Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

so BOB where is the cheapest to buy them at mo??

Stoves are £8-99 at B&M Bargains.

If you can't get to B&M (or they've run out of them), Amazon have a similar one for around a tenner.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/PORTABLE-CAMPING-FISHING-FESTIVAL-POWERED/dp/B00A17LZC4/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1410982957&sr=8-10&keywords=cAMPING+sTOVES

Canisters are £3-99 for 4 at B&M, or £1 each at £world.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks Bob... there is a B&M about 10 miles away, and is enroute to somewhere, where I am going tomorrow so will call in and get one, and the gas...


It will give me peace of mind that they got it, I would rather them laugh at me and call me silly for buying it for them, and they get caught out and not have a back up for hot water etc, as if the electric/gas is off due to bad weather, then there is no way I am going to be able to get to them, as they live approx. 45 mins away..

pm2326

Hi everyone

I've come out of lurkdom as wanted to say thanks for making me realise that I wasn't prepared for SHTF .

I've managed to accumilate a pretty good amount of stores over the last 6 months, however I never considered how I would cook anything if the electric went off. Or what I would do if there was no water or heating. I have a gas boiler but cooking and fire are electric.

I've now changed my plans and having done a review of my current stockpiles I've decided that I only need a couple of refills of the tins and need to concentrate on getting bottled water, long life milk and cartons of orange juice (thinking vitamin C). A camping stove is winging its way to me courtesy of ama*on.

I'm also going to sort out a proper medical bag.

I have fleeces and throws for warmth if there was no heating along with 200 tea light candles for light. A wind up torch.

What obvious thing am I missing? I don't drive so don't need to worry about preparing for snowbound traffic jams etc. I live on my own with a cat so no kids or OH to worry about.

ginnyknit

Pm2326, dare I suggest cat food supplies, nothing is more stressful than a hungry moggy!

Vjsmum, you are doing a very worthwhile job and that means it doesnt matter how far you fly. This world needs good teachers like you.

Just found a big box of candles under the sink :T thought I was running low.

As for the vote tomorrow, I just hope which ever way it goes they dont cut internet between us and them because I would hate to lose contact with Mardatha If its Yes then good luck and prosperity to all, if No then you are stuck with us.

pm2326

ginnyknit wrote: »

Pm2326, dare I suggest cat food supplies, nothing is more stressful than a hungry moggy!

Vjsmum, you are doing a very worthwhile job and that means it doesnt matter how far you fly. This world needs good teachers like you.

Just found a big box of candles under the sink :T thought I was running low.

As for the vote tomorrow, I just hope which ever way it goes they don't cut internet between us and them because I would hate to lose contact with Mardatha If its Yes then good luck and prosperity to all, if No then you are stuck with us.

Hi ginnyknit

I have 6 months supply of cat food in at all times...only have to work out if [STRIKE] I [/STRIKE] he could cope without his treats. I normally only buy a months supply at a time when I pass the relevant shop. Maybe I should be stocking up on them as he would have my life if I was laid up ill and couldn't get him some (yes he's spoilt )

jk0

Did anyone read about the Halal cat food?

No, it's not for Muslim p*ssys or Muslims who are too tight to buy human food.

It's because Muslims aren't allowed to touch non-halal food.

Frugalsod

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

if there was a vote in wales tomorrow, I would vote yes....

I think that there are nearly a dozen independence movements within Europe and even Germany's Bavaria wants independence. Clearly there are serious misgivings about our central governments everywhere.

GreyQueen

pm2326 wrote: »

Hi everyone

I've come out of lurkdom as wanted to say thanks for making me realise that I wasn't prepared for SHTF .

I've managed to accumilate a pretty good amount of stores over the last 6 months, however I never considered how I would cook anything if the electric went off. Or what I would do if there was no water or heating. I have a gas boiler but cooking and fire are electric.

I've now changed my plans and having done a review of my current stockpiles I've decided that I only need a couple of refills of the tins and need to concentrate on getting bottled water, long life milk and cartons of orange juice (thinking vitamin C). A camping stove is winging its way to me courtesy of ama*on.

I'm also going to sort out a proper medical bag.

I have fleeces and throws for warmth if there was no heating along with 200 tea light candles for light. A wind up torch.

What obvious thing am I missing? I don't drive so don't need to worry about preparing for snowbound traffic jams etc. I live on my own with a cat so no kids or OH to worry about.

Lovely to have you step forward and introduce yourself and it sounds like you've made sound inroads into prepping.

If I may make a few suggestions, I think you may be a little insufficient in the lighting department. Each tealight burns 3.5 hours (I've checked and so has Bedsit Bob) but it's likely that you'd be using more than one, perhaps even half a dozen at a time, so 200 would dwindle rapidly. They're pretty cheap so I'd stock up. You may also end up using multiples at once in the flowerpot style heaters or to warm food through.

I'd also think about some candle lanterns, to protect the flame from blowing out in a draught. They're pretty cheap new but turn up secondhand, I have variety of them in different styles. I also buy pillar candles when I see them cheap-cheap at booters, such as 50p or so. And I would have a couple of Sunnan lamps from IKEA, could I get to an IKEA, they sound fab.

Matches are one of those conveniences we don't appreciate until we haven't got them, so I have several boxes of the cooks matches stashed here and there, inc some in tubbyware plastic containers. You could also look at having lighters, or those gas stove lighter thingies from Poondland with a bottle of lighter fluid for a refill.

You'd be recommended to have several torches, at least one of which us a smallish one on your keyring or otherwise with you at all times. It is possible to be trapped inside buildings with no power and no natural light, and need to light your way out. Also, if the streetlights go down, you could have trips and falls just making your way home.

As well as being a stasher of toilet roll, I have an upper shelf of one of my kitchen cabinets devoted to sanitary matters; lots of anti bac handgel and disinfectant, plus disposable gloves. A couple or more of rolls of binbags and other bags is a good idea; in a crisis there could end up being no waste collection from domestic properties and you'll need to keep things as sanitary as possible yourself. Also, have some wetwipes, so you can give yourself a quick stripwash with those and not waste precious water on that, if the supplies are off.

Similarly, if the water is down, a big chunk of it is used in dishwashing, so I keep a supply of paper plates and bowls, and paper cups high in the cupboards, too. If I had to use them, I'd let them dry out and then burn them in the kelly kettle (outside on the walkway) as fuel. I also have quantity of paper napkins up there, just cheapies, which can perform several functions, including as 'plates' for non-liquid foods.

Re storing orange juice as a Vit C prep, you'd be looking at longlife stuff, I guess, as the fresh stuff needs chilling and has a short life. It's not the tastiest of product, but you could think about having Vit C tablets instead, and always know that several wild greens are very high in Vit C, and how to recognise them and where to gather them.

One thing which may strike some as a tad paranoical, is that I have some of my food supplies hidden deep inside my flat, in a place not likely to be found without a very thorough search. They're contained in coolbags, middling sized ones, and the idea is that each bag contains a mixture of types of cans (protein, starch, fruit). It's a defence against looters/ official looters. I know what's in there and rotate stuff in and out. Haven't had anything go out of date yet.

Oh, and have a lot of kitty litter, the clay type and some rubble sacks and dog poo bags. Your cat may need the stuff for their tray, but you can also use it in a rubble sack (or other strong poly bag) to line a WC and convert it to a dry temporary loo. If the electricity is off all over, loos won't work and you'll quickly have a smelly and risky situation.

Hygiene is critical, poor sanitation has always killed more people than anything else around.

There's probably more, but I haven't had my morning pint of tea yet, so will finish here.

AnimalTribe

Fortunately, I’ve already got alternatives for heating thanks to following this thread and I’ve recently made a candle heater. It doesn’t give off loads of heat but it does take the chill from the air and make a room reasonably comfortable after a few hours for the price of a single tea-light.

I’ve just ordered some gel hand warmers – the type where you click a metal disc and can re-use them. This is possibly TMI - but in really severe weather (which my area is prone to) I put one in a sock down my bra – it’s the best thing ever to keep your core warm.

I can't post links as I'm new but for dog lovers on the thread try:

Bad Dog!!! Naughty things your dog has done.

Very funny. Perhaps someone else can link it.

I always have a load of extra dog and cat food in the house but next month I will buy in my winter supply and make sure I have enough to keep my tribe going until February. The cats are very fussy and will only eat one particular brand, for the dogs I go to the agricultural supply shop in the nearest town and get working dog food as that doesn’t attract VAT and is therefore cheaper.

moneyistooshorttomention

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

if there was a vote in wales tomorrow, I would vote yes....

I have moved to Wales recently and I know there are a few people here hoping, but my estimate is that even they will "add up the signs" and watch Scotland shooting down the drain minus English support and think better of "biting the hand that feeds them".

It is well-known by most how much English money is coming in, both from the Government and from the amount individual English people are spending (just ask the builders round here where they are earning a lot of their money from....).

I'm in a distinctly "provincial" part, but, even here (ie where I have noticed a bit of very odd thinking/supporting a wrongdoer), it seems to me they know which side their bread is buttered and wouldn't want to lose the money.

Anyway, Wales has no oil.

The vast majority of Welsh people (as anywhere) are decent and very pragmatically-minded and Wales will stay with England regardless. Actually, if anything, they tend to be more pragmatically-minded than I have been used to...