Prudent Prepping: Merry Buffet!

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Now we concentrate  on what to do in, and how to plan for, the long term via Prudent Prepping.

These Buffet Posts are a way for me to cover several smaller topics quickly that can't be made into a stand alone post.

Light! 
(And stop calling me Aziz!)
I'm a big believer in having as much light as I can get into my hands available everywhere at any time. Since I am in a Home Depot store every day, I try to shop their Black Friday/Christmas special purchases for stocking stuffers or as a gift for someone I don't know well.

Here is my first find: A 4 pack of LED flash lights that have the added bonus of glow-in-the-dark bodies! This is my gift to my friend the SEAL, since he can't hold onto a flashlight even if you offered him $100 to have one 6 months from now.



Please notice which one was the first to be removed and used -- I guess some people just want to feel pretty! (Not like there's anything wrong with that.)

Being inexpensive and close to disposable, these put out plenty of light and don't kill batteries quickly, even the stock ones.

The next item is not disposable: two quality brand name lights, also from Home Depot. Either one of these will fit into a EDC bag, purse, desk drawer or car door pocket. The lumen ratings are not spectacular, but for a pair of lights that cost less than a 6-pack of CR 123 batteries, I think they work just fine.


Car Repairs

Not visible in the picture is a jackstand just to the left 
of the jack, so I am following standard safety steps. 

Lastly, here is something I don't talk or blog about but have done for years.

This is a picture of the front brakes of my truck. The rotor is new, and the backing plate on the pads is visible at 9 o'clock. I do as many things as I can to keep my costs down, and replacing the brake rotors and pads is a relatively simple job. Since I have the know-how and skill to do this, why would I give several hundred dollars in labor to a shop for parts that cost me less than $125? I replaced them slower than a shop would, but my going rate is pretty low.

I don't turn (resurface) rotors since the replacement cost for medium priced units are disgustingly close to the labor charge. Plus, I have not seen any wear difference or life span from higher priced replacement parts.

The Takeaway

• Light is good. More light all the time is even gooder! 
• Shop to your intended giftee's needs. I have one tacti-cool relative and he already has the high/low/pulsing strobe battery-killing flamethrower flashlight. Everyone else is going to love what they get. 
• Save money where you can. If you don't know how to do car repairs, find a friend who has tools and bring over some sodas while they are working and watch. Help if you can, even if it is as Chief Wrench and Socket Chaser. (Save the beer for later. Seriously.)

Recap

• One 4 pack LED lights: $9.88 from Home Depot Christmas specials.
• 2 pack of MagLight LED flashlights: $24.88, also from Home Depot.
• Rotors, pads spray cleaner, grease package: $125 including tax from my local independent parts store. Live local, buy local!

  
Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon this Holiday season, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.