There is universal expert agreement that inflation is on the near term horizon. It cannot be avoided as the Fed prints money to cover the unprecedented debt run up the last two years. The government will not tell you this, but an independent study conducted on Walmart prices shows a .6% increase in prices in just the last two months. One of the most fundamental needs is food which some experts think will be the hardest hit by inflation. To use an often used quote to “plan for the worst and hope for the best” is the most prudent course of action. The downside of the following plan is that the food in which you have invested will be used up over time if inflation never happens. Please consider this inexpensive break even strategy to food storage.
Assume 14% inflation. You would need to supplement your weekly expenditure for food with one day from storage to break even with today’s prices. Adjust your storage plan by your own assumptions. If you think it will be 7%, plan for one day every other week, etc.
Buy items at today’s prices with a long shelf life. Get even more savings by watching for sales or coupons.
Start with dried foods such as rice, beans and pasta. Store them in containers or shrink wrap to ensure longer life by limiting moisture and insect intrusion. Buy items to supplement the dried foods to make soups, casseroles, etc. These could be canned soups, meats and vegetables. Dry products such as beef and chicken bullion is another approach. Think about what you would like and use your creativity to expand the options.
Get a bread recipe, some bread pans and do what grandma did by baking your own bread. Set aside flour, yeast and dry milk and do a practice run to get confident about the process.
Take care of your beverage needs by buying coffee and tea. If you want a substitute for soft drinks or juice, there are powdered products available.
These are thought starters. There is no doubt in my mind you will come up with a ton of better ideas by “thinking out of the box”.
Want to find some extra money to fund this storage plan. Do what Glenn Beck has suggested and empty your garage and closets of seldom or never used stuff. Sell the more expensive items on E-Bay or Craig’s List and have a garage sale for the smaller things. If you have never done a garage sale, you will be amazed at what people will buy and how much cash it can generate.
