Living Life in Rural Iowa

A lot of news I have been seeing lately is about how we do not need to worry about anything since the new president-elect is going to smooth away our problems. According to many sources, prepping should be on a decline because many of the issues facing us will be gone soon. Do you all really believe that? Do you believe that prepping is dead or on a decline? Please tell me you don't believe that our problems are solved. Please tell me you don't believe that prepping is dead! Because, seriously, you should be prepping the same as you were before the elections if not more.  I know people were panicked before the elections. They were scared the lady was going to get elected and we would going to war. They were scared she was going to take away everything we had left for freedoms and liberties. How do I know this? I read it. I saw it for myself. My daily views for this blog doubled for the week leading up to the election. Prepping was definitely on an upswing then. Pre

Christmas is a hard time for me. People ask me what I want for Christmas and I have a tough time telling them what I want! Of course, I have an Amazon wishlist and a mental wishlist. However, I still am not sure what to tell my loved ones what I want. Then there is also the small problem of me telling them some of the things I want, but they won't buy them anyway! Anyhoo... The special prepper in your life can be hard to shop for. You know they love gadgets, but they have so many already! You know all about the "two is one and one is none" theory, but how many of one thing do they really need? Is a bucket of emergency storage food really a gift (yes, it is!)? I am here to help! I have compiled a list of things I want or have gotten that I think would make great gifts. I have picked all prices ranges for those with a smaller and bigger holiday budget, In no particular order or priority is This Prepper's Top 10 Christmas Wishlist: 1. A Generator! I prefer t

Last night, I posted a video on what we have been up to. I am giving you all an update on the frugal happenings of my life. I am talking about the deer I hit, the damages, and costs. I am also talking about selling things, cold lunches, and other ways we are saving money! What have you all been doing to save money?  Thanks for watching, Erica

Getting ready for a baby can be difficult in normal circumstances. Add in a crisis or a disaster and you have to be even more ready! Even if you don't have a baby in the house, I recommend having a basic birth kit and a baby kit just in case. You never know who could be coming over or stranded at your home and will need these items! Most of this list is very basic. I recommend keeping if not all, most of this on hand. However, I can understand not wanting to keep a breast pump or a car seat in your storage. I had no use for a breast pump, but you never know. If a new mother has trouble with breastfeeding, you might want one on hand and/or keep a small can of formula to help supplement. 20 Things You Need To Have To Be Ready For The Baby!  1. A Birth Kit . I would specifically look for a home birth kit so you can have the basics on hand. A tape measure and a hanging weight scale would also be handy for getting the baby's measurements and to keep track of the wei

A lot of my Facebook newsfeed this morning has been how the country has been let down by our newly elected President. This is a guy who promised to make America great again. However, he is not who is going to make America great again. You know who is going to make America great again?  You and I are.  The American people are what make America great. However, we have forgotten this. We have forgotten that we, the people, are the ones who make this great country what it is. Our elected leaders set the policies and laws for which we live under and follow, but they are not entirely responsible for making America great. We, however, are the representatives of this country and we are the ones responsible for making America great.  So how can we make America great again? 1. Treat others how you would like to be treated.  2. Smile at everyone and say hello to all you meet. 3. Be polite to everyone even if they do not deserve it. 4. Offer to help your family, friends, and neigh

Every day, we all just live to get through the day. Some of us think about tomorrow. Some of us think about "what if?" Some of us are so worried about tomorrow that we forget to live today. No matter what, we should all live for today while thinking about how to make tomorrow easier. Those that prep think about tomorrow, but sometimes life is so chaotic that we forget to stay ahead of the game. We want to prep harder and do more, but we find we don't have the time. However, you are prepping. Every day. We don't always think about being ready for tomorrow as prepping, but it is. We get ready for tomorrow to make that day easier. Here are 20 Common Sense Things You Can Do TODAY To Prepare For Tomorrow: 1. Fill the car with gas. Every two days, make a habit of looking at your gas gauge and fill it when it is half empty. Grab your gas cans and fill them too. 2. Fill some extra containers with water. Have some pitchers of water in the fridge or an bucket with a