# My inventory so far



## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Here it is! I'll wrangle with Excel later (never could figure it out) but I wanted to offer it here for feedback. Keep in mind that I'm a newbie with very limited budget and space. I'm just prepping for me at this point. I know I'll get there eventually ... The initial goal I worked toward is being housebound for two weeks in winter weather. Now I'm building an epidemic into that paradigm, which also means sheltering in place (for lack of a better idea at the moment.) Please be gentle.

*Food*

*Protein*

Tuna - 5 cans
Chicken - 5 cans
Protein bars - box of five
red lentils - 64 oz jar
black beans - 3 cans
Pinto beans - 24 oz dried
chili con carne - 1 can
beef stew - 1 can
peanut butter - 3 ten oz jars

*Veggies*
Craisins - 2 quart sized bags
green beans - 3 cans
beets - 1 can
three bean salad - 1 can
artichoke hearts - 1 can
asparagus - 1 can
mango slices - 1 can
artichoke tapenade - 1 19ozjar

*Carbs* 
barley - 64 oz
whole grain pasta - 7 pounds
hot cereal mix - 15 oz
dry mashed potatoes - 1 box
sunflower seeds - 5 oz
sesame sticks - 5 oz

*"Dairy"*
Almond Dream - 1 32oz box
Rice milk - 6 8oz drink boxes
Coconut milk - 1 can

*Misc*
Spaghetti sauce - 3 jars
salsa - 1 jar
spices - ginger, lemon pepper
soup - 8 cans, various
baking soda - 1 16oz box
sea salt - 1 26oz canister
goji energy chunks - 1 20oz jar
potato chips - 1 bag
gatorade mix - 1 18oz canister

*Health and hygeine*

Band Aids - mix pack of 200
Toothbrushes - 3
Toothpaste - 2 tubes
Cough drops - 1 bag of 50
Soap - 2 bars
Hand sanitizer - 1 40oz bottle
Toilet paper -1 pack of six rolls

*Camping gear*
tent - 1 small
propane tank - 2 16.4 oz canisters
two-burner coleman stove
matches - 2 boxes of 300
glow sticks - 5
heavy wool socks - 5 pairs
long underwear - 2 leggings, 1 shirt
hand-toe warmers - 7 mix packs
Light - 1 lantern, 1 flashlight, 1 wall unit
Multiple batteries - regular and rechargeable
Battery charger
e-tool

*Water* - one case of 24 bottles


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Personally, you should add some more water. We all know the adage- We can survive 3 days without water.

I forgot to add that while it is a start you are better off than most.


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## Ozarker (Jul 29, 2014)

Grimm said:


> Personally, you should add some more water. We all know the adage- We can survive 3 days without water.
> 
> I forgot to add that while it is a start you are better off than most.


You can survive much longer than that on beer and coffee.


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## Caribou (Aug 18, 2012)

That is an excellent start. Set goals that are relatively easy. First a couple weeks, then a month, then three month, six, nine, and a year. I think most people stop somewhere between one and seven years, but each of us needs to set our own limits. I recently read a post by a man in the military that only kept two weeks worth as he expected to be transferred if there was a disaster. Every situation is different.

When I go to the store I put the bounty on the shelves and then I sit back for a minute and just enjoy my increase, great or small. Set small goal so that you have frequent reasons to celebrate. 

There is a story I like to tell about a friend of mine that was building a house. One day two young boys walked by and asked him what he was doing.

Friend: I'm building a house.
Boys: All by yourself?
Friend: Most of it.
Boys: Isn't that an awfully big job?
Friend: It is if you look at it that way. Right now I'm nailing one board to another board, is that a big job?
Boys: No.
Friend: Well, when I get this done then I will nail another board to the house. I'll just keep doing all these little jobs till I have a house.

Each can, bag, or box of food puts you closer to your goal. I have been prepping for decades. I have reached my goal multiple times. I then take time to enjoy and set higher goals.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Ozarker said:


> You can survive much longer than that on beer and coffee.


I didn't see beer or coffee on her inventory.


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## tleeh1 (Mar 13, 2013)

This is a great start, but I agree you need more water. Have you sat down and figured out what you actually use (food & supplies) in a day, a week, a month yet? I would suggest you start a list of everything you use, then review what you have, and finally make a list of what you need. Keep it up! This kind of report inspires all of us to keep it up -- thanks.


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

tleeh1 said:


> This is a great start, but I agree you need more water. Have you sat down and figured out what you actually use (food & supplies) in a day, a week, a month yet? I would suggest you start a list of everything you use, then review what you have, and finally make a list of what you need. Keep it up! This kind of report inspires all of us to keep it up -- thanks.


Yeah, don't even get me started on having more than enough water on hand. I don't think most people understand just how important having more water on hand for the long term is, but think of all the times you hear about floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and etc. then look at one of the first things the people need. In the case of flooding you may have water all around but with everything bad that's in it you could almost be better off in the desert.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*So far, so good!*

Have you tried to figure out how long this food would last you?

I think you have done a great job of covering different categories of food.

You only have plant based milks. Are you allergic to dairy? There are some options for dairy such as evaporated milk (commonly used in Latin American countries).

As Grimm said, water. You can really never have too much water. Some of us learned from Grimm that if you have an empty a glass jar from pickles, kraut, juice, wash it , and heat the jar by filling it with hot water, then empty it, pour in boiling water and put on the lid. You can also add a drop or two of bleach. It is easy and cheap and doesn't require money out of the pocketbook.


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

That's a good start! Just keep at it and don't forget to rotate out your stock so things don't go bad before they get used.

+1 to Grimm's comment about water. Alternatively, since you're in a place that tends to get some rain from time to time, have a means to collect rainwater from your gutters and buy some water purification systems like a Berkey. Having water on hand is good, but you may need a means to purify water at some point.

Maybe you didn't include this on purpose, but there's no mention of defensive gear. A firearm or three might be something to think about as you have resources.

One more thing: the Mormons have cannery facilities sprinkled around the country. They have one near me (Canandaigua, NY) and one can get a variety of dry food in #10 cans (big!) and the food keeps for a very long time. You have to do the work of canning, so go with two or three friends to keep things moving along. Prices were outstanding last time I went. You might want to check if there's one near you.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Human's need 1 to 2 gallons a day (dependent on weather, exercise & etc.).

You have a very good start for 2 weeks.

At what time period will you start adding defensive items?


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

GONGRATULATIONS!!! Great start!!!

One thing I concentrated on when I started was ready to eat meals, like cans of stew, soup and such. Cans of fruit, peaches, pears and such also. You can open them with an opener, knife, sharp stick or pointy rock and a pair of pliers. No need to heat ready to eat.

Since you are doing a winter prep, do you have enough clothing, blankets, space blankets and such? Is there a way to make a fire where you are? You have plenty of matches, maybe try to add a hatchet and bow saw?

And water, you can never have access to enough clean water! As well as a way to distribute it for dishes and such!!!

One thing you might try is what I did several times a year when I started out. I would get home from work on a Friday and do a dry run. No stopping at the store for a last minute thing either, just right from work to home. I didn't kill the breakers but no refrigerator, electricity or tap water allowed. A couple of these will show you where you are lacking better than any list. Don't plan this a week ahead and spend the week getting ready either!!! Out of the blue, make that decision to do it. A disaster is not going to afford you the time to get ready for it to happen, you have to already be ready.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Thanks everyone. I completely agree on the water, and it's on my list for next time. The coffee and beer are a given too - otherwise I would have to hand in my Pacific Northwest credentials and move to Lake Wobegon.

In terms of food, I think I could be a little spartan but okay for two weeks. More cooking fuel! 

I have a number of other things on my list, and I'm trying to balance them with the timing between now and winter, my threadbare budget, and my hopes of moving in the next few months. Any suggestions on order of priority?

* car jack
* water filter
* first aid stuff
* taking a first aid class
* fixing up my bicycle

There's more, but I'm fried after a day's work in the sun. Maybe I should add "writing a list."


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

To answer some of your questions directly ...

In terms of defense, I've decided for personal reasons not to have firearms in my life. I realize it puts me at a disadvantage in a disaster scenario and I've made my peace with that. I've studied martial arts for several years and I'm very comfortable with blades. That was the original intention when I bought the e-tool. And the stun gun which I forgot to list. Defense is a very important point and I appreciate the reminder - I'll have to revisit that question and see what else I can do.

Weedygarden, I'm not allergic to dairy, I just don't like the flavor of milk. I'm a huge fan of everything else. I'll probably add a small box of dry milk on general principle, and I like your suggestion with the evaporated milk. It makes for great soups. I've also been hoarding ... ahem! ... saving glass jars for quite a while for storage. None of them are sealed for _long_ term use, but they've been handy over the last couple months as I get organized. Now that I have the vacuum sealer I'll re-seal them for real.

Woody, I like your suggestion of giving myself a weekend drill. Back in the Bad Old Days of poverty several years ago I had my power cut off. Fortunately it was during those perfect days of early summer, so I just treated it like a staycation and put some of my camping gear to good use for a couple weeks. :teehee: Who says that kind of drill has to be involuntary? Hell, it would be good for me to get away from the idiot box for a few days.

tleeh1, I like the idea of reverse-engineering my preps too. This really sounds like the correct direction, with compiling a stash of what I _expect_ to use being bass-ackwards. I think the list based on daily use would be radically different - mountains of fresh produce, craft beer, incense for my home altar, classic literature, bags of dog treats ... I'll definitely try it this way.

I have other things that I forgot to list above because they're in my daily rotation like an extra can opener. I'll add them in to the master list for the sake of clarity.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

A small quality water filter need not be expensive here is a good one that is easy to find.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/29273210?...45522741&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=62453208781&veh=sem

You have no rice listed and it is a very inexpensive, easy to prepare, can be added with many other common foods, and stores a very long time.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

bkt said:


> That's a good start! Just keep at it and don't forget to rotate out your stock so things don't go bad before they get used.
> 
> +1 to Grimm's comment about water. Alternatively, since you're in a place that tends to get some rain from time to time, have a means to collect rainwater from your gutters and buy some water purification systems like a Berkey. Having water on hand is good, but you may need a means to purify water at some point.
> 
> ...


My guess is that you haven't been to the LDS Center lately? Lots of changes there in the last year. There are 10 centers where you can still can. The rest have precanned good. Much is the same. The prices are a little higher, but what isn't?


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## Ozarker (Jul 29, 2014)

notyermomma said:


> Thanks everyone. I completely agree on the water, and it's on my list for next time. The coffee and beer are a given too - otherwise I would have to hand in my Pacific Northwest credentials and move to Lake Wobegon.
> 
> In terms of food, I think I could be a little spartan but okay for two weeks. More cooking fuel!
> 
> ...


 I wouldn't want to drive a vehicle without a jack! 
I'd say take your 1st aid class, the Red Cross usually has them for free and you can become certified.

As to medical supplies, I had a visit with my doctor, he gave a script for some good items, syringe and needles, sterile tubing and bandages, even drugs stronger than what you can buy over the counter, stuff prescribed before to me and gave me a box of a coagulant powder to stop the bleeding along with some other stuff. Watch for expiration dates, but most medications are still good or okay after expiration just not as potent.

After you have knowledge of medical emergencies from your class, you can put a better medical bag together. I don't care for the commercial first aid pack (there are okay) but pack for your area, your planned destinations, types of exposure and illness as well as injuries. I don't have any small bandages as big one can cut as needed, never used one of those tiny round band aids and don't want to know where they go.

A water filter of some kind then fix the bike. But, you're more likely going to use your bike before you do a water filter. If you haven't been riding your bike, you need to and stay in shape, when I was a young guy I road raced nationally, I got on a bike last month and thought I was going to die. Use it or lose it as they say. A bike fix is personal preference. Your water filter is like a "should have" "nice to have" as you can improvise filters to get the grit out and boil water and bleach it. Filters are nice to have when you need one. In the winter around here, water can usually be had easily, just don't eat yellow snow.


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## 101airborne (Jan 29, 2010)

hiwall said:


> A small quality water filter need not be expensive here is a good one that is easy to find.
> http://www.walmart.com/ip/29273210?...45522741&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=62453208781&veh=sem
> 
> You have no rice listed and it is a very inexpensive, easy to prepare, can be added with many other common foods, and stores a very long time.


 Hiwall those are pretty good filters. I have a couple in the emergency gear in our camper. Amazon has/had the lifestraw filters a couple days ago for like $11as well. Also agree 110% on the rice just caught it on sale at Sam's a couple weeks ago. Added another 5 50# bags.
Got the Riceland brand for $14 a bag.


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## fteter (May 23, 2014)

1. Great start. Good for you!
2. Really like your approach of building up in baby steps. It's a great way to go!

Like everyone else has chimed in, lots more water needed. Unless you have a solid water source very nearby and a way to make that water safe for consumption, it takes lots of water to have adequate stores for even short periods of time. One idea...fill plastic bags with ice and stick 'em in the freezer. The bags will help your freezer goods stay cold a day or so longer if the power goes out, and they provide a water source after the ice melts.

As for canning, contact your local LDS Church ward. Every ward has access to canning gear that is shared on a rotating basis...along with a specialist to help you use the gear if needed. No cost.

Car jack is pretty urgent. I wouldn't suggest driving a car without one. But you inspired me on the bike thing - been thinking about it, but you've reminded me that it's time to do it.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

I just found this article and it is a neat approach to the baby steps idea.

http://www.backdoorsurvival.com/12-months-of-prepping-year-one/

I normally recommend Food Storage Made Easy for their baby steps.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/babysteps/


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## bigg777 (Mar 18, 2013)

There are *3 very inexpensive, vital preps *that I would recommend you add next time you go to the store, a gallon of pure chlorine bleach, a couple of bottles of hydrogen peroxide and several rounds of salt, preferably iodized.


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

in regard to "ready to eat" ... give it a week and most family oriented households will start running out on most everything .... the lesser households even sooner .... that's when your cooking and eating restrictions need to kick in .... and above all watch your refuse disposal .... starving people will smell a tuna can from 10 feet away and won't stop looking for it's former owner ....


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## DCcam87 (Mar 4, 2013)

You have a very good start!!! I'm not going to go into detail on everything that you need and why. I would just add more water or water purifier and medical supplies.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

I have a list for those that choose not to prep 

1 adult diaper ----- nothing else.
Because when it happens they will fill it then drop dead from fright.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

It's been a year, and I've come a long way. Further than I really wanted to considering I've moved twice and lost some of my preps to perps in the process. 

No matter. Today I finally organized all my food preps and I want to brag about it, because I have a lot more than I thought. This list will just focus on my food since it's what I spent today working on:

Protein: 
7 cans tuna and shrimp
3 cans chicken
3 boxes Barilla Plus pasta
19 cans soup (bean, meat, stew, etc)
9 cans of beans
16 pounds dry beans, assorted
5 pounds quinoa
64 oz red lentils
2 jars peanut butter
4 cans sardines
sunflower seeds

Vegetables:
21 cans tomatoes, various
22 cans veggies, assorted
4 cans three-bean salad
12 cans vegetable soup, assorted

Fruit:
3 cans pineapple
1 can cranberry sauce
1 can mango
1 can pears
1 can apricots
2 cans mandarin oranges
1 jar applesauce
1 pack lunchbox-sized applesauce
3 bags craisins

Carbs:
3 pounds ww pasta
5 packets instant ramen
64 oz jar of my favorite oatmeal mix
64 oz barley
32 oz sweet brown rice
20 pounds russet potatoes
20 oz oatmeal mix, vac sealed
10 oz Coco Wheats
12 pounds white rice, plain and jasmine
3 cups home made yellow rice mix
8 pounds couscous

Sweets: 
2 packs trail mix w/ chocolate chips
banana chips
2 small bags chocolate-covered fruit
5 bottles agave
stevia

Misc:
21 boxes tea, various.*
2 canisters Trader Joes coffee to be pried from my warm, cozy, caffeinated fingers
Ginger, lemon pepper, cinnamon
3 canisters sea salt
1 mason jar demerara sugar

*15.5 Gallons water*

I excluded anything with a 2015 expiration date here because I rolled that into my regular pantry. My kitchen cabinets are pretty decent, with a huge array of spices and basic ingredients I cook with every day. I'm not getting into my non-food preps simply because I have yet to re-organize them. Some things went missing in the burglary, like my propane. It's probably a Small Business Loan to someone's meth lab.  In any case, I may do a separate post on those once I get to that.

_* I realize this is excessive. My friends recently staged an intervention, and I'm waiting for a bed to open up in a Tea Rehab facility. _


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

As I mentioned elsewhere, my goal has shifted from being snowed in for two weeks to The Big Quake. Either way, I think I overshot two week's worth of food a long time ago!

I'm just prepping for myself, but now I live just a few blocks from some older relatives so I'll work toward prepping for three. It goes without saying that we would take care of each other in a disaster, and I'd want to be able to feed them if their house collapsed in The Big One. I know they'd do it for me.

I also look forward to investing in a small upright freezer and maybe a dehydrator. My gardening skills are terrible, but there's always the food bank CSA. I really enjoyed that last summer.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Your over a (skinny) month of food now... keep it up. Might want to add some raw honey and protein, learn to hunt up a few wild greens like curly dock... Rumex crispus (grows everywhere in cities). Add the ability to filter water with charcoal and you are over 2 months...


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Great job on making vast improvements on your preps! I was looking at the list and it occurred to me you may want to reconsider some of those classifications. For example you have the beans and grains under protein... they do have some small percentage of protein, but they are carbs bigtime.

If you can budget a 20lb bag of rice I've read posts over the years of people using 2L soda bottles (washed and well air dried of course) to store rice and other dry goods... oatmeal maybe? I prefer to vacuum seal a lot of those kind of dry goods, but go with what you got! 

LDS temples often have canned goods for sale at very good prices (from what I've read, I have not done that personally as I can my own food but I've read a lot of really good things about it, and it's available to the public, you don't have to be a member of the church for that)

the more people you're planning for (the added family members) the more water you'll need. people always underestimate water. 1 gallon per day? no. try for a lot more than that so that when there's some sort of small setback you're at least prepped for the 2nd most important thing. again 2L soda bottles to the rescue for preppers on a budget. If time, money and space permit you might consider 50 gallon blue barrels. here where I live used food grade barrels are $20 Store water in that in the closet, if space permits. no sunlight, no algae... add some bleach (read up on that online for amount) and use a siphon and garden hose to rotate that out every 6 months if needed, but even if you go way over the 6 months you should also be considering methods to purify unclean water anyway. 

chemical filtration, mechanical filters or good old fashioned boiling! if boiling with an open fire, be really sure not to use treated lumber like stuff used to build garden beds or houses... those chemicals the wood is treated with are super toxic!!! you don't want that in your water or in the air you're breathing while boiling water and cooking food!


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

Thanks for the suggestions. I realized I could also use additional fat, like cooking oil. And some form of dairy. I'm not a fan of dry milk, but I do like Nido. There's also a powdered soy milk mix called Better Than Milk.

Dakine, most of my dry goods are vacuum sealed. I agree things last longer that way. Besides, they can stack like books if you do it right! As such, another goal for me is to get a bunch of clear plastic boxes for my shelves. It'll help me see everything more easily, and make for much easier rummaging and rotation when I can simply pull a box off a shelf rather than two cans/bags at a time.

It never _ends!_


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

notyermomma said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. I realized I could also use additional fat, like cooking oil. And some form of dairy. I'm not a fan of dry milk, but I do like Nido. There's also a powdered soy milk mix called Better Than Milk.
> 
> Dakine, most of my dry goods are vacuum sealed. I agree things last longer that way. Besides, they can stack like books if you do it right! As such, another goal for me is to get a bunch of clear plastic boxes for my shelves. It'll help me see everything more easily, and make for much easier rummaging and rotation when I can simply pull a box off a shelf rather than two cans/bags at a time.
> 
> It never _ends!_


LOL! I agree it's true it doesn't end, but it does evolve!!!

I look at where I am today, with food, water, defenses, precious metals and then add on top of that professional training in school for EMT and welding, etc...

I think back on one radio program in particular, and NOT really that Obama was elected but how the perception became reality after he was elected for me that was some eye opening experience.

I started with nothing, I had a couple handguns a couple rifles a few boxes of shells for each (maybe) and I had .85 cent face value in junk silver, and I like where I am now! keep working, keep climbing!


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## Reblazed (Nov 11, 2010)

sorry, double post


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## Reblazed (Nov 11, 2010)

Dakine said:


> people always underestimate water. 1 gallon per day? no. try for a lot more than that .....


I always thought a gallon a day would be plenty UNTIL my son had plumbing problems and it took a while for them to get fixed correctly. He went through 3 gallons per day on average and that's just for one person.

Makes a person wake up to reality.

.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

And to their own habits. Know thyself...

ETA: One thing that slows me down with the water collection here is the homeless population. It sounds weird, but with all the local need a lot of people make a "job" out of collecting recyclables for the deposits. I don't grudge anyone who's struggling to survive, but it's rare that I find larger bottles in recycling bins. And most of my friends are health nuts, so I can't mooch soda bottles from them either. I know there are plastic water containers for sale, but it's too much cognitive dissonance with my cheapskate genes.

:gaah:


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