Surviving Shortages and Inflation, the "NEW NORMAL"

     Ways to survive increasing prices and shortages by evaluating your Needs vs. Wants. Start by Recycling, Reusing, Trading, Upcycling, & Volunteering.

1. Evaluate your needs vs. wants when shopping.  Making lists can help avoid over spending or double buying.  Add to your lists when you begin to run low on items in your household. Consider digital lists so the entire family can help with maintaining the lists and shopping as it will be in real time.  Although, a list on the refrigerator works just as well.   Key tips when shopping are to have a meal before heading out.  We tend to buy on impulse and not pay close attention to our lists/evaluate sales when shopping on an empty stomach .  Plan your trips, utilize coupons (put key sales/coupon expirations on your calendar with reminders.)
2. Driving-  When possible, carpool to save time, gas, and wear and tear on vehicles.  Fill your gas tanks when the weather is cooler, usually in the morning.  Avoid going below a half a tank to maintain better gas mileage.  Try and make right turns avoiding left turns to conserve gas and collisions.
3. Unplug- When home, unplug what you are not using i.e. toaster, coffee pot, phone/toothbrush chargers, and televisions.  Going away for the weekend?  Yes, you can unplug the refrigerator or turn the breakers off.  Your food will stay cold and frozen for over 2 days while the doors are not being opened- dropping temperatures.
4. Thermostats- Set them to the recommended temperatures instead of completely turning them off causing your system to work harder to get to the desired temperature raising your bill while doing so.  In winter, avoid opening curtains and blinds during the early mornings or close to sun down.  This causes heat to escape while letting cold air in.  You may want to consider the opposite in the summer.
5. Appliance energy savings- Clean off excess food into the garbage can, avoid rinsing when possible to conserve water and energy. Fill dishwasher and set on delay wash if not completely full. This will allow time for  the dishwasher to get filled and run.  Some areas have lower energy rates during early mornings or late evening.  Plan to run your larger appliances during these times. You may consider running the clothes dryer during cooler times to help heat the home in the winter.  There are inexpensive devises to place on the dryer vent hose that allows you to add a bit of water while catching lint.  A sock works well also.  This is another way to heat your home, provide humidity, conserve energy all while drying your clothes.
6. Recycle, Reuse, Volunteer, and Upcyle-  Before throwing out things, consider finding an alternate use within your home for items.  Recycling cans and bottles can be an inconvenience when it comes to space or sorting. Helping to save the planet is not inconvenient.  So please recycle any items within your home.  You may even consider posting an ad for others to pick up.  When you have great items to give away consider asking friends, neighbors or your online community if they could use your your upcycle.  Better yet, trade your gently used items for services or other goods.  This will definitely help our planet by keeping things out of the landfills that may never breakdown. This is also a huge savings if you can trade goods opposed to spending money.
7. Cooking- Cook with the mindset of using the leftovers for other meals. Minimize time cooking by doing prep for the entire week and using clear glass storage containers.  This makes meal prep faster and possibly healthier because you will be tempted to add more fruits and vegetables to the meals when ingredients are ready to be thrown into the meal being prepared because they are visible and readily accessible.
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9. Composting- Use your kitchen uncooked fruit and vegetable scraps to enrich a garden or house plants.  (layer the compost bin with Nitrogen rich food scraps: Coffee grinds, banana peels, etc. and Carbon rich items: non shiny newspaper, carboard, leaves, empty paper towel/toilet paper rolls, dryer lint, hair from brush, etc.  This will all break completely down depending on how small the pieces are in a matter of 2-6 months.  You may add decomposition assistance by throwing in red composting worms.  For more information on composting book your FREE- Discovery Life Planning Chat
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11. Start a Garden!-  You don't have to wait for that compost to completely break down.  You may want to add some native soil (dirt) or  potting soil on top and plant.  Keep in mind, many things will begin to grow in your compost also, so add soil!  If you decide to enrich your current garden, then allow the compost to fully break down and add to your garden.  If you are just starting out; Compost and Begin plants inside to be transplanted to a container or in ground.  There are many no dig techniques available.  Gardening is for EVERYONE.  You will know what type of soil your food is grown in; less dependent on stores; help the environment; and it is great therapy.  Do you want help with getting your garden started now?  Schedule a time that is convenient  for a  FREE- Discovery Life Planning Chat .
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13. Write It DOWN!-  I want to challenge you to write down each and every expense and income manually in a notebook for 30 DAYS beginning NOW.  This will allow you to visually see where your are able to trim your budget and identify overspending .  It takes less than 5 minutes of your time daily to create a path of financial freedom.  The next month, add in how you can pay yourself and savings FIRST.  Pay your self 10% off the top, and invest 10% into your savings.  

If you would like more help with any of these topics, please schedule today for your FREE- Discovery Life Planning Chat .

Thanks for reading.  Please share this post with others.  God Bless and have a great season!