Preparedness for when

hauxwell

ragz wrote: »

You knowledgeable lot should be able to answer this one. Hubby just asked if a 100% wool jumper would be expensive, would it be worth buying one or are they really hard to wash, why don't you see that many these days? I am passing the question on as I don't really know the answer, but I would guess that is would be a good investment, as long as I don't ruin it in the first wash!
I am thinking prepping should include clothes that will last and can be repaired, as so many of ours are cheap rubbish that I really struggle to sew when it breaks as it just disintigrates!

Unlurks once again
Me and the boy have several 100% wool jumpers and they are wonderful. They don't have to be expensive if you keep your eyes peeled in charity shops. I bought two the other day for a fiver each, practically new and in wonderful condition.

They last ages, can be repaired and don't need washing too often as they let you 'breathe' so to speak. The boys hoody needs washing alot due to dirty sweaty job but if he wears a wool jumper instead the muck brushes off and no sweaty smell. They are also good for keeping you dry when working outside when the rain ain't too heavy.

I hand wash them when they finally need a dunk and normally just lay them in a cool bowl with abit of gentle shampoo being careful not to rub, just give them a swill. Rinse and dry in a towel and dry flat.

I could wear one for weeks in the winter just sponging off where I have dropped me dinner down myself!:rotfl:

Perplexed_Pineapple

Wow, we're getting very political today :rotfl:

fuddle wrote: »

I'm trying to get my head around politics but seem to make one discovery that puts me 2 steps behind again.

Is it wrong to kind of respect that the government today is trying to cut our deficit and trying to make plans for our futures? I know it's flawed and we're struggling at grass roots level but at least there's a determination to not only face up to our debts but a commitment to fix them.

Don't put of till tomorrow what needs to be fixed today.

I agree Fuddle, it's admirable and probably necessary to cut the deficit but I doubt that can happen without major cuts to public service in the UK - the amount that is sent overseas as aid is trivial in comparison to domestic spending. The coalition government has cut the deficit, from about £150 billion to about £100 billion, which I suppose isn't too bad in the middle of a recession, but the overall debt (which determines the interest payable, obviously) is still increasing. This actually works in our favour because "the markets" believe the UK takes it's debt seriously, so we get better rates (unlike, say, Greece, which is already going to payday lenders and will probably have to take some of the smaller islands to the pawnbrokers pretty soon).

mardatha wrote: »

Good for you pineapple, I would as well.
Re this govt fuddle, I wouldn't believe them if they told me my name was Mardywotsit. They're all out to line their own pockets, finance their fancy lifestyle into retirement, and they think we're just here to pay for it.
Don't get me started lol :mad:

I'm not sure about that, Mardatha, I think the few people at the top were already pretty well off to start with. That makes me think they see it all as some sort of game, which it probably is. Does that matter, if they play the game well? It does if it becomes about personal glorification. Like mediaeval monarchs there's nothing like a good war or crusade to beef up your image - it worked for Thatcher, Blair almost pulled it off.

GreyQueen wrote: »

Afternoon all.

I'm all for fiscal prudence; the real kind, not Ooor Gordon's kind. But let it be done with commonsense and common decency.......
.

An epic GQ post :T Vive le Republique! :rotfl:

thriftwizard

Ragz, you should be able to pick up pure new wool jumpers for a song at a car boot or jumble sale near you; they often come up for pennies as people wrongly think they're hard to look after. Ashamed to say that I buy them for felting (hot wash, cold rinse, lots of agitation) and turning into beautiful one-off bags... Can't wear sheep's wool next to my skin myself, but I can wear it over, say, a cotton polo neck, and it is wonderfully warm compared to fleece.

ETA - @GQ - cheering out loud here!

daftmummy

May I second and bring the motion of GQ for PM? I'm happy to be tealady and sure others here would be good if not better as heads of departments of Home Affairs, Health Service etc.

I'm pee-ed with regard to the gas/electric muggers :mad: opps sorry companies! I Switched last night and have been looking at my usage chatting to hubby about it, I don't have heating or the tv on in the day but do use the washing machine as dh job is messy and my kids are mud magnets any puddle is worthy of a roll in during lunch playtime and I am for ever doing a sponge wash on their uniform to get an extra day! Hubby got annoyed with me that I wouldn't put the heating on in the day when the kids had school holiday due to the cost, he was annoyed as he put it " why am I grafting all day being self-employed for my kids to be cold " they weren't before you call social services :pbut its me who does the house hold budgets and know the cost.

I have a very very bad feeling if the weather is as bad as it was last year and the cost of living keeps going up more people will be doing things they would never dream of or worse taking their owns lives, the act of putting up engery prices could be the final straw to break the camels back.

On a good note I today sorted the cupboard out in my kitchen:j I have been putting it off for months and found a load of plastic tubs I forgot about. My bread maker is placed so it looks like a smaller space than it is and there is room at the back for stuff. I thought I had more but when I was poorly I used it as I wasn't able to do much shopping and dipped in. And I used up most of my TP stash I say I used it up I get through so much I'm starting to think dh and the kids are eating it:D

I got the bread maker at a carboot it has the instructions and I'm waiting for a day when I feel brave to try it out!

Re-bird flu etc It is out of our minds but I'm glad someone reminded us of it as it hasn't gone away. The amount of people who don't wash their hands before handling food or after using the loo is shocking. My hubby pops to a social club for a game of pool once a week ( cheap night out and lets me lurk here ) he says the amount of men who use the loo and not wash their hands is gross and then shaking hands after a game of pool and racking up the balls etc :eek: not to mention if there is a match night and they lay on food. He wont go near it! but that is another story!!!

cornishchick

DM men really should wash their hands before and after playing with their balls......

sorry, couldn't help myself.

Anyways, not to sound thick, but who does the government owe money To? I thought we owed it to the USA because of repaying money borrowed during the last war. And who does the USA owe money To? I am not stupid just never had an interest in this area.
Can you explain in simple terms please.

jk0

cornishchick wrote: »

Anyways, not to sound thick, but who does the government owe money To? I thought we owed it to the USA because of repaying money borrowed during the last war. And who does the USA owe money To? I am not stupid just never had an interest in this area.
Can you explain in simple terms please.

Have a look at this video I found yesterday. (Just substitute 'Bank of England' for 'Federal Reserve'.)

http://hiddensecretsofmoney.com/videos/episode-4

daftmummy

yes Cornishchick men should have clean hands and clean balls, shame about my mind wink wink.

I do have an interest in politics I don't understand it sometimes but I'm getting the feeling people are just switching off as they don't understand it/not interested or are just being constantly spoon feed " credit crunch" or what ever buzz word that will be over used till the next crisis.

Missed Question time tonight as I'm snuggled in bed with "puter" I'm saving energy that my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Night nite peepsx

Perplexed_Pineapple

cornishchick wrote: »

DM men really should wash their hands before and after playing with their balls......

sorry, couldn't help myself.

Anyways, not to sound thick, but who does the government owe money To? I thought we owed it to the USA because of repaying money borrowed during the last war. And who does the USA owe money To? I am not stupid just never had an interest in this area.
Can you explain in simple terms please.

We paid off the war debt to the USA in 2006, amazingly. Most of the government debt is what is called treasury bonds (in the US), or gilts (in the UK). It's sort of like a savings certificate, the government promises to pay interest at a set rate for a set period, like five or ten years. At the end of the period the capital is repaid. The question is, who buys these bonds? Some are bought by UK investors, like insurance companies and pension funds, but a lot are bought by international investors. The UK historically has issued a lot of very-long-term gilts, 20 years for example, which is why we're in less of a crisis than most of the Eurozone - we are paying the interest, but the capital isn't due yet.
HTH.

metherer

An exchange from Fbook last night, started by my friend Mrs L.


"Here was I thinking Mr L was being romantic asking me to put candles on the shopping list, but no, he's doomsday prepping for the supposed national grid failure later this year!


Comment 1 - Mr L. Watch it Mrs L our wedding anniversary is still to come lol


Comment 2 - Mrs L. You'll be stocking up on tinned food next ha ha!


comment 3 - Me. Get thee to Ikea, the best prices on candles!

comment 4 - His friend. You'll need an underground bunker in the garden too and weapons in case fights for resources break out amongst the survivors."


I thought it interesting that
a) He's thought of as daft for wanting to keep some light in the house, in the wake of all the news reports about the grid.
b) His friend immediately took it to the far end of a sparrow's f*rt.

interested me most, as I think that seems to be the common perception. Rather than just making sure you're prepared if A happens, people tend to think you're prepping for B through to Z as well, no matter how unlikely they are to happen.

thriftwizard

Rather than just making sure you're prepared if A happens, people tend to think you're prepping for B through to Z as well, no matter how unlikely they are to happen.

Didn't the Archdruid also pick up on this tendency to black-&-white thinking a while back? i.e. we have a tendency to assume it's one thing OR another, not something in between - business as usual, with increased growth, more spending, people happily plunging into yet more debt, OR Doomsday Zombie Apocalypse complete with bodies festooning the streets, rather than the most likely scenario of some power cuts, a few people dropping off the twig a tad early because of some new strain of virus, a couple more items disappearing permanently off the supermarket shelves?

I know if I show anyone my food stores, they'll simply assume I'm preparing for the DZA, rather than think, oh yes, she's feeding 7 people, that lot'll just see her through the odd power cut. Or they'll think I have some kind of compulsive/obsessive jam-making disorder! It's been said before, by someone who knows perfectly well that I sell more than half of it but just can't see that feeding more people takes more food and more money. So I keep them out of sight. But sometimes I do wonder how many other people are keeping their very-sensible preps hidden, and making a joke out of it all because that's what everyone does?