Preparedness for when

Well at least if it snows and you cant get out Pops you will have lots to read. We stocked up on jigsaws for winter from the CS of course but can't stockpile books because we get through them too fast.

Thanks Valk_scot will have a look in Mr T asap we need a few camping gas thingies.

Oh took out a life insurance for me yesterday. I had to cash mine in when we were left penniless when I gave up work. I get a free little flat screen tv AND a £25 M*S voucher with the policy. OH thinks I should stock up on knickers with it - I guess theres logic there, if TSHTF and I cannot get out at least I will have comfy pants:rotfl:

Catznine Im doing the Stoptober thing with FQ too. Im trying really hard not to spend so I will have a bit of spare cash for the 'C' word, I dont need a lot cos Im making everything but theres always something crops up.

2tonsils wrote: »

I got a water filter jug and a set of spare cartridges for about eleven pounds in Wilkinsons when I was in the UK.

I have one and quite a few filters bought at the same place must start using it again...was purchased when Mum was alive.

ginnyknit wrote: »

Well at least if it snows and you cant get out Pops you will have lots to read. We stocked up on jigsaws for winter from the CS of course but can't stockpile books because we get through them too fast.

Thanks Valk_scot will have a look in Mr T asap we need a few camping gas thingies.

Oh took out a life insurance for me yesterday. I had to cash mine in when we were left penniless when I gave up work. I get a free little flat screen tv AND a £25 M*S voucher with the policy. OH thinks I should stock up on knickers with it - I guess theres logic there, if TSHTF and I cannot get out at least I will have comfy pants:rotfl:

Catznine Im doing the Stoptober thing with FQ too. Im trying really hard not to spend so I will have a bit of spare cash for the 'C' word, I dont need a lot cos Im making everything but theres always something crops up.

Lets hope I can always keep the internet going and can afford to have a pc repaired if it goes wrong/needs replacing...will have to see if there is a better deal next year even if that means going with BT and/or Sky.

If they give me free unlimited broadband and I just pay for the phone or vice versa it may be worth it, for now I have had 6 months free BB and then pay £12 a month for the remaining 6 months so over the year that's a bit like only paying £1.50 a week.

And I paid the line rental upfront for the year so though I have paid it makes it seem as though it is free. And that does not come around again until May. So I pay approx 80p a week so I can phone any time and as long as I get off before 60mins has passed most calls are free. But I hardly make any calls as I have no one to call.

I could save that charge if I went back to only making calls between 7pm and 8am and anytime at weekends but if I have to deal with the DWP or other businesses as often they are only open during the daytime.

As you say at least I have some free books and if I can afford the odd one I have to pay for most are really cheap.

Good luck with stoptober challenge. If you do go Tesco's watch as I said elsewhere watch out for the reductions on torches, lots of little gadgets at 48p and 97p including a magnetic thermometer, rainproof pouches, a spectacle repair kit, a gadget that gets lids of jars and bottles if the strength in your hands is weak, a sewing kit there are many more...

I'll keep looking over the books and see what I can find.

I may even though I should not spend much(whilst I can)have busride tomorrow and see what is available in Primark make use of the week long ticket I purchased otherwise I'm wasting it.

Mad-Frog wrote: »

I have bought a bag of salt from Asda £3 in case it snows, I don't live in rural area but always cannot get the car off the drive. I also have blanket, water and a snack in the car just in case

For those of you preparing for being snowed in do you have any advice for us that have to dig ourselves out to get to work? I always wrap up if snow is forecast and normally have water and snack in my work backpack but do you suggest anything else?

Ps the Mayan world end is December 21st not 22nd ...... Sorry

A snow shovel is useful for clearing your drive, car mats can provide initial traction if you can't get grip. A car charger for your mobile is potentially useful, but keep your phone as topped up as possible.
I keep a spare sleeping bag and overnight bag in the car - I'm more likely to get stuck at work than home. Its worth reading the Preparing for Winter threads and gleaning ideas relevant to you.

Incidentally the Mayan calender doesn't end, the next piktun will begin on October 13, 4772, (a piktun being 20 b'ak'tun) the current b'ak'tun ends on the 21/12/12 and the next begins on the 22/12/12 assuming that the guys who worked out the date correlations got their maths right.

Karen_ wrote: »

If any of you are seriously worried about some major disruption to normal life, I would suggest that rather than stockpiling a few months supply of chopped tomatoes, why not invest the money spent on stockpiling on a course such as self sufficiency/bushcraft/foraging etc.

In a disaster those with the practical skills to live are the ones who will survive. Those with a well stocked larder and no practical skills will not in the long run.

We are also interested in bushcraft and often forage/make our own jams/jellies/grow our own etc. OH can clean and gut a rabbit and I used to work as a fishmonger at one point so we could happily catch and clean our own fish. Its kind of all from the same mindset. OH and I would ideally like to buy a house with land or a smallholding and basically become self sufficient (or as near as you can get). In the meantime we try to do as much as we can with the house and garden we have-chickens and as much as we can grow in beds and the green house.

But TBH these sort of all out society is gone type disasters are highly unlikely. Much more likely are problems that cause short term issues and prepping is as much about covering say snow ins/prices shooting up because of issues in the food supply chain-see this years world harvests as a case in point. Having a period of a week to a month with no access to extra food and drink or a period like that without water or electric aren't such remote possibilities and a store and basic cooking facillities would cover you for that.

Ali x