The THRIVE Life Commission Plan

As part of a "12 Days of THRIVE Christmas" challenge last week, I spent a lot of time studying the THRIVE Life commission plan. I was challenged to look at it in depth and answer some common questions/concerns that come up.

Using THRIVE products in my everyday cooking saves me money by lowering my grocery bill, sending me to the grocery store less often, and reducing waste! But there are even more benefits to being a THRIVE Life consultant!

• I can host my own parties and receive the host benefits (free and half-off product).
• I get first access to new products.
• I get free Q Club membership, which gets me the lowest pricing available and Q Club points, which I can redeem for free product!
• I can qualify for party supply benefits (half-price product) by reaching certain sales levels.
• I can earn great prizes and even exotic getaways in the consultant contests!
• I can earn commission simply by sharing with people why I love THRIVE Life products!

THE THRIVE LIFE COMMISSION PLAN

There is no minimum sales amount. The only requirement to receive commission on my personal sales each month is to maintain a $50 Q. 
I can earn 10% commission on all one-time orders (not part of a Q), including my own!  
Each new Q receives 20%-32% commission on the first shipment (depending on my total Q sales volume for that month), and 5% recurring commission on every following shipment. (see chart)

To qualify to earn 1% -2% commission on all regular sales and Q orders made by the members of my team (all consultants up to 3 levels below me), I must meet the requirements for personal Q, personal sales, and team sales. (see chart)

I also get a $50 ASAP bonus for every consultant I enroll on my team, and there is no limit to the number of consultants I can enroll.

COMMON QUESTIONS/CONCERNS

There are no discounts for being a THRIVE Life consultant. You get the same pricing on your Q order as your customers.
I love the fact that I get the same price as customers on the Q. This means that EVERYONE is paying the same lowest possible price for great product. The added bonus to being a consultant is the free Q club membership (which earns me free product), commissions on sales (even on my own orders outside the Q, and Q orders are recurring automatically every month), as well as the opportunity to earn host benefits and party supply benefits (more free and half-off product!).

10% of one time orders is so small, and 5% is even smaller. In my former company, we got paid 50% on the spot for all sales. How do you make any money doing this?
As a THRIVE Life consultant, I do not have to purchase and keep inventory, so I am earning a true 10% commission on the sales I make because there is no cost to me. The residual commission from the Q is what creates such a large income with THRIVE Life. For example: 50% commission on your $100 sale is $50. If I am earning 5% commission on a $100 Q, that is only $5. It takes 10 months for me to earn the same amount as your one-time sale. However, since the Q is ongoing, I will continue to make commission past those 10 months. AND as I add more Q's each month, the 5% commission can become exponential.

2% of the downline sales is so small that building a team probably does nothing for your business.
I have to meet specific personal sales levels and team sales levels to qualify for rank advancement, which earns me a higher percentage commission on my own sales as well as on the sales made by my downline. So my team's sales are what help me earn higher commission. It's a great system of checks and balances. I earn more by having a large team (which increases my team sales), BUT I have to meet personal sales requirements in order to benefit from their sales. Plus, I have to put in the effort to train and support my team so that they are successful, too.

JOIN MY TEAM

As a THRIVE Life consultant I am earning free and half-off product to build my own home store, and I am earning commission, which enables me to be more self-reliant, prosperous, and charitable. Are you interested in receiving all of these same great benefits? Come join my team! Contact me and we can get you started on the path to your own thriving life!

Consultant Starter Kits Are a Great Deal!

When you sign up as a consultant with THRIVE Life, all you have to do is set up a Q budget of $50 or more and purchase a starter kit. That's it!

The starter kits include some great products to begin building your home store at a deep discount!

Looking at the cost of purchasing each item in the starter kits separately, you will see that the kits are an amazing deal!

Consultant Starter Kit: $242.51  $199.00 That's 18% off!

Value Starter Kit: $598.89  $289.00 That's 52% off!

Deluxe Starter Kit: $1218.88  $579.00 That's 53% off!

Plus, you get all of the other perks that come with being a consultant: Q Club membership, commissions, host benefits, and a supportive team. If you want to begin building your home store for half the cost, join my team and purchase a starter kit!

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Congrats to the winners of my giveaway! Leah, Allison, and Marci each won a pantry can of the limited edition THRIVE Holiday Hot Cocoa Mix! Thank you to everyone who participated. I truly appreciate your support. Don't forget to like my Facebook page and participate in Project Preparedness as we get ready for Black Friday! Pre-Order forms are now available!!

What is on the menu for your Thanksgiving dinner?

Will you be using THRIVE foods in your recipes?

Here's what I will be making for Turkey Day:

CROCK-POT TURKEY

We're only feeding 4 adults, so I don't need a huge bird. Instead, I'm adapting ideas from two different recipes (Gaining Mommymentum and Carrie This Home) to make a small turkey breast in the crock pot.

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Turkey breast (bone-in, about 6-7 lbs)

Apple, sliced

Onion, cut into wedges

1 packet dry onion soup mix

3 Tbsp butter

Fill turkey breast cavity with apple slices and onion wedges.  Rub the turkey with dry onion soup mix. Place in greased slow cooker (breast side up). Cut butter into 3 pieces and place on top of turkey. Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours, or until internal temp reaches 175-180 degrees. I've heard that the meat just slides right off the bones.  :) I'll use the drippings to make gravy too.

STUFFING

I tried Pioneer Woman's recipe a couple years ago and I'm never ever going back to the boxed variety again!

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1 whole pan of cornbread (can make with THRIVE ingredients!)

1 loaf French bread

1 stick butter

1 whole medium onion, diced 1 cup THRIVE Freeze-Dried Onion, rehydrated

2 cups celery, chopped 2 cups THRIVE Freeze-Dried celery, rehydrated

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp thyme

2-3 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 cup THRIVE Freeze-Dried Parsley

Salt to taste

Cut up the breads into small pieces and dry on baking sheets for 24 hours. In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat and cook onions and celery until translucent. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in seasonings. Mix bread crumbs in a large bowl and ladle broth mixture in, tossing lightly and adding seasonings as you go. Bake in a baking dish at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

CRANBERRY-POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Again, Pioneer Woman stole my heart. I love anything with pomegranate in it!

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1 bag (12-16 oz) fresh cranberries 1 1/2 cups THRIVE Freeze-Dried Cranberries

16 fluid ounces pomegranate juice

3/4 cups sugar, more or less to taste

Combine and cook over medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool in the fridge (it will thicken up).

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

I can never decide what kind of topping I want on my sweet potato casserole, so I decided to use this fun idea from Cooking Classy, but I'm trying out a different recipe from Center Cut Cook.

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2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potato

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg, beaten 1 THRIVE Whole Egg, reconstituted

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

mini marshmallows

Whip together sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, egg, and 3 Tbsp melted butter until light and fluffy. Bake in greased 9x9 casserole dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Combine brown sugar, flour, pecans, 1 1/2 Tbsp melted butter, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract. Sprinkle crust over casserole, alternating rows with marshmallows. Bake another 10-15 minutes until crust is lightly browned and marshmallows are melted.

PUMPKIN CAKE

I don't like pie. I know, y'all think I'm crazy. But a few years ago, I tried this pumpkin cake and my Thanksgiving dessert woes were over. I got the recipe from my awesome friend Meg Meadows (shared with her permission).

1 yellow cake mix (minus 1 cup for later)

1 egg 1 THRIVE Whole Egg, reconstituted

1/2 cup melted butter

Mix and spread in 9x13 pan.

15 oz can pumpkin

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs 2 THRIVE Whole Eggs, reconstituted

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

Mix and pour over the crust.

1 cup cake mix

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

Stir together the cake mix, cinnamon, and sugar. Cut in the butter. Crumble over the top of the cake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

I will probably mix up some Orchard Apple Drink Mix and bake up some crescent rolls, too.

Pre-Order THRIVE Black Friday Deals NOW!

Now Accepting Pre-Orders

I promised, and here it is! The AMAZING deals coming up from Thrive Life over the Black Friday weekend: deep discounts on all of their most popular food rotation systems and about 20 emergency prep items. Plus, every single THRIVE food item will be on sale for its lowest price of the year! These deals start on Friday, November 29th at midnight MDT and run through Monday, December 2nd at 11:59 pm MDT. But I am giving you the opportunity to pre-order now!

(Click on the image to download it. Fill it out, save it, and then email it back to me!)

Once I get your email, I will call you for your credit card information. Then you can enjoy your holiday and I will place the order for you early Friday morning (as close to midnight as possible). You can get your order taken care of before the holiday fun begins AND you will have a much better chance of getting all your favorite items before they sell out!

How To Get the Best Deals

This sale is amazing, but how do you decide what to buy? Here are some tips that will help you take advantage of the best deals of the Black Friday sale.

You want to make sure that you are buying those items that your family will actually use and enjoy. Use the order form to help you find those items. Every single item has a discount listed next to it that is color coded. Find those items that are 40% off or more and purchase your favorites or things you know your family will use. Then move on to the items that are 30-40% off, and then look at the ones that are 15-30% off. Just remember that every single THRIVE food item is on sale for its lowest price of the year. So if you want a particular item in your home store, now is the time to stock up!

Here are some of my favorite items that will be on sale this year:

     

Enjoy More With Project Preparedness

Don't forget to share this deal with family and friends! As part of Project Preparedness, you can earn extra FREE and half-off product just by telling others. Plus, they can get the same deal if they share with others! Forward my blog post to friends and family. Be sure they tell me that you referred them! Also, for every referral I receive, I will donate $2 to relief aid in the Philippines.

Don;t forget that today is the last day to enter my giveaway for a pantry can of the limited edition Holiday Hot Cocoa! Go here to get details and enter the giveaway.

As always, please email me (vhenry.thriveu@gmail.com) or call me (801-842-2009) if you have any questions.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Click here to download the pre-order form!

Here's a flyer highlighting some GREAT Black Friday deals.

(click on the images to download and print)

You can also preview all the Black Friday Specials at

vhenry.thrivelife.com/blackfriday

but the prices won't be active until Friday morning.

THRIVE Life Black Friday Sneak Preview!

It's almost here! The THRIVE Life Black Friday Sale is the best time to stock up on what your family loves and needs. Here is a sneak peek of some of the items that will be on sale on Black Friday:

And that is just the beginning! Every single THRIVE food will be on sale and there are many more deeply discounted emergency prep supplies and food rotation systems available as well!

Sign up for my newsletter and pre-order before the sale starts! Everyone on my mailing list will get an email early next week with all the sale details and will have the opportunity to place an order with me before Thanksgiving. Then you can enjoy your holiday and I will place the order for you early Friday morning (as close to midnight as possible). You can get your order taken care of before the holiday fun begins AND you will have a much better chance of getting all your favorite items before they sell out!

Just take a second to sign up right here:

Email Address

First Name

Last Name

Remember:
I'm also offering a some great benefits to anyone willing to help spread the word as part of "Project Preparedness!" Check it out here and let me know if you want to participate.

I'm also giving away a pantry can of Holiday Hot Cocoa to three people! Go here to enter the giveaway!

3 Month Celebration and Giveaway!

I have been a THRIVE Life consultant for THREE months!

To celebrate, I'm having a "party" with 3 exciting launches!

A giveaway on my blog

A new Facebook page

A new preparedness project
I hope you will join me!!

It seems like I have been a consultant for more than three months. Thanks to all of you and your support, I have grown and learned so much more than I would have thought possible in such a short period of time. So THANK YOU!! To show my gratitude, I'm giving away a pantry can of the new limited edition Holiday THRIVE Hot Cocoa Mix to THREE people!

This is my new favorite THRIVE product. It is the BEST hot chocolate and three people are going to win a can from me!

You have 3 ways to enter. You get one entry for each:
1. Sign up to follow my blog. Submit your email address in the box in the upper right, or add http://thriveu.blogspot.com/ to your Blog Reader.
2. "Like" my page on Facebook. Click here!
3. Subscribe to my newsletter. Click here! Each month I send out 2-3 emails with helpful tips, free printables, and deals.

Want extra entries?
1. Email 3 people about this giveaway and/or my blog.
2. Host a class with me and I will give you 3 more entries! Contact me to schedule.

Giveaway open from 11-20-2013 to 11:59 pm CST on 11-26-2013. Winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 27.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Physical Fitness

My family participated in a 5K this morning organized and hosted by my husband's company.

#weloveusaa

We walked a 3.1 mile circuit around the USAA campus. The air was brisk and cool, but not freezing. We pushed the boys in our double stroller and enjoyed the scenery.

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At about the two and a half mile mark I began to feel tired and started slowing down. Walking/running/hiking has never been my thing, but I can handle short distances. I started thinking about what a luxury it is to be able to drive everywhere.

How far is it to your nearest gas station, grocery store, pharmacy, or hospital? We have a gas station right around the corner from us, only about half a mile. We also live really close to a hub of hospitals called the Medical Center, so we have a choice of three major hospitals and two major pharmacies only about 2 1/2 miles away. Our grocery store is also about 2 1/2 miles away from our home.

If I didn't have use of my car, I could probably handle walking those distances to get to those important places. But what if the distance were farther? Or what if, in an extreme emergency, I had to carry my 72 hour kit on my back and/or carry my baby?

The 5K this morning reminded me that I need to do more cardio and get in better shape. Part of being prepared means being physically fit enough to handle any situation.

THRIVE vs Other Food Storage Brands

What makes THRIVE different from other food storage brands?
How does it compare?

I get this question a lot.
The short answer is that THRIVE is not food storage.

The long answer is that THRIVE is a line of healthy, convenient foods that last a long time (so they could be used as food storage). But for those of you that like details, I'll share with you some of the research I have done. Much of my research and many of the ideas for this post came from the THRIVE Life website and my trainer's website, as well as the sites of other companies. (Thanks Misty!) There are many great options out there for food storage. But these are the categories where I feel THRIVE is superior to other companies.

QUALITY & TASTE

THRIVE:

THRIVE foods are delicious. They are also extremely healthy: nearly all THRIVE foods are non-GMO, MSG free, have no added colors or dyes, no artificial sweeteners, and no added hormones. (You can find more detail on each item here.) They are harvested when they are fully ripe, so they contain their full nutritional value. THRIVE Life goes to great lengths to test multiple sources to find the best foods available. Each batch is individually tested, sampled, and approved by an on-site quality assurance team (including a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspector and one of the owners of the THRIVE Life company...he tastes every batch). They take great care in every step of the process to ensure you are eating only the best. They simply will not sell an inferior product. THRIVE Life also has a line of certified organic items. Over 100 THRIVE products are also certified gluten free, meaning that their facilities, testing records, and cleaning procedures are inspected and certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Other companies:

While I cannot personally attest to the quality and taste of other companies, I know that most of them combine various ingredients from other companies into ready-to-eat entrees. This limits their ability to control the quality of their food. Plus, while they do provide foods that are naturally gluten free, their products have not been certified gluten free. And none that I know of offer an organic line.

USE

THRIVE: 

With over 120 individual food items (grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, meats & beans, and basics), THRIVE has the widest variety of foods available. This makes them easy to use in your everyday recipes. Plus, THRIVE employs a professional chef to cook with THRIVE and develop new recipes. He has a cooking show each month and there are many recipes available in the THRIVE cookbook and online in the THRIVE Kitchen.

Other companies:

Most other food storage companies sell pre-made "just-add-water" entrees. This option does not allow for customization. I may not want bacon in my scrambled eggs. And I'm currently on a non-dairy diet, so I have to use non-dairy substitutes in all of my cooking. With pre-made meals I don't have that option. Plus, most of these "just add water meals" are very high in sodium in order to maintain a shelf life. The FDA says that the Percent Daily Value (%DV) of one serving of food (many of us eat more than one serving!!) tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet.

• 5%DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is low
• 20%DV (480 mg) or more of sodium per serving is high

Most pre-made entrees have 25% or more of sodium per serving.

PERSONALIZATION

THRIVE:

Because THRIVE Life sells individual ingredients and YOU create your own Q, it is so so easy to personalize your shipments. There are so many great resources on the THRIVE Life website to help you build your home store. The THRIVE Planner helps you create a food storage plan based on how many people are in your family, what their caloric needs are, and how long you want your supply to last. The computer generates a list, but you can manually add items you love and subtract those you don't. You can use this as a guideline when creating your Q. In the Q you can add individual items, search based on recipes, or pick some pre-made packages. With every Q shipment, you can manually adjust what gets sent to you every month. Plus, the Q now has a Home Inventory, which helps you keep track of which items you have in your home store and how close you are to your goals. They show it to you on a colorful, easy to read graph!

Other Companies:

Most other companies sell their ready-to-eat entrees in packages. These packages are usually based on the amount of time you want your supply to last: 90 days, 6 months, 1 year, etc. The problem with most of these packages is that the supply is only designed to provide each person with 900-1600 calories per day. This is not enough to sustain an average adult. Men typically need around 2500 calories per day and women around 2000.

ROTATION

THRIVE:

Because you are building a home store, you are using THRIVE foods everyday and rotating through them. THRIVE also has their amazing Food Rotation Systems, which allow you to use up the oldest cans first, so you never have to worry about foods expiring. Because you are using the foods in your everyday recipes, your family will like eating them and you will have experience cooking with them. This can be a huge benefit in an emergency situation when stress levels are probably very high.

Other Companies:

Other companies claim that you can buy their packages, store them in your basement or under your bed, and never have to look at them again. Because they have such a long shelf life, you do not need to rotate them. But what happens in 20 years when the foods DO expire? They go to waste. Plus, if you are not rotating through your food and using it in your everyday storage, you are not practiced in cooking with it and it will be very hard to try to figure that out in an emergency situation when stress levels are already high! And how do you know that your family will like the foods unless you are feeding it to them in their everyday meals? I have heard some people say, "If they're hungry enough, they will eat it." In an emergency situation when your family may already be stressed and/or scared, you don't want them to get to that point. I believe that one of the few ways I will be able to comfort my family in an emergency is with foods that are familiar and that taste good.

PACKAGING

THRIVE:

THRIVE foods can be purchased in a variety of sizes: #10 can, Pantry Can, Pouch, or Bucket. This allows for more personalization in building your home store. I have a small pantry, so I like that I can get #10 cans of the foods that we use frequently and smaller pantry cans of other foods. Plus, THRIVE cans are double-lined to prevent rust and a "tin-like" taste in the food. And foods that come in the buckets are kept fresh with large mylar bags and a gamma lid! THRIVE foods have an unopened shelf life of about 25 years, and once they have been opened they retain their full nutritional value for 1 to 2 years.

Other Companies:

Most other companies sell their products either in #10 cans or small mylar pouches. Their cans are not double-lined. While the unopened shelf life is very long (about 25 years), most other companies warn that once they have been opened, the pre-made entrees must be eaten within one week.

CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUPPORT

THRIVE:

Aside from the amazing tools available on their website, THRIVE Life offers individual, personalized service through independent consultants. I am here to help you build your own plan, answer your questions, and help you use and enjoy THRIVE products as you build your home store. If I don't know the answer, I have teammates who do and I can search it out for you. THRIVE Life also has an incredibly helpful and friendly customer service department (an 800#).

Other Companies:

I only know of one other long term food storage company who sells their products through independent consultants. If you have questions about most company's products, you are left to calling an 800# or "Googling" it.

COST

THRIVE:

When comparing foods per 1/4 cup serving, THRIVE prices are very competitive! They are not significantly lower or higher than other brands. And the Q makes it really easy to stay within a reasonable budget. Plus, the best part about THRIVE is that you can get it for FREE! By simply sharing it with your friends and family, you can earn free and half-off product. You can also sell THRIVE and earn income!

Other Companies:

The packages that you buy from other companies are basically one bulk purchase, averaging around $1000-$2000. Some offer payment plans, but nothing quite as simple or easy as staying within a set monthly budget of your choosing with the Q. And they don't give their food away for free...

Based on the above research, I truly believe that THRIVE is the best option available. That is why I became a consultant. I want to share this great product with everyone! I'd love to help you discover how you can save time and money while building your home store with foods that are healthy and delicious. Contact me!

Much of my research and many of the ideas for this post came from my trainer, Misty Marsh. You can find more insights on this and many other topics on her website, www.yourownhomestore.com

Host Benefits

The UPS man is a regular visitor at my house. Between all my purchases from Amazon.com (hooray for free two-day shipping!) and now THRIVE Life, he delivers something to us at least once a week. Tonight he delivered these exciting packages:

My host benefit order from my first party!!

Want to see what my host benefits got me? I was able to get $550 of product for only $200. 

Say what?!? 

That's right: $150 of product for free, and $400 of product half-off.

Everything from my wishlist that I didn't have already, plus refills of my favorite items.

Sweet Cherry Halves

Fuji Apple Slices

Pears

Red Seedless Grapes

Blueberries

Applesauce

Blackberries

Cansolidator Pantry

Brochures & Catalogs

Orange Bliss Drink Mix

Mango Passion Drink Mix

Chicken Bouillon

Beef Bouillon

Ham Dices

Chicken TVP

Taco TVP

Beef TVP

Sausage Crumbles

Seasoned Chicken Slices

Roast Beef

Beef Dices

Chopped Chicken (#10 can)

Scrambled Egg Mix (#10 can)

Ground Beef (#10 can)

Mixed Bell Peppers

Zucchini

Tomato Powder

Cauliflower

Come on, you know you want to host an event.

Call me, we'll set a date!  ;)

P.S. How cool is it that THRIVE Life consultants can host their own events and also get the host benefits? Seriously, call me. We can get you enrolled as a consultant and you can get all these cool perks too!

Staying Cool Without Power

We live in the south Texas desert. It's August.

Not cool when your A/C is broken!

(pun intended)

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Monday morning we woke up to no A/C. Over the next few hours we tried different things to troubleshoot the problem and eventually had a repair man come take a look at it: $45 service fee. He said we need to replace our air filter: $2-$3. (Apparently you're supposed to do that every few months...*blushing in embarrassment*.)

I did what I could that day to keep our house cool: close the blinds and curtains, leave lights and appliances off, turn on the ceiling fans, drink lots of water, etc. But we were still pretty uncomfortable. We never reached the point where we were miserable, but this experience definitely got me thinking about ways to stay cool without power.

When I first began putting together emergency preparedness supplies a few months ago, every blog that I researched focused on ways to stay warm. But we don't have to worry about that here in San Antonio. Even our winters are really mild. My concern was how to keep cool in the insanely hot summer months.

On Monday I was grateful to still have ceiling fans and an oscillating fan. But what if we were in an emergency situation without power? For days?

The best I have been able to find are battery-operated fans (rechargeable and D-cell batteries) and 12V fans (plug into your cigarette lighter in your car). I definitely want to include some small hand-held fans for our 72 hour kits. (These come on a lanyard to hang around your neck and blow the air up to your face!) The solar-powered fans did not get very good reviews.

Have you had any experiences with trying to stay cool without power? 

What solutions did you find?