PREP Anybody else now doing some expedited preparation shopping?

[Bardou]

I'm telling people to get ready for blackouts this summer due to being in a high fire danger area. One guy in particular wants to blame PG&E for everything and if they lose food, blah, blah they're going to sue. I tell them you're not getting Jack **** from PG&E. They are telling you months ahead of time that they're cutting your power. I finally ended it by telling him piss poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part. Don't come looking for food for you and your family. He said I was a bad person to feel that way. So, with that out of the way, I have filled my 5 gallon propane tanks, I still have propane tanks left from Y2K, I have food and the basics for "camping" out. I have kept all the shampoo/soap/lotion from my travels, I'm good on TP and paper towels. 50 gallons of 1-gallon jugs filled with water, solar showers, so I'm good to go. I've backed away from warning people, they'll learn the hard way, then they'll believe but it will be hardship for them. I also will be buying cases of drinking water soon.

Add to that solar lights. Charge them outside during the day and bring them in at night for light. The guy told me I was fear mongering to do that. "F" him.

 

[Ordinary Girl]

Yes, me too. Each month I make lists of purchases for the next 30 days. Like many folks, the shelves are burgeoning, but for the last 2 months I have been particularly motivated to stock more than usual; mostly things to help grow food.

I also turned-over all of the stored gas that I have.

My last big thing for May is a set of new tires for the main car.

Do any of you make what I call an 'emergency list'? Things to acquire if really big change looks imminent? On that list I have things like: A new set of solar batteries, 2 cords of firewood, and 6 jugs of Mobil One.


HEY YOU! YES, YOU!! Been lurking long? I recently became a member after lurking for over 15 years. This is a really good time to join TB2K if you've been on the edge. No, there's no special 'deal'. It's always a good time!

I do have a last minute prep list. It’s always just more of what I already have plus fresh foods, gas and more propane and gasoline. It makes me feel better being able to see what I need done.

 

[Terrwyn]

I stocked up on antibiotics from the survivalist Dr before he retired. Added 250 bucks worth of cat food and changed out a water tank and 6 barrels. Mostly it all feels like we are pissin against the wind . With both our health so bad I cant help but wonder whats the use.

 

[summerthyme]

Do any of you make what I call an 'emergency list'? Things to acquire if really big change looks imminent? On that list I have things like: A new set of solar batteries, 2 cords of firewood, and 6 jugs of Mobil One.

Yep... it lives on the desktop of my computer, titled "SHTF shopping list". Of course, I have no intention of waiting until it actually hits the fan... but it's a significant amount of cash, so I'd have to be darned sure it's needed before I fill it.

Because we live nearly a subsistence type lifestyle, our needs are different from many. No bottled water here (although it has 20 gallons of distilled water for making colloidal silver). Not a lot in the food line... we grow or produce almost everything, although some luxury items would be grabbed (especially some Aldi's chocolate!).

But stuff like livestock wormer, more canning jar lids, livestock salt blocks, kerosene for the lamps... snd a couple tons of grain (chicken feed, dairy ration for the milk cow) are on there. Oh, and several derp cycle batteries for the solar panels we'd need to install to kerp the outdoor woodburning furnace going. Also topping off chainsaw needs, although I got a dozen top quality chains last year on a great deal, so we're set that way for awhile.

If I do pull the trigger, it would deplete a significant portion of the emergency fund, so I'd have to be darned sure it's necessary.

Summerthyme

 

[Normallguy]

Picking up a new generator Tue, 3,850 (G) 3,650 (LP) Running Watt.
Dual fuel gas/propane. I have 2 20lb tanks and 5 gal with Pri G stored for it. Getting at least 2 more 20lb tanks, 30's just too heavy for me.
Mother is 89 and if we loose power this is big enough to power the window A/C, fridge and some lights and TV. Heat is not good for me either.
Food and water is OK for how much we eat.
Lights and heat are good to go.
Self defense could always be better, and so could my aim.

Could this be the "Long Hot Summer" we have been waiting for?
Time will tell, interesting discussions on the board tonight.

JefFREE

 

[Profit of Doom]

the "common folk" don't have a clue of what's happening - it's Iran turn in the poker game - the US is ready to react to the next stupid play they make >>> if they so much as bruise an American you can expect some action ....

I can’t say I have seen much about this on the evening snooze.

 

[jward]

Any specific reasons folks are feeling the need to stock up? We've been at war in ME for years now, but its never limited our access to food...

I have a few orders for meds, and at the grocery, but haven't found a good time to finish and submit them. Also ended up getting another six chicks, since four of my hens disappeared .

Actually do want another weapon but need to pester people to decide, and have used this months pestering tokens up.
Otherwise, still not feeling any need

I don't have any special lists, per se, QuietMan. I remember someone kept online store carts full, or just a list she could dump immediately into a cart and check out with, and that sounded brilliant to me. Not that I've followed through and done a similar thing yet.

Hay is another item I really need

 

[Millwright]

I feel that something is coming, but it ain't critical...yet.

Maybe my doom/twitch response is getting tired.

 

[Shooter]

ive been "stocking up" since 1975, I add a little more each month, before only had 2 daughters, now have 4 grandkids and a SIL.

not only was this stuff for WSHTF, but it has also helped out when I lost a job, its all just to make me feel safe, it will all get used someday, mabye not in a emergency, but will never go to waste

 

[bw]

I hate throwing dated stuff away because it was bought, "just in case".

A big pantry is insurance. If you don't need it, it's no loss to discard it when it goes bad. It's like a life insurance policy. If you don't die, you don't get a payout, but spending the money and getting nothing back is not a bad thing - it's the desired outcome.

 

[Norma]

THANKS FOR SHARING DOOMER DOUG! I HAVE TO SAY I ALSO HAVE THIS FEELING! THERE IS AN OLD SAYING (IT IS BETTER TO HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT THAN TO NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT) I HAVE A LOT OF MEDICAL BILLS SO CAN'T AFFORD A LOT NOW, BUT I DO HAVE A LOT ON HAND FROM WHEN I HAVE STOCKED UP A FEW YEARS AGO. WE NEED BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US ALL THE TIME. THERE IS NO SAFE PLACE ANYMORE, EVEN IN THIS COUNTRY.

 

[school marm]

With five children, "stocking up" just always happens. It's a way of life for us. And that's good, because DH loses his job in five weeks. The mining company he worked for got sold to a Canadian company and they are not keeping a presence in the US. So if any of you know of an opening for a senior Oracle DBA, he'd like to know about it. If it's in the Intermountain West or for a mining company, I'd like to know about it.

Anyway, back to the topic. We've been stocked up our entire married life. The push for me is to learn skills for working with what we have--alternative medicine and cooking with long-term storage foods and making sure that nutritional needs are met.

 

[goosebeans]

Not really panicking, but I suddenly felt the need to add to our farm. Bought a little milk goat last week. She's due to give birth in August. Today we drove 75 miles to get a couple of FREE pigs -girls. The owner had the place up for sale and just needed them gone. They turned out to be much nicer than we expected! Lovely set up, very clean. He hadn't bothered to corral them though so it was quite a time we had, rounding them up and getting them into crates! It's been difficult to get feeder pigs the past few years. They sell out fast. Last year we put in an order only for the sow to kill the entire litter! So we've decided to get a boar for these two and breed our own.

 

[jward]

As bw says, its an insurance policy and worth the price for the peace of mind...
But you can donate prior to expiration.

Marm.. ouch. Sure you'll get it sorted soon though, and learn a tun more in the meantime.

 

[packyderms_wife]

The opposite here the bug to downsize has hit us hard. I'm hoping that we'll be moving to a more rural area and soon.

 

[fairbanksb]

We have a bunch of 25 year shelf life stuff. A few years back we really stocked up on canned goods. We had to store them in the garage because there is just lack of storage space in the house. About 3 weeks ago we ended up throwing out a couple of trash bags full of outdated canned goods. I don't plan to make that mistake again. I think we'll get at least a few days warning of serious doom coming. We'll make a run to the store and stock up then.

 

[Melodi]

I keep getting the hairs on the back of my neck sticking up and so we are buying a few things; my main "rational" concern is just if there is any kind of major world bust up then the supply chains are likely to dry up especially for those of us living on Islands.

Thankfully this particular Ireland isn't that far by boat from a number of places: UK, France, Belgium, etc; but if the cargo ships don't keep on the routes either from Mid East/Other Crazy or the Trade War with China somehow affecting Europe then I think having extras of something is a good idea.

We are not "betting the farm" or anything but the husband is doing a much larger garden than he has in years, full of both medicinal and edible plants.

 

[WalknTrot]

More or less just seasonal stuff. No real push for extra.

In the spring is getting the garden going, incubating/raising chicks for meat and replacement layers, household repairs. Also, topping off some of the "basics" that get depleted over the winter (T.P. and paper goods, laundry-dish soap, flour/sugar/baking supplies - stuff that's a pain to haul around in winter). Of course, getting the old gas used that has been stored (WITH stabilizers) and fresh gas in the cans. Otherwise..pretty much the usual. The pantry gets refilled regularly with the basics, still plenty of store and home-canned on the shelves, and the long term storage stuff is still in long term storage.

 

[Hfcomms]

Not doing anything super special. I'm at a level overall that I'm comfortable with. I do have a couple of punch list last minute items if the balloon goes up while people are standing around staring at the TV or something but that is about it. And I always try to do something to improve my situation but thankfully I'm not in a situation where I feel pressed for time and resources to get it done.

 

[Used Camels]

As always, I love talking preps ... and doom too.

For me personally, I'm so over-prepped, I've had to move three kids out of the house and pretty soon a fourth kid will be gone to free up another bedroom. But until that happens, calm is the buzzword for me.

Actually, getting older helps that feeling of pending doom too ... and the fact that, over time, I've become numb to the anxieties of inevitable societal destruction by the leftists.

No more preps for me ... not anything more I can do as I round the corner heading into retirement. I truly am prepped for the long-term, by design. And as much as anything else, the preps do deliver peace of mind.

 

[Illini Warrior]

I can’t say I have seen much about this on the evening snooze.

of course not - much much more important for CNN to spend hours discussing whether "Pete" is the "boy" in the marriage ....

 

[anna43]

Anyone who isn't concerned about what's happening isn't paying attention.

I've always kept a pantry even when we lived in the city I kept a couple weeks food on-hand. As the years went by, the pantry size increased due to garden/canning etc. and stocking up from the store. Pre Y2K I went a bit crazy and ramped supplies up and have kept them at that level since. Dh passed away so what I'd stored for two doubled the timeframe of what was stored for one. I continually replace what I use so my pantry level stays pretty much the same all the time.

I don't keep a "last minute" list because I don't want to be in the stores when panic buying is happening plus its 25 miles to shopping and I don't want to be that far from home in a SHTF or pre SHTF situation. I want to be stocked at all times and able to hunker down and keep a low profile.

I'm in the process of scheduling cataract surgery which I consider a major prep. Just finished with a lot of expensive dental. All of my vaccines are up to date and I have managed to stock up on prescriptions by ordering 90 day refills on the first allowable date for several years. For my fellow senior citizens, do you have preps like a walker, cane, bath seat, commode, toilet seat bars, shower/bath grab bars? Is your bathroom door wide enough for a walker? Something to think about. BTW you can pick up various handicapped items for very little at garage sales, estate auctions or thrift shops. I've kept all the handicapped supplies from dh most of which Medicare did NOT pay for plus extra items I purchased for $1 a piece.

 

[dogmanan]

Went to the store yesterday for our normal needs of fresh goods. I listen to the news and say, here we go again but not enough to warrant a huge spending spree. I got over that stuff years ago. I always buy extra of certain things anyway. Been doing that for years but we don't like canned food and I am not putting in any dozens of cans of things we probably wouldn't eat anyway. I hate throwing dated stuff away because it was bought, "just in case".......

How many other countries have told us to f off? Many........ no, not time yet.

Do you have chickens , feed the dated stuff to them, that's what I have done in the past as long as it does not smell rotton.

 

[dogmanan]

For me if I don't have at least two years of food for ten or twenty on hand I feel I don't have enough on hand, but that's just me.

 

[blackjeep]

ANYBODY ELSE NOW DOING SOME EXPEDICTED PREPARATION SPENDING?

Not me.

 

[dogmanan]

Hard beans , rice , oat meal in fifty pound bags, peanut butter caned corn beef, chicken, salmon, sardeens, spam, tuna is cheap and last for years past date so is good prepp food for me.

I have a aldias near me and the canned meat is really cheap their and is good quality and taste good mixed with beans and rice, and is really good for you when you are starving or when you are not.

I am still eating tuna from aldials that the date is 2011, and it is fine to eat.

Hell I am eating peanut butter that the date was 2013 and it is fine to eat, it is jiff, and our family brand , that is the only brand I buy.

 

[Profit of Doom]

We have a bunch of 25 year shelf life stuff. A few years back we really stocked up on canned goods. We had to store them in the garage because there is just lack of storage space in the house. About 3 weeks ago we ended up throwing out a couple of trash bags full of outdated canned goods. I don't plan to make that mistake again. I think we'll get at least a few days warning of serious doom coming. We'll make a run to the store and stock up then.

Again, canned goods do not go bad the day after that stamp. Our food bank will take soups for several years after exp. Another thought; rotate, rotate, rotate. Store what you use, use what you store. Simplest prepping there is. As far as having warning and time, consider the possibility of sleeper cells taking down the grid. Shopping pretty much stops, as well as gasoline pumps. You’ll have to dance with the girl you brought.
A few days warning, aren’t we having that right now?

 

[Deena in GA]

Staying stocked up is just a way of life for us. Having said that, though, I felt a need to add extras back when the flooding got really bad in the Midwest a couple of months or so ago. We were in town today and hubby mentioned wanting to add a bunch more water to our stock, so he stopped and got that. We've also added a thornless blackberry bush to the yard.

 

[dogmanan]

Deena in Ga


If you have a lot of water around you buy a life straw water filter, they are fantastic and last for about ever and filter out chemicals to if you get the wright one.

Here is a link.

https://www.lifestraw.com/collections/frontpage

 

[Ben Sunday]

After prepping vigorously since 1980, my expenditure of money and energy is now zero. If some huge, entirely legitimate event was actually pending I do have options (5 minutes away) where I could ostensibly top off certain supplies. That would be about it.

 

[Doomer Doug]

Okay, I have kept a certain level of preps for decades now, but that is not what I am talking about here. I am just saying the ongoing chaos, the level of insanity, along with the kind of violence now so common, has had me upping my preps, above my "normal," level since last October. This is when I went out and bought nearly 100 rounds of critical defense 38 Special rounds, which was the most ammo I have bought since 2010. At any rate, the specific trigger event was the story about how the powers that be in China, along with their new Emperor, and a long list of openly FASCIST steps they have taken, and then combined that with the anti american movies, well that flipped the switch for me. I went out within one hour of reading that story and spent $60 bucks on canned food. The money was out of my "reserve," so I decided to trade inflating away fiat Federal Notes for actual, PHYSICAL ITEMS, and in this case it was canned food, and last October it was ammo.

Now, this could all be a delayed reaction to reading all four of John Wesley Rawles books: Patriots, Survivors, Expatriates, and Liberators in the last two weeks.

And yeah, I have long kept a pantry, which is what I call level one, and level two which is a dedicated 30 day supply of food and stuff. Level Three, well I have never had the kind of money to spend on that, so sorry, alfaman, there is no fortified Roman Villa for me in Northern Idaho.

 

[dogmanan]

Okay, I have kept a certain level of preps for decades now, but that is not what I am talking about here. I am just saying the ongoing chaos, the level of insanity, along with the kind of violence now so common, has had me upping my preps, above my "normal," level since last October. This is when I went out and bought nearly 100 rounds of critical defense 38 Special rounds, which was the most ammo I have bought since 2010. At any rate, the specific trigger event was the story about how the powers that be in China, along with their new Emperor, and a long list of openly FASCIST steps they have taken, and then combined that with the anti american movies, well that flipped the switch for me. I went out within one hour of reading that story and spent $60 bucks on canned food. The money was out of my "reserve," so I decided to trade inflating away fiat Federal Notes for actual, PHYSICAL ITEMS, and in this case it was canned food, and last October it was ammo.

Now, this could all be a delayed reaction to reading all four of John Wesley Rawles books: Patriots, Survivors, Expatriates, and Liberators in the last two weeks.

And yeah, I have long kept a pantry, which is what I call level one, and level two which is a dedicated 30 day supply of food and stuff. Level Three, well I have never had the kind of money to spend on that, so sorry, alfaman, there is no fortified Roman Villa for me in Northern Idaho.

Yep among many things going on in the world the thing that worries me the most is all the ten/hundreds of thousands of people coming across are southern boarder, from many , many different countrys, this has me really worried more then any thing else going in the world wright now.

We are doombed for sure, their are many f,,,,,g nig,,,s of all colors coming across are southern borader now for many years now. this should have every body with their panties in a bunch, but what is funny not much is being said about it.

I am naughty I used a banned word and a soon to be banned word, dam I feel so naughty and alive at the same time.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

Staying stocked up the best we can is a way of life for DH and myself. A few months ago, I was pretty well satisfied with what we had, so I slacked off adding anything. Over the past two weeks or so, I have begun to add a lot more to my shopping cart than normal. Don't know why I feel that's necessary, but I do.

 

[hiwall]

When someone says they will make a big buy of supplies when they know for sure the axe is about to fall, I say good for them. In that situation I would make a huge purchase of supplies but that does not mean I don't have a lot of supplies already.
I look at Venezuela where people have been suffering for many years. I do not have 5 years of supplies. Or even 3 years. So if I was given a two week heads up that the balloon was going up, I would go berserk buying added supplies of all kinds. FedEx would have to drive a semi up to my house to make that delivery. I would likely have to have a empty shipping container dropped off here just to hold all the stuff I would buy.
Who Wouldn't buy more supplies (no matter how much you have now) if they knew bad times were soon going to arrive?

 

[Border Guns]

I did some stocking up several months ago, as far as food goes. Just recently I ordered a solar phone charger that I have had my eye on for 2 years. Had to hid it all as I am in my daughters house. She would tell me I was nuts.

As a side note,DD was telling me how she noticed how angry people were being to each other and rude. First she has ever said anything like that. Maybe waking up perchance. Hope, hope.

 

[hummer]

This!

DD - just an aside to your tripping. My personal trainer (who is also a physical therapist) helped me to get over my own difficulties me having me consciously lift my feet higher when walking, since as I got older my muscles had become somewhat lax. (I've remedied that issue too now, though.) He had me do stretching every morning especially piriformis - which also will address sciatica. The increased range of motion over the past year has helped enormously and I literally never trip anymore. I hope this helps; just google up some piriformis stretching. My favorite is to have my legs up on a wall at 90 degrees, then cross one leg over to make a 'figure 4' over the other leg and press down on the knee. It did take a while to even get that far but really, really worth the time and effort.

Last couple years I was tripping constantly. Dr gave me the above exerices to do. Also said to be very conscious of where my feet are when I step. It has worked!

 

[Bumpkin]

Beefing up a bit here...

We've been prepping for years, which has just becomes a lifestyle, rather than a "storm is coming" action. For the most part we're in ok shape, which I know is easy to say before everything actually hits the fan.

That said, we had a discussion within the last 3 or 4 weeks about me backing off of the hours I work, which can be brutal, but worth it financially. Essentially what we decided is that I should stick with it at least until the weather turns for another winter, and take care of some significant needs, wants and maintenance issues before having this discussion again. Last of the good old days kind of feeling I guess.

Similar situation at House Bumpkin.

 

[Coco82919]

If you are planning on buying things, don't for get about a few pairs of good shoes. Also those Darn tough socks. The Tactical boot sock is really a good sock with extra cushion.
https://darntough.com/products/t4033-tactical-boot-extra-cushion

•Performance Fit: No slipping, no bunching, and no blisters.
•Fine Gauge Knitting: Unprecedented durability and our unique “put it on, forget it’s on” feel.
•Fast Action Wicking: Pulls moisture away from skin. Fast drying.
•All Weather Performance: Cool in the summer, warm in the winter.
•Naturally Antimicrobial: Repels bacteria and odor.
•Guaranteed For Life: No strings. No conditions. For life.
•Merino Wool: The ultimate fiber for breathability and comfort in all conditions.


Specs

• Extra Cushion: Our thickest, burliest and highest density cushioning makes for a big, bad monster of a sock.


• Boot Height: Sits mid-calf for added protection and warmth. A sturdy companion.


•80% Merino Wool 19% Nylon 1% Lycra® Spandex

 

[jward]

Last couple years I was tripping constantly. Dr gave me the above exerices to do. Also said to be very conscious of where my feet are when I step. It has worked!

The exercise sounds similiar to the yoga position "legs up the wall". It's right up there with a half hour in the hottub for relaxing, imhe. Im doing it now as we type, in fact. : )

 

[Bumpkin]

Bought 5 young ducks. Bought more net cups, more hydro ferts, foam board, and more rock wool. Will be buying more seeds. Need more wood, hardware, sheet plastic, and screening.

Am thinking about that oil. I've got a messed up shoulder that will NOT heal.

Don't hesitate to get that oil. it is a blessing and it works. I need to get more, myself. *God bless ST*