What's The Boy Scout Motto?

It’s technically still summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but it seems that the Rocky Mountain West (where I live) has already moved on to winter. No, not fall, winter–on Labor Day we had a record-breaking windstorm that downed scores of trees, tree limbs, fences, and walls on my friend’s house that was under construction. It damaged and/or displaced trampolines, garbage cans, outdoor furniture, and anything else that wasn’t tied down. It left lots of people without power for over 24 hours. I felt very fortunate that mine was only off for about 3 ½ hours. When I was out assessing local damage, I noticed a dusting of snow on the mountains near my home. This does not make me happy.

But I digress because my blogpost this week is NOT about my dislike for the cold, it’s about being prepared.

In the middle of the storm, it was too late to stock up on anything, including batteries, flashlights, and bottled water. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but when something like this happens, as long as there is not a declared national emergency, the costs of these items skyrocket (anyone remember trying to buy a facemask at the onset of the epidemic?).

Work emergency items into your budget and watch for stuff on sale. Garage sales and second hand stores are ideal places to score some of those much needed items. Camping gear anyone? And many grocery stores have case lot sales going on right now. Getting prepared ahead of time will save you money and stress, and I could certainly use less stress in MY life.

Comedic note: This post is dedicated to the friend of a friend who kept reminding us of The Boy Scout Motto when we, quite unprepared, set off on a hike in Southern Utah earlier this year and ALMOST got lost because we knew not where the trail would take us (and we did not have any water with us. Don't try this at home).