27 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Granny Miller
15 years ago

Jack –
I think the safe deposit box is a very bad idea. Upon the death on an owner access to a safe deposit box will restricted. Contents may be subject to confiscation and the contents will be inventoried by a third party.

If I might add extra canning bands as an overlooked emergency preparation. Many people store canning jars and lids, but during an extended power failure it will be impossible to pressure can defrosting food in a freezer fast enough without extra bands.

Granny Miller
15 years ago

Jack me again.
Rules must vary by state. Here in Pennsylvania that is not the case 🙂

prsmith
prsmith
15 years ago

Some alternatives:

I found this deodorant and toothpaste recipe. The last one is slightly different and gave more instructions on the deodorant (heat then put it in an already-used deodorant container)..
Homemade Deodorant:
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup corn starch
5 tablespoons coconut oil
A few drops of Tea Tree Oil

1. Combine baking soda and corn starch in a bowl and mix with a fork.

2. Start with about 4 tablespoons/one-fourth cup of coconut oil and add the coconut oil to the baking soda mixture, working into a paste. Add tea tree oil (or other essential oil) for scent [note: tea tree is antiseptic and anti-fungal, strawberry scent has proven to increase work-out up to 20%, green apple decreases appetite, cucumber is aphrodisiac for women {pizza and cinnamon buns for men–but can you find the essential oil and do they really need any help?}, citrus is energizing and lavender is calming and soporific… .].

Homemade Toothpaste:

Mix together:

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil
3 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
5 drops Peppermint Essential oil
5 drops Spearmint Essential Oil
a pinch of Stevia powder

Natural Deodorant Recipe
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup baking soda
Measure all three ingredients into a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the coconut oil melts and the ingredients are combined. Pour the liquid into the container of your choice. An old, empty stick deodorant container works well. Allow the mixture to cool and solidify, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Apply to underarms daily. During warm weather, keep your deodorant in the refrigerator or it may melt.

Deodorant Scented with Essential Oils
The deodorant will be virtually unscented, with a slight coconut scent. To add a pleasant natural fragrance, use essential oils. Experiment to find a signature scent that suits you. Some oils to try include rose, lavender, ylang ylang, bergamot, and jasmine.

Chris
Chris
15 years ago

LOVED the “Best and the Worst of the Assclown” segment. I’d love it if that could become a more frequently part of the show.

Maybe not the President specifically, but government in general. I’m sure we can find something each day that they’re doing right … and plenty that they’re doing wrong!

Granny Miller
15 years ago

Jack –
I’ll check again at the bank 🙂

A. Wiggins
A. Wiggins
15 years ago

The deposit box issue is an interesting one.

I would say talk to your own lawyer to get his take.

I had joint tenancy on a box with my mother, and fortunately removed some of the important papers, will, etc. before she died, as death was imminent. I seem to remember some matter after her death in which I could not further access the box because although it was joint tenancy, she had paid for the box rental. All these fine points! But in the end, as executor, I was able to do so.

I do not know that bank folks always know what is right legally. But your lawyer will. It’s his business to.

Chris
Chris
15 years ago

Just a side thought on the car battery/inverter setup for those who are thinking of running inverters in their BOVs long term.

If you\’re running more than a 150W or so inverter, it\’s a good idea to wire it directly into your battery. Putting the existing lighter-plug setup under constant load can lead to a blown fuse, or worse, melted wire and a short.

I\’ve seen some downright dangerous car audio installs done, including a kid who tapped his BRAKE LIGHTS for power in the trunk.

Be safe, folks! 🙂

(“Security” is misspelled on the “enter security code” error as well. Whoops on both our accounts, I guess!)

Thox Spuddy
Thox Spuddy
15 years ago

Slightly off-topic: if you’re thinking of renting a mini-storage space as an alternative location for your things, take note. I was advised by the landlord to get a big expensive lock, which I did. Little did I know that this was a billboard for thieves. They took a torch to the lock and got in, meanwhile leaving storage spaces with little flimsy dime store locks untouched. They figure that the bigger the lock, the bigger the goods.

Chris Cross
Chris Cross
15 years ago

Another side note on mini-storage. Lots of places only have a motorized gate with an electronic keypad and/or a man-sized gate with an electronic keypad.

Make sure you ask if you will be able to get in with a power-outage. Most systems run off a little 12v battery when the mains is out, but the owner can configure it to lock out all but certain users if the mains is down.

I liked today’s show. I think it is so easy to focus on the big, complicated, expensive stuff you just never get to the easy, cheap (free?), stuff that will make more of a difference.

CPH
CPH
15 years ago

I had a magnetic key box under my car years ago. One time I checked to ensure it was still there, and it wasn’t. I suspect it fell off when hitting a bump or something of that nature. I would recommend twisting a piece of wire securely around a (non-moving) part under the vehicle and attaching the key to it. Copper wire may last longer as it will not rust and break.

Kristen
Kristen
15 years ago

Thanks for saying TARPS. Here in Hurricane country we could use them on our roof if there is any damage. Women should store tampons or pads. We can make our own too http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sanitarypads.htm. Also, a good stack of newspapers is good to have stored for use as weed block, mulch, seed starting pots, fire starter, funnel, insulation, pet bedding and toilet paper :o)

Lisa Hettman (RiderX)
Lisa Hettman (RiderX)
15 years ago

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos??!!!!

BRILLIANT!!!!!

ken325
ken325
15 years ago

I am not a fan of the magnetic key boxes. to easy to see. I found a very had to reach spot, drilled a tiny hole in a piece of plastic trim and attached the key with zip ties.

radiomacgyver
radiomacgyver
15 years ago

On the list of telephone numbers be sure to get the seven digit number for the police and fire departments in the out of town or state locations where your relatives may reside.

I\’ll explain, if you call 911 most of the time you get the nearest PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) which may be located in the city your in or a local area. They may not in a timely manner be able to look-up and transfer your call especially if your calling someone out of state or across counties.

Plus the 911 lines can get overloaded with non-emergency calls.

Hraz
Hraz
15 years ago

Just bought a 6$ phone from Wall-Mart in case the power goes out. Great idea, something I over looked.

mbarnatl
mbarnatl
15 years ago

One of the most overlooked items are for after a disaster. Leather work gloves, work boots that cover the ankles (prefer steel toe boots), dust masks, rubber gloves and basic cleaning supplies.

Jetta
Jetta
15 years ago

You brought up aspirin and pet preps. Many Vets will tell ya you can give a dog buffered aspirin for pain or stiffness. I would give my dog half of one once every few days and it helped her out a ton for a long time.

Michael Williams
Michael Williams
15 years ago

Tip for newer vehicles with anti-theft keys.

I have a new-ish Jeep Grand Cherokee and to have a new key made which can only be purchased through Jeep (so they say) will cost me $300 because of all the electronic anti-theft gizmos. But for the purpose of hiding a spare key I found that a $.98 key made at Wal-Mart will unlock the doors but will not work in actually starting the vehicle; allowing me to retrieve my keys when I accidentally locked myself out and not have to worry about someone stealing my vehicle.

Michael Williams
Michael Williams
15 years ago

Here\’s a link on how to harness the electricity coming off of phone lines for other uses. Not something you want to use on a daily basis.

http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Hidden-Electricity!/

Heavy G
Heavy G
15 years ago

One of the best shows ever, Jack. I realized I have a couple of things to do.

Jhratzer
Jhratzer
15 years ago

Hey Jack,
I might recommend storing the extra set of keys in along with your home defense hand gun safe. This gives you easy access to your keys in the dark in order to flee quickly, but with newer vehicles, you might use the panic button to make the Car horn sound to ward off home intrusion and alert neighbors that there may be something going on. Just a thought. Great show… A few days later.

Adam
Adam
15 years ago

Jack,

Not sure what I thought on your take of the Harvard professor arrest. LRC has posted quite a bit on it. Thought I'd get your thoughts.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/grigg/grigg-w104.html
http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/28/gates-crowley-ar

commercial property
14 years ago

The Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office keeps property documents and real estate records. There may be a survey on file there from when your mother or a previous owner bought the place.