Preparedness for when

twiglet98

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Have you got a (reasonably priced) paraffin supplier, close by?

I can't remember what I paid last year but the little farm shop sells all sorts of surprises and their 5l bottles were certainly cheaper than the DIY sheds.

When I was a littl'un my mother had Pink Paraffin delivered by a man with a van, for the Aladdin stove on the landing and the hurricane lamp hung up in the outside loo.

[Deleted User]

The "Paraffin Man" was a regular caller to our street too.

Never had an outside loo, so no memories of hanging a Hurricane Lamp in one.

Mind you, it's a good job outside loos were draughty.

Could you imagine the consequences, of a build up of methane, near a paraffin lamp.

[Deleted User]

Earlier, I turned everything off, and sat in the living room for half an hour, with just a couple of pillar candles for light.

It's very relaxing. :cool:

armyknife

I can't help but feel this enthusiasm for paraffin lamps is rather a backward step, these things are rather dangerous and many in the third world are trying to move away from them, both because of the accidents, respiratory illnesses and the cost of fuel.

[Deleted User]

In what way "rather dangerous"?

GreyQueen

superskintmouse wrote: »

Well hello everyone, long time no see. I have been very busy with life and not giving my zombie apocolypse survival a thought for a long time. Having watched Blackout I am back in full survival mode, all the kit has come out been dusted off and re stocked. I have made a complete school boy error in not rotating stuff quick enough and have discovered 40 tins of soup go out of date this month!!! Can anyone give me some tips on where to start with an emergency food stock? whats the best nutritionally? I need to restock more carefully this time!!

Don't worry about this date, just make sure that you use them before ones with newer dates/ purchasing more.

I have a tiny home and very little storage space in my kitchen, so have had to be creative. I have h.m. rolling storage trollies under the bed. The system is elementary; there are about 4-6 cans of anything side by side in the kitchen cupboard. When they're used, I restock from the underbed larder, and then add back into the larder when I see items at a good price. A simple A4 notebook enables me to track quantities and whereabouts (entries are in pencil for easy updating).

Because when I haul the trollies forward, I'm looking down on the contents, I write the expiry month and year on the top in a fine marker, plus the price, purchase month and year so I can track inflation. I do this at point of purchase, so it doesn't take long.

One trolley has a mixture of cans so I have initials to tell me what I'm looking down on (BB= baked beans, P = peaches, S = soup). If you store your cans and packets on shelves, a note on the wrapper on the side of the can would probably be more useful.

I store things I will eat anyway; tinned meats (mainly corned beef but some ham), tinned fish (sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna), baked beans, mixed bean salad, soup, sweetcorn, tinned peas, tinned tatties, Mr Mash dried potato, UHT milk, FB pies (although these will require a working oven or bonfire), tinned fruit (several kinds), pasta, rice, savoury rice in sachets to heat thru with a couple of tbsp of water, breakfast bars, dried fruit and a few other bits and bobs. Lots breadflour and dried yeast in sachets (keeps viablility years past its BB date btw). Inc lots of t.p.;)

Non food preps are water, hand sanitiser, paper plates & cups (in case can't wash dishes) and paper napkins. Milton Fluid (babycare section of the shop) and other bits and bobs of camping equipment inc butane stove and cyclinders.

With food, think about your carbs, your proteins (can be animal or veg proteins), some green stuff, some fruit, stuff which is naturally wet and can be eaten cold if necessary. Also consider portion size; if you have no fridge and you have can sizes bigger than can be eaten in one sitting, what's your plan? I lived without a fridge for 3 years once so am familiar with this sort of calculation.

I'd also be wary of having the freezer as my main larder. Fine if the SHTF you're planning for is being laid up at home and not able to get to the shop, not good if you're looking at powercuts of many days duration. If you lose a freezer full of food at any time it's expensive and annoying, if it were to happen with no access to other food, it would be heartbreaking and dangerous if it drove you out-of-doors and into civil unrest.

BessieBooBoo

Hello Fellow Preppers, Prepee's (for newbies):j

Another one here who watched Blackout.

OH is now planning to barricade us in the house with months of supplies!

Not sure how hygienic that would be if we need to use facilities! Am thinking of a hole in the ground would be preferable outside despite mobs of rioters/burglars roaming around.... And then there's the dog.

No way would she 'perform' indoors as she's now trained to go outside - she prefers the walk to the park for her ablutions even if we let her in the garden. I would have to risk very early morning walkies in turbulent times - hopefully every young rioter would be hungover from looted alcohol and not dream of getting up early to loot!

Blummin' imagination is working overtime again.

Anyhoo, at least OH is not complaining at the amount of baked beans and tomato's finding their way into the trolley.

Take care all, keep prepping, and take all these films/novels with a pinch of salt. Remember Dad's Army and 'DON'T PANIC!'

BBB

GreyQueen

BBB, I've often thought that the best time for moving stuff inc yourself about would be that lull between the party animals running out of steam and regular folks stirring.

Was a temp postie and can testify that there are very few bods about when you start work at 04.30 am.:rotfl:

Great that one TV drama can bring sceptical spouses on side with the prep-meisters.

alfsmum

Yep, we walk the dogs at 0530 and there's hardly a soul about, certainly not on foot. I'd probably go an hour earlier if I wanted to avoid being seen.

Have recorded Blackout but not watched as reviews have panned it and I don't want to frighten myself to death. May watch with OH one evening to up his prepping instincts

B&M here have Branst*n Baked beans at 4 for £1.25, not likely to see four for a pound again

Also local Lidly has lots of cleaning stuff on offer this week so may be worth a look. They don't stock household candles though, only tea lights.

Gradually building up water stocks at £1.06 for 5 litre carry bottle. Also putting a few fivers away for days when we can't get at our money.

Oh couldn't put his shoes away under the bedroom chest of drawers the other evening. It was blocked by a shoebox full of half price chocolate. Who could have put that there

pineapple

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

In what way "rather dangerous"?

I thought armyknife said? :huh:
Unless of course it was edited afterwards and you are responding to an earlier version..