The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

daz378

Yes I've got candles, l.e.d  s  batteries...even a few small solar chargers.  Tins of various things... quite  a few of us have been on these sites  10 years + ....it largely seemed  faint theoretical possibility    that we would need preps in a significant way...I used to quip   " it's the end of the world..as we know it...I feel fine"  ( well known 80s song)....scarey times I do not quip that any more....take care

DigForVictory

I think we've neglected REM as a way of checking on the future although The One I Love, Loosing my religion, & Everybody Hurts may not quite count as prophecy. Loads more fun than Nostradamus!

thriftwizard

daz378 said:

Yes I've got candles, l.e.d  s  batteries...even a few small solar chargers.  Tins of various things... quite  a few of us have been on these sites  10 years + ....it largely seemed  faint theoretical possibility    that we would need preps in a significant way...I used to quip   " it's the end of the world..as we know it...I feel fine"  ( well known 80s song)....scarey times I do not quip that any more....take care

Real TEOTWAWKI (= The End Of The World As We Knew It) stuff did seem very remote back then. I was always "just" prepping for the unexpected few days with flu or similar, which you can't just coast through with a houseful of dependents. But now our dependents (mostly) aren't so dependent any more, suddenly the world has taken a decided lurch away from How Things Used To Be & we're in uncharted territory whilst the Powers That Be merrily fiddle as Rome, or at least our end of these blessed isles, burns. I suspect we're heading into a time that will be very dark for those who are unable, for whatever reason, to think outside the box...

Si_Clist

thriftwizard said:

.. I suspect we're heading into a time that will be very dark for those who are unable, for whatever reason, to think outside the box...

Quite so.  I don't think most people can see what's coming, or perhaps they just choose not to.  Normalcy bias is a powerful thing ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normalcy_bias#:~:text=Normalcy bias, or normality bias,and its potential adverse effects.

houseinafield

Si_Clist said:

Doveling said:

Just done that  . Plus ordered another pallet of kiln dried logs!
Two more hot water bottles and another flask on the shopping list!

GIven how little's been spent on the National Grid in the last 50 years and how close total demand came to available supply at times last winter, I reckon you'll be very glad indeed of that if we get anything like a cold winter this time.

We reckon we've enough logs in for two winters if we can't afford to use the central heating at all or the gas gets rationed, but even so I dearly wish we could find somewhere to stack another load or two before the price goes through the roof ...

We've got 2 more loads coming from a local farm next month so we'll have enough for winter but they'll have to sit on pallets covered with heavy plastic sheeting. I want to get more and I could stack them in the garage but we might be moving next year. We might not. We are fortunate to have some savings but I'm angry that most of it will end up in eOn's coffers. We barely use the gas but the standing charge still has to be paid. I've been prepping for years now, like many others here, so we're ahead of the curve and I thought we were ready for anything but if energy and food prices continue to rise then I feel we'll be back to square one a year from now. I have another year before I receive my pension and my husband is on a much reduced pension. Neither of us are fit to work. I am enormously grateful that we have as much as we do. 

MrsCD

Update on the voucher from the council....
Went to the post office and handed the letter over. Apparently the letter is the voucher and I was given the full amount in cash for my dad. They said the letter is very badly worded as many people have been confused by it! I'll ask him what he wants to do with it, but he'll more than likely say to get fish and chips for a start.😆

CCW007

Uswitch poll shows that most households are underestimating how much energy prices will increase this winter, with some (12%) actually thinking energy prices will fall.  I worry that some people are in for a shock and drastically under prepared for what's about to come.

Been canning green beans this weekend rather than freezing and plan on canning more soup over the coming months. Our energy is fixed until January so I want to make the best use of cheap energy whilst it's available (by canning as much as possible) and then lower my usage when the costs go up.

LunaCatty

CCW007 said:

Uswitch poll shows that most households are underestimating how much energy prices will increase this winter, with some (12%) actually thinking energy prices will fall.  I worry that some people are in for a shock and drastically under prepared for what's about to come.

Been canning green beans this weekend rather than freezing and plan on canning more soup over the coming months. Our energy is fixed until January so I want to make the best use of cheap energy whilst it's available (by canning as much as possible) and then lower my usage when the costs go up.

This is exactly what I'm doing over the next few weeks. Going to try pressure bottling/canning some home made soup, chilli and other "tin can" meals as well to be quickly reheated come Winter. We're nearly out of freezer space which is part of the reason to pressure bottle so much, but being able to quickly reheat ready made meals when electricity prices jumps is big bonus too. I want to drop one of our freezers off from use before prices hike up again too, we have a couple as we grow so much ourselves, but obviously the more I move over to being shelf stable the lower our energy use on that front as well.

newlywed

CCW007 said:

Uswitch poll shows that most households are underestimating how much energy prices will increase this winter, with some (12%) actually thinking energy prices will fall.  I worry that some people are in for a shock and drastically under prepared for what's about to come.

Judging by the new stereos, tvs and sofas arriving this week in our housing association flats… I think the additional payments might be encouraging a spending spree that they will regret in winter…. Its their choice though.

at least the fuel payments will likely be vouchers that they can’t spend on other things.

Si_Clist

Funny old world, innit.  The chattering classes go to Waitrose and buy blackberries in plastic packs at £7.50 a kilo.  We wander about within a mile of home and pick them for free.  This year's seen a bumper crop hereabouts so over the last 11 days we've picked exactly 88lb between us.  That's 40 kilo, so at Waitrose's price we've got £300 worth.  And ours are organic ... 

(The answer to your question is we bottle some, make 20 jars of bramble jam, and make syrup from the rest)