Your Survival Guy

Preparing your investments and family for when disaster strikes.

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FIRE AND ICE: Defeat the Cold by Stocking Firewood

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By Margarita Shchipkova @ Shutterstock.com

Have you seen the price of wood lately? Your Survival Guy almost choked on his freeze-dried ice cream sandwich when he received a quote on firewood. “Oh, sure, we got kiln-dried firewood for $290 a half-cord for December 21st delivery. That work for you?”  This was October. Not good. And yet, I think there was a sick pleasure from the other end of the line knowing they have something I needed. December felt like an Ice Age away, but what was I to do? “OK, that works great. Thank you.”

You may recall here that Your Survival Guy took delivery in August of two cords at our cabin in New Hampshire. That’s how you prep for winter. Get your wood in the summer, but finding firewood in times like these is easier said than done. Then, unlike now, I found a nice family that had cleared some acreage they own, and with the help of his daughter before she headed back to Boston, “Dad” dropped it off and said with a smile, “Good luck with the stacking.” Isn’t another person working one of life’s simple pleasures?

Unlike New Hampshire, where we use firewood for heat, Newport, RI firewood is more for effect. “There’s nothing like the crackle, pop, and smell of burning wood,” I’m told between sips of Chardonnay. Note to self: as long as it’s dry. There’s been plenty a Christmas morning by the fire that sounded like a pit of snakes from Indiana Jones. All it takes is enough colorful wrapping paper to get it crankin’. Flipping a switch for a gas fireplace sounds better every year.

Action Line: Fortunately, it’s been a mild late fall here in Newport for Your Survival Guy. And compared to the two cords in New Hampshire, the kiln-dried wood felt like tossing paper airplanes onto the rack. But learn from Your Survival Guy, December’s not the time to be at the mercy of a rusty supply chain. Let’s keep in touch.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zilldjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com