species in the monotypic genus Bertholletia, named for the French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet. They are native to certain regions of the Amazon and can reach a height of 160 feet by up to 6 feet across and can live for 500 years or longer. The bark is smooth and grey and leaves are dry-season deciduous. Flowers are born in panicles with each flower possessing a two part deciduous calyx, six cream colored petals and a multitude of stamens shaped into a hooded mass. The fruit takes about 14 months
Many years ago, a friend of mine made a comment I've never forgotten.
"Every woman should have at least two different ways she can earn money."
The Problem
Now that the economy has tightened up and many families are struggling to make ends meet, I appreciate the wisdom of this statement more than ever. It's the principle of having a financial back-up plan, a concept foreign to most people.
If you're into preparedness, you're putting this principle into action, perhaps without realizing it. Your food storage is a back-up plan in case store-bought groceries ever become too expensive, difficult to access, or depleted. The vegetables in your garden are a back-up plan if your food storage supplies run low. (Back-up plans to your back-up plans are always a good idea.)
If you're saving money, you're already in the back-up-plan mode. Suze Orman, like all financial advisers, has long stressed the importance of being debt free. However, with the changes in our economy, she now says, "Save, save, save!" Your savings are a back-up plan to a possible job loss. If you've been buying gold and other precious metals, that's a back-up plan to your cash savings!
There's a vital need now more than ever to have a back-up plan to your source of income. The past few years have taught me that no job, no career field is truly safe anymore. I've seen teachers and attorneys lose their jobs overnight. The construction industry in our city is at an all-time low with its' workers seeking jobs anywhere they can find them. A seemingly stable career can end in a flash with a pink slip. If that happened to you or your spouse, what would you do? Do you have more than one way of (legally!) earning money?
Taking Stock
Alternative ways to earn money is one of the best back-up plans you could have. My friend Pat, who passed along the advice, is not only a 4th grade teacher but also a licensed masseuse. Another friend runs a produce co-op and has learned how to design websites. Women are amazingly creative, and SurvivalMoms will always figure out a way to provide whatever their families need. SurvivalDads too, by the way!
Now is the perfect time to take stock of the interests, skills and knowledge you have.
What talents do you have that, perhaps, have been neglected due to the busy-ness of your life?
Is there a direct sales company you have long admired that offers quality products with a low start-up cost?
Did you once, long ago, prepare for a career that was sidelined for one reason or another?
Can one of your hobbies become a source of income?
Have any of your closest friends said, "You should do that for a living!" or "You'd be so good as a _____!"? Maybe it's time to take their advice!
Does your family participate in an activity or hobby that could be turned into a family business?
Is there a partially-finished college degree in your background? Could you dig up your transcripts, take a few classes, and complete it?
What need do you see in your community that you have the ability or desire to fulfill?
Be creative and think way, way outside the box. One of my friends decided to start a pizza delivery business to people living in the far outlying areas of her city. Sure enough, she began collecting orders and spent her evenings driving long distances to the homes of hungry, pizza-craving customers!
The internet opened an ever-expanding door for income opportunities, and most have the advantages of having minimal or no start-up costs and being home-based.
It's not boom time in America anymore. No one knows when, or if, our economy will truly recover. A second or third source of income, however small, may be a financial back-up plan now, but could someday become your primary career.
By Mary H. Dyer, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener, www.summitspringsgardenwriting.com Pitcher plants are interesting and beautiful carnivorous plants that rely primarily on insect pests for sustenance. Do pitcher plants bloom? They certainly do, and pitcher plant flowers are just as fascinating as the colorful, mysterious pitchers. Read on for more pitcher plant (Sarracenia) flower information. Pitcher Plant Flowers Have you noticed something different about your pitcher plant or one from someone else’s garden – something appearing somewhat like a flower? Then the plant is blooming, or getting ready to. Flowers of pitcher plants make an appearance in a two- to three-week span of time in April or May, depending on the climate and the specific plant type. The flowers, which look much like upside-down umbrellas, rise above the pitchers, a functional design that serves to protect friendly pollinators from inadvertently getting caught in the pitcher. Flowers of pitcher plants may
I'm back with today's Feature Friday, with Part 2 of Shauna's beach cottage in Naples, FL. I introduced you to The House of Silver Lining a couple of weeks ago and today, I'm back with her family's beautiful beach cottage. They have had the cottage for a few years and although they live full time in Colorado, they travel to Florida often in the summer months to stay in their beach house. It was decorated really cute, but Shauna has recently undergone a huge renovation project and updated the kitchen, master bath, and more, so I'm sharing all of that today. It's a gorgeous place and I can imagine many enjoyable days spent in this house!
Since I just returned from my Carnival cruise last week, I thought you all would enjoy seeing what I packed and wore on the cruise. Hopefully this will help some of you who may be going on a cruise yourself. This was my 3rd cruise and things do change over the course of time. The formal nights on the first cruise I went on were a little bit more formal than they are today. My friend, Beth, who went with me is a cruise veteran and has been on about 18 cruises, so she has seen formal nights scale down to more cocktail attire instead of full blown black tie. We didn't see any black tie this time except for some of the cruise staff. But, it's still fun to get dressed up for dinner every night and feel elegant on a cruise. We made a point to pack some dresses and we did dress nice for dinner every night.
By Karen Boness, Owner of Wild Willow Landscape Design, ISA Certified Arborist, Certified Permaculture Designer If you’ve never gardened before, you might feel both excited and overwhelmed. You have probably browsed through plant books, spent hours gazing at yummy seed catalogs and roamed the aisles of all your favorite local nurseries salivating over all those pretty plants. You imagine a gorgeous garden where you can entertain your friends and family. But where do you begin? You know it can be a lot of work and you wonder how to make gardening easier than everyone says it is. What are the best time saving tips for gardeners? Read on to learn more. How to Make Gardening Easier The best gardening ideas for beginners require you to slow down, proceed methodically and get organized. That may not sound like much fun, but it will be worth it in the long run. The
3.62/5 (21) Editor’s Note: This post is another entry in the Prepper Writing Contest from Pat Veretto. If you have information for Preppers that you would like to share and possibly win a $300 Amazon Gift Card to purchase your own prepping supplies, enter today. Let's face it, food can be heavy and bulky, even […]
If you answered yes to all 5 move on to the next level.
Medium skills level:
Do you know how to cut up a whole chicken?
Do you know how to hem or fix a rip in clothing?
Do you have a stocked first aid kit in your home?
Do you know how to build and maintain a fire?
Do you know how to cook and season dried beans?
If you answered yes to any of the 5, move on to the next level.
Hard skills level:
Do you know how to grown your own vegetables?
Do you know how to use a pattern and sew your own clothes?
Do you know how to can fruits and vegetables?
Do you know how to start a fire without matches?
Do you know how to raise chickens?
Do you have a fully prepared emergency kit in your home?
Do you own and know how to use a gun?
Do you or does someone in the home know how to fish and hunt?
Do you have a well-stocked pantry?
Do you know how to make a quilt?
Do you know how to bake bread from scratch?
Do you know CPR and basic first aid skills?
Do you have the physical ability to ride a bike?
Do you know how to purify water for drinking?
Do you know how to cook in a dutch oven with charcoal?
If you answered yes to all in this level, congratulations! You will survive. If you passed the easy and medium levels but failed the hard level not to worry. You are teachable. A Boy Scout learns 99% of these skills!
Today, I'm joining a group of other blogger friends in a Welcome Winter party, so I think this is something you'll all enjoy, since Winter is indeed here! I went on a cruise last week and was so happy to have escaped some Winter weather that Atlanta was experiencing during that time and I can't say I was sorry to miss it. We got a dusting of snow and some cold and frigid temperatures and I was basking in the sun in the Caribbean. Not a hard way to live! I'll be sharing all about that soon. Don't worry, I'll be back on Thursday with Fashion over 50 this week!
By Liz Baessler Astilbe is a tough flowering perennial that is hardy from USDA zones 3 through 9. This means that it can survive the winter in even very harsh climates. While it should survive for years, there are a few steps you can take to give it a serious leg up and make sure it survives the cold. Keep reading to learn about care for astilbe plants in winter and how to winterize astilbe. Winterizing Astilbe Plants Astilbe plants like to be kept moist, so it’s important to keep watering yours until the ground freezes. After the first hard frost, put down about two inches (5 cm) of mulch around the stem. This will help regulate the temperature of the soil and keep the roots moist through the winter. Be careful not to put the mulch down until the frost, though. While the roots like to be moist, mulch
3.75/5 (16) Editor’s Note: This post is another entry in the Prepper Writing Contest from Mike Turner. For those of you who don't remember, Mike won second place in the last round of our writing contest and he has turned in another great article for your consideration. If you have information for Preppers that you […]
By Amy Grant Brussels sprouts, it seems you either love them or hate them. If you reside in the latter category, you probably haven’t tried them fresh from the garden at their peak. These rather oddly shaped plants bear miniature cabbages (enlarged auxiliary buds) that are trimmed from the stalk. If this is your first time growing your own, you might be wondering how to trim Brussels sprout plants or do you even have to trim Brussels sprouts? Read on to learn more. Pruning Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts were first cultivated in, you guessed it, Brussels, where they are a cool weather crop thriving in temps between 60-65 degrees F. (15-18 C.). In some regions, they may even survive throughout the winter if temperatures are mild enough. They grow much akin to broccoli and cauliflower, in well-draining soil with plenty of irrigation. One of the most common questions in reference
Farmhouse decor has been all the rage for at least 5 years now, with so many loving this rustic and casual style of decorating. I think we all wish we lived in a real life farmhouse at one time or another and I know I certainly drool over these older historic farmhouse homes that just evoke a sense of timelessness and country living.
Today, I'm introducing you to a new shopping site, Antique Farmhouse, which has all the charming farmhouse decor that many of you love and want to incorporate into your own homes. When I clicked over and saw what they had to offer, I knew that my readers would enjoy it too.
There you are, lost in the wilderness. You zigged when you should have zagged and have finally come to terms with the thought that you’re going to have to spend the night in the rough. With only an hour or so of daylight left, it is past time to choose your survival shelter location and get going on building it. Thankfully, you have a few supplies with you, such as a knife, an emergency blanket, and some paracord. You’ve also taken the time to study a bit about wilderness survival so cobbling together a small debris hut or lean to shouldn’t be too difficult or time-consuming.
Before you begin construction, though, you should take the time to find a truly suitable location for the shelter. Doing so will help to avoid adding to your list of woes. Keep in mind, too, that all of these suggestions apply whether you’re in an actual survival situation or if you’re just out camping for the night. More than one casual hiker or Scout troop has been caught unawares and had a bad campsite turn a fun outing into a bad experience, or worse.Not to be dramatic, but your survival shelter location could determine if you survive or not.
Building materials.
First, if you are building some or all of the shelter from natural materials, such as a debris hut, you will probably want to locate your shelter near said supplies. It makes little sense to carry branches, logs, and such great distances if you don’t have to do so. Hopefully you’ll only be staying in the shelter a single night but, just in case, if you find a water source in the area, position your shelter near it, but not directly on it. We’re talking about conservation of energy, here. The less energy you expend having to harvest water, the more energy you’ll have for other necessary tasks.
You may also choose to use a natural cave or boulder to shelter, or gather rocks together to form a wind break for your shelter. Gathering rocks has the secondary purpose of leaving a more comfortable area for you to lay down and sleep, as does gathering sticks for a debris hut or fire. The area under large trees is often sheltered from rain and snow, making it worth at least looking around under any large trees. Be careful of roots both in terms of where you are sleeping and where you build a fire. The last thing you want to do is accidentally set an entire tree on fire because the roots were in your fire pit!
You may also choose to gather materials such as dried grass, fir branches, or other softer materials to put down inside your shelter as a softer, warmer place to sleep. Bare ground is generally cooler than people, especially at night. The cooler temperatures can make sleeping uncomfortable, so putting an insulating layer (such as those listed above) can do a lot for your health and comfort.
Shelter location.
Next, take a moment to look above your chosen location. If you see any large dead branches, find a different spot. Those branches are called “widow makers.” You probably won’t want to be underneath one should it break loose and come crashing down. Sheltering under a large tree may give you a bit of added protection from the weather. There is a reason there is often a dry spot under large trees after even a heavy rain or snow fall.
Take a look around and see if there is evidence of large amounts of rain runoff. While the sky might be clear now, who knows what the night might hold. If you’re in a gulley or ditch, it might turn into a fast moving stream after a sudden downpour. If there is a log, line of rocks, or other natural structure, it could funnel water in a particular direction and you won't want to put your shelter at that spot, but one side of it could also be less windy – and therefore warmer.
There is an awful lot of wildlife that is nocturnal, meaning the critters are most active after sundown. If your shelter is smack dab in the middle of the forest’s version of an interstate highway, you’re going to have a lot of visitors. Some of them might not be very happy that you are blocking traffic. While in a true survival situation we might be looking forward to bagging one or two Happy Meals on legs, you probably don’t want them crawling into bed with you or bumping into your shelter all night long. Remember to keep an eye out for buys when you choose your location.
If there is a patch of poison ivy, oak, etc. in the area, put your shelter in a place where you won't be likely to walk straight into the poison. This is more of an issue for middle of the night bathroom pit-stops because you won't be able to see anything and you want to minimize the chances you will walk through it, or use it for toilet paper.
Shelter orientation.
You should also plan out the orientation of your shelter. The sun may shine straight into it and wake you up. Do you want that? (The answer may be yes, or you may need to sleep longer.)
You don’t want the prevailing wind coming directly into the mouth or opening of the shelter, unless you know the night will be hot and the breeze welcome. This is doubly important if you’re building your fire near the opening of the shelter! The last thing you want is to have smoke and burning embers blowing in your face. If warmth is a concern, and it almost always is, build a reflecting wall of logs near the shelter opening, then make your fire between that wall and your shelter. You can use your Mylar blanket, if you have one, to reflect more heat toward you.
By giving just a little thought ahead of time, you can dramatically improve your situation and avoid further risks of injury.
By Liz Baessler As nuts go, cashews are pretty strange. Growing in the tropics, cashew trees flower and fruit in the winter or dry season, producing a nut that’s much more than a nut and has to be handled with care. Keep reading to learn how to harvest cashews. About Cashew Harvesting When cashew nuts form, they appear growing out of the bottom of a big swollen fruit. The fruit, called a cashew apple, isn’t really a fruit at all, but is actually the swollen end of the stem just above the cashew nut. Each apple is paired with a single nut, and the visual effect is pretty bizarre. The apples and nuts will form in the winter or dry season. Cashew harvesting can take place about two months after the fruit has set, when the apple takes on a pink or red cast and the nut turns gray. Alternatively,
I have to admit, this is a difficult topic to bring up because, to many people, it veers way too close to betraying the country of our birth. However, I've been thinking about this a lot. If I truly believe that utter chaos is coming to America in the form of an economic collapse, EMP, or some other horrific event, then why stay here? Why not find a small, obscure country and hole up for a while, thus protecting my family and myself?
I began researching this subject a few years ago when a reader contacted me and told me about her move to Chile. She and her husband had decided to make the move after much research. They were loving the clean air, pure food, friendly people, and a change in their lifestyle.
I was intrigued. Hmmm…could leaving the U.S. entirely trump food storage, a bug out location, and all the other traditional preps? I began to research residency requirements of various countries.
My first discovery was a shocker. Very few countries want me! They don't want me, my husband, my family, my parents. Rules for residency can be quite strict, sometimes even requiring the deposit of a large sum of money into one of the nation's banks. Some countries are quite frank about preventing people like me from coming into their country. To do so, I need to provide:
Proof of health insurance
Proof of regular income
Background check
Health report from a doctor for each family member
Financial information
Birth and marriage certificates
Possibly proof you can speak the language of this country
Additionally, there are strict rules regarding time in country and visa requirements.
This is a stark and startling contrast to the mass human migration we've seen in the past couple of years. If citizens of Central America, Mexico, and nearly every other country can walk past our southern border without any of the above, including personal identification, then why do other countries make it so difficult, and, more importantly, where can a law-abiding, hard working American citizen go when they decide to relocate?
(To be fair, the U.S. does have a lengthy process for legal immigration, and it's quite a difficult path, thus the popularity of illegal immigration.)
Plenty of questions, no easy answers
At one time I thought my family could just pick a country and move there. The entire world was our oyster! Where should we go? Australia? New Zealand? England? Somewhere in Europe? Obviously, we would want to go where English was spoken and where we could quickly blend in.
Well, it didn't take long to find out that if I'm over 35, Australia doesn't want me. Other countries may let us visit for a time, but do not allow long-term or permanent residency. The countries that are left are an odd mix:
Chile
Panama
Costa Rica
Hungary
Ireland (ancestry)
Israel (If you're Jewish or have Jewish heritage.)
Belgium
There are a few more, but the pickin's are slim when it comes to finding a country that has less restrictive residency requirements.
It boils down to having money, ancestry, time, and/or flexibility. $100,000 will buy a passport and citizenship in Dominica. Ancestors from Hungary, going back 4 generations, can smooth the way for residency in Hungary and Hungarian citizenship. Convert to Judaism and you may become an Israeli citizen, complete with mandatory military service.
If you're about to have a baby, or are planning one, Brazil is one of only a handful of countries that provides citizenship to every baby born within its borders. Permanent residency can be obtained in Chile, after living there continuously for five years.
As you can see, there is no simple path to residency or, if you choose, citizenship. And then there's the nightmare of dealing with bureaucrats, long distance phone calls, websites and applications in a foreign language, and, in many cases, visits to a consulate or embassy that could be hundreds of miles away.
Gaining residency in another country is possible. Just not as easy as one would think.
More complications and considerations
If you are able to find a country that will allow temporary residence, and possible permanent residency, then there are tax considerations. The United States is one of only two countries that taxes its citizens no matter where they live and regardless of how long the have been out of the country. I've read horror stories of people whose families left the United States when they were very young children, grew up elsewhere, and the were taxed by the U.S. on the income they had earned in that country. Yep, the U.S. and Eritrea share this same tax policy. The only 2 countries in the world.
Something to consider, when researching an expat destination and residency, is what the taxation policy is of your country of choice. Some countries, such as Hungary, has a double taxation policy, which allows them to collect taxes from non-resident citizens — but then there are loopholes and exceptions!
The U.S. is dead serious about collecting taxes from expats. Not sure if it's out of greed, entertainment for the I.R.S., or stems from a desire to punish anyone leaving the country, but stories like this one are far more common than you might think:
I just found out that despite my income earned and taxed abroad being a) below the foreign income exclusion limit, and b) covered by a bilateral tax treaty between the country where I have lived for the past 49 years, the IRS wants to tax it fully, leaving me with an effective tax rate of 61% from now on.
One of the reasons is that many of the required subforms, e.g. W-2, do not exist in this country (Finland). I sent them my Finnish tax decision along with a translation. They accepted the amount of my earnings, but gave me no credit for the local national tax paid. They have given me three weeks to refile, but the information that they want, such as Social Security and Obamacare payments, doesn't exist here or is irrelevant to my situation. I am a pensioner whose sole source of income is a Finnish state pension, and I am fully covered by the Finnish health care system. Having worked only in Finland, I never paid into and am ineligible for Social Security and cannot, of course, sign up for Obamacare. They are threatening with draconian fines and seizure of assets so as to leave me destitute for the rest of my life.
So, you may find the ideal country that welcomes you with open arms. You can learn the language and start a new life, but no matter how far you go, the I.R.S. will track you down and demand their pound of flesh.
Oh, and there's a sweet little federal law, FATCA (Federal Account Tax Compliance Act) that requires foreign banks to reveal the identity of Americans with accounts over $50,000. They have to hand over names, addresses, account balance, account numbers and Social Security or other U.S. identification numbers. Banks who do not comply are punished, by the United States, with a withholding tax of 30% on payments from U.S. banks. Naturally, this has caused many foreign banks to refuse Americans wishing to open accounts, and who can blame them?
The Treasury Department has been unable to cite any constitutional, statutory, or regulatory authority which allows it to compel foreign institutions to collect and share the financial information of U.S. citizens.
Americans living abroad must file an annual report, the FBAR (Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report), by June 30, of each year, if they have a foreign account holding more than $10,000. Failure to file that report, and ignorance of the law is no excuse, can result in fines up to $500,000 and up to 10 years in prison!! Spreading that money between multiple banks may help you disguise the sum total for a while, but not forever. And, $10,000 is a pathetically small amount of money, considering the fact that the I.R.S. collected over $1 trillion in the most recent fiscal quarter — October, 2014 through January, 2015.
It looks like FATCA, FBAR, and these draconian policies are here to stay, forever, so it's just one more consideration if you're planning on leaving the U.S.
By the way, a little civics lesson here. FATCA was included in a quietly passed jobs bill. If a Senator or Representative would have voted against this bill, they would have been excoriated by the opposing party for voting against a "jobs bill". The next time a politician you favor is accused for voting against a bill that seems altruistic, dig a little deeper to find out what else, exactly, was in that bill.
Loopholes & confusion
Countries that have lenient ancestry requirements still don't make it easy for applicants. Take Ireland, for example. You may be granted permanent residency and citizenship:
SovereignMan.com
A couple of years ago I was on New Zealand's website, looking for information about residency and came away with a massive headache. A few forms on the Switzerland website were in German only.
To complicate matters (is that even possible?), these laws can change quickly and without notice. A country friendly to American expats could become hostile with just the election of a new president.
Lessons learned?
Research, research, research!
Simplify your lifestyle now and prepare to live on less money and with fewer belongings.
Have your vital documents at the ready.
Read the fine print.
Take your time.
Be patient.
Oh, be wary of professional expat advisers. I've come across a few that paint an alluring picture of the country and people but after more research, I discovered they were more interested in selling their services than in providing accurate info.
Why leave?
I answer that question and provide several historical examples of relocating — in fact, it's highly likely your own ancestors relocated and that's how you ended up an American citizen!
Are you ready to relocate?
After researching, studying, praying, and discussing a relocation, you've decided to take the plunge. But! Have you considered whether or not you are a good candidate for this major step?
One of the most critical factors in transitioning to a new location, whether foreign or domestic, is your ability to adapt to new situations. Is your basic temperament and personality one that is flexible? Do you enjoy new experiences and meeting new people? When faced with an abrupt change in your life, do you adapt easily or do you resist the change? I know one woman who, after several years following a divorce, insists that she's still married in spite of the fact that her husband is remarried to someone else!
A move to another country is going to plunge you and your family into a world in which most everything is different and new:
Language
Customs
Food
Holidays
Housing
Attitudes
Entertainment
Technology accessibility
Laws
Climate
Some personality types adjust to these changes more easily. Others will require more time.
Along with adaptability are expectations. How realistic are your expectations for this move? Are you expecting a smooth and seamless transition? Thorough research, talking with other expats, and then actually visiting and spending time in the country or area of your choice will help keep your expectations well grounded.
Then there are the practical issues of age, health, time, and money. There's no perfect age for moving out of the country. Younger people are likely in better health but with fewer career skills and less saved money. Young couples have each other to depend on but having younger children will make this quite difficult.
Imagine, or remember, taking all the kids to Target or the grocery store. That's no easy task! Now, imagine taking them to a foreign country where English isn't spoken and trying to find a place to live, decipher even the most basic written information, stand in line in various bureaucratic offices to get one license or document or another, and adapt to a completely different lifestyle. No matter how young and fit you are, this just might push you over the edge into insanity!
The process will be easier if your kids are older but then, at the high school age, they often don't want to leave their friends, sports, and other activities. How easy will it be for them to develop new friendships in this new location and how will they go to college, in particular, if they aren't fluent in the language?
Growing up in this new country, the kids will probably meet their future spouse, who may very well be a local. Now, with grandkids in a country that is not the U.S., will you ever want to leave them? Those with grown kids and grandkids now, face the challenge of moving away and, possibly, never again being a part of their lives. As we age, health issues ultimately become a fact of life.
The health of each family member may impact whether or not a country allows residency. For example, Australia has been known to prevent families with autistic kids from coming into their country, even when the parents have viable, well-paying jobs waiting for them. And, if there are health issues of any kind, will you be able to find the doctors and care necessary in this new location and how will you pay for those services? Some countries, upon granting residency, require a fee for their national health insurance. Fair enough.
Now, the issue of money. Bottom line: the more you have, the easier it will be to find a country willing to grant residency quickly and the easier it will be to settle into a comfortable lifestyle. No surprises there.
But expenses add up even for the non-millionaires among us. It's highly recommended that you visit the country, or area of the U.S., first before taking the plunge. That's going to require travel expenses and time off from work. One family I know had their hearts settled on Belize. They did the research, had contacts in the country, visited once, and on the second visit, realized the country was not for them at all, but by then, they had sunk a few thousand dollars into the venture.
The moving process can be quite expensive. What do you take with you? If it's just the clothes on your back and whatever a suitcase or two can hold, that's no problem. Most of us, though, will want to take other possessions. Yes, you can sell it all, but how expensive will it be to replace those items once you relocate and will the quality be what you want? A shipping container costs money and may take several weeks to arrive at the dock of your new country. In the meantime, you may have to live in a hotel or a furnished apartment.
In addition to the expenses of checking out different locations and the moving process is the financial requirements of just about every country I know of. Examples:
Costa Rica requires a deposit of $60,000 in a Costa Rican bank for those in the "rentista" category. You are paid $2500 per month out of that balance for 24 months and this becomes your monthly income, at least in part.
Antigua has an "economic citizenship" program that requires a government donation of $250,000, plus another $50,000 per family member.
Belgium requires that you have a salary of at least € 50,000 per year.
Hungary has a residency bond program. Deposit a little over $300,000 in one of their banks and you'll have to pay another $60,000 as a processing and administration fee.
All countries will have fees for visas and whatever other bureaucratic fees they choose to apply. If the paperwork is not in English, that's a hurdle to overcome and many countries require a face-to-face interview. In their language.
So what if you have little to no money? Is becoming an ex-pat out of the question? Not at all. In fact, if you're adventurous, you may even prefer the much simpler lifestyle it brings. Rather than being barricaded in a luxurious neighborhood behind guarded gates, you can live among the locals, shop where they shop, hang out where they hang out, and learn the language and customs very quickly. This is pretty much how I lived when I traveled for months at a time and ended up living in both Germany and Israel.
In this video, I explain a few more considerations before you jump into the decision to leave the U.S.
Emotional ties
I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up the issue of deep, emotional ties to your home country and the loved ones you'll leave behind. It's interesting to see who can do this easily, without looking back, and who can't. It's not a matter of being callous and without emotional attachments, as these people wholeheartedly love the family members they leave behind. In some cases, they plan to help move them to their new location as soon as possible.
Deeply felt ties to America aren't quite as easily cut as many think. "America" isn't just a land mass but a way of thinking and how you view the rest of the world. And, it works the other way, too. Locals in other countries will have a different worldview and cultural norms. One article asks, "Does everyone in Chile lie?" You'll miss living in a country where everyone pretty much has the same social norms.
You're going to miss favorite foods and restaurants and ease of living. You'll miss your favorite brands of clothing, your church, holidays spent with friends and family, and Amazon Prime! Depending on where you move, you will probably have to leave pets behind.
On their own, these may not seem like much, but together, combined with the foreign-ness of a different country may make assimilation far more difficult than you'd ever imagined, which circles back to my original question: How adaptable are you?
Is it even worth the bother?
Based on the huge number of hurdles and hassles, is it even worth considering leaving the U.S.? Well, that depends on your reasons for leaving. One family who chose to relocate to Chile did so because they believe a nuclear war is coming, it will mostly affect the northern hemisphere and they don't care to suffer the long-term consequences. (Both have backgrounds as scientists in the nuclear energy field.) Based on their last email, they are still very happy with their choice.
If you're convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that war is coming to the U.S., or an EMP, then why would you stay here and subject your family to the aftermath? Some believe that God's judgment is coming on America — why not escape that, if possible?
My point is that the hassles and hard work of leaving will be worth the effort, or not, depending on your motivation. Once you make the move, remember that it's not necessarily forever — if that thought helps get you through the rough patches.
A reader on Facebook wrote, "We tried it out in Panama for 2 years. I did not like it at all. I wanted to kiss the ground when we arrived back in the US a year ago. We made a ton of expat friends (and some local friends). But it wasn't for me. You have to adjust to a very different way of life. I was unable to adjust. For those who are interested in learning more about Panama, there is a group, ExPats in Panama, that my friend admins. There are tons of people who'd love to talk to you about it.
We saved a ton of money by living there. We work remotely for a company (get a paycheck, even though the company was our own company), and so we were able to claim the foreign earned income tax credit for 2 years. It is fairly easy to become a resident of Panama, but I don't know why you'd want to become a citizen. If you lived like the locals live, you could easily live on $1,000/mo. If you want to live the same lifestyle in the US, then it would be more toward $3,000/mo as reasonable."
Could you ever leave the U.S. for good? What is your motivation to leave, or stay?
Learn more
I've learned a lot from these resources:
Expat forums — get the nitty gritty from expats all over the world
It's that time again! I'm about to hit another milestone on my blog, with my 9th blogoversary coming up the first of February. It has been such an amazing journey and I think I say that every single year. I had absolutely NO idea that I would be blogging this long and that it would become my career and producer of income. God has truly blessed me beyond my wildest dreams with this gift, at my age in life and I am so so grateful, 9 years later to still be here.
I'm not sure what else I can add to last year's 8 year blogging post, but I will try to do another recap of the year from my own blog perspective. If you've missed my previous 8 part series of my blog story, it's a pretty good read and you might want to start with Part 1.
By Teo Spengler If your quince fruit is cracking, you are not alone. Quince fruit split is not uncommon. It happens where one or more quinces split, creating openings through which diseases and pests can attack otherwise healthy fruit. Quince fruit split is a condition often caused by water supply issues. Read on for more information about the causes for splitting quince fruit. Quince Fruit Tree Problems Quince are small, irregularly shaped trees that grow to some 15 feet high. They bear dramatic flowers on the tips of the shoots in hues of white or bright pink. Quince trees are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 9. Quince trees are vulnerable to various quince fruit tree problems, including: Fire blight Borers Codling moth Curculio Scale Tent caterpillars The fruit itself can suffer from quince fruit split. In fact, fruit split in quince in quite common.
My son is a Boy Scout. The saying is "boy led, adult managed." This roughly means boys do all the work, but adults keep them safe. I received a voicemail sometime over the weekend on my cell phone but didn't notice and check it until around bedtime on Monday. He was asked to teach the other Scouts about wintertime cooking for outdoor camping as part of the Tuesday meeting – when he was already scheduled to be in a concert.
Since I don't want all the boys to suffer because of this, I'm going to do his work for him, but have a conversation with him and the Assistant Senior Patrol Leader (who didn't confirm he could do this) to point out where it went wrong.
You may not ever plan on doing winter camping, but it's still worth thinking about so you can be prepared if you have to. The basic rule: quick and easy to prepare (and clean up), but packs lots of healthy calories.
Winter menu planning
The two keys are that it should be warm and have lots of calories. Warm is easy enough to understand. If your body or the air around it are cold, warm food helps keep it closer to the 98.6 of a healthy body. Cold food lowers your temperature. That's why it's not a good idea to eat snow for fluids in a survival situation: You risk making your core body temperature dangerously low. If you melt it first, it's warmer – and safer. Better still, boil it and have a hot drink like coffee, tea, or chocolate, if you have them on hand.
High calorie may not be as obvious, especially in a culture where we are always being told to watch our calories, cut calories, etc. The simple fact is that our body expends calories to keep itself warm when it's cold outside. We need calories to burn to stay warm.
In addition, easy / fast to make foods are best so you don't have to spend a lot of time outside of your shelter cooking, and to ensure faster clean up. Think about it this way: When it's freezing outside, how long do you want to be outside with your hands in a dishpan full of water? Every pot / pan / utensil you can eliminate in cooking is one you eliminate in cleaning.
Don't start meal preparation on your campout. Cut everything you can before you ever leave. If something needs done and you can do it in the comfort and warmth of your home, do so!
Specific foods
Don't forget to drink and stay hydrated.
Camping Road Trip recommends 50% carbohydrates – breads, pastas, 30% fats and oils, and 20% protein. Your body converts carbohydrates into energy, and heat, very quickly and easily. The fats and oils allow you to produce body heat over a longer period of time. The protein helps with hunger and repairing damaged or stressed muscles.
These are fast to make, kid-friendly meals:
Chili
Easy Mac or Ramen
Hot dogs
Most things in a Dutch oven
Spaghetti
Oatmeal
Choosing a fuel – and stove
There are a variety of fuels available, as discussed (briefly) below. For winter camping, white fuel (also known as Naptha, camp fuel, or Coleman fuel) is a great choice because, unlike propane, it is usable below freezing, but it does need treated with caution. Wood is another great choice, as long as you are somewhere wood is readily available. Some camp stoves are multi-fuel, allowing you to choose whatever fuel you want, but others only use one fuel. Be sure to choose a stove that meets your need.
Choosing a fuel
Kerosene is inexpensive, isn't explosive, and stores energy densely. However, it tends to be smoky and have a distinctive odor when it burns.
Multi-fuel stoves do exactly what it sounds like: they can use multiple different fuels. The true advantage to theses is that if you are traveling with another person who has their own stove fuel, it is possible to use some of theirs, if needed.
Propane comes in gas canisters and is readily available not just at camping stores but at places like Target and Walmart. The canister simply screws onto the stove or grill. Simple as they are to use, the gas isn't usable below freezing.
White gas is an odorless, liquid petroleum-based fuel. It is also known as Naptha, camp fuel, or Coleman fuel, after the company that first popularized it. It is easy to find, packs a lot of energy in a small space, and can be used at any temperature. It is also explosive and potentially messy because it needs to be poured into the stove or another container, particularly for multi-fuel stoves.
Wood is a traditional fuel but isn't always available. If there is a lot of wood near where you might use the stove, including near your home (emergencies happen there too), then a stove that uses wood may a good choice.
Choosing a stove
My newest toy is a collapsible rocket stove (review forthcoming). This is too heavy to use for backbacking, but rocket stoves in general are very efficient in their fuel use. In addition, you can add some insulation (dirt, for example) around the bottom on the inside of the stove to decrease your cook time a little bit more, just be sure not to block the air flow or cover the fire.
I love a solar oven as much as the next prepper, but the farther north you are, the lower the angle of the sun's rays in the winter – and the more time it takes to cook. If you want to put something in there and leave it in a sunny spot all day (assuming you can find one in the winter), that may work great for you, but for most of us, a sun oven won't be the first choice for winter cooking.
A campfire is the classic, of course, but it also takes time to get a good cooking fire going and you may need coals, not a full-on campfire, for your cooking, which will require even longer. Dutch ovens almost always require coals, not a fire, but don't require a lot of babysitting. That means the cook can go into a shelter while it cooks more easily. Food that is grilled or otherwise cooked directly over the fire needs constant tending, which means the cook(s) can't go into a shelter.
Protecting your cooksite
Be smart about where you put your cook site. Damp leaves will quickly become dry leaves (tinder) and snow will be water once the fire starts, so be sure to clear the area around the campfire. As the day (or possibly night) warms up, other snow will melt. Don't put a campfire where snow melt will flow over it, or leave a campstove somewhere it can easily fall over as the ground under it thaws.
Someone will need to stay near the fire to tend it. Pick a sheltered location so they aren't freezing and the fire isn't in danger of being blown out by wind. (Even if your stove uses propane, Naptha, or another fuel, there is a good chance it has a flame that can be blown out.) It is also important to finish cooking before sundown, if at all possible, to make clean up faster and easier.
Finding a way to insulate or generally shelter your cook site from the cold, wet, and wind will also both make life more pleasant for the cooks and help speed up cooking time by keeping the stove hotter, longer.
Parts of this are excerpted from Liz Long's forthcoming book "Survival Skills for All Ages #3: 26 Outdoor and Wilderness Survival Skills".
4.18/5 (17) Last week I began a new series called, Back to Basics. As I said in my first article: “Why and How to Stockpile Water for Emergencies”, this may be familiar ground for a lot of you but to some this information may be new. The Prepper Journal had almost 4 million page views […]
By Teo Spengler The drake elm (also called Chinese elm or lacebark elm) is a quick-growing elm tree that naturally develops a dense, rounded, umbrella shaped canopy. For more drake elm tree information and details on caring for drake elm trees, read on. Drake Elm Tree Information When you read up on drake elm tree information, you’ll learn all about the tree’s exceptionally beautiful bark. It is green, gray, orange and brown, and it exfoliates in small thin plates. The trunk often forks, producing the same vase shape that American elms display. Drake elms (Ulmus parvifolia ‘Drake') are relatively small trees, generally staying under 50 feet tall. They are deciduous, but they shed leaves late and almost act like evergreens in warmer climates. The leaves of a drake elm are typical to most elm trees, some two inches long, toothed, with conspicuous veins. Most drake elm tree information will mention
Many years ago, a friend of mine made a comment I've never forgotten.
Answer yes or no to the following questions:
There you are, lost in the wilderness. You zigged when you should have zagged and have finally come to terms with the thought that you’re going to have to spend the night in the rough. With only an hour or so of daylight left, it is past time to choose your survival shelter location and get going on building it. Thankfully, you have a few supplies with you, such as a knife, an emergency blanket, and some paracord. You’ve also taken the time to study a bit about wilderness survival so cobbling together a small debris hut or lean to shouldn’t be too difficult or time-consuming.
I have to admit, this is a difficult topic to bring up because, to many people, it veers way too close to betraying the country of our birth. However, I've been thinking about this a lot. If I truly believe that utter chaos is coming to America in the form of an economic collapse, EMP, or some other horrific event, then why stay here? Why not find a small, obscure country and hole up for a while, thus protecting my family and myself?
My son is a Boy Scout. The saying is "boy led, adult managed." This roughly means boys do all the work, but adults keep them safe. I received a voicemail sometime over the weekend on my cell phone but didn't notice and check it until around bedtime on Monday. He was asked to teach the other Scouts about wintertime cooking for outdoor camping as part of the Tuesday meeting – when he was already scheduled to be in a concert.
