How to prepare for power cuts this winter?

basmic

I believe it's all just scare mongering. But that never stopped me from buying some matches and candles from the market today, and stashing them somewhere safe. :D

Pink_fluff

candles and matches, fair enough!! That's just sensible! But this person is talking about a power cut being some sort of life threatening event!!!

basmic

I remember having a few power cuts when I was young, and I'm nearly 28. I used to love them, so we could wander around the house with candles.

amcluesent

>You sound like someone who panics at any news story.<

Not at all. BTW, did you read the that banking crisis may result in the credit-card system going kaput? I've started hoarding cash too.

basmic

amcluesent wrote: »

Currently on the shopping list -

Basic £30 UPS for the computer, so it won't get data corrupted by the power going off suddenly.
I can understand why you don't want to lose data. But the only data lost in the event of a power cut, is unsaved data, or data still in the harddrive's cache. Quite simply, save important data regularly - I couldn't justify a £30 UPS, just so I go on MSN and say "OMG! GTG electric just went out. LOLWUT TTYL"... . :rotfl:

End-of-season sale gas BBQ to give some basic cooking
I don't call a BBQ a basic cooking device. However, I do call a simple camper gas stove with just two gas hobs basic.

Tilley Lamp for the living room with 5 gallon drum of paraffin in the garage
Bulk buy candles for elsewhere in the house.
Because you need a storm lamp in the living room, right? :rotfl::rolleyes:

Collecting bottled water as and when.
Because the electric stops the taps working?

Also

Wash out 1litre milk bottles and fill with water and keep in freezer to help keep food frozen for hours. Have a duvet handy to wrap fridge/freezer while the power is off.
Never read so much BS in my life. :eek::eek: I'd sooner wrap myself in the duvet, than be freezing cold.

You do realise we're not going to war, right?

rchddap1

Life went on during power cuts in the past. So why can't it now without all of these OTT measures?

whatatwit

Having a few supplies in stock at home isn't as daft as it sounds.
I have started to get a few of the cheap bottles of water. Last year, our water went off without warning due to a fault at the pumping station.
I did have a couple of the 5L bottles in the cupboard (from a failed health kick) but it was almost 24 hours before the water came back on and I had to make several trips to a friends house to fill up my containers.

So, how many shops have their own generators to enable life to continue as normal during a power cut, even if it is only for 1 or 2 hours.
It won't take much of a power cut to produce panic buying as soon as power resumes.

Janey51

We have power cuts every winter....the penalty of country living.
But we always have candles, storm lanterns and a battery radio. Not to mention the gravity fed oil Aga that gives constant hot water and cooking and the log burner.
And long life milk and tins of soup
Anyone want B & B?

pawlala

basmic wrote: »

You do realise we're not going to war, right?

We've been at war for at least the last decade.

NeverInDebt

You bumped over a 2 year old thread just to say that how odd

pawlala wrote: »

We've been at war for at least the last decade.