Archive for the ‘Frugality’ Category

By Cameron McKirdy

Survival Bros followers know I’ve been on the road all summer in my 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon GL.  It’s ran strong for months straight.  I will do a big summer review blog soon, but here’s a van update shot recently on my travels around the Pacific Northwest.  Scope out the rest area known as Dismal Nitch.  This Washington State Park is a historic location, because The Lewis and Clark Expedition ran into trouble here, and were pinned against the rocks for six grueling days.  Harsh winds, and brutal rain pounded The Corps. of Discovery along the mighty Columbia River over 200 years ago.  

My overnight stay was much more pleasurable.  I was sheltered in my VW bus, protected from the elements.  I took advantage of the facilities by dumping my trash, washing my hands and teeth, and cooking on a covered picnic table in grass.  Dismal Nitch in WA also features a trail, informative maps, plus plaques about Lewis and Clark.  As mentioned in my HD video, you can stay parked for up to 8 hours, but overnight camping, and tenting are not allowed.  So keep a low profile, and pick up after yourself.  This is an excellent destination for car campers, and travelers on a budget, or just wanting to get away from the static of the city.  

I’ve spent the night in my vehicle here maybe six times this summer, and each trip has been a positive experience, and memorable.  So it’s Survival Bros tested, and approved.  Visit, because it’s probably the only rest area you’ll ever want to take a picture at.  Snap a selfie, and post it on Facebook, because I also got great cell phone reception out there.  The view of Astoria, and the bountiful river is astonishing, and extremely relaxing.  The only cons are lots of lighting in the parking lot, possibly affecting sleepers negatively.  The road noise is also noticeable, but luckily the highway is not heavily used.  Thanks for supporting my blog!  Feel free to comment, like, and share on social networks.  Peace and love from the road less traveled.

Lewis and Clark Bronze

Lewis and Clark Bronze Sculpture at Dismal Nitch Park in Washington State

Visit the official website for more info, and history by clicking here!

Survival Bros hunts for urban treasure at local thrift stores around town in Eugene, Oregon.  Cameron McKirdy must have been to eight shops that day.  All of the searching paid off, wouldn’t you say?  Thanks for watching another HD video production.  Please subscribe today via email!  Happy hunting Survival Bros.  More on http://www.cameronmckirdy.com

goodwill-logo

http://www.goodwill.org/

Recently I camped in a Walmart parking lot on West 11th in Eugene, Oregon.  In this HD video you’ll get the scoop on what it’s like to do some urban stealth camping in my 1986 Volkswagen Vanagon GL.  It was noisy, and the space is well lit, but in general, I got great rest.  It feels good to be somewhere, and not have to pay for the experience.  This was a fun experiment, and I’d recommend it to any Survival Bros. out there.  Staying at Walmart for free beats dropping hundreds for a night in a hotel.  Would you try this?  Live simple my friends.  More videos about my summer road trip coming soon.  Thanks for visiting my blog!  Peace and love.

funny-walmart-meme-freaks

It’s a joke people!

Have you visited People Of WalMart yet?  Click this.

By Cameron McKirdy

Survival Bros gives you a tour of the 1986 Volkswagon Vanagon, and discusses van dwelling.  I use the Coast Products TX100 LED flashlight to show you how dark the windows are now with tint and black vinyl covering them.  Look at the other gear I use and how, including my Kelty Recluse 2.5 insulated sleeping pad.  You have to have some kind of mat to lay on to be comfortable camping.

I’ve been doing a great job of staying clear of local police.  I continue to camp on private property with permission from the owner, or legally at camp grounds.  Plus, by staying at designated rest areas, the cops can’t charge me with overnight camping.  The police have better things to do anyways, like uphold their oath to The Constitution, and keep the peace.  We know law enforcement is big fans of our emergency preparedness blog, so thanks for visiting!  More adventures from the road soon.  

tx100

By Cameron McKirdy

image

Survival Bros has been camping at Saddle Mountain.  This is a quick, and easy breakfast beverage guaranteed to get you moving, like it did me.  It tastes great, and mixes well, even with cold liquids.  Directions:
1.  Dump 1 packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast mix into container.
2.  Open instant coffee crystals and pour into bottle too.
3.  Add 6 ounces of spring water, plus 6 ounces of chocolate hemp milk.
4.  Shake, and enjoy.

This is a terrific pick-me-up in the A.M.   Maybe you’d like to sip it slowly a hike, or while going about your day.  Survival Bros prepares this recipe because it’s delicious, fast, and doesn’t make a mess to create. Just toss the wrappers, rinse out your container, and get on with it.  Peace and love from the road.
– Cam

By Cameron McKirdy

1.  Check which color tag is 50% off that week when you walk in the door.

2.  See if the item works.  Plug it in.  Check for missing parts, or if it’s damaged.

3.  If you find something unique – RESEARCH IT on the spot with your smartphone.

  • Search Amazon and eBay
  • Scan the barcode with your phone’s camera

4.  Pull the trigger.  If you haven’t seen it before, BUY IT.  Your item may be a good investment because it’s rare.

Finally, keep the treasure for yourself, give it away to someone deserving, or sell it for a profit online or in person.

Here’s another sweet Goodwill find I scored this week, and show you on video.  It’s a rare Valterra skateboard from 1986!  It shreds.  

I found this road bike at Goodwill too, and now it’s a Bug Out Bike ready in case of emergencies.  I got new tires for it, and purchased a BOB Yak trailer to haul gear down the road with ease.  

Don’t forget to donate stuff you don’t need to charity.  I’ve seen Goodwill do good things in the community, and employee people that need assistance.  You’ll get a tax credit too just for being so kind.  Thanks for reading, and doing your part.  Peace from Survival Bros.

goodwill-logoGood luck treasure hunting at Goodwill and beyond!  Expect epic finds.

Survival Bros Logo Cool Grey

Cameron McKirdy from Survival Bros shows you how to gather freebies at a motel.  Embrace hoarding, and be the real prepper you can be.  Not that I’d do it, but I bet you could walk into any hotel and politely ask for another shampoo, soap, and coffee and you’d get hooked up without being questioned about what room you are staying in.  Just saying.  I’ve already put my freebies in Ziploc bags for storage.  Happy prepping.  Please SUBSCRIBE to Survival Bros on YouTube!  Thank you.

By Cameron McKirdy

There’s many freebie sites online that link to forms where you can request free samples from companies.  In this video I show you all the stuff I’ve received in the mail, plus items I have taken from stores myself.  You can also complain about product you don’t like to a company’s hotline, and they will send you a replacement, or a voucher redeemable at a shop near you.  

New video of freebies I received this week including a $10 Starbucks gift card

First, I want to discuss how to get free samples by mail.  It’s easiest to find a website like http://www.freebieshark.com which links to the latest promotions around the web.  Generally, you just have to fill out a short form with your name and address to get a complementary trial size of whatever.  Sometimes, you have to like a company’s Facebook page, Tweet about their business, or something like that before you can request a free sample.  It takes a few seconds to complete most forms, especially if you allow your internet browser to auto fill in your information.  As you can see in the Survival Bros video above,  I’ve scored tons of things by quickly filling out forms online.  I think my favorite gift was the four Keurig coffees in a sampler box.  It’s not much, but freebies add up, and save you lots of cash in the long run.

In the video I also mention how I complain about items I’m not satisfied with to the company over the phone.  These comment lines are always grateful I call, because my input helps make their product better.  They apologize for my inconvenience, and send me vouchers good for a replacement item, and valuable coupons for the future.  I said Planters sent me $15 to get a new item of my choosing, and here’s what the manufacturer coupons looked like before I spent them at UnSafeway.

https://youtu.be/kcmbm0cUNa0

product vouchersThe final and simplest way to get free stuff is to take it.  Go to a business, such as a convenience store, and get packets of sugar, salt and pepper, honey, sauce, etc.  Or if you’re eating at a fast food restaurant, politely ask for extra sauces.  You can take home additional ranches, mustard and ketchup, or crackers.  They won’t mind, and you rarely have to pay for these, so have fun, and use your imagination.  Soon you’ll have a huge stockpile of goodies like me.  This is what I had on hand to show today.

free stuff onlineNow you know three ways to get free stuff.  You can find an offer and fill out a form online to request a free sample, call the company directly if you are not satisfied with a product, or take a few extras from restaurants and stores.  You have to embrace being a hoarder, and become a scavenger.  I believe this is the essence of being a prepper.  It’s good to have extra just in case.  It’s free, why not take it?  If I can get all these items in a few weeks, so can you.  You just have to do some urban, and online hunting.  Please comment if you have any questions and I will get back to you.

Produced By Cameron McKirdy

easy quiche meal

This is one of my favorite meals.  It’s light, yet packed with veggies and protein.  If you follow the simple recipes below, then you’ll have a hearty meal the entire family will enjoy.  My Mom hesitantly gave me her secret cooking instructions to share on Survival Bros.  Somebody cook this, and save me a fat slice.  Eat up!

pastry crust pie

easy quiche family recipe guide

By Andrew McKirdy

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.

This DIY project started when I sat down for a drink at Rock Bottom Brewery in Denver, Colorado. I noticed several old whiskey barrels being used for decoration. I asked my waitress if I could have one, and a few days later the brewmaster and I were loading two freshly used barrels into a borrowed car for transport. They’d been emptied, but I could still hear swishing when I moved them. One had been used for a raspberry saison and the other for an ale. I don’t have a shop, but thankfully a friend let me use his patio to begin work. I decided I wanted to keep one barrel whole and use it as a kitchen table. The other I would cut in half and turn into two side tables. I used a handsaw for accuracy, and finished with a powered skill saw. For the whole barrel, I drilled a small opening in the bottom to drain the remaining contents. I scraped the insides with a chisel, removing any loose wood chips. Then I poured vinegar in the barrels to kill bacteria and prevent future growth. This also helped get rid of the funky raspberry smell.
I sanded, then dusted off both barrels, to prep them for stain. I came back the next day, but the stench of high VOCs (nasty chemicals called volatile organic compounds) reeked. I realized I would need to seal them up. This would stop the smell, and provide an excellent sheen. I found a low VOC polyurethane which worked wonders. Lastly, were the rusty metal hoops, which I wanted black. After those were painted I priced around for the most affordable glass company. I was told I needed a tempered piece of glass which cost twice as much, but is infinitely safer and stronger. Finally the project was complete. I had taken something that was going to be destroyed, and given it new life in my home. I researched the name on the barrel and found out it came from the oldest and smallest distillery in Kentucky, originating in 1797. The Woodford Distillery is in fact a National Historic Landmark. I have a real piece of Americana.
Vintage Oak Barrels

Oak Whiskey Barrels to be upcycled