Hello from Hampshire

[danielandrewkelly]

Hi Everyone

I am new - obviously... Late 40's, married with 2 young kids. I do a regular office job - well I did but got made redundant at the start of all of this lockdown! I am not particularly active - couldn't light a fire in the hearth, never mind outdoors.

I have come here because the last month has shown me I am totally unprepared and I actually think this is just the start of a new chapter in British life and I need to get ready. That, and having a sister in the US who is already well into prepping - and yes, I have laughed at her in the past about this, but have admitted to myself that she is probably correct (haven't told her that!)

My wife would think I am insane if she knew I was on this site, and so would the neighbours! I am a working-class lad, but I am middle-class now, if you get what I mean.

Hoping to learn and build into this slowly - don't have the money or time to do all this in the next few weeks - let's how the S doesn't HTF too soon!

Hi!
D

[Panther]

Hi Daniel,
Welcome to the forum. You'll find many people on this sight are in a similar position to you in that their spouse, relations or neighbours think they're potty, eccentric or insane in prepping. I think most of us here will tell you that in such an uncertain world the ones who are insane are the ones who don't prepare. You will probably bring your wife round to your way of thinking gradually, and it's best not to tell anyone else anyway.
Don't worry, prepping is not all about being able to light campfires or build an emergency shelter, (although there are many on this sight who have those skills.) Initially it's more about having a few extra tins of food or bottles of water, and then gradually increasing your stocks.
You've already made the first major step in deciding to do it; the rest will come over the next few months and years. Good luck.

[Nurseandy]

Hi Daniel, yes try not to get overwhelmed & panicky about the big picture. The best way I found for me was to pop a couple of extra cans of beans or tomatoes or something similar in the trolley while doing the weekly shop and once home just put it away in a different cupboard/under the bed/in the shed. Its quite amazing how quickly a food stash builds and with it that sense of panic recedes. Then start to maybe look at the bigger picture. Oh, and if course, store food that you like! And always worthwhile getting a few treats for the kids too. Massive morale booster.

[danielandrewkelly]

Thanks for the welcome folks!

I think the “not getting overwhelmed” bit is the key here

I can certainly stash a few extra cans each week!

Not ready to cook roadkill in the woods yet though

[diamond lil]

Get in a stash of food, so you're covered for food shortages. Then work on a plan B for heating or cooking, so you're covered for powercuts this winter

[peejay]

Welcome also.

I'm quickly learning that the village we moved to doesn't restrict power cuts only to winter! An interesting side effect is that the local water pumping station needs a manual reset whenever there's a. power glitch which hits the water supply for an hour or two.

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

[PreppingPingu]

Hullo and welcome - a late 40 something too here. And yes as 'Lil and NursesAndy said - a few extra cans of food, something for a power cut and the chances are you will be more prepared than a lot of you friends and neighbours. We don't quite do prepping in the way some of the US folks do but like them we do look at our food and power sources and aim to be a bit more self sufficient and self reliant. When my hubby got made redundant back in 2008, that was what focussed my mind to keeping a few bits extra in the house. Have a good browse and poke about and you'll find loads of useful info on this forum.

[danielandrewkelly]

so as a start I thought I would have a go at stocking up on water and read that I need 1gallon per person per day for cooking, drinking and washing - that's around 20litres for the family per day! I can't store that many bottles of water! Well may be I can for a couple of days but even so...

What do people suggest? Water tablets? some kind of purification system? maybe I need more of a mix. Some bottles of water, a water butt AND something to purify water from the local stream?

I will have a mooch around the internet and see what ideas there are... reeling...

D

[diamond lil]

Well when we've had probs with the water up here it has never lasted too long - although I don't know about down south. I'd just try for enough bottled water to fill in the time until they get a tanker out. And at the same time look at purification tabs and a filter for backup?