Prepping: the new world...

ArbitraryRandom

boxer234 said:

My main issue is my pooch who is a fussy eater.  Storing for him is difficult as he currently has frozen raw or home cooked fresh.  I think he would perhaps enjoy a tin of salmon if we got snowed in or similar.  Interesting once you start thinking about it.  I also need to invest in torches and maybe a little gas cooker. 

I'm sure he would! and hopefully if it's a power cut then it wouldn't be more than a couple of days before they sorted something out - I think the networks have put people in hotels before when the power's been out in an area for more than a couple of days in winter (based on the big storms in Feb a couple of years ago). Might be worth putting a bag together for him if you need to decamp at short notice? 

Cheapskate

Coming back to this thread after a LONG time away, and really need it.  I've fallen by the wayside with things MSE during the last couple of years, and find myself in a pickle, so re-joining a few threads to give myself a kick up the backside!

We're in total chaos here, and I'm in the middle of a divorce which adds a bit more stress/chaos, so lots of things have slipped.  

Most important thing right now is to get on top of all paperwork, print out stuff that's necessary as so much is online these days, and get to grip with outgoings ASAP.

I also want to begin prepping for winter in plenty of time, so it was good timing that a local fuel supplier has discount on at the moment - one small thing I can do towards keeping us warm on one income when it's colder!

So glad I've always kept a good pantry - car recently out of action for 2 weeks and couldn't shop often, so was shopping out of the cupboards and freezer.

Nice to see some familiar names still here!

Cherryfudge

Welcome back @Cheapskate, I'm sorry to hear things are so stressful.

2 weeks of shopping from what you have in is actually a good start, depending on your point of view. Not good that the car was out of action, of course, but good that it proved the worth of prepping and also enabled you to get through some stocks so you can have a better idea of what you have in, and buy fresh.

Re the paperwork, would it be cheaper to save the documents on a memory stick? Printing ink seems to cost a fortune! Depends what works for you, of course.

elaine241

Hello

I have come back after what seems centuries away. Currently going through a very acrimonious split (still! after 24 months apart). I am still in temporary accommodation, have no veg garden but have tried to build up preps on limited money. I have been using local food waste organisations and the community shop to build up pantry items and save money on groceries. I have managed to restart my preps as all my previous items were left at my previous home.

sammy_kaye18

suzeesu2000 said:

Note to self: restock meds. Had cystitis over weekend but fortunately had cystopurin in the medical box so dealt with immediately. Just need to restock now and check other stuff is still okay. Have just got new bottle of alcohol so okay with that. 

Need to clear pantry shelves and sort out properly as some stuff needs a restock. 

Cranberry tablets help with cystitis too so I keep them in my cupboard as well and as soon as I feel any tell tale signs I start taking them again. 

sammy_kaye18

@cheapskate Hello lovely! So nice to see you back! I remember you well. I am sorry to hear you are going through a divorce. I hope it is going smoothly for you and that you can find your feet quickly. Nice to see you posting again. 

@elaine241 sorry to hear about your split as well. I hope you are ok? What area are you in as some may be able to offer some more suggestions. One I can offer is supermarket herbs if you can get them - they are often reduced and the ones in pots can be planted and grown on when your able to. 

I am back after a few weeks away. I needed time to focus on some real world stuff and get my head straight. learn to prioritise my time a bit better for me and get myself in a routine 

But I am back focusing. 
I have been looking at ways to keep the house cool because despite the weather I have a feeling the weather is going to really change and some heat will hit us unexpectedly so tell me this isnt sods law.....
I spent the last week cleaning, decluttering and moving round my daughters bedroom. Shes 13, needed more storage as shes in the box room etc and since hers and my sons rooms are at the back of the house they get the sun and subsequent heat all morning and since my daughter has her guinea pig Ron upstairs I wanted to try and improve air flow / make it cooler etc because their rooms are always hot and since he is black and long haired I was worried about him overheating. Should say he already had a fan, oversized water bottle, free run of her room and only slept in his cage etc so plenty of chances to move about, shade, cool spots etc but still I worry.
So we had a clear out, I invested in white blinds for them both and Saturday I got some of this window cling that has the reflective/mirrored side too to reflect the heat back out. Firstly do not be fooled by all these people who seamlessly put it on online on things like FB, IG, TT etc - its not that easy - it is infact a complete PITA. But after about 35 minutes I managed to manouvre it with no bubbles, edges trimmed.....viola! 
Walked into her room yesterday to find her guinea pig Ron had snuffled off this mortal coil during the night. 
Typical. He was almost 7 though! 

Other than that I really need to find fly nets for the back door that my dogs can go in and out of and keep the flies out. And I was thinking of getting these fans that fit around the light fittings - I have had them in my amazon wishlist since last year so may invest in a few of them as well for the bedrooms mainly. Other than that I have a large parasol to use as shade in the garden and protect the greenhouse if I have to but I do need to look into water storage. I have water butts in the garden to water plants but not for ourselves!

Winter I think I am ok. 
I brought everyone oodies last year and slipper socks or slippers, we have water bottles, plenty of blankets etc, 

I have things like a small stove if we lost power to cook with but I do really need to start getting a stockpile together again so I think I might need to go through the kitchen cupboards again and have another clear out so I can make space for it. I will have to start gettign creative with places to put things though as space seems to be an issue in our council house. 
Also think I might invest in a BBQ. 

otb666

i used to get cystitis regularly not so much now as think it was a mnopause system which i am thankfully over. Always made sure i had the sachets from chemists but bicarb of soda works as well Alkalising the urine may help to sooth the bladder. Bicarbonate of soda, 5 ml (one teaspoon) in half a glass of water, 2 - 3 times a day. However, due to its high salt content it should only be taken for short periods of time.  Also its important to wee after sex if relevant.  

MrsCD

I used to get cystitis regularly, too, and after I had a camera to see inside my bladder, the lovely doctor advised me to keep some cloths for washing down there, with water, no soap, especially after no 2's, but other times too. I bought some baby terry cloths from I kea, they go in a hot wash, and come out like new! I can't remember the last time I had a problem. (By the way, I saw the pictures where all the scars were on the bladder lining from all the times I'd had cystitis) It was very interesting!
Sorry about the guinea pig, @sammy_kaye18. We had a few over the years, and we did get quite attached to them. DD now has a hamster (in her own house though)

Cheapskate

@sammy_kaye18, hello to you, too! and thanks, it is what it is, and should have happened long ago TBH.   Even more important to be back to MSE ways, as my finances will be pretty dire afterwards!  Sorry about your guinea pig, sounds like he had a fab life though.
@elaine241, sorry to hear you're going through divorce as well, pants at times, isn't it, to say the least?! 

My preps for my new world to come include getting our home valued to add to all the other financial info, and my pensions stuff etc.  Also trying to rein in all unnecessary spending NOW, so I might have either funds to pay my legal bills (yeah, right!  ) or a tiny buffer for the winter.

We have a little credit on our energy bills, and am keeping the DD where it is to build up for the winter.  The local fuel place has a bit of discount on right now, so am going to stock up a bit on coal/wood for my stove - so even if I can't afford heating on we can be toasty warm downstairs.

My fruit trees and brambles are groaning already, hoping the wind doesn't make off with too much of the harvest - will be loads to freeze for winter, or swap with friends/family for other things.

We've just done up the attic & it's now my 14 yo daughter's bedroom, the boxroom will now be my artroom/office, my 17 yo is in the big back bedroom - tons of stuff to dejunk that was in the attic, charity shop/tip/sell as necessary to clear space or raise money.

sammy_kaye18

I was sat yesterday dwelling on winter for a bit after there was a Christmas film on the TV and it got me thinking. 

I think I need to focus on getting some finances together for the winter fuel. We are in a council property and although it has been re-insulated we are still on a prepayment meter so have to top up the card every so often. We qualified for the fuel allowance last year but I doubt we will get it this year as our tax credits stopped but we were topping up by the £60 onto out gas and it lasted us a good month and a half.
Luckily for us most things in our house are electric - myself and the kids prefer showers and its only my husband that likes a bath so the gas is literally used for heating and hot water for that and dishes. We are also semi detached and my neighbour has a health issue so the residual heat comes through the walls and helps heat our house too. Plus the kids know to layer up and keep cosy too and 3 dogs definitely give off a lot of heat when they snuggle with you too. 

Apart from that I think building up a small stock pile of tins etc is going to be my next bet. Things I can cook easily, throw in the slow cooker, premake to reheat in the microwave or oven if need be and getting back to using all the oven when I do actually put it on.