Preparedness for when

southantrim3

I noticed on the BBC that some parts of the Nationwide were down this morning and people thought their savings were empty. This happened on a really large scale with the Ulster Bank not that long ago and caused a lot of grief for a lot of people - this thing seems to happen a wee bit too often for my liking... Back to money under the blanket me thinking (or at least some alternative, just incase....)

fuddle

A cash only household now but I still pay the bills via direct debit. My budget would be blown out of the water if we got so much as one bounced direct debit charge and worse still my bank account would be at risk as I'm not allowed an overdraft and it's in my clause that if I don't have enough money in my account at any time I could lose it.

I've been giving a lot of thought about taking the finances on completely and utterly myself but I don't know if I'm organised enough and actually scared to go ahead and do it. I've been brought up in the electronic/automatic era and that's best... isn't it?

BessieBooBoo

fuddle wrote: »

A cash only household now but I still pay the bills via direct debit. My budget would be blown out of the water if we got so much as one bounced direct debit charge and worse still my bank account would be at risk as I'm not allowed an overdraft and it's in my clause that if I don't have enough money in my account at any time I could lose it.

I've been giving a lot of thought about taking the finances on completely and utterly myself but I don't know if I'm organised enough and actually scared to go ahead and do it. I've been brought up in the electronic/automatic era and that's best... isn't it?

Hello Fuddle

Hmmmm. For myself personally, I still d/d, for the MS part of it - cheaper bills.

I also try and save by d/d too. However, in light of the unusual events we have seen, I am now trying to maintain a small amount of cash at home. It's another of those 'just in case' scenario's. I don't keep enough for bills put aside, as, on our wages when the wage goes in the d/d bills go out pretty much the same time. Just enough so we could get, say, a week's groceries.

I always try to keep an emergency tenner about my person (& advise the OH to do the same), whether you prefer sock, bra, or handbag/wallet! Just enough if you need an emergency taxi ride home say. Maybe I should join the scouts: be prepared!
:rotfl:
HTH

BBB

P.S. Hmmm. A bug-out bra... Now that's a prepperish project, considering I have started a sewing course. Now, how to convince the others in class that it's a perfectly legitimate project...

fuddle

Ah now. I say we're a cash household. Anything left over from the week gets paid into the savings account. Hmmmm BBB

I think I need another pot labelled SHTF. Crafty hiding places? I'd have to have a think about that. I know an elderly aunt used to stitch money in the lining of her coat. She never wore it of course. It was her savings account.

Tink_04

nuatha wrote: »

Hi Tink
You don't need lots of expensive kit. The important thing is to think through what you'd go in a given situation and what you've got that would work or what you might need to fill in the gaps.
You sound like you've got things fairly well sorted already. You have a bug out location with supplies from the sound of it (your parents) and the means to get there (half tank of petrol) as well as having things organised if you need to bug out.

I'd been concerned about heating a bottle for little one (having premade formula is a useful head start) the stove BSB describes is as easy to use as a gas hob and isn't expensive but might still be an expense/gadget too far.

I've known parents who were really well organised and kept a baby bag always topped up for everyday use, I've known parents at the other end of the scale as well. If you're nearer the former then you'll have most of your emergency preps sorted, make sure there's stuff like the juice cartons for the 4 year old and something they can nibble on as well as something to entertain them (book?) That's your most important preps right there, your children are looked after.

Find alternative routes to your parents - what happens if your usual route is closed, is half a tank still enough fuel - remember that roads may well be busier and have stationary traffic which may eat into your fuel).

We do descend into gadget discussion every so often, it does pass. Quite often its sharing the knowledge of what we think would work for us and why - just because its a gadget doesn't mean you can't come up with your own solution. GQ's water carrier is a case in point, a 25l carrier needs a fair amount of strength to carry - in GQs case supplied by her ex-newspaper trolley, but is of less use to someone on the 9th floor of a block of flats with no working lift. The 2 litre bottles of water that get mentioned are portable and reusable and I'd far rather carry two or three of those up 9 flights of stairs than a 25 litre poly container.
Baby wipes are perfect for emergency hygiene, and those you'll already have, add a couple of small bottles of the alcohol hand washes and you've cut down on your water requirements.

HTH

Thanks im going to start making a little list of things we'd need for 24 then 48 hours and so on etc and work from there. I think im too scared to think of crazy bad things and its easier not to but the news lately is getting worse and worse and i think id need a few basic plans in place!

Baby milk is drank at room temp (unless its freezing then we take the chill off it) we have plenty of nappys/wipes/sudocrem as always stock up, and im always ahead with milk etc. We had a lot of debt when our 1st dd was born then i lost my job, was so frightened we would go without i never let our supplies run too low a habbit ive gladly never lost! and thanks to a few bad winters with little money for heating we have good winter stores.

pineapple

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

So do I, but what if the power goes out? Ghee has a shelf life of about a year in the cupboard

Good point :T

ALIBOBSY

I think Nuatha has summed things up pretty well there. The reality is NOONE can prepare for every eventuality, the nature of life is that the unexpected happens. But I strongly believe even by just thinking things through you put yourselves ahead of the game.

Looking at real life emergencies the people who survive are, on the whole those who have looked around them and noted things, then acted swifty when things went wrong. E.G that plane fire a few years ago on the ground at heathrow I think. Some people from furthest away from the exits got out, when others closer to the doors didn't. When the SHTF you need to act, and not panic. OK not everyone makes the right decision all the time, but sitting and waiting to be helped rarely works.

For the majority of people life passes with the odd drama, but very few if any of these major events. But they can occur and so just like having insurance you make the plans that make you comfortable as a backup insurance.

I believe the financial state of the western/European banks is untenable, but I have a feeling the MP's and a bunch of rich people aren't going to let it all go bang overnight. A long slow decline and stuff happening as in the 70's is most likely I think.

On a personal level OH and I are both S/E so you get good weeks and bad weeks. So for me having some emergency cash at home and plenty of food, plus backup water are the most urgent things.

We also got a fire blanket and exstiguiser from lidl-they do them every so often and are much cheaper than anywhere else. This is because I know a family who had a housefire just 2 years ago so I like to have the backup. Plus if we start having issues with power and use candles I want to be safe (we do have some wind up torches and a lamp, but had to pick them up over time when spotting good offers so had candles first as they are so cheap).

I do need to get around to buying a windup radio as I think if the power is off it may be useful to have a way to get the news.

Try to not let the possibilities worry you, after all we pay household insurance, but don't worry each night about being robbed etc.

I think many of us would be looking to be more self sufficient anyway even if the word preppers had never been mentioned so its as much a state of mind as a list of items/knowledge to have.

Ali x

[Deleted User]

If you want a safer way of lighting homes than naked candles, Ikea do a tealight lantern, fully enclosed with glass panels for under £5. I know tealights don't burn for as long as candles but, the flame is enclosed and safer than just having a lit candle that could possibly be knocked over or have things brought too close and setting light to them. I've got 2 lanterns and they throw a good enough light to read by, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Butterfly_Brain

After hearing about the Nationwide IT meltdown today, it has really proven to me that our money is no longer safe in the hands of the financial institutions, is it me or is this sort of thing happening more and more?
I found this online which proves that we need to be alert to what is going on in this country as well.

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=54365

http://www.storyleak.com/pentagon-prepping-large-scale-economic-breakdown/

boultdj

:jI'm so excited! My apple master has just been delivered:D Guess who's making pie's,crumbles and drying apples this week-end:rotfl: