Supplies For The Doomstead

[18hammers]

This wont be the typical thread on the interwebs about supplies. I will just assume people have the usual stuff already squared away. This will be more of a supplies for a better quality of life. Sept is coming up, guess what is going to be on sale at the usual vendors......BUG SPRAY, life on the stead is much more enjoyable when you are not swatting mosquitoes. Mosquitoes the one animal never to diminish in numbers. Stock up now, you just can't have enough on hand and good for trade or barter. Not just mosquito spray but bug killer as well. I would aim to keep about a 10 year supply on hand.   

[RE]

Living in the Mosquito World Capital of Alaska, I recommend a UV light electric bug zapper  setup for the bunker and garden.  You can run it off your solar PV system.  Renewable! 



RE

[18hammers]

Winters can be long and cold, don't buck the season roll with it. Use it as a time to read the classics, store books but good ones, music, have a collection that is not internet dependent. Same with movies, again stored on thumb drives, on cds, on hard drives, don't know where to find pirated movies just make a list of what you want and talk to any kid under 20, they can tell you where and how or may even do it for you, alcohol  makes a good trade, and make sure you have the media player that will play your movies downloaded with them. Video games, have lots of them, new ones, old ones, all types.

[18hammers]

Health, often over looked. In the north with 6 months of winter and often seeing -40, exercise can get forgotten. Make sure to have a treadmill and cycling machine that can be used during those inclement days/weeks of winter. I pick up mine from garage sales, often in new condition for a fraction of the cost of retail. I think I have at least 3 near new treadmills here. I cant imagine wearing them out so I should be good for life though if I do spot a good condition one and the price is right I will pick it up just to knock it apart for the DC motor and driver board and controls, often can get a linear actuator if the unit has a incline control.

[18hammers]

Propane, I can't recommend it enough. Cheap at twice the cost. I currently use it for domestic water heating and cooking, one stove upstairs and one down. I do not recommend it for area heating (some do) I started asking friends and co-workers decades a go if I could have their tanks when expired, the 20 and 30 pound sizes. Needless to say I have a lot of tanks now, they cost me nothing.
 I have a friend down the road who heats his trailer with propane and the big truck comes out to do that once a year. I show up that day with the tanks I have acquired over the year and he fills my expired tanks up for a little cash. Because the propane is off the truck (used for home heating)there is none of that road tax on it such as would be applied if you brought a propane tank into a gas station for a fill. Got two 30 pounders filled this fall for 40 dollars (Canadian). I used to get 100 pounders filled but no more, the days when I could bear hug a 100 pounder onto a truck are over. 30 pounders are just the right size.
 I have one of those cheap on demand water heaters and since it is just me in the house now I know my usage. It is between 3 and not more than 4 30 pounders a year for domestic water heating. A very reasonable amount I think. For stove use, and I only have to use the gas stove Nov, Dec, January I go through two 30 pounders. I use electric cooking through spring summer and fall as Solar power is plentiful again. Propane is a great fuel to store, does not go bad, and is of little cost when you get your tanks for free. Just a idea, a option for others to consider. can never have enough options.