True self-reliance is only possible when it’s done in balance with nature, and that means being in tune with the seasons.Homesteaders of old were intricately connected with nature and the moon cycles and knew what to do when, from planting to cutting firewood and bringing in the harvest. Much of that knowledge has been forgotten, but the knowledge is still out there.
We’re bringing this knowledge back to life in the Self-Reliance 365 calendar that was launched in November 2015. Each month for the next 11 months we’ll add a new section covering the to-do things that were done in the days of old.
Go to month:
Here you’ll find shortcuts to all the self-reliance calculators from our Execution Plans.
Energy Calculators
Load Evaluation Calculator
Calculate your daily watt hour usage (you need to know this to correctly size a solar PV system).
Minimum PV System Size Calculator
Calculate the minimum system size for your energy requirements.
Solar PV Array Sizing
Calculate how many solar panels of a certain wattage you need in your array to meet the specified system size.
Battery Bank Sizing Calculator
This calculator will show you how large battery capacity you need in a solar PV system, as well as how many batteries wired in series and parallel.
Calculate the Current
Calculate the current (amps). You’ll need to know this to calculate the correct wire thickness.
Wire Thickness Calculator
Calculate the required thickness of wires for your solar PV system
Water Calculators
Rainwater Catchment Area Calculator
This calculator will help you calculate the size of a catchment area, for example a roof.
Runoff from a Catchment Surface (English units, i.e. feet and gallons)
This calculator will help you calculate how much rainwater in gallons you can collect annually from a certain catchment area.
Runoff from a Catchment Surface (Metric units, i.e. meters and litres)
This calculator will help you calculate how much rainwater in liters you can collect annually from a certain catchment area.
You’re a member of Self-Reliance 365, and that means that you’ve got someone who is constantly hunting down and negotiating exclusive deals and discounts for you on the best products in self-reliance.Whenever we see something we like, be it a company selling seeds, preparedness supplies, a particular product or even an online course, you can count on us reaching out to them to try and get you a good deal.
Only Self-Reliance 365 members get access to these discounts. We prefer to keep it that way, but we won’t get angry if you share a discount with a friend (although we’d love it if you put in a good word for us when you do!).
Check out the existing discounts below. We’re just getting started, so check back here every now and then for more.
Books
20% Discount
PaladinPress.com – The unquestioned leader in the “action” book market, Paladin Press has a list of more than 900 titles on military subjects, survival and self-reliance, identity change, private investigation, espionage, personal freedom, action careers, lock picking, covert surveillance and countersurveillance, knives and knife fighting, sniping, martial arts, self-defense, and police science.
Instructions: Enter the coupon code WL20 at checkout to get a 15% discount discount on your QuickStove purchase. Also valid for their Fire Starter pack and Solar Key Chain Light.
Bullion
Sheaffer Select Coins & Collectibles
Looking to buy bullion or silver dollars? Check out Sheaffer Select Coins. Enter coupon code WaldenShip for free shipping on all orders, or Walden10% for 10% off orders over $300.
Cooking
15% Discount
QuickStove.com – The QuickStove is a portable multi-fuel emergency preparedness stove (weighs less than 1 pound). Enter the coupon code waldenlabs at checkout to get a 15% discount discount on your QuickStove purchase. Also valid for their Fire Starter pack and Solar Key Chain Light.
Energy
10% Discount
PortableSolarPower.biz – Sellers of premium portable solar power systems and equipment. Their portable solar power systems will turn sunlight into clean usable electricity that can power all of your important devices and equipment, anywhere in the world!
Instructions: Enter the coupon code WaldenLabs at checkout to get a 10% discount discount.
Food
10% Discount On All Food Items
ReadyReserveFoods.com – At Ready Reserve Foods you’ll find some of the finest quality and best value dehydrated foods in the industry.
Instructions: Enter coupon code WALDEN2016 (case sensitive) at checkout.
Seeds & Trees
The Victory Seed Company
VictorySeeds.com – The Victory Seed Company is a family operated organization working to preserve and protect open-pollinated, heirloom seeds by keeping them available to home gardeners. Use coupon code seeds4prep to get 5% off all seed orders.
Services
AlertsUSA Threat Notifications
$25 discount
AlertsUSA.com – Since 2001, AlertsUSA has helped individuals, corporations and government agencies monitor and protect against growing dangers in our world, regardless of their location, with flash notification of significant threats and dangerous developments sent direct to their mobile device 24-7-365.
From terror alerts to tsunami warnings, from nuclear power plant emergencies to infectious disease outbreaks, AlertsUSA provides up to the minute notification of homeland security alerts and threat information.
Their service cost $99 annually, but we’ve secured for you a $25 annual discount so as a Self-Reliance 365 member you pay only $75 per year.
Click here to get the discounted price
Tools
Camping Survival
5% Discount
The Camping Survival Team
CampingSurvival.com – Whether it’s camping, survival or preparedness supplies you’re after, chances are CampingSurvival.com has what you need. Enter coupon code waldenlabs5 at checkout for a 5% discount.
The Permaculture Woodshop
15% Discount Off All Orders
thepermaculturewoodshop.com – The Permaculture Woodshop started out selling the Open Source Beehive, more specifically the Colorado Top Bar Beehive and the Barcelona Warre Beehive. They also manufacture chicken tractors, vertical gardening grow walls, A-frame levels, and 3D permaculture terrains.
Instructions: Enter coupon code 2000 on checkout for 15% off.
The Tool Merchants
10% Discount Off All Orders
thetoolmerchants.com – The Tool Merchants, based out of Oregon, offers a unique selection of effective, durable hand tools to help you succeed in the garden, forest, workshop, and on your outdoor adventures near and far. Check them out, we’re talking quality tools here.
Instructions: Enter coupon code reliance16 on checkout for 10% off.
The Vipukirves Leveraxe 2
10% Discount (Value $23)
Leverax.com – Enter the coupon code waldenlabs at checkout to get a 10% discount (~$25) discount on your Vipukirves Leveraxe 2 from the official US distributor.
Water
The Big Berkey water filtration system, available via Directive21.com
7% off all purchases at Directive21.com
Directive21.com – Home to “the Berkey guy”, and as the name implies he sells the Berkey water filtration system including the bestselling Big Berkey system. With your exclusive Self-Reliance 365 discount you’ll save $20 on a Big Berkey system including a flouride filter set.
Instructions: Enter discount code berkeyguy7 at checkout. Can not be used with other coupons.
Sport Berkey Water Filter Bottle
FREE (value $24.99) when purchasing $100+ of Berkey products
Directive21.com – This BPA free bottle holds 22 ounces and purifies 110 gallons (~400 liters) of tap water or 27.5 gallons (100 liters) of questionable water. It eliminates or reduces up to 99.9% of:
- Unpleasant taste and odors, cloudiness, silt, sediment and chlorine
- Toxic chemicals: Trihalomethanes, VOCs, detergents, pesticides, etc
- Harmful microscopic pathogens: Cryptosporidium, Giardia, E-coli >99.99999% and other pathogenic bacteria
- Heavy metals: Aluminum, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, and Mercury
Instructions: Add $100+ worth of Berkey products to the shopping cart along with the Sport Berkey Water Bottle, and then apply the coupon code ti-sb at checkout.