[Mayra]

Hi fellow frugal peeps,
Can we start a thread of “lessons learned”, for those of you who have been through any kind of storm that left you without power for several days?

With hurricane season for another 2 months, the information shared would be very helpful!

Question: Have you experienced a power outage during a storm? If so, we’d love to hear about your experiences!

What were some of the key lessons you learned from the situation? How did you prepare or adapt to the loss of electricity?

Were there any tools, tips, or strategies that proved especially helpful for you or your family? Additionally, are there things you wish you had done differently to better prepare for future outages?

Whether it’s practical advice, safety measures, or lessons on how to stay calm, we’d appreciate any insights you can share with others who might face similar challenges during future storms.

Thank you

[Jo]

In your freezer(s): Place all meats into plastic bins. That way if they thaw the blood and fluids won’t get into the seals.

[Corrie]

Here for this info! I’m now realizing keeping cash on hand is vital, tank of gas, food that be eaten or grilled without electricity, water, water, water.

[Janelle]

I live right on the Gulf and have been through a few hurricanes. A good generator is your number one purchase if you live in hurricane alley like me. Best purchase hands down.

I can hook up my fridge, garage freezer (always save the food!), crockpot/small cooking appliances, fan/small a/c and TV.

Last time we lost power for 5 days was in winter during a freak cold storm and my family holed up in the master bedroom.

We ended up watching a bunch of movies on our TV and stayed toasty warm with a tiny space heater.

This year we updated our electrical box and can now plug in our generator there, flip a couple switches and have power to certain areas of our home without having to run cords.

I also have food ready in my pantry and water stored up; flashlights, batteries, battery backup power packs and candles all ready to go; other misc items needed for emergencies; and a plan to hunker down and to flee.

[Donna]

In 1996 I was hit 150 miles inland, by Hurricane Fran. My husband fell off the roof & broke his back & pelvis.

#1 lesson – learn to ask for help. That was a hard lesson.

#2 Replacement cost insurance will save you financially.

# 3 biggest lesson- if no one is hurt, it is all just an insurance claim.

Nothing could replace my husband.

[Lisa]

Sc here we got hit hard from hurricane winds 80+MPH- I’m good but should have bought some fresh fruits and comfort snack- I’m craving chocolate!

People are panic stricken and long lines for gas- I’m good there too.

I washed all laundry before storm. I have a large bucket that I have washed undies/ tshirts in this week just so that I’m not overwhelmed with it.

I think I should buy more paper plates next time.

Also, I just moved so I have t gotten new drapes- a way to cover window / door (it has stain glass sides) so that others can’t see I have a light on.

Fill your tanks any gas cans prior- there will be long lines post storm. Stock up on all size batteries/ flash light candles/ lighters. Have a safe way to cook.

Lots of toilet paper/ paper towels. Cold showers are not fun. Should have tried to cover pool to keep debris out.

Stock up on everything you need for chain saw including having a back up and extra chains for it.

I have a generator but should have gotten a few bags of ice just in case or to give to friends.

[Kari]

We’re in Cincinnati OH on our 3rd day without power & Duke energy isn’t expecting power until late tomorrow night at best. Solar chargers sound like a good idea.

[Kirsten]

Have good relationships with neighbors, hvac/plumber/electrician, plow person, and tree cutting professionals! Hot coffee/tea goes a long way—we now have a catering butane single burner stove that’s safe to use indoors (still be cautious) after MacGuyvering a fondue set into a coffee maker.

I also have a gizmo that will boil water in your car with power from the lighter plug.

We are very lucky to have a propane fireplace that kept our pipes from freezing one winter with several multi-day outages.

A woodstove is even better since you can cook on it. The best cold weather bedding in an outage is a down comforter topped by a mohair throw (inexpensive on eBay).

Add a warm man and/or dog to keep your feet warm at night. Fleece (real) ankle high slippers or Uggs are best for that by day.

Everyone in your household should know where your water main is and how to turn it off, plus how to prevent frozen pipes.

Make sure you have food and water for your pets. A hefty backup battery has kept our phones charged for days.

I buy votive and tall candles in bulk and store in the freezer so they burn longer.

A Jewish memorial (Yahrzeit) candle will last a full 7 days. We also have the lightbulbs that work in an outage and solar lanterns.

If you go camping, your gear can help you get through an emergency.

Chocolate should be in every emergency kit. When things are hard, treats help.

[Michele]

Keep your chest freezer full, even just jugs of water in the bottom. A full freezer stays cold longer and clean water will come in handy. Extra propane tank for cooking on bbq.

Food that is shelf safe for a long time and easily prepared. Soups, canned pasta sauce, coffee whitener, instant coffee.

Big Water jugs that can be filled if a storm approaches. Extra gas can for your car. Batteries, solar lights, candles.

Wipes, paper towels and a box of garbage bags.

Portable toilet, if water and sewers are broken. The garbage bags can line toilet if flushing is not possible

[Teresa]

Always have devices charged up and maybe a portable power charger to be safe. Extra batteries and if your lantern is rechargeable, check it often and make sure it is charged up ahead of time.

Sometimes I buy a bag of ice at the store and keep it in my small stand-alone freezer to have on hand to keep things cold longer.

[Kelly]

Have water stored. You can seal water in canning jars by water bathing it. If you have empty jars sitting around, put water in them.
Have solar powered flashlights and phone chargers.

You can get a combo flashlight and phone charger on Amazon for less than $30.

I have a couple and they live on my window sill where they stay charged by the sun.

I use them when I go camping but they will be great in an emergency.

There is a lot you can do to be prepared in case of emergency without spending a lot.

[Annie]

Living in Texas this sounds crazy – but I will never live somewhere without a fireplace. Warmth and cooking

We also always keep batteries around for flashlights and fans. Jugs and jars of water for drinking. Canned goods and a manual can opener.

In my car, I always have at least a jug of water, big package of jerky, applesauce pouches, fruit bars, etc.

There’s also at least one beach towel, TP, picnic blanket, jumper cables, plastic ponchos, phone charging cord, and some basic first aid.

Just in case stuff hits the fan and we aren’t home, or we need to evacuate quickly – we aren’t totally helpless.

[Rona]

Besides the obvious fill up cars, food,water and a ton of battery chargers. Battery operated fans are a must in my opinion especially if you don’t have solar or a generator.

I did a cross breeze of two which I think kept me alive.

Remember entertainment nothing is worse than hot with nothing to do especially if you have kids.

Before every storm I download a bunch of stuff to iPads and laptops.

Have cash on hand I was once without power for two weeks and so was everyone else cash was king.

[Shannon]

Put ice into ziploc bags (or freeze water) before the storm. Take a few out at a time and put in your fridge to help keep it cold if power goes out.

This lasted me through 3 days without power.

[Renee]

Make sure to prepare ahead of natural disaster season- buy a generator if you receive a tax refund, ac window unit if u live in a hot climate, take advantage of gas discounts to keep your gas cans filled (rotate them when u mow), keep propane tanks filled, water filled, etc, keep canned food and rotate, cash on hand in low denominations, coupon for products and buy on clearance (found a package of tea lights I bought many years ago for .10), etc.

I live in TX and faired better than others because I have a chimney and natural gas.

[Chanell]

I had a solar rope light that came in handy after hurricane Ida. Transmission lines were in the Mississippi River and we were without power for several days; I was able to get online using a mobile hotspot.

I was also able to charge my phone from a power tool battery.

[Sharon]

Keep matches in a waterproof container. Buy reusable freezer packs to help keep food cold. Utilize buy nothing groups for a camp stove

[Jennifer]

Stock up on books and word searches. Radio with a rechargeable battery, flashlights with rechargeable batteries, cook stove, percolator, freezer water bottles for ice later.

[Deb]

Always be prepared! Have wooden matches, have a grill or some type of propane cooking plate, batteries, canned goods, keep water on hand, always gas up your car and we bought an inverter that we can put in the car start up the engine and run an extension cord from the car inside the window to our house to heat up a small room in case power is out during a winter storm.

We also keep a couple of cans of gasoline on hand at our house in case the gas stations are empty.

[Janice]

Portable radio/weather radio. If the internet is down you will need it. We also used a travel tv years ago during Hurricane Ike. You will need an antenna for it to work.

Don’t forget lanterns and extra batteries.

The solar lights are a great idea, but if there’s no sunlight, you need other light sources.

[Margie]

Store as much water as possible to flush toilets, wash hands, people and dishes. Also bottled water for drinking, cooking, hot drinks.

[Shirley]

I keep the cheap solar lights on hand for Hurricane season. They are great to use in the house when electricity goes out. I get them at Dollar tree ($1.25).

I always have 3 year round on my balcony and they last for a couple of years.

But I make sure I have new ones on hand to charge during the season. I also have battery operated fans on hand.

[Author]

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