nowhere to bug out to be honest - Leeds

[J23]

Hello everybody
It is my first post on this forum. Some time ago I started reading about preppers, some of them are right, some of them (zombie apocalypse for example) are mental and prepare for something that will never happen. But what I am afraid of is economic collapse (most likely and following it lack of food, lack of services, lack of safety), EMP from sun (less likely and nobody really knows the consequences as it never happened in civilised world) and nuclear plant leaks or explosions (less likely as law regulates it well I think, besides nearest plant is over 60 miles away). I live in Leeds area, exact location does not matter.

Now the England is small country comparing to people live in and wherever you'll move there will be people. I took a look at google earth (I bet all of you do so) and the closest good in my opinion bug out locations are wods on English/Scottish boarder and Lake District (I am not even hiding it as everybody living in north England/ south Scotland probably had same idea) and they are quite far away from me. The only location closer where it is far from roads and towns/cities are Dales in North Yorkshire, but looking at map none of these places seem safe imo and they lack woods. therefore I think in my situation (wife and 3 years old kid) it would be better to bug in. but here is the other doubt - of course I don't tell anybody that I am going to prepp but what if I'll have some food and my neighbours won't? It will be cul -de-sac street surrounded by wooden fence so easy to defend from small groups of outsiders, but there is still this fear of telling anybody - some of neighbours could join prepping, others will say I am an idiot and will ignore, and once shtf (hopefully never) they will knock my doors first asking for food, then begging for food, and on the end demanding food, nobody will watch them kids starving when neighbour has full storage of food - these are my doubts both regarding to bugging out and bugging in.
My ideas for economic collapse is to gain knowledge and it is the most important - first aid, growing plants, meat related skills (smoking etc), making fire, knowledge of wild plants, mushrooms, herbs, of course some food stored at home, but there is mortgage to be paid and bill to pay so prepping has to be as cheap as possible - I think 1-2 week food held at home and rotating plus about month's drinking water supply is a good option, more than that will attract too many people - what do you think? anybody had similar doubts?

[Arzosah]

Hello J23 - welcome - and yes, everyone's had similar doubts, but really, in this crowded little country of ours, bugging in is the only way, unless you're forced out - by a house fire, by floods, whatever.

Most people on here will recommend OP SEC - keep your preps (stores of food etc) quiet, especially from the neighbours. Master as many skills as you can - gardening, lighting a fire, whatever. Foraging is a great skill to have, especially of plants that dont *look* like they're edible.

As to how much food to hold at home - try for one week of no-cook food - tins of veg and meat/fish, dried fruit, packets of nuts and the like. Try for another month or so of other food - rice, lentils, veg. oil, tomato puree and dried powdered milk are said to be the initial starting point. Great idea to have as much water as you can, absolutely - and all of us need it to be as cheap as possible, no argument on that one!

[Briggs]

In my opinion, there's no set answer because any SHTF scenario is going to change rapidly. I say prepare to do both. Bug in, ride it out but be prepared to bail out when and if it's necessary. Your thoughts on neighbours are the same as mine and I plan to bug out as soon as my neighborhood becomes a drain on my preps. Kids playing the hunger card will be the first to come knocking and it will be quite difficult to send them away empty handed but it's what we are prepared to do.

[Plymtom]

Kids playing the hunger card will be the first to come knocking and it will be quite difficult to send them away empty handed but it's what we are prepared to do.

If things get that bad they may start to look tasty

[lonewolf]

whether we bug out depends on how many people stay here post SHTF, I can see many people leaving and going to relatives in other local towns- we have a very local but transient population here-so a low population could become an even lower but more manageable population, depending on how many are left, how they behave, may be the deciding factor to whether we stay or bug out.

[Arzosah]

we have a very local but transient population here-so a low population could become an even lower but more manageable population ...

Thats a really good point, "party" towns on the south coast, say, could become a lot smaller a lot more quickly in a prolonged economic downturn.

[lonewolf]

at least in a prolonged economic downturn the coastal resorts wont get the annual invasion of tourists.

[J23]

One more thing about bugging out - I have no relatives in UK as I come from Poland - pretty long way to bug out, and probably bugging out that far means never coming back home scenario. I think of buying small flat there just in case but can't afford it yet.
As about skills - I've been doing few martial arts in the past plus constantly take care about being fit. Been on quite a few campings in the past, forests, lakes (lots of lager and vodka ) so I know a bit about living in tents. In plans learning some more skills - getting allotment, learning to find edible plants, learning foreign languages, long walks with backpack (already do it, up to 10km a day) but also accumulating wealth as it might be that bad scenario will never happen, besides in my opinion it is always easer once you re wealthy.
What i don't intend to do: I don't intend to buy military clothes, I don't intend to buy expensive knives, expensive axes and so on. back home I had cheap knives and they were doing well - my favourite costed less than 10 quid and there was nothing wrong with it. besides losing cheap knife does not hurt not as bad as losing 100 quid knife. skills and knowledge are most important (plus of course some cash and supplies)

[itsybitsy]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

[Arzosah]

Great points you made in your post on Sunday, J23, absolutely - and since you have no family at all in the UK, friends and support groups become more important than ever, I think. Good on you for getting up and getting going