Liz Klein - Member - The Prepared

Reply to: A prepper’s perspective on gratitude this November Posted November 13, 2022

Hope that you can get your outlets figured out soon, but I’m happy that you didn’t lose your entire house. Hopefully it was just the breaker tripping or wearing out and will be a quick and cheap fix for you. I admire your perspective about the situation though. I try and be more grateful around this time. Thanksgiving always reminds me of how blessed I am to have so much food when others in the world or my ancestors may have had very little. We live in very prosperous times.

Reply to: An idea for another safety tool at the drive-up ATM? Posted November 13, 2022

I looked up some ATM safety tips: Be aware of your surroundings, particularly at night. If you observe or sense suspicious persons or circumstances, do not use the machine at that time. Have your ATM card ready and in your hand as you approach the ATM. Don’t wait to get to the ATM and then take your card out of your wallet or purse. (I LIKE THIS ONE!) Visually inspect the ATM for possible skimming devices. Potential indicators can include sticky residue or evidence of an adhesive used by criminals to affix the device, scratches, damaged or crooked pieces, loose or extra attachments on the card slot, or noticeable resistance when pressing the keypad. Be careful that no one can see you enter your PIN at the ATM. Use your other hand or body to shield the ATM keyboard as you enter your PIN into the ATM. To keep your account information confidential, always take your receipts or transaction records with you. (I always take my receipt from ATMs, gas stations, and everywhere. I don’t know what information of mine is on there) Do not count or visually display any money you received from the ATM. Immediately put your money into your pocket or purse and count it later. (I already to this) If you are using a drive-up ATM, be sure passenger windows are rolled up and all doors are locked. If you leave your car and walk to the ATM, lock your car. (Great tip I hadn’t thought of either!) Special Precautions for Using an ATM at Night Park close to the ATM in a well-lighted area. Take another person with you, if at all possible. If the lights at the ATM are not working, don’t use it. If shrubbery has overgrown or a tree blocks the view, select another ATM and notify your bank.

Reply to: An idea for another safety tool at the drive-up ATM? Posted November 13, 2022

I can see myself reaching for my card from the machine and lifting my foot off the brake enough to cause an accident. It’s a great idea to have that additional view and I like your tip but I can see my clumsy self getting into more trouble with it. I’m always cautious when travelling to and from the bank. I look for any people and cars that are paying too much attention to me and once I get my money, I don’t sit and count and organize it in the parking lot. I drive away and keep an eye out that no one is following me and then organize it at my next destination. These blind spot mirrors that I see many large trucks use could give you an additional angle not only for at the ATM but while driving as well.

Reply to: Car battery jump starter advice Posted October 21, 2022

I’ve ran into that problem many times, where because of how I am parked, the location of my battery compared to the other cars, and length of jumper cables, it can be tricky to align everything just perfectly at times to be able to jump a car. These battery packs don’t run into that issue.

Reply to: Car battery jump starter advice Posted October 18, 2022

It’s a model that they no longer offer but this is more or less like it. You have jumper cables, USB charging, cigarette port charging, lights, and a air compressor in one pack. It does use the older lead acid batteries, so it is big and heavy compared to the slim lithium ion backs you can slide under your seat.

Reply to: Nerd out on everything you ever wanted to know about batteries Posted October 18, 2022

I am now going to avoid charging my phone above 80% when possible. I think I saw an app at one point that would stop charging when it reached a certain level, maybe it’s purpose is to extend the life of batteries. But it also makes me think of if having yet another app running in the background offsets the benefits and battery drain of having such a setting. Seems like that would be a welcome feature baked into a phone’s settings so you wouldn’t need an app. Call it battery preserver mode.

Reply to: Bye bye landlines? Now how do we connect when there’s no power? Posted October 18, 2022

I wonder how many towers have backup generators and how long they can last for. I don’ think a call to my phone provider would give me any answers though.

Reply to: Car battery jump starter advice Posted October 18, 2022

Just this month someone asked me to jump start their lifted truck because they listened to the radio for too long in the parking lot. I pulled out my battery jump starter from Harbor Freight, connected it to their battery terminals, they turned the key and it started the truck up instantly. You mention how those vehicle jump starters would be a great replacement for the old cables. I would have thought the same until my friends mentioned that they did exactly that and when they went to use the battery pack, it was dead. So I’ve kept the battery pack in my car to be able to take care of myself when no one is around, to help out others without putting any risk on my vehicle’s electronic system, and have those jumper cables as a backup for the rare time that the battery pack is dead.

Reply to: Recipes for cooking with only non-perishable food Posted October 15, 2022

Red kidney beans are not only shelf stable but are more nutritious than beef. But… beef does taste a whole lot better.

Reply to: Has anyone read the book “Easy Cellar” by Tom Griffith? Posted October 15, 2022

That would be my thought as well, running into a huge rock or something and needing to jack hammer it apart to keep going. Probably depends on where you live. Drainage is something I am curious about.

Reply to: Feeding catfish with an eagle watching Posted August 8, 2022

Ben Franklin once wrote to his daughter criticizing the great seal of the US by saying “Bald Eagle…is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly…[he] is too lazy to fish for himself.” I think Ben was wrong, it looks like yours know how to fish and is a very majestic noble bird that I am proud is our national bird.

Reply to: Any advice on potato/root storage cellar? Posted August 8, 2022

Your strategy of pipping in outside air and venting is the same thought that I had with the ability to close it off during the colder months. Now only if you could program the vent to self-operate according to the internal temperature and humidity.

Reply to: Prepping in old German barracks, an article about trying to stay positive about a collapse of the food supply Posted August 8, 2022

That sure is an interesting location with some history. I’d like to meet the man and learn about his farm and how he is able to be so self sufficient where he doesn’t really need to go into town that often.

Reply to: Off-grid cabin/land purchase Posted August 5, 2022

That sure is exciting! Invest in good locks and other security measures if you won’t be living there full time. Keep up on maintenance, especially against rain and pests, you don’t want to come back after a few months and realize that water or mice got in and have had a long time to do damage.

Reply to: How to make the greenhouse cool in summer? Posted August 5, 2022

Figure out what temperatures the plants in there like to be at and keep a thermometer in there as well so you can tell when they are about to freeze or cook. Windows, vents, fans, or rolling up the sides like Dogpatch mentions here are good ways to adjust the temperatures. Their position in the greenhouse can also factor into things such as if they are near the door or on the other end, on the north or south side of the green house, and up closer to the roof or down near the floor. Play around and see what your plants like.

Reply to: What OTC medications should we have on hand? Posted August 5, 2022

Definitely follow Alicia’s last step here. Chicken broth is wonderful not only for soups but can be drunk plain for added nutrition. Try and get bone broth in either chicken or beef flavor, the bone in the broth adds a lot more nutrition to get you better faster.

Reply to: Prepping victories: When has prepping paid off for you? Posted May 15, 2022

I leave $20 in my car too, but probably should up that with how much prices are going up. Thank you for the advice.

Reply to: Which lighter is best for use in cold weather? Posted May 13, 2022

I have a BIC in the GHB in my car, so it’s good to know it might not work optimally in the cold and that I should have something also like matches. Thanks for sharing this information, I didn’t even know butane didn’t like the cold.

Reply to: Sanitation when the grid/water is down Posted April 21, 2022

Oh! Thank you so much for your detailed response. I will be buying one of those manual agitators. Washing in the bathtub makes a lot of sense, but I’ll have to invest in a bucket to transport the wet fabric from the bathroom to the sunny clothes line outside so I don’t drip everywhere.

Reply to: Changes for/life in a world with reduced oil accessibility? Posted April 20, 2022

Learning how to use an open fire, wood stove, or the sun to cook might be a good idea. With reduced oil, natural gas and electricity prices would increase. Very good list by the way! It gives me a lot to think about

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