We are excited to be starting week 2 of our food storage do-over! Last week we saw a lot of great progress from all those participating and we are excited to keep going. If you didn’t catch last week’s post you can see it here.

Remember this is a 17 week process that we will be going through together. If you want to join in with the group on Facebook click here. If you’d like to receive email notifications of each week’s do-over assignment you can join our mailing list here. Or you can always post in the blog comments with your progress as well! It is so much more fun and motivating doing it as a group so find a way to connect!

In the Emergency Prep Basics section of our website we talk about how each family should have an Emergency Binder put together. Whether it’s a natural disaster, a death in the family, or some other crisis, every household needs a plan in order to survive, cope, and recover. By creating an Emergency Binder, you and your loved ones will be better equipped to endure unexpected adversity and enjoy peace of mind. It’s a great feeling to be prepared! Along with your emergency binder we want to look at a few other financial/legal areas this week.

If you are BRAND NEW and don’t have an Emergency Binder check out our post on how to make your own which includes compiling the following documents etc.

VITAL DOCUMENTS ✓ Birth certificates ✓ Passports ✓ Immunization records ✓ CASH – keep small bills ✓ Copy of your will ✓ Medical information ✓ Military and church papers ✓ Diplomas and transcripts ✓ Marriage certificates ✓ Adoption papers ✓ Current pictures of family ✓ Pet records ✓ Proof of citizenship

INSURANCE INFO ✓ Homeowners insurance policy ✓ Auto insurance policy ✓ Life insurance policy ✓ Medical insurance policy ✓ Pictures and lists of all your personal belongings ✓ Contact information for insurance agents

FINANCIAL INFO ✓ Copies of your credit ✓ Bank statements ✓ Retirement statements ✓ Social security statements ✓ Internet passwords ✓ Utility statements ✓ Work/tax documents that would be difficult to replace ✓ Deeds to properties ✓ Titles to cars, boats etc ✓ Warranty information

We recommend storing your binder in a portable waterproof/fireproof safe. You can grab it and run in an emergency but it will be safe in case your home burns or floods while you are not home. It’s also a great idea to make photocopies or electronic copies of all the contents and store it off-site in a safety deposit box or at the home of a trusted individual.

If you get your binder finished, consider looking at some of the “other” suggested tasks in the DO-OVER section below.

Don’t forget to come over and share your progress in our Food Storage Do-Over Facebook Group!

Emergency Binder

If you already have a good start on your Emergency Binder chances are you will need to update it. Here are some things that require frequent updates:

– Password lists for all your financial accounts (Facebook thread on managing passwords)
– List of bills you pay, and how you pay them (auto-draft vs. check etc.)
– Wills
– Medical records
– Insurance paperwork
– Financial account statements
– Go over your plan with anyone in your family that needs to know this information

Other financial/legal tasks to consider this week

• ONLINE BACKUP: Do you have a plan for backing up your computers and other devices? It’s always a good idea to have multiple backup options. We recommend backing up to an external hard-drive while also using an automatic online backup service such as Mozy, Carbonite, or Crashplan.
• LEGAL MATTERS: A basic will should be included in your emergency binder but there are also other legal documents you may want to explore. We shared our learnings from a class on estate planning given in our church in this blog post that explains about wills, trusts, power of attorney, etc. Review that post and consult a lawyer if you think it is something you need to work on.
• BUDGETS/RETIREMENT PLANNING: Preparedness planning includes being financially stable and planning for your future. Take a look at your monthly budget and see where you can cut any expenses. Look at your retirement accounts and commit to contributing a little more each month. Dave Ramsey has some great BabySteps to follow to really get your financial life under control. We recommend his book The Total Money Makeover.
  
  Don’t forget to come over and share your progress in our Food Storage Do-Over Facebook Group!

  
  Here are some resources both from us and all over the web that can help you if you want more depth on any areas or are looking for even more ideas of items to include in your plans. It’s always a good idea to look at multiple approaches and decide what will work best for you! And don’t forget to check out the discussions on our facebook group to catch anything we are missing or see what others are doing!

  View our Emergency Binder board on Pinterest
  How To Create An Emergency Binder: Food Storage Made Easy
  Planning For Your Family’s Future: Food Storage Made Easy
  Basic Family Binder Printables: Thirty Handmade Days
  Assembling a Red File: Iwillprepare.com
  Facebook thread on managing passwords
  Financial Planning Advice: DaveRamsey.com
  
  Prepare My Life Emergency Planner
  Fireproof/Waterproof Safes to store your binder in
  External Hard Drives for computer backup
  The Total Money Makeover

  Please pin and get your friends joining in too!

  

  
  
  -Jodi Weiss Schroeder
  http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net

  

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