What will you be stocking up on 'Just in case ' ?

Rosa_Damascena

Doom_and_Gloom said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Nothing! Stocking up might save money in the short-term but is a supremely selfish act. We all need to buy enough and no more.

There is going to be a lot of craziness in the world this year and I think it will probably do some of us good to do without for a bit.

We've kept a stockpile for 16+years as a couple, adding to it slowly, while rotating the stock, over time just incase something happens. This is something my parents and my both sets of my parents parents did.
We have a few holes or are low in some areas of our stock right now due to stock issues in stores over time. During the start of the problems I told the OH when shopping to leave them to people in need of them.  How is that selfish?
We put items aside when there were no issues with the supply. Now though the holes need to be filled when possible and some of the low items are in need of re-filling also.

We are not people on a huge income. I no longer work due to my disability (just over a year now that has been the case). If our stock had not been there our savings would be getting depleted at best and at worst we would be needing help from somewhere. We buy alot of things in bulk on offer. We store items in odd places as we have a small 1 bed flat (not even 450sq feet and that has to accommodate my wheelchair etc so you can imagine it feels even smaller even if the wheelchair can fold when not in use). However selfishness is not the reason we have a stockpile and keep it stocked the best we can. It is making sure we can get by when things like this happen! We take the burden out of the system. However even we need to replenish the stock we have eventually. 

The selfishness would be a sudden change in buying habit, such as we saw during the pandemic. The fights over toilet roll in Australia were so unnecessary.

Doom_and_Gloom

Rosa_Damascena said:

Doom_and_Gloom said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Nothing! Stocking up might save money in the short-term but is a supremely selfish act. We all need to buy enough and no more.

There is going to be a lot of craziness in the world this year and I think it will probably do some of us good to do without for a bit.

We've kept a stockpile for 16+years as a couple, adding to it slowly, while rotating the stock, over time just incase something happens. This is something my parents and my both sets of my parents parents did.
We have a few holes or are low in some areas of our stock right now due to stock issues in stores over time. During the start of the problems I told the OH when shopping to leave them to people in need of them.  How is that selfish?
We put items aside when there were no issues with the supply. Now though the holes need to be filled when possible and some of the low items are in need of re-filling also.

We are not people on a huge income. I no longer work due to my disability (just over a year now that has been the case). If our stock had not been there our savings would be getting depleted at best and at worst we would be needing help from somewhere. We buy alot of things in bulk on offer. We store items in odd places as we have a small 1 bed flat (not even 450sq feet and that has to accommodate my wheelchair etc so you can imagine it feels even smaller even if the wheelchair can fold when not in use). However selfishness is not the reason we have a stockpile and keep it stocked the best we can. It is making sure we can get by when things like this happen! We take the burden out of the system. However even we need to replenish the stock we have eventually. 

The selfishness would be a sudden change in buying habit, such as we saw during the pandemic. The fights over toilet roll in Australia were so unnecessary.

Yes I agree that kind of thing was horrid.

I worked in a supermarket for over 5 years; yes during the harsh part of the Pandemic too, I was a cashier. I remember people trying to buy stupid amounts of toilet paper.
It was such a comidic thing that my OH gave some to his mother for mothers day that year. I wish I was joking when I say, he told me, she was happy as they were getting low!

The thing is though this thread states what will you be stocking up 'just incase' correct? Truth is we will be taking our gaps and low stocks to previous levels as soon as we can so will likely seem to be stockpiling on those items. Well we are working on the needed gaps as needed (our tinned tomatoes are the lowest I've seen in years and we have no tomato puree at all right now for example). If that means buying 6+ of an item if they have it (especially if on offer) , and it is in budget, I'm not going to feel guilty about that. 

Our buying has always been bulk and then sparse with shelf stable products. Problem is now some of the same products aren't as easily obtained meaning if you do the same as before I know it is likely people do see you as selfish. 

It was the same with families I had been severing for years as a cashier during the pandemic. They went through with more than what they were supposed to at times; large signs saying how much could be bought. They had a large family and we could only put through x amount of product before the till refused. The people behind them would glare, tut, moan etc. I may not agree with big families but they still need to be fed and every trip out at the time was another time they were exposed at the time which didn't make sense to me. Worse was when they were buying for their family and then neighbour(s) as they had always done but only allowed the same total amount no matter what.
However we were trying to feed as many families as possible at the time - simular to the distribution of food during WW1 in a way where most of it went to cities and not enough to the countryside. It fed people alright but my word it was unbalanced. Y tins of x, a amount of b etc for 1 person is not the same as for 2, 3, 4+ people. I was honestly hoping for rationing to come in at one point just to make it fair.

People eat differently to each other. On a week when I'm taken out by my disability completely and my OH doesn't want to cook 'real' for me (and doesn't defrost a frozen home meal) I can easily get through 7 tins of beans and close to a bag of potatoes (mash or microwaved potato 'jackets' as this is an easy meal for him to do. Guess how many tins of beans are usually in our cupboards even though I have many dried varieties? More than most I can guarantee you. My OH doesn't even eat beans, lol. That is an extreme thing but has happened in the past before I meal planned or batched cooked. Thankfully I love both potatoes and beans making this a great fall back. Even have tinned potatoes just incase and even though they are not my favourite I'm not complaining if I get fed!

Ones person veiw of stockpiling some items could easily be a normal shop for another. 

Floss

I think that's exactly right - every jousehold is different and to tar everyone as "panic buyers" is incorrect & unfair. Just because some are in a position to shop less frequently or for bigger / wider families in bulk doesn't mean they are being selfish.

Pollycat

elsien said:

Yes, I always have a surplus of the essentials from before all the silliness with covid etc.  I consider it sensible rather than selfish to continue to replace things as I use them to maintain the stock that I do have. 

This is me!

When I take a pack of loo rolls out of the garage to use, I put them on the shopping list for next time.
My freezer is always well-stocked.

So I won't be changing my shopping habits.

annieb64

My hairdresser told me she had to shop for her mother and grandmother during the first lockdown and found it very difficult with the restrictions on how much she could buy.

We moved house a month ago and so are starting from scratch with our stores. I don't drive and we only have one badly stocked and expensive supermarket in town. Fortunately I'm old enough for a bus pass so can get the bus to the next town where there's a Sainsbury and Aldi. I want to get a freezer for the garage once DH has sorted it out and we have a couple of farm shops within walking distance. 

Siebrie

euronorris said:

maisie_cat said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Siebrie said:

I have just bought 2 bags of mixed dried spice and veg (for nasi goreng and bami goreng), and dried fried onions. We have the rest already in stock, and could last about a month.

I have also picked up extra fruit teas (while visiting parents in the Netherlands), which they don't sell in Belgium. DD1 (13) has just started drinking tea and prefers the red fruity teas. It's a cheap warming drink.

The one thing I will pick up from my pharmacy are the free iodine (?) tablets, 'just in case'.

Imodium (loperamide) and supply w/o charge is only for active illness, not the store cupboard.

I read that Siebre lives in Belgium so possibly different there

I'm also wondering if Siebre was referring to potassium iodine which is for a very different 'just in case' scenario, that many are worried may happen with the current situation.

Yes! It's in case someone in Russia gets trigger happy. The Belgian government offers (a) free tablet(s) to all inhabitants, you just have to pick it up at the pharmacy.

IntoTheForest

We buy on bulk to save money. We always have. I could go through some of those tiny jars of seasoning you get in the supermarket in a couple of weeks. It makes sense to buy the bigger cheaper bags. 

Tesco has 10kg bags of basmati rice on offer at the moment if anyone likes this. 

wondercollie

It's interesting going to the shops.

This morning, I nipped out because I have a cold and needed some meds.

The cold and flu aisle was pretty bare.   No store brand products at all, just a few boxes of brand name.   I'm now high on muccinex, lol.

Dry goods?   Lots of oatmeal, no Cream of Wheat (I guess you could describe it as a semolina type breakfast cereal) whhops I should look in the baking aisle for semolina next time.

Coffee and tea in good supply.

It's weird, some weeks there are things and the next bare aisles.

Toilet Paper?   I've always kept at least 100 rolls in the basement.  I replace a package whenever we open one.

Prices are shocking.   I live in an oil producing province and the price of our gas/petrol shot up $0.20/litre since the weekend.

arielgirl

I tend to buy toilet roll and toiletries in bulk... Not massive amount, just one pack of however much is in a pack, if that makes sense. This has been helpful for me especially at the minute while I am recovering from a broken foot. I live alone and can manage quite well but rely on a friend to visit within the week/two weeks to help me with some tasks. One being carrying in online shopping I can't with my crutches. I always check first if they are able to come and wouldn't dream of making them feel obligated. Having a good supply of toiletries means I don't have to rely on friend if they can't come. They would  see me right within a few days but at least I have peace of mind. From what I remember I had bought a bulk of toilet roll before covid and that ended up lasting for the couple of months until things were ok that we could buy at the shop if we needed to

Kitchen food wise- I like to have the following (only more than one or two if thats how they come eg a four pack of beans) and replenish as needed with each shop. If I have enough I don't get more. One pack of eggs. Flour. Soup mix. Lentils. 4 pack tuna. Potatos/pasta/rice I get large pack of rice. Pasta enough to fill a decent size container. Tinned mackerel. Oats. Mushy peas. Beans. Butter beans. Kidney beans. Tinned tomatoes. Rice pudding. A small variety of fruit/veg. I usually do 3 for £x on meat and if bacon / sausages/ mince not included then I buy those as extras subject to room in my freezer. Crackers and the rice pudding (brilliant while I was recovering from surgery because I knew I had something quick for lunch or snack when I didn't have the energy to cook). I am trying to buy a herb or spice as I go along to build up what I have but currently I have a half bag of chilli flakes and a tube of garlic paste. I also keep one each of ketchup, brown sauce and mayo. Bread is not something I really buy but I like to have some burger buns for when I make burgers.  My freezer is really small and as a compromise I have decided to pick one frozen potato item each time as I can't fit chips waffles etc in at once. Besides, I can always make wedges from spuds if need be. I have croquettes in the freezer at the minute. I have cheese sauce, parsley sauce and peppercorn sauce. Each shop I might get a marinade like n*nd*s. 

I think the key for me is not so much having lots of an item but having foods I can stretch or make different meals with. Such as soup with mushy peas or putting beans in a chilli or toast etc, or tuna on baked spud or in pasta bake. 

I think I would stick to this way of doing things and would be unlikely to rush out an buy lots of things if the situation gets worse unless I was genuinely running out of food and had to do my normal shop I would just buy the amounts I always do. However, it's one of those things is hard to tell until you are in a situation what you would do and if I couldn't get for food well...

I can see both sides of buying or not buying bulk and trust the majority of people do so for genuine reasons.

daz378

Yes I tend to buy  a few extra items  each time I shop and have done for years. ..came in really handy when I got covid in September   .all I needed was a bottle of milk and loaf...which a mate dropped off...especially in the current climate I continue to do this