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Preparedness for when

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  • annie123
    annie123 Posts: 4,256 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Bedsit_Bob wrote: »
    .

    Mine (even though it is a bit bigger than a sardine can), lives in the breast pocket of my coat.

    The only time it ever comes out of the pocket, is when the coat is being washed, or when the weather is too hot for a coat, in which case it goes straight into my trouser pocket.

    I never leave home without it.

    CK004A.png

    What's in it?
  • jk0
    jk0 Posts: 3,479 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    mardatha wrote: »
    Co-op energy only have one tarriff and their bills are super easy to understand, that's why I switched to them :)

    I am on EDF's March 2014 fix. I would love to take the new 4 year fix they are offering, but will have to pay a fine if I switch. How annoying, eh?

    Anyone know a solution to this?
  • annie123 wrote: »
    What's in it?

    Sardines....
  • annie123
    annie123 Posts: 4,256 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    armyknife wrote: »
    Sardines....
    :rotfl: no good for me then I'm a veggie :D
  • That's one of the BCB kits, isn't it BB?
    Tbh I don't see the point of carrying one of those with you at all times. Fine if you are out in the wilds, for sure, but for everyday use? I can't foresee any sort of emergency, remotely likely to crop up in usual routine, that would require the immediate use of snares, fishing kit, or a signal mirror. Maybe your circumstances are very different but I'm struggling to see the use of most of that kit for most of us, most of the time. So long as we're mobile it should be possible to get stuff to cover most of those needs within easy reach. If immobilised (by injury, say) then in normal circumstances you would need means of attracting attention or summoning help. A mobile phone is probably a good start. For what it's worth my usual emergency kit contains the following:
    A whistle
    A space blanket
    Kendal Mint Cake
    In the scenario where I can't walk out of a problem area, that should buy time to get help. I pretty much always have a phone and usually a bottle of water anyway. This is for low-key, personal catastrophes (I break a leg while out on my bike, for example). It won't help in a chaotic breakdown of society, but you be extremely unlucky to break a leg or similar at the same time as a widespread SHTF event.
  • bluebag
    bluebag Posts: 2,450 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I have a little tin, but it's more geared to walking in the countryside. I never had one before even when we were fitter and doing some serious walks.

    Now we are a bit crocked and have health issues the tin comes with me but the walks are whole lot less serious.

    I geared it to providing shelter, light, fire, and signaling plus a tiny compass if we are lost. The whistle in it is so cute the tiniest thing ever, but quite loud for what it is.
  • I have to confess to always carrying my survival tin when I'm out of the house too, it lives in an inside pocket in my rucksack and doesn't weigh much at all so is no inconvenience. I would feel very silly IF I found myself in a difficult situation and my tin was on the shelf at home. My tin contains:-

    Water purification tablets
    a small penknife
    a whistle
    a sewing kit and safety pins
    a disposable lighter
    a small book of matches
    some cotton wool balls
    a firesteel and flint
    fishing line, weights and hooks
    wire for snares
    a tealight
    a pencil
    notepaper
    a diamond saw
    and the instructions for what to do in a survival situation, which if you are in shock and not thinking straight would be invaluable.

    I also always carry a first aid kit with some latex protective golves in the front pocket of my rucksack which has been very useful many times over and a bottle of gel hand sanitiser. I'm not convinced that possible problems would only happen when I was comfortably at home and I like to hedge my bets!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.
  • Hi All,

    Hubby seems to think the threat of the blackouts, were just to side track us for the huge price hikes..

    Up until now Hubby always sort of 'pampered' an agreed with things I said, just to shut me up:D BUT now he is taking things more seriously now.... Last night I said I wanted to find out if there was a cheap way of doing our own DIY solar panels etc, even if they would only maybe do the lights in one or two rooms etc.. As now I am totally fed up of the big companies more or less dictating to us how much we pay for things... If your type of food you eat goes up in price, you just stop eating it, and eat something else, but with energy/fuel you need it, even though you can switch providers, prices are still too high..

    Hubby was looking at how to make your own solar panels on the net last night, but you needed 'solar cells' and he couldn't find anyone selling them in this country... most of the off grid books too were all from America..

    do you know of any companies, or books etc that are for us in the uk???

    Sorry it might be a bit off thread, But with Prices of EVERYTHING going up.. my SHTF is starting...:(( I am prob not along if this is one of the things peeps are prepping for)
    Work to live= not live to work
  • grandma247
    grandma247 Posts: 2,412 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Solar power products
  • jk0
    jk0 Posts: 3,479 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 12 October 2013 at 10:00AM
    Hi All,

    Hubby seems to think the threat of the blackouts, were just to side track us for the huge price hikes..

    Up until now Hubby always sort of 'pampered' an agreed with things I said, just to shut me up:D BUT now he is taking things more seriously now.... Last night I said I wanted to find out if there was a cheap way of doing our own DIY solar panels etc, even if they would only maybe do the lights in one or two rooms etc.. As now I am totally fed up of the big companies more or less dictating to us how much we pay for things... If your type of food you eat goes up in price, you just stop eating it, and eat something else, but with energy/fuel you need it, even though you can switch providers, prices are still too high..

    Hubby was looking at how to make your own solar panels on the net last night, but you needed 'solar cells' and he couldn't find anyone selling them in this country... most of the off grid books too were all from America..

    do you know of any companies, or books etc that are for us in the uk???

    Sorry it might be a bit off thread, But with Prices of EVERYTHING going up.. my SHTF is starting...:(( I am prob not along if this is one of the things peeps are prepping for)

    Have you a car CTC? If so, you have a very large battery on it that is recharged every day you go out in it.

    In the car I carry a mains inspection lamp with a 9 watt CFL, and a 12 volt to 240 volt transformer that fits in the accessory socket. The car battery is 40 Amp hours, so you can see that with current under an Amp, the battery should last quite some time.

    This is mainly for illuminating breakdowns, but could equally well have an extension lead fed through my letter box to give some light at home. (Not that I would use it any time other than a power cut, as the electricity would cost more than the mains.)
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