Hello All.
I'm an older man living in the south west.I think I found this board by via a google search.I would describe myself as a basic prepper.I'm a fundamentalist Baptist so have my own views on the 'end times'. (I know you're grinning as you read this but somebody has to do it?).I think with prepping you can take it as far as you like and funds allow.I have seen that in America they have clubs that hold 'in terrain' events where they put their knowledge into practice and see skills demonstrated which look like fun but in this country I wouldn't go that far.Currently,I think there's enough going on to suggest there's a war in the offing so I think it's prudent to be as prepared as we can be.We can see 'starter' videos on youtube and that's where I am.Make an inventory (know what you have).Know where it is!A bit of extra food (I have about 6 months worth)Lifeboat rations (the chalk,ugh) and some freeze dried.Water (filter).Camping stove +some gas.The oil price might sky rocket so we're looking at blackouts and maybe even food rationing.PERSONALLY (Don't take offence) I think our goverments have become very authoritarian over the last many years and I think this will increase (and of course dramatically during wartime) so doing a little bit for yourself while you have the opportunity makes sense to me.
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Hello and welcome to the Forum. 
Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
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Hi, and welcome from the NorthWest.
You're off to a good start with some extra resources.
I'll just comment that rotating your extended pantry foods into your regular diet is well worth doing. Post SHTF, you want to be eating some nice food for morale and you might not want to live on ships biscuits. Helps with stock rotation, too. I always say, use your extended pantry like your local retailer and your shopping trips to your supermarket as though stocking up your store from the wholesaler.
You're off to a good start with some extra resources.
I'll just comment that rotating your extended pantry foods into your regular diet is well worth doing. Post SHTF, you want to be eating some nice food for morale and you might not want to live on ships biscuits. Helps with stock rotation, too. I always say, use your extended pantry like your local retailer and your shopping trips to your supermarket as though stocking up your store from the wholesaler.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought
Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
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Welcome to the forum, Jonny, hope you find it useful. You'll probably also find that you're nearer the age range of existing members than you might have thought
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Welcome to the forum.
6 months food is more than basic prepping. As Jenny says, best to rotate stuff you normally eat. I would add that you want to be storing food that doesn't need a lot of cooking, and therefore won't blast through your camping gas. So lifeboat rations and freeze dried meals have their place. I think pasta is a good one, as you can cook it in a flask of boiled water. Tinned beans obviously use far less gas than dried.
Which reminds me, I have a bit of space in my cupboard, so need to go through it and see what I need to stock up on.
6 months food is more than basic prepping. As Jenny says, best to rotate stuff you normally eat. I would add that you want to be storing food that doesn't need a lot of cooking, and therefore won't blast through your camping gas. So lifeboat rations and freeze dried meals have their place. I think pasta is a good one, as you can cook it in a flask of boiled water. Tinned beans obviously use far less gas than dried.
Which reminds me, I have a bit of space in my cupboard, so need to go through it and see what I need to stock up on.
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Hi Jonny, and welcome to the forum.
There's personal hygiene, first aid and any other medical items to be considered. Also being able to provide power for essentials such as low power lighting, radio receiver, an MP3 player for entertainment, etc. Larger 5 volt power banks can power a lot of this stuff these days, but a 12V system will give far more capacity.
I fully endorse what people above say about rotating your food and incorporating your food preps into your regular everyday diet. This takes planning, but is well worth it. For one thing, food wastage will be minimised or won't happen. Also you will be better off with your regular diet rather than "iron rations".
There's personal hygiene, first aid and any other medical items to be considered. Also being able to provide power for essentials such as low power lighting, radio receiver, an MP3 player for entertainment, etc. Larger 5 volt power banks can power a lot of this stuff these days, but a 12V system will give far more capacity.
I fully endorse what people above say about rotating your food and incorporating your food preps into your regular everyday diet. This takes planning, but is well worth it. For one thing, food wastage will be minimised or won't happen. Also you will be better off with your regular diet rather than "iron rations".
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Hi and welcome, like your attitude, it'll take you far. Endorse all the advice given so far. You know what resources you have at hand and how to use them but think wider than food. If the 40 refers to your age you're not an older man, just a youngster to many of us 
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The '40' in my name isn't related to my age so I remember the power cuts of the 70s.Lots of candles.Back then we had a wood stove so it was easy to cook,heat and wash.I'll certainly be searching the power options next.I assume letter writing would be ok as it was in WW2 but I assume the internet might be affected.As I say I'm primarily 'interested' in war but if BRICS force a dollar drop that could be fun too.The end of empires is usually a tumultuous time.PPrep wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2024 9:15 am Hi Jonny, and welcome to the forum.
There's personal hygiene, first aid and any other medical items to be considered. Also being able to provide power for essentials such as low power lighting, radio receiver, an MP3 player for entertainment, etc. Larger 5 volt power banks can power a lot of this stuff these days, but a 12V system will give far more capacity.
I fully endorse what people above say about rotating your food and incorporating your food preps into your regular everyday diet. This takes planning, but is well worth it. For one thing, food wastage will be minimised or won't happen. Also you will be better off with your regular diet rather than "iron rations".
Re: NEW MEMBER
One useful thought experiment is to think about everything that you pay for and how you would cope if it wasn't available. But don't stop at the main food, housing and & utilities costs. You also pay indirectly for health services, waste collection, roads, basic law & order etc through your taxes.
It is also worth thinking about your resources including the less obvious ones. e.g I have 2 neighbours - both nurses that I am aquainted with with. If it was impossible to get to any sort of hospital or clinic, my relationship with them might mean that they would willing to help dress an injury in exchange for some of my home made jam and chutney or the like.
It is also worth thinking about your resources including the less obvious ones. e.g I have 2 neighbours - both nurses that I am aquainted with with. If it was impossible to get to any sort of hospital or clinic, my relationship with them might mean that they would willing to help dress an injury in exchange for some of my home made jam and chutney or the like.