The little things (on a budget)

I have not been around as much as I would like but today I got to thinking about this section again. We have posted many threads and topics and it is kind of all over the map. This thread is about the little things that do not cost an arm or a leg that are items that one might not think about until ya need them.

Many of the items I will put up here are under $10 but nice to have. I keep a couple of boxes put away with these just for a rainy day.

First item. A sewing kit. A couple of the dollar store ones coupled with a couple of large rolls of green, black and one or two other colors of large rolls. This gets ya enough stuff for $5 to put away. A more heavy duty sewing kit. HF has these for around $6 and they come with 4 needles and 180 yards of heavy duty thread. Very handy to have and cheap enough to stick in the box.

A solar shower. Under$10 to $20. A very good way here in Colorado to have hot water. 60-105 degrees in 3 hours. Keeps one from having to use your propane or other fuel to heat water for any purpose.

Window kits. I have many that I buy on season end close out for under $5. These could be very useful in many ways keep a couple on hand.

And last for today. Lighters/matches. I like the long ones. yes, there are 27 million ways to start a fire or light your candles but these are only $1 each and handy to have a few put away.

More later.

I have to second the sewing kit. I bought one of those little cheap ones with a bunch of different colored thread from King Soopers for like $4. I've been supplementing it with some up grades over time as well. A more extensive needle kit, a real (metal) thimble, the thread used for jeans (much stronger), better scissors. I keep the whole thing in a box that one of my old cell phones came in. It is small and fits in any drawer and stays neat and organized. I can't even count how many times I've used it. In fact, I just sewed the fly button back onto my favorite pair of pants yesterday. I have maybe $8 into the whole thing and have fixed all kinds of clothes (nearly every single one of my undershirts for example).

I just went online to www.expertvillage.com and taught myself how to do a few simple sewing things like 1) How to sew a button, 2) how to repair a tear, 3) how to sew two pieces of material together.

It looks like that window kit is probably a better idea than just buying a bunch of clear plastic and taping it to our window frame.

Good American values. Or did stumble onto a different forum?

$5 a week to build a year supply of food:
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/...ntelligence%29

*not totally accurate on prices for some things but a good start on a budget.

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Originally Posted by rfizzle

$5 a week to build a year supply of food:
http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/...ntelligence%29

*not totally accurate on prices for some things but a good start on a budget.

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pretty badass concept for the bug out shelter, I have got to build still

More little things on a budget. First up. A bow saw. Ya might not need a chain saw or be able to afford one but having a small bow saw around with a couple of different blades can be very handy. $10-$20

Hot glue gun. about $5-$10 can be run off the smallest inverter (60W) and there are many types of glue sticks for cheap. One advantage is unlike having glues in a tube the sticks never go bad.

And last for today. A pair of bolt cutters. 24-36" are $17-$22 but go on sale for $10-$13 all the time. VERY necessary item. cheap and do not eat a thing.

That's all for today. :)

[Beer] Thanks for starting this thread.

sorry for the stupid question, but is the "window kit" for?

thanks in advance,
Tim

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Originally Posted by sniper_tim

sorry for the stupid question, but is the "window kit" for?

thanks in advance,
Tim

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I have the same question. From the picture it looks like it might be to help add a layer of insulation during the winter, but I'm not sure.

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Originally Posted by sniper_tim

sorry for the stupid question, but is the "window kit" for?

thanks in advance,
Tim

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The window kit can be used for the replacement of glass almost anywhere. It can also be used to build things like a small greenhouse. Can be used to seal off a room. Installed right it is transparent as glass so you can still see through it.

It can also be used to replace the glass in a car but would need some bracing and edge reinforcement to be used as a windshield.

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Originally Posted by jerrymrc

The window kit can be used for the replacement of glass almost anywhere. It can also be used to build things like a small greenhouse. Can be used to seal off a room. Installed right it is transparent as glass so you can still see through it.

It can also be used to replace the glass in a car but would need some bracing and edge reinforcement to be used as a windshield.

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Plus, should the need arise,, It will work real good for sealing off a sucking chest wound....[Abused]

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Originally Posted by Marlin

Plus, should the need arise,, It will work real good for sealing off a sucking chest wound....[Abused]

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Don't all chest wounds suck? ;)

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Originally Posted by jerrymrc

Don't all chest wounds suck? ;)

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What you did there,, I see....[ROFL1]

Today's little things. We have said it before. You can't have enough twine, rope or wire. 900' of twine was $3. Rope I buy whatever is on sale. $2-$10. Nice to have different sizes on hand.

Also in addition to the rope a few pulleys on hand are cheap. 2" singles are on sale for $3 a set of two. Coupled with a double for $4 and it makes for a simple block and tackle set up.

Wire can be a $6 spool of bailing wire or whatever ya need. I keep a couple of rolls of wire along with a spool of stainless safety wire in .035. If push comes to shove I always have the extra wire from the mig welder.

And the last one for today. Related to the rope above.... A clothesline and clothes pins. Colorado lends itself to drying by air. This can be used indoors or out. once again these are dollar store items. I think the line and pins were $3 total. The dedicated clothesline is handy because it has a built in adjusters on the hook.

That's it for today's budget tips.

Hi Guys, long time lurker, first time poster here. I just had to chime in on this great thread.

Smiths (our version of King Soopers) has 20 pound bags of rice on sale for $8.99 right now. The last couple of weeks they had 32oz. Powerade for $0.25/each; a 15 quart case was $3.75.

Menards often has free-after-rebate items: 20" hand saws, 20 piece drill bit sets, 7" rafter squares, AA batteries, etc.

I found a small (but in good condition) pressure cooker at a second-hand store for $5. I also picked up 54 quart jars for $15 and a small hand-crank meat grinder for $6.

I try to buy on sale as much as I can. I also try to frequent the second hand stores. I am always on the lookout for any type of hand saw or other non-electrical hand tools.

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Originally Posted by br82722

Hi Guys, long time lurker, first time poster here. I just had to chime in on this great thread.

Smiths (our version of King Soopers) has 20 pound bags of rice on sale for $8.99 right now. The last couple of weeks they had 32oz. Powerade for $0.25/each; a 15 quart case was $3.75.

Menards often has free-after-rebate items: 20" hand saws, 20 piece drill bit sets, 7" rafter squares, AA batteries, etc.

I found a small (but in good condition) pressure cooker at a second-hand store for $5. I also picked up 54 quart jars for $15 and a small hand-crank meat grinder for $6.

I try to buy on sale as much as I can. I also try to frequent the second hand stores. I am always on the lookout for any type of hand saw or other non-electrical hand tools.

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Welcome. We do not have any Menards out here that I know of. I think the closest one is in Casper.

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Originally Posted by jerrymrc

Welcome. We do not have any Menards out here that I know of. I think the closest one is in Casper.

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Damn! I'm busted. Yes, I am in Wyoming, but our WY-AR15.com forum isn't very active.[ROFL1] Hope you don't mind if I hang out here.

I built a few raised beds this spring. At our local dump, they sell compost for $12/cubic yard. A cubic yard is about 1200 pounds, so this boils down to around $1/100 pounds. If you need garden soil (or any type of topsoil) this deal is hard to beat. I haven't tested the pH on, it but the composition is excellent. Hopefully you guys have something similar in Colorado.

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Originally Posted by br82722

Damn! I'm busted. Yes, I am in Wyoming, but our WY-AR15.com forum isn't very active.[ROFL1] Hope you don't mind if I hang out here.

I built a few raised beds this spring. At our local dump, they sell compost for $12/cubic yard. A cubic yard is about 1200 pounds, so this boils down to around $1/100 pounds. If you need garden soil (or any type of topsoil) this deal is hard to beat. I haven't tested the pH on, it but the composition is excellent. Hopefully you guys have something similar in Colorado.

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Where I live the "soil" is nothing more than very hard clay. I have a tiered garden on the hillside. I started buy mixing claybuster in with the clay then 12" of topsoil. Been known to put 5000lbs of soil or rock in the bed of the dodge.;)

Last year the wife tried to grow a bunch of things and that was ok but I had none left over to can. This year is green beans and tomatoes. There is one small patch that I see the strawberry plants already coming back so I will leave them. The tomatoes are already looking good inside.

Today's little things is an item that kind of breaks the bank at $24 on sale but I will put it out there since I already had pic's. A stainless pot set. These are the large ones and come in a set of 4 from HF. They are kind of thin but not bad. 6-8-12 and 16 qt sizes.

So WTF jerry am I supposed to do with them???? gather water, cheap park tanks. drill holes and make one of a couple kinds of water filter. Paint the outside black and use part of that window kit along with the reflective window shade that I have not told you to buy yet but should have to make a solar stove. water bath canning. Large pots are very expensive but nice to have. These will not break the bank. They DO need to be washed very well before you use them. Time to go rearrange ammo, later.

On Thursday I was in Wal-mart in Pueblo. They have the end of the season clearance. Hand/foot warmers for $0.50. Some fishing lures 70% off. Small heaters marked down from $29 to $10. LED flashlights for $1. Field dressing gloves for $0.50. Last year I picked up my hand crank radio for $8 at the end of season sale.

Today's little things on a budget. Binoculars. You need at least a cheap $12 pair. Having had good military ones I find that you need something. I have a cheap 10 power set that stays in the truck and I have a pair of $25 10X50's that for china junk are not that bad.

Yes you may have a scope but if it goes a spotter is nice to have. This is not for those that have invested $200-$400 in a pair but something is better than nothing.

Battery cases. It's important to have a way to carry batteries without them touching each other. These battery cases are nice, especially if they are going in a bug out bag where weight may be key. http://www.amazon.com/Generic-Bluece...s=battery+case

If you're like me though, and have equipment that gets used daily, and you go through a set of batteries at rate of every other day, you end up buying batteries in bulk, and find that those containers the batteries come in aren't the most durable, especially as they get empty. Rather than paying $6-8 to store 24 batteries, you can pay $3-4 to store 50. Like so:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pl...=w1698-h955-no

I found that while the AAA fit in the same case as the AA, the bullet size that fits AA is long enough that the AAA batteries will come out of their slots if the box is over turned. One could just place two layers of cardboard over the AAA side to prevent this. The cases are a 500 S&W for the AA, and 44 mag for the AAA. I'm looking forward to not having piles of jumbled up batteries in my cup holders any more.

I find it a little ironic that you demonstrate with Kirkland batteries... which already come in a perfectly suitable container. [Flower]


But I guess as you empty the container, it doesn't exactly hold up, as you said.

I just put electrical tape over the ends and threw a bunch in a ziplock bag about 4 years ago. Just last week I pulled some out and they have worked just fine in HB Jr's train set for at least a week. not a scientific test.

You think so? I can't see this doing very well riding around in the back seat.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xa...=w1698-h955-no

I was forced into this by those AAA, which kept breaking loose of their case and laying in a pile in a cup holder.

Have you tried a smaller box for the AAA batteries? Almost seems like they might fit into another caliber box better.

Who drives around with 72 AA batteries in their back seat?? [werdo]


Sounds like you need to secure your cargo better.
[Coffee]

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Originally Posted by ray1970

Have you tried a smaller box for the AAA batteries? Almost seems like they might fit into another caliber box better.

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That is the smaller box for the AAA. With the 44 mag box pictured, they touch the lid when closed.

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Originally Posted by HoneyBadger

Who drives around with 72 AA batteries in their back seat?? [werdo]

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A guy who takes 5,000 pictures a year on a camera with an "auto" flash setting so sensitive that it still shoots the flash when I'm on a roof, with zero shade, at noon. That's something I've just had to learn to turn off every time I turn on the camera. When I'm busy, I can go through a pair every 2-3 days. Remember that thread about the prepping mind set when I said I don't like to run out of things? I wasn't joking. :D Also, I may or may not skim some batteries for prep every time I buy some. I buy chalk by the case. Too bad I can't think of any S&P uses for chalk.

Just giving you a hard time [Neene3]

Believe me, I wish I didn't have to carry three types of batteries and keep 5 different electronics (in addition to the things that take the batteries) charged at all times

Got high drain devices look at Enloops

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Originally Posted by Irving

That is the smaller box for the AAA. With the 44 mag box pictured, they touch the lid when closed.


A guy who takes 5,000 pictures a year on a camera with an "auto" flash setting so sensitive that it still shoots the flash when I'm on a roof, with zero shade, at noon. That's something I've just had to learn to turn off every time I turn on the camera. When I'm busy, I can go through a pair every 2-3 days. Remember that thread about the prepping mind set when I said I don't like to run out of things? I wasn't joking. :D Also, I may or may not skim some batteries for prep every time I buy some. I buy chalk by the case. Too bad I can't think of any S&P uses for chalk.

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Leaving messages, outlining the loser? Instead of those ammo boxes, I have a decent collection of ammo links you could have.

Don't think I haven't considered picking up a bandlier to use with chalk.

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Originally Posted by kwando

Got high drain devices look at Enloops

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I've considered, but having to charge batteries in addition to all the other stuff I have to keep charged feels like the wrong direction.