The Survival Punk Podcast

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The Survivalpunk Podcast survival with a punk attitude

  1. 6H AGO

    The 5 Skills That Eliminate Most Emergencies | Episode 595

    5 emergencies   The 5 Skills That Eliminate Most Emergencies | Episode 595 Good morning. It’s 18 degrees. Tennessee decided to remind us who’s in charge. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. Today we’re talking about something that doesn’t get enough credit in prepping circles. Not gear. Not bunker fantasies. Skills. Five specific skills that eliminate most emergencies before they ever become emergencies. Let’s get into it. 1. Preventative Maintenance There are two types of people. The proactive maintenance crowd. And the rest of us. I’ll admit — I’m not perfect at it. But I know better. And knowing better already puts you ahead. Basic maintenance prevents most mechanical disasters: • Oil changes • Cleaning AC units • Replacing spark plugs • Checking filters • Roof inspections • HVAC servicing I clean our window units every year. Pull them out, dismantle them, clean the coils, clear the sludge. Since I started doing that, they’ve lasted years longer. Most people run things until they fail. Failure is expensive. Maintenance is cheap. Same goes for your car. Same goes for your house. Ignore it long enough and you’re buying a new roof instead of patching a leak. Preventative maintenance turns “emergency repair” into “routine upkeep.” 2. Financial Awareness Most “emergencies” are just financial mismanagement. Overdraft fees. Late fees. Impulse spending. Untracked subscriptions. Lifestyle creep. You don’t need to make more money. You need to control the money you already make. When my wife and I started actually tracking spending and living on a budget, we built savings fast. No magic. No lottery. No second job. Just awareness. Turn off overdraft protection so transactions decline instead of charging you $35 to be broke. Set alerts. Call and negotiate fees when they happen. Financial awareness eliminates overdraft emergencies, debt spirals, and panic purchases. Most financial disasters are preventable. 3. Cooking From Basic Ingredients If you can cook from scratch, shortages don’t wreck you. Missing celery? Pivot. No carrots in the store? Make something else. Eggs gone? Mayo works in cornbread. If you rely on recipes as rigid law, you panic. If you understand ingredients and substitutions, you adapt. Cooking skill equals flexibility. Flexibility eliminates food stress. You don’t need a fully stocked gourmet kitchen. You need knowledge. And honestly? AI is great for this. “Hey, I have chicken, rice, and canned tomatoes. What can I make?” Boom. Ideas. Over time, you build your own mental database. That eliminates grocery store drama. 4. Basic Health & First Aid Awareness Don’t ignore your health. Monitor blood pressure. Watch blood sugar. Get basic labs done. Exercise. Eat like an adult. Letting your health degrade until you’re dependent on emergency medicine is the opposite of preparedness. You don’t have to become a biohacker. But you should know your numbers. You should understand symptoms. You should have basic first aid skills. Most long-term “health emergencies” are years in the making. Early action prevents crisis. 5. Calm Problem Solving This one is huge. When something goes wrong: Slow down. Assess. Act deliberately. Panicking compounds problems. Calm thinking: • Avoids dumb decisions • Reduces accidents • Keeps conflict small • Stops mistakes from stacking Most situations aren’t life-or-death. They feel like it because people escalate emotionally. Calm problem solving turns chaos into steps. And steps are manageable. Final Thoughts Most disasters aren’t hurricanes or EMPs. They’re: • Neglected maintenance • Financial sloppiness • Poor health • Inability to cook • Emotional overreaction Master these five skills and you eliminate most emergencies before they begin. Prepping isn’t about hoarding. It’s about competence. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Amazon Basics 201-Piece Mechanic’s Socket Tool Set With Case, SAE and Metric Sizes, Chrome-Vanadium Steel, Portable   Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post The 5 Skills That Eliminate Most Emergencies | Episode 595 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    28 min

  2. 1D AGO

    The Subscription Life Trap | Episode 594

    Subscription The Subscription Life Trap | Episode 594 Good morning. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. It’s 23 degrees in Tennessee. The weather jumped from the 60s to the 20s, like it’s trying to kill morale. My body isn’t thrilled about it. And today we’re talking about something just as irritating. The subscription life. How everything is trying to turn into a recurring payment… and how that slowly drags down your freedom. You Don’t Own Anything Anymore Almost everything is trying to become subscription-based. Apps. Software. Entertainment. Editing tools. AI tools. Streaming platforms. Even stuff that absolutely should be a one-time purchase. You don’t buy things anymore. You rent access. That’s the shift. Back in the day, if you rented a movie from Blockbuster, that made sense. You chose to rent it. It was a known expense. If money was tight, you skipped it that week. Now? It’s $1.99 a month forever. That’s the trap. Subscriptions Are Credit Card Debt With Better Marketing A subscription is basically invisible debt. You’re committing to pay indefinitely for something you can never “finish” paying off. At least with a credit card purchase, there’s an endpoint. With subscriptions? There isn’t one. And companies absolutely count on you forgetting. There’s some nerd somewhere who has calculated exactly how long the average person forgets to cancel. That’s part of the business model. You sign up. You forget. They collect. And because it’s “only” a few dollars a month, your brain doesn’t treat it like real money. That’s psychological warfare at the micro level. You’re At Their Mercy Here’s where it gets worse. You don’t actually own what you “buy.” If you purchase a movie digitally and the service loses the license, you can lose access to it. You paid. Doesn’t matter. You’re renting access to a bookmark. Streaming services rotate content constantly. Licensing agreements change. Regions get restricted. Content disappears. You don’t control it. They do. And in some cases, you’re paying companies that actively push agendas you don’t agree with. Why fund people who openly despise your worldview? That’s worth thinking about. Real Example: The $1.50 HBO Mistake Black Friday deal. $1.50 per month for HBO Max. Cheap enough to ignore. I signed up “just in case” I couldn’t log into my brother’s account. Months later? I haven’t used it once. That’s exactly how this works. Multiply that by 10 subscriptions. Now multiply that by millions of people. That’s a massive wealth drain. The Cure: Own Your Stuff The solution is simple. Own things. Buy physical media. Keep your own music. Build your own digital library. Use alternatives like Plex. Download what you legally own. Back it up. Control your access. Spotify is convenient. So is Pandora. But if you already own thousands of songs on a hard drive, why are you paying someone monthly to shuffle music you don’t even like? Same with audiobooks. If you bought it, make sure you truly have it. Ownership equals independence. Subscriptions equal dependency. Subscription Creep Is Real The real danger isn’t one subscription. It’s the pile. $9.99 here. $12.99 there. $1.50 just in case. Another $7 for something you barely use. Now you’re bleeding $100+ a month for “convenience.” That’s $1,200 a year. That’s prep money. Debt payoff money. Investment money. That’s freedom money. Final Thoughts Subscriptions feel harmless. They’re not. They normalize renting your life instead of owning it. They put you at the mercy of corporations. They count on forgetfulness. They slowly erode independence. Prepping isn’t just about food and water. It’s about reducing dependency. Own your tools. Own your media. Own your capability. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive HDD — USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PlayStation, & Xbox -1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400) Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post The Subscription Life Trap | Episode 594 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    24 min

  3. 2D AGO

    California Wants to Ban 3D Printers | Episode 593

    get strong   California Wants to Ban 3D Printers | Episode 593 Good morning. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. It’s 29 degrees. The coffee didn’t start. The breaker tripped. My headphones weren’t charged. My phone was at 9%. I forgot my medicine and had to turn around in the driveway. So yeah — we’re already off to a strong start. And today we’re talking about something equally annoying: California trying to ban certain 3D printers. Not because they’re dangerous. Not because they’re exploding. But because the government is afraid of what people might do with them. Let’s get into it. The Headline Is Clickbait… But Also Not The headline reads something like: “California to Ban 3D Printers.” That’s bombastic. That’s designed to grab attention. But it’s not entirely wrong. What they’re really trying to do is ban non-approved 3D printers, restrict file sharing, and criminalize ways of bypassing those restrictions — all aimed at stopping people from printing “ghost guns.” Ghost guns meaning: firearms printed from polymer without serial numbers. Here’s the issue. This isn’t a widespread crisis. This is government reacting to a hypothetical problem. 3D Printers Are Still in Their Infancy 3D printers right now are like computers in 1992. How many people had one back then? A few. Most of them weren’t doing anything groundbreaking. They were playing Oregon Trail. That’s where 3D printing is right now. If you think of ten people you know, maybe one owns a 3D printer. And of those owners? How many are truly using them to their full potential? Most of them sit there like a treadmill with clothes hanging on it. The narrative being pushed makes it sound like garages across America are mass-producing plastic arsenals. That’s just not reality. Government Overreach Is the Real Pattern This isn’t about safety. It’s about control. We’ve seen this pattern before: Rainwater catchment restrictions. Filter bans. Endless regulatory creep. Every time there’s a new tool that increases individual capability, the instinct is to regulate it before it’s even a measurable threat. And once a government starts restricting hardware, restricting file sharing, and criminalizing workarounds — that’s not about safety anymore. That’s about controlling information and capability. That should concern you whether you own a 3D printer or not. Are 3D Printed Guns Even a Real Issue? Here’s a question: How many major shootings have involved fully 3D-printed firearms? Not hypotheticals. Not headlines. Not fear narratives. Actual confirmed cases. Very, very few — if any. Most violent crime still involves traditional firearms obtained through traditional means. So we’re building legislation around something that’s statistically insignificant. Meanwhile, 3D printers are used to make: Tools Repair parts Adapters Hobby projects Prototypes Functional survival gear But because something could be misused, we’re talking about banning the tool entirely. That’s backwards. If You Live There… You Already Know At some point, you have to ask: Why are you staying in a state that constantly moves the goalposts? You can fight every single regulation. You can try to out-argue lawmakers. Or you can recognize patterns. When governments show you who they are repeatedly, believe them. Sometimes the most strategic move isn’t fighting every skirmish. It’s relocating to ground that isn’t actively hostile to your independence. Freedom isn’t about screaming at politicians. It’s about positioning yourself where you don’t need their permission. Final Thoughts This isn’t about 3D printers. It’s about capability. Every time technology empowers individuals, there will be pressure to restrict it. The question is simple: Do you want a society where tools are allowed unless proven dangerous? Or one where tools are restricted because someone might misuse them? Preppers understand this better than most. Capability equals resilience. Resilience equals freedom. And freedom doesn’t survive well under constant regulation. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Creality Ender 3 V3 SE 3D Printer, 250mm/s Faster Print Speed CR Touch Auto Leveling Sprite Direct Extruder Dual Z-Axis Auto Filament Loading Ender 3 Upgrade 3D Printer Print Size 8.66×8.66×9.84 inch   Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post California Wants to Ban 3D Printers | Episode 593 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    23 min

  4. 3D AGO

    Get Strong or Get Left Behind | Episode 592

    get strong   Get Strong or Get Left Behind | Episode 592 Good morning. It’s about 60 degrees and not chilly for once. And today we’re talking about something that absolutely belongs in the survival category — strength. Not vibes. Not mindset. Not theory. Physical strength. If general physical preparedness isn’t a prepping principle, I don’t know what is. Strength Is a Survival Skill We love talking about food storage, water filters, and gear. But if you can’t pull yourself up over something, drag weight, or move your own body under stress — that’s a liability. There are real-world, life-or-death scenarios where being strong saves you. Pulling yourself up Lifting something off someone Carrying weight under fatigue Defending yourself You don’t want to be a weak couch potato hoping your gear saves you. Establish Your Baseline Before you get strong, you need to know where you are. Four lifts tell you almost everything about your strength: Push press Back squat Deadlift Bench press Get your one-rep max on each. You don’t need a fancy stat. But those numbers? They’re honest. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Three Months of Focused Training Here’s the strategy. Not “go to the gym and mess around.” Not “move a little weight and scroll Instagram.” Focused, purposeful training. A three-month strength-building phase. Add weight weekly. Two to five pounds per lift if possible. That’s progressive overload. You can’t just coast forever. But you can: Push hard for 12 weeks Build real strength Maintain it through the year That’s sustainable. Pick a real program. Starting Strength is solid. Don’t invent your own random plan unless you know what you’re doing. Nutrition: The Part Nobody Wants You can’t slam Oreos and Diet Coke and expect muscle. You need: Adequate protein Sufficient calories Consistency For me, maintenance is around 2,800 calories. After eating in a deficit for a long time, ramping up to that is going to feel like work. Gaining strength without gaining fat? That’s the sweet spot. Too skinny and weak? Bad. Overweight and sluggish? Also bad. There’s a bell curve for health and longevity. Moderately strong. Proper hormones. Not obese. Not extreme bodybuilder huge. That’s the lane. Why This Matters for Survival If you pack on strength, you can coast. You won’t keep every pound forever, but you won’t crash either if you maintain properly. Strength: Improves resilience Increases confidence Extends functional life Makes you harder to victimize This isn’t vanity lifting. This is capability. If you had to pull yourself up right now, could you? That’s the question. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.       Amazon Item OF The Day CAP Barbell 2-Inch Olympic 7 ft Barbell Bars | Multiple Options   Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post Get Strong or Get Left Behind | Episode 592 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    22 min

  5. 6D AGO

    Group Buys: The Ultimate Prepper Hack | Episode 591

    group buys   Group Buys: The Ultimate Prepper Hack | Episode 591 Good morning. It’s 60 degrees — finally not cold — and today we’re continuing a thought from yesterday’s episode. Group buys. This is something I’ve played with personally. I’ve organized a few. I’ve saved money doing them. But the more I think about it, the more I realize it could be bigger than how I’ve been using it.  If you’re serious about reducing costs, building community, and increasing resilience — this is a weapon. Let’s break it down. What Is a Group Buy? It’s exactly what it sounds like. Buying things as a group. There’s a host. That person organizes the buy. They: Source the product Communicate price Collect money Place the order Split and distribute Sometimes there’s profit built in. Sometimes the host just wants the item cheaper and splits shipping. The magic is in shared shipping and bulk pricing. If shipping costs $90 and you split it between five people? Suddenly it’s cheap. If the supplier offers discounts above a certain dollar amount? Now the unit price drops even further. Group buys don’t just split cost. They unlock tiers of pricing you can’t access alone. Transcription(base) Meat Is the Perfect Example Let’s talk steaks. Inflation has wrecked steak prices. Chuck eyes used to be cheap. Not anymore. Transcription(base) But buying a whole chuck roll or ribeye primal? The price per pound drops dramatically. The problem? It’s $100+ up front You need freezer space You need to cut it That’s where a group buy shines. Two to four people split a primal, cut it up, divide it evenly. Now you’re paying near-wholesale pricing without storing 50 pounds of beef alone. Take it further. Quarter cow. Half cow. Whole cow. Yes, it’s a big upfront cost — $1,000+ depending on current pricing. Transcription(base) But split between 8–10 people? Now it’s manageable. Now the price per pound gets very attractive. Now you’re buying local, possibly higher quality meat. This is real-world food security. Bulk Staples and Warehouse Plays It’s not just meat. There are bulk suppliers that deliver pallets or semi loads to parking lots — rice, coconut oil, grains, staples. If you’ve ever priced: 50 lb bags of rice Bulk coconut oil Large quantities of flour You know the price difference is massive compared to grocery shelf packaging. The only barrier is volume and storage. Group buys remove both barriers. Split the pallet. Split the bucket. Split the shipping. Everyone wins. The Hidden Benefit: Community This might be the most important part. Group buys force you to: Build trust Coordinate logistics Meet people locally Exchange value You’re not just saving money. You’re building your survival network. If you’re willing to be the organizer — the person who starts the ball rolling — people will join. Most people don’t want to lead. They just want to participate. That’s opportunity. Run the Numbers (Or Let AI Do It) Here’s the practical advice: Run your math. Factor: Product cost Shipping Packaging supplies Redistribution shipping Payment transfer fees First time I did it, I did rough math and it wasn’t perfect. Now? I feed the numbers into ChatGPT and let it calculate clean pricing tiers. No guessing. No accidentally eating the cost. This is business thinking applied to prepping. Final Thoughts Group buys aren’t new. But they’re massively underused. Meat. Bulk staples. Specialty gear. Hard-to-source items. If you can buy cheaper in volume and split it intelligently, you lower costs and strengthen community. That’s not just frugal. That’s strategic. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Meat Slicer, 200W Electric Food Slicer with 2 Removable 7.5″ Stainless Steel Blades and Stainless Steel Tray, Child Lock Protection, Adjustable Thickness, Food Slicer Machine for Meat Cheese Bread Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post Group Buys: The Ultimate Prepper Hack | Episode 591 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    24 min

  6. FEB 19

    Shrinkflation Is Robbing You Blind | Episode 590

    shrinkflation   Shrinkflation Is Robbing You Blind | Episode 590 Good morning. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. It’s 46 degrees. I’m cold. I don’t like being cold. But that’s not what we’re talking about today. Today we’re talking about something that affects every single one of us every single week. Shrinkflation. And how companies are quietly screwing you over while pretending nothing changed. Listen now. What Shrinkflation Actually Is Shrinkflation is simple. The bag looks the same. The box looks the same. The price looks the same. But you’re getting less. Your “pound” bag of chips? Not a pound anymore. 16 ounces becomes 14.5 ounces. Same packaging. Same shelf space. Same mental price anchor. They don’t raise the price because people notice price increases. They shrink the product because most people never check the weight. That’s the game. Why It Works on Your Brain Everyone has internal price anchors. You know what Coke “should” cost. You know what ground beef “should” cost. You know what eggs “should” cost. When the price jumps too far past that mental number, you hesitate. You buy less. You switch brands. So instead of raising prices aggressively, companies keep the sticker steady and shave ounces off the back end. That’s less likely to trigger your brain. And it works. The Worst Offenders Right Now Chips. Soda. Single-serve snacks. The further you get from bulk, the worse the value gets. A 12-pack of Coke creeping toward $9.97? That’s insane. Run the unit math. If it’s buy 2 get 3 free at Kroger, do the math. Total cost divided by total units. If it comes out to $4 a case? That’s closer to reality. Unit price is king. Always. Same with meat. Ground beef has exploded. But sometimes a 50/50 beef-pork blend at Walmart hits that sweet spot. Closer to ingredients = better value. Closer to convenience = you’re getting wrecked. Ingredients Beat Snacks Every Time Plain oats? Still solid. Rice? Still dependable. Flour? Still cheap. Bulk ingredients have padding built in. They absorb inflation better. Single-serve cookies? Astronomical. Two cookies can cost almost as much as a full bag. And if you run the math on making them from scratch, the ROI is ridiculous. The closer you move toward bulk, the better your survival position gets. That’s not theory. That’s math. Group Buys Might Be the Secret Weapon This might be its own episode. But think about this. Shipping kills value. Whether it’s supplements, bulk meat, or specialty items. Split that shipping with friends? Now the math changes. Split a primal cut of beef. Split bulk orders. Split shipping costs. Suddenly your unit price drops dramatically. We talk prepping all the time. But cost discipline is prep too. Final Thoughts Shrinkflation is real. They’re not just raising prices. They’re reducing value. Your defense is simple: Check weight. Check unit price. Buy bulk. Run the math. Split costs when you can. Stop shopping emotionally. Start shopping strategically. That’s survival in 2026. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Food Scale, 11lb Digital Kitchen Scale with 6 Units LCD Display and Tare Function,Compact Design for Baking,Healthy Cooking,Meal Prep, 304 Stainless Steel Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post Shrinkflation Is Robbing You Blind | Episode 590 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    24 min

  7. FEB 18

    Make Your Home Work Harder | Episode 589

    home profit Make Your Home Work Harder (Profit + Remodel Strategy) | Episode 589 Hey, it’s James from SurvivalPunk.com. It’s 39 degrees, and today we’re talking about making your home work harder. This one’s twofold. Part one: remodeling strategically in a broken housing market. Part two: turning your house from a pure expense into something that actually produces. The housing market sucks right now. That’s just reality. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. The Housing Market Is Skewed — Use That Starter homes are struggling. Lower-tier houses are sitting. But higher-end houses? Selling like crazy. Million-dollar homes are moving because people with that kind of money don’t care about rates the same way. That skews the data. People see $400k homes selling and assume everything is hot — but that doesn’t help someone trying to get into their first house. If you’re buying right now, one strategy is simple: buy under your ceiling. Know your range. Don’t stretch yourself to death. Look at homes that need a little TLC. Cosmetic stuff. Cabinets. Paint. Fixtures. Appliances. Flooring. Those are solvable. Over time, you remodel intelligently and build equity yourself. If you’re already in a house, the same concept applies. Pick one room at a time. Kitchen. Bathroom. Flooring. Do it in phases. At the end? You either: Have a fully remodeled home you love Or you sell at a higher value and move up But your strategy matters. If your goal is resale, you remodel based on trends — not your personal taste. Sage green cabinets? Trendy. I hate them. Doesn’t matter. If the goal is ROI, you follow market taste. Black kitchens? Also trendy. Not my thing. If it’s your forever home? Then build for you. Two totally different goals. Yard = Wasted Opportunity Most people see yard work as a chore. Leaves? Trash. Rainwater runoff? Waste. Space? Decorative. Wrong mindset. Leaves are free compost input. Not just your leaves — your neighbors’ leaves too. Compost them down and: Stop buying compost Sell compost Sell compost tea Turn a waste stream into revenue You’re literally converting trash into product. That’s how you make a home work harder. Gardening Isn’t Just Food — It’s Leverage Growing your own vegetables reduces grocery bills. But microgreens? That’s a business. The profit margins on microgreens are insane if you run it correctly. Small greenhouse. Controlled setup. Scalable. You need to run the numbers. But the ceiling is there. Even if you don’t sell: Growing salads = not buying salads Growing vegetables = not buying vegetables Saving seeds = compounding future production If you’re watering plants with rainwater you collected off your own roof, from seeds you saved from food you grew? You’re basically printing your own money at that point. Water Runoff Is Money Going Down the Drain Rain barrels and cisterns are underrated. Every time it rains, your roof is producing water. Most people just let it run off. Collect it. Use it for: Gardening Lawn irrigation Emergency supply Water bills are going up. Ours doubled recently. It’s still affordable, but it won’t always be. Reducing dependency now is smart. Indoor Production: Mushrooms and Niche Products Growing mushrooms indoors is exploding. Lion’s Mane. Reishi. Specialty varieties. The science on mushroom benefits is still unfolding, but the demand is real — and they’re expensive to buy retail. If you’re already spending money on them, growing them yourself cuts cost massively. Get good at it? Sell excess. There are tons of small indoor side hustles you can start from your home. Some are simple. Some are more technical. The common thread: Reduce retail markup. If you can make something yourself that normally carries huge markup — that’s leverage. There’s nothing wrong with profit. But there is a line between fair markup and straight-up exploitation. If you can eliminate the middle layer, your cost drops dramatically. That’s power. Remodel vs Production — Pick Your Angle Your home can: Build equity through smart remodeling Reduce expenses through production Generate income through niche products Or do all three Most people treat their house as: Mortgage. Utilities. Expense. That’s it. But if you treat it like a tool — like an asset that works — it changes the math. Final Thoughts The housing market might be rough. Interest rates might suck. Starter homes might be overpriced. But you still control: What you buy How you improve it What you produce from it What you stop paying retail for Make your home work harder. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day VEVOR Collapsible Rain Barrel, 100 Gallon/380 L Portable Water Tank, PVC Rainwater Collection Barrel with Spigots and Overflow Kit, Water Barrel for Garden Water Catcher Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post Make Your Home Work Harder | Episode 589 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

    22 min

  8. FEB 17

    Using AI for Fun and Profit | Episode 588

    Ai for fun and proffit   Using AI for Fun and Profit | Episode 588 Good morning. It’s 37 degrees on Valentine’s Day. Hopefully you remembered to plan something for your significant other — unlike me, who accidentally requested off the 15th instead of the 14th. Today we’re talking about using AI — ChatGPT, Suno, and others — for fun and profit. You don’t have to use one specific tool. They all have strengths and weaknesses. They’re only getting better. And if you’re not learning how to use them, you’re falling behind. This episode is about how I actually use AI in real life — for the podcast, for creativity, for fitness tracking, for health data, and even for analyzing DNA. And yes — without AI, this podcast wouldn’t be happening daily. Transcription(base) AI Theme Songs and Creative Leverage For years I used “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones as intro music. YouTube hated it. Copyright flags. Monetization issues. Headaches. Now I use Suno AI to generate custom theme songs. I can spin up a holiday-specific intro or a tools-themed metal jam in minutes. That simply wasn’t possible before unless you had real money to hire an artist. And it’s not just podcast music. Back in the day, you’d make a mixtape for someone you liked. Cassette. Burned CD. Carefully curated songs. Now? I can write my wife a custom bubblegum-themed romantic parody song in under a minute while sitting at work. That level of creative leverage didn’t exist before. How AI Runs This Podcast Behind the Scenes Here’s where it really gets practical. I use ChatGPT to: Generate topic lists (hit or miss — but great for idea sparks) Help outline research and talking points Convert podcast transcripts into blog posts Create tailored thumbnails for each episode After recording, I run a transcription plugin in Audacity. Export it. Feed it to ChatGPT. It crafts the blog post that matches exactly what I said. Back in the day, making a thumbnail meant: Searching Creative Commons images Verifying licenses Editing in Photoshop Formatting text manually That could take an hour per episode. Now? Seconds. That alone is game-changing. Editing, Transcription, and Efficiency Sometimes the transcription plugin fails. When that happens, I use Descript, which has AI filters that can remove filler words like “um” and “like.” It’s powerful. It costs money at scale. If the show budget explodes someday, that’s one of the first upgrades I’d bring in. But even with free tools, the efficiency gain is massive. AI doesn’t replace me. It removes friction. Fitness Tracking and TRT Logging This is where it gets interesting. I use ChatGPT to track my TRT injections — site rotation, dosage, symptoms. I log: 50mg testosterone left hip 25mg NPP ventral glute Symptoms, mood, energy levels Some days I forget where I’m supposed to inject next. I ask. It reviews my logs and tells me. It’s not medical advice. It’s structured journaling. And when I eventually see a rheumatologist for chronic fatigue and pain, I’ll walk in with a detailed record of everything I’ve tried and how I felt. That’s powerful leverage. DNA Analysis and Supplement Guessing You can download raw DNA data, convert it into a readable format, and upload it for analysis. You can ask: Is this supplement a good fit for my DNA? Do I have methylation issues? What should I avoid? Is it perfect? Probably not. Is it fun and insightful? Absolutely. AI is very good at pattern recognition and extrapolation. You just have to remember it’s not a doctor. Final Thoughts AI isn’t magic. It’s leverage. It saves time. It expands creativity. It reduces friction. It helps organize chaos. You don’t need to build an AI startup. But if you’re not using these tools to streamline your life, your business, your health tracking, your creative output — you’re leaving value on the table. This is James from SurvivalPunk.com. DIY to survive.   Amazon Item OF The Day Logitech Creators Blue Yeti USB Microphone for Gaming, Streaming, Podcast, YouTube, Discord, PC, Studio Sound, Plug & Play-Blackout Think this post was worth 20 cents? Consider joining The Survivalpunk Army and get access to exclusive content and discounts!   Don’t forget to join in on the road to 1k! Help James Survivalpunk Beat Couch Potato Mike to 1k subscribers on Youtube Want To help make sure there is a podcast Each and every week? Join us on Patreon   Subscribe to the Survival Punk Survival Podcast. The most electrifying podcast on survival entertainment.  Itunes Pandora RSS Spotify    Like this post? Consider signing up for my email list here > Subscribe   Join Our Exciting Facebook Group and get involved Survival Punk Punk’s The post Using AI for Fun and Profit | Episode 588 appeared first on Survivalpunk.

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