Readings for the end of the world

Do you DIY? Are you frugal? Maybe even thrifty? Are you prepared for anything? Even zombies? I know what you’re probably wondering. “But Natalie, why am I doing all of this canning when I could be on the beach? I mean, the world is probably going to end soon in some calamitous meteor strike or zombie plague and I can’t take it with me. Right?”

You couldn’t be more wrong.

What if you’re the only one left? Do you have enough canned goods? Can you sew a gown out of a tarp? Brew your own beer or gasoline?

These are the kinds of things I ponder while shelving, especially when I come across books like Be Thrifty, a compact yet surprisingly heavy handbook with a place for a (now pilfered) penny on the cover. The front of Be Thrifty: How to live better with less warns readers against being “cheap”, but I wonder where that line is? Could it be cheap (and a little paranoid) to consider this book an excellent bargain because 1) It totally doubles as a post-apocalyptic preparedness manual and 2) I checked it out at the library FOR FREE?

NO.

The book covers a lot more than just the DIY aspects of budget-wariness, such as picking good cheap wines, but since currency will be squirrel pelts and juice boxes when the world ends we’ll focus on DIY and leave the coupons for another day. So I got to searching the shelves for other handy references for the end of the world (or weekend projects) and it turns out that there is a do-it-yourself guide for literally (yes, literally) everything so I picked a few to share and tossed in some of my favorite “end of the world as you know it (and I feel fine)” reads for good measure. What a bargain!

Surely this isn’t cheap! This is just plain industrious. And fabulous! (Full disclosure: I have been making my own clothes for years.)

How to design your own clothes and make your own patterns (1975)

This?  Not a chance.  Makeup, lotions, cleansers and such are pricey while many of these recipes have about 4 little ingredients.  They even have a recipe for henna hair dye.

A guide to natural cosmetics (1973)

Home butchering?  Julie Powell got her hands...meaty?  yeah, meaty, for you. Remember folks, it’s just going to be you and the squirrels...  

Cleaving : a story of marriage, meat, and obsession (2009) Powell, Julie.

Can it, freeze it, pickle it, you get the idea:

Putting food by

Greene, Janet C.

Maybe it’s not too late to save the planet?  

Do-it-yourself home energy audits : 140 simple solutions to lower energy costs, increase your home's efficiency, and save the environment

DIY Doctor? The doctor is in...YOU? Last man on earth, heal thyself? I hope you have plenty of sterile gauze!

Doctor yourself : natural healing that works

Also, don't forget that Monday is Earth Day. There are so many ways we can reduce our impact on the environment and try to get a few more spins on this lovely planet of ours.

Or else...