Preparedness for when

Cheapskate

I think along similar lines, fuddle; I'm making a decent store cupboard against prices going up or other SHTF scenario, we're getting new car tyres this week, will fill the tank while petrol has gone down a few pence here, I know where our passports are and a few other tricks, but I haven't the money or space for lots of things or food storage. I'd like to have/do more, and probably will, but have decided that if it all goes pear-shaped I can open up my coal fire again, we've barbecue fuel so can use that for a while, we're semi-rural so can get firewood (and maybe some nuts/berries/rabbits to eat!) and we've enough warm clothing to manage this winter.

A xo

[Deleted User]

Morning all, another very cold, wet and windy day down here in the deep south. We were woken up so many times in the night by torrential rain on the roof that we had a very early start this morning, and boy was the first cuppa appreciated!!!

It is distressing seeing the state of play in America after the storm and for some of those poor people it wouldn't have mattered a jot if they were prepped or not, when the shelter goes and everything in it, you are down to basic minimum, that no one can prepare for, except by learning skills to help you survive until some help arrives. Those folks who still have a sound home will have benefitted from preparing but people have a very short memory when it comes to things like this, and are so used to the ubiquitous 'they' sorting out any problems and telling them what to do that they probably don't see a need to make any provision for their own lives. It seems that preppers have a different take on life, I can only speak for us and I would hate to be of a mindset that said OK I'll let it happen and then expect it to be sorted out for me. I'll just wait until someone turns up with food and shelter and clothing because that's what I expect - that to me is the road to ruin. Much better to have the knowledge that whatever happens, you can make a rudimentary shelter and perhaps a fire to keep you warm at the very least, neither of which is difficult to learn. If you also have a little knowledge of foraging and it is the right season then that would help keep body and soul together for a while too. Better to be considered the edge of the lunatic fringe and have viable skills than sit back and wait I think!!! Cheers Lyn x.

GreyQueen

Everyone is right, and I concur; you can't prepare for every eventuality. But just because you can't do everything, there's no reason not to try to do something.

I wonder how many of those people who bought gennies had also thought to buy (or already owned) fuel cans? Or thought about how much fuel per 24 hours their gennie would need and how they would source that?

I've been hearing stories of profiteering by shop-keepers, such as ordinary candles being sold at $3 each and the shopkeeper insisting that they were that price before Sandy, despite other people knowing otherwise. And that gasoline is being sold by some of the few stations that have it at $6/gallon. I know, we Brits can only laugh hollowly, but it's more than it was before the storm.

I think that anyone blatantly profiteering in this crisis, should they intend to live or work in the same neighbourhood afterwards is being incredibly shortsighted. People will remember the restaurants who cooked the food that would otherwise have spoiled and handed it out for free, and those will be fond and favourable memories.

They'll also remember those who took advantage of their desperation and will they want to do business with them afterwards? I certainly wouldn't.

It's a sobering lesson in how things which are easily and cheaply available in ordinary times, such as bottled water and bog-standard household candles etc, can become scarce and difficult to obtain when the SHTF.

I would imagine that those who are going through the aftermath of Sandy right now will be forever changed by the experience, as will be many of us watching as bystanders via the media, and hearing reports from friends and relatives in the area.

Perhaps taking verbal pot-shots at preppers will seem a trifle less amusing from now on. Who knows, we might even get a wee bit of respect, or at least a quiet acknowledgement that prepping isn't just for advanced paranoiacs in nuclear silos, but something which perfectly sane and sensible people do in their own homes.

fuddle

I like that Lyn. Skills, not stuff.

sophlowe45

There need to be some kind of community schemes where you share things, only one flat in a block needs a drill and everyone can borrow it etc.

I have to move soon, and now i regret spending the last two months buying stuff.

im going to work on eating food from the cupboard every day now rather than buying the innocent veg pots and heating them up in the microwave.

You only prep to a certain extent unless you know you will stay in a property for a while. Otherwise, the only thing i can think of is having a scheme where you share things with your neighbours.

Ive always had too much stuff and i get so envious when i see other people move out and they have their laptop, clothes, shoes, books and maybe a few kitchen things or bed linen, usually they leave stuff like that behind or bin it. Everywhere ive lived ive seen people throw duvets, pillows etc. away as its too much hassle moving them. Furniture that was fine gets ripped apart and left in the rubbish area and can no longer be used by someone else (and increases everyone elses service charge).

im going have to get rid of all my furniture too. Previously ive left furniture outside without dismantling it (need help carrying it to the street if not dismantled) and people take it.

[Deleted User]

SOPHLOWE - If you have a British Heart Foundation furniture shop in your area if you contact them and offer the things to them that you will leave they have a collection service and will be able to pick them up from your home. They will only take things in good condition and three piece suites etc must have a fireproof label in them and matresses must not have marks or stains on them but they re-sell and the charity gets the money. The other option is Shelter who often run a scheme to furnish accommodation for first timers who have nothing, either way it would help you and someone else. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn.

GreyQueen

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

SOPHLOWE - If you have a British Heart Foundation furniture shop in your area if you contact them and offer the things to them that you will leave they have a collection service and will be able to pick them up from your home. They will only take things in good condition and three piece suites etc must have a fireproof label in them and matresses must not have marks or stains on them but they re-sell and the charity gets the money. The other option is Shelter who often run a scheme to furnish accommodation for first timers who have nothing, either way it would help you and someone else. Hope that helps, Cheers Lyn.

Great idea, and don't forget the Salvation Army and smaller furniture-reuse charities perhaps look at the Furniture Reuse Network www.frn.org.uk

When I moved to this flat I needed a different size of furniture which I bought from my local Sally Army shop and they also asked if I had any other furniture I wanted to give away at the same time? I would have gladly parted with a particular item which I was replacing with the storage unit from them but it was previously-promised elsewhere.

Some small charities don't have full-time use of a van and driver so it may be best to make enquiries about what they can take and when a couple of weeks beforehand, assuming that you wish to use this route, of course. Or perhaps Freegle or Freecycle?

I've been rained -off the allotmenteering; started to head out at 8.45 am but it was raining steadily and hasn't stopped yet. If it dries up a bit this afternoon I may be motivated to squeeze and hour of mudpuddling in. So I'm having a pootling around day, which will involve some batch cooking and a bit of h*usew*rk and an itsy-bitsy bit of preppish things such as a wee sort (1 min, done already) in my bikeshed and some scanning of receipts to the pooter before copying files to CD.

Thinking of having paper copies of receipts off-site too. Just in case of a total loss of my home, to aid the insurance claim. My folks live about 30 miles away and are a long way from any river and at a higher level than my home, so if they were to get flooded there, most of the country would be awash, so probability vanishingly-small.

;) Of course, both homes could be struck by falling meteorites, but you have to play the probabilites, don't you? And I could always try to recoup some of our losses by selling them on Fleabay afterwards...........:rotfl:

mardatha

Still got the big yellow ball up here but frost on the ground. Somebody tell me to move my a$$ and finish sorting the kitchen cupboards please.

GreyQueen

mardatha wrote: »

Still got the big yellow ball up here but frost on the ground. Somebody tell me to move my a$$ and finish sorting the kitchen cupboards please.

Get moving, Mar.

I'm going off MSE for a while or nowt else will get done.

Laters, lovely peeps, laters.

[Deleted User]

MAR - The presence of Madams derriere is required in the catering area of this establishment for the purposes of establishing order and tranquility in the storage facilities therein. Her presence would be appreciated in the very near future, Thank you so much!!!!! Cheers me dear, Lyn xxx.