- Make home storage a regular budget item.
- Use your income tax return.
- Use bonuses.
- Have a home storage Christmas.
- Grow a garden. Can and dehydrate the extra produce.
- Use bulk purchases for regular monthly groceries and use the money saved for home storage.
- Shop sales and stock up.
- Follow the counsel by Vaughn J. Featherstone in April 1976 General Conference:
“Now you ask, ‘Where do I get the money for these things? I agree we need them, but I’m having a hard time making ends meet.’
Here is how you do it. Use any one or all of these suggestions, some of which may not be applicable in your country:
1. Decide as a family this year that 25 or 50 percent of your Christmas will be spent on a year’s supply. Many families in the Church spend considerable sums of money for Christmas. Half or part of these Christmas monies will go a long way toward purchasing the basics. I recall the Scotsman who went to the doctor and had an x-ray taken of his chest. Then he had the x-ray gift-wrapped and gave it to his wife for their anniversary. He couldn’t afford a gift, but he wanted her to know his heart was in the right place. Brethren, give your wife a year’s supply of wheat for Christmas, and she’ll know your heart is in the right place.
2. When you desire new clothes, don’t buy them. Repair and mend and make your present wardrobe last a few months longer. Use that money for the food basics. Make all of your nonfood necessities that you feasibly can, such as furniture and clothing.
3. Cut the amount of money you spend on recreation by 50 percent. Do fun things that do not require money outlay but make more lasting impressions on your children.
4. Decide as a family that there will be no vacation or holiday next year unless you have your year’s supply. Many Church members could buy a full year’s supply of the basics from what they would save by not taking a vacation. Take the vacation time and work on a family garden. Be together, and it can be just as much fun.
5. If you haven’t a year’s supply yet and you do have boats, snowmobiles, campers, or other luxury possessions, sell or trade one or two or more of them and get your year’s supply.
6. Watch advertised specials in the grocery stores and pick up extra supplies of those items that are of exceptional value.
7. Change the mix in your family’s diet. Get your protein from sources less expensive than meat. The grocery bill is one bill that can be cut. Every time you enter the store and feel tempted by effective and honest merchandising to buy cookies, candy, ice cream, non-food items, or magazines — don’t! Think carefully: buy only the essentials. Then figure what you have saved and spend it on powdered milk, sugar, honey, salt, or grain.
The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every Latter-day Saint family to have a year’s supply of food reserves…All we have to do is to decide, commit to do it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles will take place: the way will be opened, and… we will have our storage areas filled. We will prove through our actions our willingness to follow our beloved prophet and the Brethren, which will bring security to us and our families.”