$1 Bag. Five Emergency Uses. Uses Zero Space.

Nov 21, 2025 10:31 pm

Hi friends,

We’re gearing up for Thanksgiving, and this year all of my adult children and grandbabies are coming home for the holiday. We’re pretty excited to have a full house again.

We’re also expecting two new grandbabies—both boys! That will bring us to one girl and four boys (counting the twins who just turned 1).

Umm . . . soon, family gatherings are likely to turn a bit more chaotic.

On the author side of things, I’m slogging through edits on Book 6. I’m a little past a third of the way through the quarter-million-word tangle of plot threads.

Still hoping to finish before Christmas so I can get it to my narrator by mid-December. Wish me luck!

This will wrap up the series for a while, so now's the time to jump in: Shieldwall Academy series

Today, I’ve got a surprisingly cheap, quick and useful preparedness tip that most people completely overlook.

(But first, check out and click on a few of the books and deals below)

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The Herald's Charge by SL Dooley

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For two hundred years a hidden realm in a secret dimension has been home to a select population rescued from the Black Death.

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An Assassin's Vengance by Tom Cleverly

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An assassin seeking revenge. A young sorceress grappling with her power. An enemy on a throne.

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Claire Beckett: Seeker of Darkness by Molly Chase

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To weave the staff, I’ll have to unravel every lie.

My mother’s best friend is working with the enemy, who is my grandmother.

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Prepper Tip 30: Heavy Duty Trash Bags: The Preparedness Multi-tool

Most people think of trash bags as, well…trash. But a single heavy-duty contractor bag is one of the most versatile emergency tools you can carry. Plus, it takes up almost no space.

Here are a five ways a simple 3–6 mil contractor bag can become a life-saver:

1. Instant Rain Poncho: Cut a small hole for your head and two for your arms, and you’ve got a waterproof poncho in under 20 seconds. It keeps your core warm and dry, which is crucial in bad weather.

Why this is important: Getting wet speeds up hypothermia which becomes dangerous faster than dehydration or hunger. Staying dry dramatically increases your odds of staying safe, warm, and functional.

2. Makeshift Shelter or Windbreak: Split the bag down one side and the bottom. Open it like a sheet. Tie or weigh down the corners and you have:

a quick lean-to
a windbreak
a groundsheet
or even a roof panel if you need to stop some rain fast

3. Emergency Sleeping “Bivy Bag”: If you're stuck outside unexpectedly, curl inside the bag. It traps heat shockingly well and protects you from wet ground or snow. Use two for better coverage.

4. Dry Gear Storage: Phones, clothing, books, food...anything you need to keep dry goes inside. Tie off the top and it’s pretty much waterproof.

5. Water Collection: Set the bag beneath a dripping point (roof, tree branch, rock run-off) and it will collect rainwater very efficiently.

Homework:

Buy a pack of heavy-duty trash bags if you don't have some already.
Roll up individual ones and stick them in your purse, backpack, glove box, and/or coat pocket.

They weighs almost nothing, are super cheap, and are take minutes to prepare. Good luck!