Are you preparing for economic collapse?

Max_Headroom_3

Out of interest, how large a vegetable patch would you need per person to live off?

I've only got a small garden but now I'm curious as to whether (technically) I could plant it and live off of it?

StevieJ

purch wrote: »

How long do you expect this Economic Collapse to last ??

A month, a year, a decade, a century ??

I'm going for a century or more myself (if it happens at all)

Like when the Romans left

Austin_Allegro

tiff wrote: »

Still interested to hear from anyone who is doing similar, never mind the doubters!

I think a total Mad Max scenario is extremely unlikely, and it would be every man for himself, so no point preparing.

A severe economic contraction is looking more likely though. I think something along the lines of the Winter of Discontent is perfectly possible, with shortages and disruptions to services.

To this end I've become as self reliant as I can be as a town dweller, eg:

Keeping a stack of cash
No debts, building up savings
Camping stove
Water purifying kit and short term water supply
Food stocks for a month
Books on foraging, slef reliance etc
Wind up lantern and radio
Vegetable patch
Bicycles and spares/tools
Learning to make do and mend with clothes

But to be honest I would be doing most of this even if I didn't think things would get worse, it's just good sense really.

elaina79

To be honest things haven't really changed that much for us. I'm a carer so am on benefits. I have always been on a fairly tight budget anyway, even while I was working.
If anything, this year we have had more money to mess about with than ever before.

racheyg

Castleman wrote: »

If economic collapse does come, it will be made illegal to hoard.

At which point everyone will be so paranoid they will be pointing at everyone else, so your hoard will be discovered and taken away.

And, depending on the regime, you may be shot for violating such an important law.

That's just what I was going to say. Nothing personal, but I can't stand hoarding. It's like hoarding salt during the snow, the poor old ladies couldn't get any as everyone else had bought it from the local co-op in basket-fulls. The fact is, we should share what we have. I could never see the family next door starve while I sat there eating what I had been hoarding.

PErhaps it's because I had a great aunt who used to hoard tins of salmon (she was ill, of course). She had so many that were out of date they were just wasted.

What am I doing? Well, I'm being sensible. I'm spending my money on what I really NEED and my daughter's learning a great lesson in not being greedy. I'm not throwing any leftovers away and I am also turning part of my garden into a fruit and veg patch. I will then read lots of millie mollie mandy stories about how to make loads of money from a penny.

I have nothing in for tea actually, I need to go kill the neighbour's chicken.

Andrew_McP

I started taking sensible precautions after I saw what I thought was the most advanced nation on Earth struggle to cope with a bit of wind in New Orleans. The veneer of civilisation is only about three days thick even at the best of times.

I agree that unless you live on a mountain and have plenty of food/water/ammunition, planning for Armageddon is pointless... the gangs will get you before your stockpiles run out. But to me it does make plenty of sense to have enough food and water around (carefully rotated) to allow you to survive a week or two of severe disruption. And I always used to keep candles etc around for extended power cuts... I remember the 70s too well. :-)

After a week or two the army etc ought to be in control of whatever state of emergency might have arisen. If they haven't, you're probably stuffed anyway.

Like contents and buildings insurance, I hope never to need to use my supplies. But everything I have is stuff I use anyway. All I lose is a little up-front money, some storage space, and the time it takes to keep on top of dates. For me the peace of mind makes it worth the effort, but I can see how others can mock this 'paranoia'.

It takes all sorts. :-)

Andrew McP

Really2

racheyg wrote: »

.........
I have nothing in for tea actually, I need to go kill the neighbour's chicken.

Spot on and if the worst happens so will everyone else.

Then when he is out of chickens I feel sorry for the neigbour. (have you seen alive)

The truth is like you said in a modern society their is no need to hord but for some reason the usuall fools cause a run on somthing.

Salt, petrol you name it if their is a possible shortage their is a horder making it worse.

Andrew_McP

racheyg wrote: »

PErhaps it's because I had a great aunt who used to hoard tins of salmon (she was ill, of course). She had so many that were out of date they were just wasted.

Obviously I'm not going to encourage potentially fragile people to take risks, but anyone who follows the date codes on tinned goods is wasting money. I've eaten tinned salmon/tuna that was more than two years' out of date before now. It tasted perfectly fine, and dates are very conservative in order to guarantee maximum quality.

Obviously though you have to use your common sense. Dented tins may be less resilient (the coating inside the tin can be breached). But usually your nose will tell you if something's off... evolution did a good job of trying to keep us safe. :-)

Andrew McP

Really2

Andrew_McP wrote: »

I started taking sensible precautions after I saw what I thought was the most advanced nation on Earth struggle to cope with a bit of wind in New Orleans.

I think it was a bit more than a bit of wind:eek: . It's geographical features caused the problem not just the "bit of wind" as you call it.

But I think that is a bit more of a political issue also.

racheyg

Andrew_McP wrote: »

Obviously I'm not going to encourage potentially fragile people to take risks, but anyone who follows the date codes on tinned goods is wasting money. I've eaten tinned salmon/tuna that was more than two years' out of date before now. It tasted perfectly fine, and dates are very conservative in order to guarantee maximum quality.

Obviously though you have to use your common sense. Dented tins may be less resilient (the coating inside the tin can be breached). But usually your nose will tell you if something's off... evolution did a good job of trying to keep us safe. :-)

Andrew McP

I think you are right but I am sure this was pre-historic. When I say cupboard, I mean a storage room the size of a garage, full of salmon and also sugar.

Anyway, what if a chicken is two years out of date, can you still eat it? :rotfl: