Make goal #1 to sustain life for a week or two.

     You want to have a food storage. You certainly don’t have the money to go out and buy a food supply for a year. As a matter of fact, the normal grocery bill is getting tougher to handle.

Do yourself a favor, just start.

     Here are some cheap, easy to fix items that should be in every cupboard for ‘what if’ situations. All you need is water and heat, if even that. They all store for an extended period of time without refrigeration.

1.)  Ramen noodles
2.)  Macaroni and cheese
3.)  Cans of soup
4.)  Cans of tuna, chicken is also available but more expensive.
5.)  Hamburger Helper, which can be prepared without meat if necessary.
6.)  Oatmeal
7.)  Peanut butter
8.)  Jar of jelly or honey
9.)  Soda crackers which can be used in place of bread.
10.) Cans of hash, chili or stew
11.) Bags of rice, pasta, dry soup mix or mixed beans
12.) Jar of Ragu type pasta sauce, some brands contain meat as well.
13.) Small packages of gravy or sauce mix.
14.) Jello
15.) Jerky
16.) A box of individually wrapped snack bars.

     Even this short list is beyond your budget?  No problem! I did not tell you to buy everything  all at once. Just get one or two items, or whatever you can afford, each time you go to the supermarket. Visit different stores to catch the promotions. Watch for sales and use your coupons. Make a master list and just pick up ‘deals’. You are making progress one meal at a time!  Put your ‘rainy day’ items in the back of the cupboard so you aren’t tempted to use them in the next week. If need be, hide them more securely from your roommates.
     If you have a rodent or bug problem, store them in coffee cans, Christmas time popcorn tins, old Tupperware or reuse large plastic containers.  Goodwill and Salvation Army stores are great places to find containers. I’m not necessarily advocating dumpster diving but…check out the recycle bins.
     There is no need to go overboard. Remember the first goal is “Have enough to sustain life for one or two weeks”.