# You know you are a prepper when...



## cm4ever (Oct 26, 2012)

You work at a bulk freight company, see a pallet of canned corned beef and a little bit of you drools.....

Cm4ever


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

When you know that exactly 30 - 5 gallon buckets will fit under a queen sized bed.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Your dog has more preps than your 40+ closest neighbors in the 11 houses around you. (possibly more than all of them combined)


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## Foreverautumn (Oct 25, 2010)

You know what a Big Berkey is and how to use one.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

When nothing gets thrown out of your house without being evaluated for 're-purposing' potential.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

When you look at all the preceding posts and wonder why anyone thinks these ideas are "special"  Seems like everyday common stuff to me


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

.

Your local corner store calls you and asks if you have any XXXX in stock.




.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

All of those and plus, you go to flea markets or garage sales and the old rusted crap you used to dismiss now looks like you could use it


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## Boomy (Mar 17, 2012)

When you are disappointed after a hurricane because it wasn't bad enough to justify dragging out your preps.
OR
You're disappointed when the power comes back on after two weeks because now everything is going to go "back to normal"....


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Your single but the Walmart cashier thinks you have 8 kids.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

You carry your BOB with you everywhere

Buy seeds in enough quantities to feed an army


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

When you can calculate to the penny how many cans of beans you could have bought with the money your friend just spent on a pedicure.


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

lazydaisy67 said:


> When you can calculate to the penny how many cans of beans you could have bought with the money your friend just spent on a pedicure.


I had similar thoughts when I walked passed the hair salon at Walmart the other night and saw their special for a perm and color.."How I would spend that $48.95."


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## the7wolf (Dec 4, 2012)

When you have more glow sticks than the biggest rave party in your area.


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Sentry18 said:


> Your single but the Walmart cashier thinks you have 8 kids.


Or you have 10 kids but the Walmart cashier thinks you run an orphanage:flower:


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

...You buy more rice and beans than a Mexican restaurant. 

...Ammunition retailers send you a Christmas card. 

...Your back yard looks like the garden of Eden.

...Your OPSEC is so good your neighbors think the house is vacant.

...You have more supplies buried than most people have in their houses.


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## neworchard18 (Nov 28, 2012)

You voluntarily give up your underground parking space at work.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

You go to see Red Dawn and think that ,man this better be good because thats 16 cans of green beans I could have bought. 
The people at Goodwill have put things back for you because they knew you would be in this week and would want it. 
You have ammo and cleaning kits for guns you know you are going to buy one day. 
You pass out close to expired MREs for Trick or Treet. 
You have anything other then food wraped in Tinfoil


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

biobacon said:


> You go to see Red Dawn and think that ,man this better be good because thats 16 cans of green beans I could have bought.
> The people at Goodwill have put things back for you because they knew you would be in this week and would want it.
> You have ammo and cleaning kits for guns you know you are going to buy one day.
> You pass out close to expired MREs for Trick or Treet.
> You have anything other then food wraped in Tinfoil


:rofl:

Speaking of trick or treating....

You make the kids tithe out part of their candy to the quart jar on the kitchen table all for the sake if shtf! And they do! Hahaha, how would I know? :rofl:


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

ksmama10 said:


> I had similar thoughts when I walked passed the hair salon at Walmart the other night and saw their special for a perm and color.."How I would spend that $48.95."


Even worst is knowing how to get your hair colored for free AND put up boxes of home hair color in your preps(also for free). 

I can't help it! I'm still really young and 25% gray! It's genetics I swear!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

DJgang said:


> :rofl:
> 
> Speaking of trick or treating....
> 
> You make the kids tithe out part of their candy to the quart jar on the kitchen table all for the sake if shtf! And they do! Hahaha, how would I know? :rofl:


One of my favorite LDS food storage blogs recommends this. It also recommends buying candy in bulk AFTER Halloween. The author says that most of it can be used in baking later in the year.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

Grimm said:


> Even worst is knowing how to get your hair colored for free AND put up boxes of home hair color in your preps(also for free).
> 
> I can't help it! I'm still really young and 25% gray! It's genetics I swear!


Its cool, Im 30 and Im graying as well. Maybe we worry to much LOL


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

biobacon said:


> Its cool, Im 30 and Im graying as well. Maybe we worry to much LOL


I'm 33. My dad was 30+% gray by the time I was 5 yrs old. It runs in the family to gray prematurely. My mom has less gray than me and is in her 60s! It doesn't help that I have very dark hair that really shows the gray. My DH has blonde hair and only shows gray in his beard.


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## emilnon (May 8, 2012)

Your Christmas list is entirely made up of prepping/homesteading items...

The gifts you buy everyone else are prepping items, whether they asked for those items or not..


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

emilnon said:


> Your Christmas list is entirely made up of prepping/homesteading items...
> 
> The gifts you buy everyone else are prepping items, whether they asked for those items or not..


Well, who wouldn't welcome a flashlight, gloves, knit hat, or warm socks in their stocking?

I saw a great idea for a White Elephant exchange the other day: Set a theme.. and this year, the theme is Doomsday Prepping. Can be silly, can be serious...could be fun.


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## WatchUr6 (May 18, 2012)

Your family members ask you what they can add to the your "storage room" in the basement. 

They understand that everyone contributes, no matter how little.


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

When your 5 year old asks you if it's time for an a-pop-o-lips :rofl:


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

You ask your wife for a new 40+ gun safe for Christmas because yours is stocked full with guns and ammo...

You see Red Jacket Firearms is putting out a new Remington 870 and ask spouse for it on FB for Christmas

You get excited when Krogers does the 10/$10 deals!


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

You can answer the "how much toilet paper do we use each month" without having to think about it. Then you can answer the "how many months of toilet paper do we have on hand" without needing to count.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Country Living said:


> You can answer the "how much toilet paper do we use each month" without having to think about it. Then you can answer the "how many months of toilet paper do we have on hand" without needing to count.


6

About 18 months.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

LOL.....I count everything because you don't know how much to store if you don't know how much is used! My latest project is switching to bar soap instead of liquid soap in the shower. I get two months out of liquid bath soap container and I am currently monitoring how long a bar of soap lasts. Even then, I think the bar soap will win out because I can purchase four bar soaps to one liquid soap and the bar soap is much easier to store.

If you're really bored, I can give you my toilet paper analysis.... inkfight:


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Country Living said:


> LOL.....I count everything because you don't know how much to store if you don't know how much is used! My latest project is switching to bar soap instead of liquid soap in the shower. I get two months out of liquid bath soap container and I am currently monitoring how long a bar of soap lasts. Even then, I think the bar soap will win out because I can purchase four bar soaps to one liquid soap and the bar soap is much easier to store.
> 
> If you're really bored, I can give you my toilet paper analysis.... inkfight:


I switched to soap bars about 6 months ago when I got fed up with youngest darling son using body wash for bubble bath. If I could find a reasonably priced shampoo bar, I might go that route too.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

ksmama10 said:


> I switched to soap bars about 6 months ago when I got fed up with youngest darling son using body wash for bubble bath. If I could find a reasonably priced shampoo bar, I might go that route too.


I can get five months out of a bottle of shampoo. It's a two-parter. You wet your hair, put a nickel-size dollop of shampoo on your hand and rub your two hands together to spread out the shampoo, work the shampoo into your hair (it won't bubble), and rinse. Then add a dime-size dollop (yes, it just got smaller) and repeat the process. You'll be stunned as to how much bubbly shampoo you have the second time. I don't know why it works; but it works.

A big container of shampoo is more difficult to handle with wet hands and you're more likely to use more shampoo than you need. Put some of the shampoo in a small bottle and you'll find the amount much easier to control.


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## AuroraHawk (Sep 12, 2012)

Country Living said:


> You'll be stunned as to how much bubbly shampoo you have the second time. I don't know why it works; but it works.


Shampoo lathers better on clean hair than it does on dirty hair. Same goes for hand soap.

Now to see if someone can give the biochemist's reason for these.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

OIls kill lather, hence dirtyhair =oils = lather killed most of those ils leave with the first dose so the lil dab next time lathers up nicely.


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

ksmama10 said:


> I switched to soap bars about 6 months ago when I got fed up with youngest darling son using body wash for bubble bath. If I could find a reasonably priced shampoo bar, I might go that route too.


Kirks Castile soap, no perfumes, lathers really great makes a great shampoo stores for years and not bad for price, the only thing I have found when stored for years the cocoanut oil comes out but dosent hurt it, I pick up five or six bars everytime I get to the store that has it, maybe make a great barter item someday.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

talob said:


> Kirks Castile soap, no perfumes, lathers really great makes a great shampoo stores for years and not bad for price, the only thing I have found when stored for years the cocoanut oil comes out but dosent hurt it, I pick up five or six bars everytime I get to the store that has it, maybe make a great barter item someday.


Does kirks work better than dr bronner's? Do you use it on your hair?

Edit: guess I meant to ask, on your hair, does it feel like dr bronner's does? I can't use dr bronner's on my hair at all.


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## marlas1too (Feb 28, 2010)

you end up getting 2 carts in the local dollar general of all the 1.00 stuff and you check out slip is about 7 feet long and you think its normal


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

DJgang said:


> Does kirks work better than dr bronner's? Do you use it on your hair?
> 
> Edit: guess I meant to ask, on your hair, does it feel like dr bronner's does? I can't use dr bronner's on my hair at all.


I've never used dr bronners, yeah I use it every other shower for shampoo, tried to get wife to use it says she dosent want her to fall out! OK mine is getting pretty thin.


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

talob said:


> Kirks Castile soap, no perfumes, lathers really great makes a great shampoo stores for years and not bad for price, the only thing I have found when stored for years the cocoanut oil comes out but dosent hurt it, I pick up five or six bars everytime I get to the store that has it, maybe make a great barter item someday.


I will have to snag a bar and give it a test run. Some of us have sensitive scalps, and I have to be careful. Fortunately, they seem to do fine with Suave( more so than some pricier brands). I remember mom getting bars of Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap for flakey scalps, and there was some brand that came in a jar. The shampoo was the consistency of cool whip, and was pink. Haven't seen that in more than 30 years though. Dh uses the store brand T-Gel for his psoriasis. I think the main active ingredient is the same as the old Grandpa's soap.


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## talob (Sep 16, 2009)

talob said:


> I've never used dr bronners, yeah I use it every other shower for shampoo, tried to get wife to use it says she dosent want her to fall out! OK mine is getting pretty thin.


Should have added, probably more to do with heridity than shampoo.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

You have more medical supplies put away than can be found in the machine shop emergency medical cabinets at work.

You look in the cabinet at work and wonder why it's missing quick clot, battle dressings and a half dozen other things that you already have in your car, bag and home.

You could stock a small library with all of your "how to" books.

Every building to go into you're making mental notes of what can be scavenged for when the zombies rise up.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

Your car trunk looks like your going on a camping trip year round.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

lazydaisy67 said:


> When your 5 year old asks you if it's time for an a-pop-o-lips :rofl:


No!!! it's not time for an a-pop-o-lips!!! at all!! I still have more food to can first, then maybe we can have one later


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## mma800 (May 7, 2012)

Lol! 
Yesterday my 9 yo said he would get me a new bottle of dish liquid from " the Doom Room". I almost wet my pants with laughter


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

mma800 said:


> Lol!
> Yesterday my 9 yo said he would get me a new bottle of dish liquid from " the Doom Room". I almost wet my pants with laughter


I'm gonna write that one down!


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

Your prep storeroom looks more like a mini-mart.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

When it doesn't bother you anymore that people stare at you as you check dates on everything you buy.....

Jimmy


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## ksmama10 (Sep 17, 2012)

Jimmy24 said:


> When it doesn't bother you anymore that people stare at you as you check dates on everything you buy.....
> 
> Jimmy


That's just good stewardship!


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

lazydaisy67 said:


> When your 5 year old asks you if it's time for an a-pop-o-lips :rofl:


Read this yesterday and I gotta say I'm still saying it and laughing. Hahaha!


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

When youve found something else thats expired at Wallmart. They are starting to dislike me there I think. I understand a week old, I get that, but expired in May? Come on someone is not doing there Job. Ok just kidding, well not about the expierd part. The women who does that stuff there used to work with me and i think she likes that I find the stuff for her.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

Ok so I reread my post, i cant spell LOL


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

biobacon said:


> Ok so I reread my post, i cant spell LOL


We still love you. :kiss:


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

You are getting a divorce but instead of fighting for custody of the kids you fight over custody of the preps.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

While all the other shoppers are putting single cans in their basket, you're putting cases in yours.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

ksmama10 said:


> I switched to soap bars about 6 months ago when I got fed up with youngest darling son using body wash for bubble bath. If I could find a reasonably priced shampoo bar, I might go that route too.


If you need some, Dollar Tree sells the little soap saver doo-dads... the kind we grew up with that normally came from Avon or some similar company. I bought several of both sizes.


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## cnsper (Sep 20, 2012)

You walk into a thrift store and almost wet yourself when you see cases of biscuit rations canned in 1964 by the civil defense department.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

This one is from a prepper ex boy friend of mine...

You are a single man but have more packages of Kotex in your home than your married friends with daughters.


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Grimm said:


> You are getting a divorce but instead of fighting for custody of the kids you fight over custody of the preps.


Um, follow up on one episode of doomsday preppers , couple divorced and she got the preps she said. :laugh:


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

biobacon said:


> Ok so I reread my post, i cant spell LOL


Made sense to me, but of course I homeschool three boys.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

DJgang said:


> Um, follow up on one episode of doomsday preppers , couple divorced and she got the preps she said. :laugh:


I saw that one. She was ordered to get the preps herself but she said that her ex was there with guns...

Personally, I'd show up with a sheriff to collect the property.


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Your child wants a pet rabbit but you only agree after you research how to butcher it and recipes to cook it.


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## mma800 (May 7, 2012)

Hahaha Grimm!!!

I JUST did that in September!

Peter is now in his hutch in the garage!

Read my mind, ya know we r Preppers!


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

mma800 said:


> Hahaha Grimm!!!
> 
> I JUST did that in September!
> 
> ...


Both my DH and I had rabbits as pets when we were kids and we plan on raising rabbits for food when we move to the 'country'.

I was going to write that one about pet cats but that might gross some people out. But then we do have 5 cats...


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

You're rummaging through school supplies when they go on sale at the beginning of the school year and you don't have any children in school.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

You frequent the family-owned bar-b-que place not so much as to enjoy a good meal; but, to find out what they do with their pickle buckets.


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

You have to challenge your better half to a 3-gun competition to see who get to use the new grain mill first!

**edit** Loser is the first to eat the 25yr old "canned" goods to see if they live or not.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

The bakery department at the grocery store in the next town sees you coming and starts looking for empty buckets to give you ('cause they know what you're coming for).


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## jerrym59 (Oct 25, 2012)

When You have lived off the grid for 10 years :sssh:


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## Homegrowngirl (Apr 19, 2011)

When you go shopping for your "normal weekday groceries" and you come home with more preps then anything else. And after putting things away, there isn't much left to put in the cupboard.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

When you go to Wally World and the first thing in your cart is ammo.


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## biobacon (Aug 20, 2012)

When your looking forward to .35 a pound fruit cause your going to can/dehydrate it.
When you look for discouts at the Dollar Tree 
When you store female items for your wife ( I saw the one above)
When you wonder if you can charge your kindle with your crank radio
When you did these things today( because I did LOL)


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## cm4ever (Oct 26, 2012)

When you are excited about buying tarps and tents.

CM4ever


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Country Living said:


> When you go to Wally World and the first thing in your cart is ammo.


I am learning to rectify that. I'm learning to reload


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

When you see a '57 Chevy tootling down the road and, instead of feeling a bit nostalgic, you think "EMP car".


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

The first thing you do upon entering K-mart is head to the hardware dept. to see if gas cans are on sale. :dunno:


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

You already have 2x 60lb Vittles Vaults that are brand new and unused, but you KNOW you need more because you plan to add chickens, and that requires at least 2 different kinds of food, and then there's the rabbits I want to get... and I would like another dog so that means doubling the food storage cans that are already filled... :surrender:


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Dakine said:


> You already have 2x 60lb Vittles Vaults that are brand new and unused, but you KNOW you need more because you plan to add chickens, and that requires at least 2 different kinds of food, and then there's the rabbits I want to get... and I would like another dog so that means doubling the food storage cans that are already filled... :surrender:


I have to order a new Vittles Vault to store the new pup's food. I want to have a 3 month supply of food for her before we bring her home in 2 weeks.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

Grimm... Petco online has a sale which I've been able to take advantage of a couple times. This sale has been running practically all year I think. 2x vittles vaults at 60 lbs capacity each, for $74 with free shipping. so I can hold 4 bags of dog food in a pair of them, and my dog takes about 5-6 weeks per pag, so 5-6 months dog kibble if both are full. This sale is only online though, not in the stores.

Also, you may want to look at buying your dog food at the county feed store on East Vista Way, I dont know if you've looked at what brand of dog food you want yet but I go with Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance. He raised champion show dogs and was extremely disappointed in the quality of dog foods available, so he started his own company. This food is top notch! Its funny because if you go look at Purina and Blue Buffalo, this is the brand they will NOT compare themselves against because they lose! LOL! Some people dont want to spend the extra money but I like the quality of the food she gets, and I think I see benefits in no digestive related visits to the vet. I still have to bring her when she gets foxtails or something up in her paw, but that's obviously different.

Petco carries the same brand, and Petco has a deal where if you buy 10 bags, they give you a bag for free, and I think this is any brand, you'd have to ask them to be sure, but the problem is it has to be within 1 year, and since my dog doesn't go through the bags that fast it means I never get the coupon for the free bag.

BUT!!!! County Feed store has the same deal directly through Natural Balance and they'll give you a little cardboard envelope to save the UPC proof of purchase bar codes in, and they dont care about "in a year" just buy 10 from them and they give you a bag for free. They have to be the exact same flavor and size bag though. So I always buy the same flavor in 30 lb bags for her. Just got my free bag last month when I paid for 2 to fill the other can.

http://www.petco.com/product/9799/Gamma-Vittles-Vault-Stackables.aspx?CoreCat=MM_SmallAnimalSupplies_FoodStorage


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## Grimm (Sep 5, 2012)

Dakine said:


> Grimm... Petco online has a sale which I've been able to take advantage of a couple times. This sale has been running practically all year I think. 2x vittles vaults at 60 lbs capacity each, for $74 with free shipping. so I can hold 4 bags of dog food in a pair of them, and my dog takes about 5-6 weeks per pag, so 5-6 months dog kibble if both are full. This sale is only online though, not in the stores.
> 
> Also, you may want to look at buying your dog food at the county feed store on East Vista Way, I dont know if you've looked at what brand of dog food you want yet but I go with Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance.


We fed our previous dogs Natural Balance and Nature's Variety raw patties. As a kid we fed our dogs Purina Pro Plan. The breeder we are getting the pup from feeds Purina Pro Plan but we'll switch her over to NB and NV when we bring her home.

I shop at Petco because we do not have a feed store local and I have always used the buy 10 get one deal with my Pals card. I am mostly using the deal to add to our stores for the cats right now since I have 4 free bags of NB and NV kibble coming. I shop for other supplies at the ma and pa pet stores as they have cheaper prices and let me stack coupons til the items are almost free. I also shop online for a lot of pet supplies if I can get a better deal.

I did see 50 lb vittles vault bags on ebay for $20 plus shipping. They are the heavy canvas bags with the gamma seals. I want to get some of those to store the unopened bags of cat food in the garage. I know we'll need some of the 80lb vaults when we move and raise rabbits for the timothy hay and food. Right now I am using a small 20lb vault for the daily used cat food and stacking the prepped bags in the closet. I think a 30-40lb vault for the pup will work since they don't sell the NV puppy kibble in bags bigger than 10lbs. Why I do not know! But they have a sale on them right now and I have a stack of $4 off coupons!

Thanks for the advice. Its tough not kicking myself about getting rid of our dog supplies when our last one passed. 3 years and you'd think I'd have kept it all just because! I was smart and starting collecting toys when I got the itch for a new pup. It took taking my DH to the breeder for him to get back on the dog train. I think we may be slowly drifting towards being dog people again after losing this last tom cat. I told my DH that we will always have cats but after these 5 go they will only be barn cats that come in for the winter.


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