We have all heard the motto ‘Prepare for the worst and hope for the best’ – it is something that we all live by, whether its preparing our homes for bad weather or making sure storm dams are in place. However, what does it mean in terms of our finances. How do we prepare them and why do we need to have financial security in times of distress. In the midst of an emergency, our finances can be the last thing on our minds, but in reality they can also help us pull through, rebuild and make sure that we are secure during the initial emergency and in the aftermath. So, whatever your circumstances, here are some top tips to help you prepare financially for an emergencies that may arise.

1. Try to save between 3 – 6 months worth of wages

When considering how much money we should have saved, we are usually talking about saving for a purpose, a wedding or holiday, or saving for our later lives. We don’t often consider saving for large scale emergencies, but these are just as important in the unpredictability of life.

There are many small changes you can make to start your emergency savings plan today. These can be cutting out the lunch at work thus saving a small amount each day or ending your gym contract, saving that money and switching to exercising in the fresh air. Whatever way you choose there are small lifestyle choices that we make every day that cost money. The question is could that money be put to better use elsewhere?

If you want to start saving larger amounts each month, then it is important to set yourself a clearly defined budget. This will need to include incoming cash, outgoings and any debts you may have. There is no point in creating a financial crisis for yourself by saving more than you can afford, so budget carefully.

2. Finance in times of crisis

Of course, due to not knowing when emergencies are going to hit us, it is important to make sure that there are options available to us if we don’t have savings to back us up. The first thing to consider is getting your credit history checked – this is important in order to be able to see how healthy your credit is and will give you the options of finance that may be available to you.

If you have a good credit score, then you will have the options for many different loans and credit. However, if your score is very bad then you may be limited so having a look for payday loans or loans for people with bad credit may be the appropriate option for you. Be advised that loans of this nature are designed purely for times of financial emergency such as a house flood or an unexpected medical bill that will incur extra fees if not dealt with, so you need to make sure that there are no other finance options available to you. It is also important to get all the information on repayment and remember that this will need repaying in full or you could incur high interest fees. They are however, specifically designed to help and they are very useful in times of crisis.

3. Make sure your insurance is up to date

Making sure you have the right insurance is almost imperative when considering possible emergency eventualities, whether it’s flood, earthquake, auto or life. Each of these insurance types will offer you the peace of mind you will rely on in times of crisis. Essentially, you are buying a certain level of protection in the event of a catastrophic loss. If you know you live in a flood prone area, then do you have this covered by your insurance, and if so what does it cover you for? Make sure you get answers to all these questions and that you tailor your insurance to you area, home and lifestyle.

Any homeowner would agree with the fact that insurance is an absolute necessity today. It is a vital part of being an owner of a house, especially with all the risks that one is getting exposed to today, with regards to natural calamities and economical crunches. However, when it comes to home insurance, a lot of factors need to be carefully considered before making a decision. To determine which insurance policy is the best or pat, one needs to do a lot of research. We would, in this article, go through some of the information and tips on how to choose the right policy.

House Insurance Basics

Before choosing a home insurance policy, one needs to know what these policies usually cover.

Here are some of the basic things that house insurance generally tend to cover:

• Protection against accidental fire

• Covering the damages that can occur due to lightening strikes

• Coverage of damages due to explosions

• Coverage of the repair work that is needed if the home is vandalised due to riots or any other incident

• Protection against damages caused due to objects falling out of the sky

• Damage caused by natural calamities, such as hail, volcano and windstorms

• Malfunctioning of heat control systems

The above mentioned items are just some of the things that most of the home insurance policies tend to envelope.

Limitations of House Insurance Policies

While it may seem like home insurance is the best way to go, there are some limitations with these hedging contracts as well that one has to keep in mind before taking the plunge. For instance, any insurance policy will have a limit that depends upon the premium that the user pays every month. The limitations differ, depending upon the policy chosen and the value of the property being insured.

Also, care must be taken to see that the policy being chosen is based on the total cost of rebuilding the home in case of damages, and not based on the price of the existing home. This way, a buyer can actually have hopes of being covered by his or her policies, when or if the time comes to use them.

Types of Policies for House Insurance

In the United Kingdom alone, there are several home insurance policies to go for. However, a prospective homeowner must choose the policy depending on the home and its contents as well. Here are some tips on choosing the right home insurance policy:

• Online Home Insurance Quotes: Many home insurance providers offer generic quotations on their sites (for example, http://www.axainsurance.com), which can help the homeowner get an idea about the whole process. Not only does this help to formulate a well-informed decision, but it also helps to get a general idea of the amount of premium the homeowner will need to pay once the policy is selected.

• Using Home Insurance Comparison Websites: There are several home insurance websites out there on the Internet that can provide useful details about various plans offered by many different insurance companies. Many sites allow the users to compare the benefits and details of the policies, so as to choose the plan that best fits their requirements and budget.

• Choose a Home Insurance Plan based on the Situation: Just blindly choosing the first policy offered to the owner is not a good idea. Some insurance agencies offer such deals to entice the customers into making decisions that they may, in fact, regret at a later stage. After all, there could be a better deal available elsewhere that they could benefit from, instead of the one they end up going for.

With Passover Approaching, a Plague of Locusts Descends Upon Egypt

As if we hadn’t already seen enough Biblical events this year, a plague of over 30 million locusts swarmed over Egypt’s cities and farms just three weeks before Passover begins. But put your apocalyptic fears to rest. This happens every year as part of the locusts’ natural migration pattern, though this year’s swarm is especially large. That doesn’t mean Egyptians aren’t freaked the heck out by millions of nasty bugs buzzing through the air at all hours of day and night, possibly descending upon the agriculture fields where they’re known to destroy entire crops, just like in the actual Passover story.

The crops are so far safe, Egyptian officials assured the public. As the plague made its way from the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia at the end of last week and this weekend, though, Egyptian Agricultural Minister Salah Abdel Moamen explained the situation to the country in a calmly worded statement. ”The current inspection teams at areas targeted by locusts did not witness swarms damaging a single inch of crop,” said Moamen. He added that the locusts are “sexually immature and do not depend on plants for energy since they mainly rely on fat stores.”

That said, these plages can be unpredictable. Egyptian officials didn’t expect the plague to pass by the country’s capital, until Sunday when the locusts unexpectedly arrived in Cairo. The government denied reports that the locusts had started devastating crops as well as a report from United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) that the Ministry of Agriculture cleared 11,000 hectares of land in an attempt to save the harvest. When they get hungry, a one-ton hoard of locusts can eat the same amount of food in one day as 2,500 humans, according to the UN. Egypt knows this too. Less than a decade ago, a plague of locusts nearly 40 miles wide swept over Egypt damaging crops at the majority of the country’s farms. That’s a picture of it, to the right.

Conflicting reports aside, Moamen insists that the government has everything under control. “Egyptian armed forces and the border guards are attempting to fight the swarm with the means at their disposal,” the agriculture minister said. “I ask the families living in the locust-plagued areas not to burn tires. This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large scale fires that would cost in lives.” Also, that smoke isn’t doing Egypt’s grandchildren any favors. Scientists anticipate that, as global warming worsens, plagues like this will also get worse.

In this video, you can hear the awful roar that is a plague of locusts:

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2013/03/passover-approaching-plague-locusts-descends-upon-egypt/62712/

If you expect to manage in a survival type situation, you’re going to need hand protection. There’s simply no way around it. Whilst it’s possible to condition other parts of your body in preparation for a survival situation, conditioning your hands is not as easy and hand protection can enable is to perform a whole range of tasks which we would not be able to otherwise.

Luckily there are lots of different types of hand protection available to buy online, so here are three of the best which are available right now:

The 5.11 Tactical NF02 Glove

These versatile flight gloves have been reinforced with goatskin and constructed using the TacticalTouch system which leaves your finger tips seam free and helps to prevent twist. The padded knuckle protectors and elastic wrist closure lend further protection and keep snag hazards to a minimum.

The 5.11 Tactical Hard Time Glove

Hard knuckle gloves which deliver exceptional performance; this type of hand protection is perfect for preppers who forsee themselves needing comfort and dexterity as well as impact protection and durability. The knuckle protection consists of articulated TPR-covered thermoplastic plates which are padded for your comfort.

The 5.11 Tac-A2 Glove

If you’re looking for comprehensive performance from your hand protection, these are the gloves for you. The Tac-A2 feature TacticalTouch design, seam free fingers, pull-tab and Velcro closures and PU leather grip pads, as well as quality synthetic suede for comfort and warmth.

Essential Item for Preppers

One of the most important things to remember about choosing your hand protection, just as with choosing any other type of survival gear, is that in a doomsday scenario gloves will be most likely be in short supply and high demand. Don’t get caught off guard – make sure you include high quality hand protection in your prepper checklist.

When securing your property and belongings, paying attention to your vehicle is another important matter you should address fully. You never know when disaster will strike and therefore, having a survival kit stored safely in your vehicle could get you out of trouble should you need to use it. If you are a prepper, you may have already considered putting together a car survival kit but here is a checklist that will ensure you haven’t forgotten any of the essentials.

Many people keep a kit of some type in their car in case they break down, run out of fuel or get stuck in bad weather. If you have a basic emergency kit, you could already have a few of the pepper’s essentials that I am about to mention. These prepper essentials will help to get you or a friend out of trouble.

Food

If the worst should happen and you are stuck for a few days for whatever reason, you will need edible supplies to keep your energy levels up. The best type of food for storing in your boot in case of an emergency is chocolate bars, protein bars, biscuits, tins of tuna and energy drinks.

First Aid Kit

You may already have one of these in your vehicle but a basic kit should include plasters, pain killers, bandages, antiseptic cream and gauze.

Spare Clothing

Clean, dry clothing will always come in handy should disaster strike. You may have to walk to shelter and these garments could help to keep you or a friend dry. Waterproof jackets, trousers and walking socks will protect you from the elements and can be stored in your boot or under a seat with ease. Thermal underwear and tops could come in handy during the winter months.

Other Essentials

Preparing for the worst can be difficult as you are preparing for an unknown event but there are a number of essentials that will come in handy whether you should experience a natural disaster or an invasion. A sleeping bag will keep you warm and a fixed blade knife can help you when chopping food or cutting wire.

Remember, prepping is an ongoing project, if you are just starting out, it is wise to invest in these essentials over time to keep costs down. You can find an awesome range of Military Surplus gear online at RV Ops.

Subject: [Dtiquips] School Solution!

16 Dec 12

School Solution, from a Friend on the East Coast:

“We are a Jewish family, and all our minor children attend a Jewish elementary school. The school itself does its best to maintain a low profile, but, due to its academic excellence, its appearance and location are well known in the area.

We Jews, whether in Israel or here, are acutely aware of the continuing threat to us and our children, no matter where we live. It is not paranoia, as I’m not talking about ‘imagined’ threats, am I?

Because of our community’s ability to accurately comprehend threats and threat-levels, we have elected not to do what is currently common in this civilization: (1) pretend threats don’t exist, and (2) wager our lives on police arriving sometime before the last shot is fired.

So, this is what we’ve all agreed upon and instituted:

Each father, including me, is on a mandatory, rotating dutyschedule.

Each of us is thus ‘on-duty’ several days each month, all day. Yes, we have to take days off from work. We are posted in the back of each classroom, visibly armed with both an AR and a pistol. All our weapons are constantly loaded and ready, and can be plainly seen as such. Each child thus knows and understands that there is always a father, their own or that of one of one of their schoolmates, there with them in the classroom all the time, and he is able, willing, and committed to defending them with his life.

We consider this system the only logical and effective solution to our security challenges.

Again, it is as low-profile as we can reasonably make it, and from the outside, a casual observer can’t see any of this, but all of us, children, parents, teachers, and administrators know, and are thankful for, what we have put in place.

And, as you might say, we don’t care who likes it!”

Comment: Americans are responding to the latest mass-murder incident, not with cries for additional restrictions on our freedom, but by going out and buying guns! ARs, XCRs, PTRs, SIG/556s, Kalashnikovs, M1As, et al, as well as magazines and ammunition, are currently being bought-up so quickly, dealers can’t keep them in stock.

Even requiem anti-gun editorials are currently muted, as Americans are in no mood to be piously lectured, by media elitists and political gas-bags alike, that we are too stupid to own guns!

The Jewish Community, at least in the case described above, is smart enough to perceive real problems and come up with real solutions, not just the same old tired, fictitious, worthless fluff suggested by most politicians.

Good show, guys!

/John

John Farnam

Defense Training International, Inc.

All products must be purchased by the case in order to receive the discounted prices via our web offer.

To purchase send order and payment through PayPal.

All that hard prepping work will be for nil if you are unable to adequately protect your homestead. Depending on your particular resources and current financial situation, there a number ways you can approach home security. Let’s take a look at three of them:

Safe room

A safe room, also known as a panic room (thanks to Jodie Foster), is a secure refuge within your home where you can hide during a home invasion, natural disaster or any other emergency situation. The easiest and most cost-effective way to create a safe room is to transform an existing room. You’ll want to choose an interior room, ideally without windows. Bathrooms are always well-suited for this function since they are pre-furnished with a toilet and running water.

Once you’ve chosen the appropriate room, you’ll want to replace the wooden door with the strongest, solid-core door (steel is optimal) you can afford. Once the door is installed, you’ll need to reinforce the door frame with a heavy metal doorjamb to help prevent any intruders from kicking the door open. Additionally, make sure to secure the door with a keyless Grade-1 deadbolt, which is the most durable lock as designated by the American National Standards Institute.

It’s also important to stock the safe room with basic survival supplies. This includes nonperishable food items (consider the kosher line of long-term storage foods mentioned by Josh on a previous post), a standard first-aid kit, a safe supply of water (one gallon per person per day, as recommended by the Red Cross), duct tape and most importantly, multiple communication devices.

Until the world as we know it comes to an end, it’s important to remember that a quality home alarm system should still be your first line of defense. You’ll find that today’s premier home security providers offer comprehensive protection for a price that most families can afford. ADT, for example, is currently advertising home monitoring for around $9 per week on their website. Check out http://www.securitychoice.com to learn more.

Firearm

Obviously, every prepper will need to put a lot of consideration into self-defense. If you choose to purchase a firearm, there are a number of options you can go with. Thus, it’s imperative that you carefully weigh all of your options. Handguns are the most obvious choice, given their size, convenience and ease of use. The .9mm, .45 ACP, .357 mag, .40 cal and .38 special are among the most popular self-defense handguns. Whatever handgun you choose, make sure you are thoroughly familiar with how to use it. Remember, a handgun can only be effective if the person firing it know what they’re doing.

Canine

Humans and canines have carried on a symbiotic relationship for centuries. There’s no reason that alliance can’t continue after TEOTWAWKI. From hunting to companionship, dogs can help us sustain livability in a number of ways. In terms of home security, dogs can typically sense danger long before us humans can. Not to mention, a good guard dog (i.e. German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher) will oftentimes be intimidating enough to frighten off any would-be intruder.

If you do own a dog, keep in mind that you won’t be able to drive down to the local pet foods store during a doomsday scenario. You’ll have to prepare the food for your four-legged friend yourself, and, just like us humans, canines require a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Rice is always a good option because it’s sustainable, easy to digest and rich in carbohydrates. You’ll also want to include vegetables (green beans, carrots or peas) and meat (chicken, beef or tuna) in your dog’s daily meals.

“Jews Stick to their Guns” by Brocha Miller

‘The Purpose of Our Organization Is Plain and Simple: To Destroy Gun Control’ — Meet the Jewish Group Behind That Mantra