Overwhelmed.

[korolev]

Money.

Not easy to put money aside if it's tight but I would suggest trying to build up a couple of hundred quid that you keep at home. If there is a banking outage and cards don't work, cold hard cash will still be accepted at local shops.

Have a second bank account with a couple of quid in it. Look at bank switching to get a few hundred into it. I started with Monzo a few months ago and have gone to natwest and then nationwide, so far I'm £375 up. Mrs K is also doing it and has just bagged her first £200

see http://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/view ... ng#p228497

[Kiwififer]

The fact you are here means you are ahead of the game, that’s something to feel good about!

Switch off the news. It’s depressing at best and it will just drag you down. I don’t know your online presence but I had a massive digital detox, I quit things like Twitter, removed all news pages from Facebook and quit arguing with folk I will never meet on the Guardian’s CiF sections. That really helped me and I know others have thrived after doing the same.

Finally, focus on what you can prepare for. I took it down to the absolute basics - Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was my go to and his basic level is this. Food, warmth, shelter and food.

Do I have shelter? Yes, I have a house and we have done everything to make it warm and safe. It doesn’t have to be huge things, I’ve just had the gutters professionally cleaned the other week and that is prepping imo.

Do I have food? Yes. Not in a prepping sense but I could very easily get through 72h. Do I have something to cook the food on if the gas and electric goes down? Again yes, basic stuff but I have a fire pit and chiminea with cooking utensils to go along with it.

Do I have warmth? Yes, I have hot water bottles, spare blankets and so on and the means to make hot water.

End of the world stuff, most of us here will be cracking open the good bottle, pouring a stiff one and watching the missiles fly in, quick, easy and painless is the way to go!

Just keep going!

[Frnc]

Money.

Not easy to put money aside if it's tight but I would suggest trying to build up a couple of hundred quid that you keep at home. If there is a banking outage and cards don't work, cold hard cash will still be accepted at local shops.

Have a second bank account with a couple of quid in it. Look at bank switching to get a few hundred into it. I started with Monzo a few months ago and have gone to natwest and then nationwide, so far I'm £375 up. Mrs K is also doing it and has just bagged her first £200

see http://www.uk-preppers.co.uk/forum/view ... ng#p228497

I had a bit of a panic when I heard that PHP thing the other day. Got a bit of cash out and checked my banking app.

Savings are a huge prep if you can do it. In an Easy Access account or something else accessibl, or just a different current account.

[Bijela]

Just be aware that some shops have a limited run time if the power shuts down. Tills seem to last somewhere in the 30mins to an hour. Then, the generators only power the chillers and freezers. Tills run on the Internet. So, big stores will likely be shut if there was a problem with the Open reach network.

Like others have said, anything you do now is better than nothing.

[JimmyJoeseph]

Wow lots of replies thank you.

After today's normal shop I feel much better and picked up a few extras. Water was a struggle though. Seems only small 500ml are available. Problem is I drink a 6 pack of 2ltrs a week as normal anyway. Tap water tastes like bleach. Ruins a good coffee.

I have some small notes now, not alot but it's in my fireproof safe that luckily I already had.

Next week I will look into sorting the medication out. Kids Calpol, adult pain relief, diorylite and poop relief. First aid is already stocked anyway.
Any other ideas?

[Bijela]

Just remember that you get only get 2 ibuprofen for example on a visit and nothing else due to restrictions.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Just remember that you get only get 2 ibuprofen for example on a visit and nothing else due to restrictions.

It used to be 2 paracetamol products now most shops just say 2 packs of medicine..

Had that last week in B+M solution buy 2 in B+M the walk into Asda nextdoor 20 paces away and buy 2 boxes of ibuprofen and a bottle of Calpol no issue

Saw a ambulance staff member get refused 2 boxes of flu medication and a box of throat lozenges in Aldi the self service tills there are the same and the staff can't over ride it


In our town think I worked out I got get 40 boxes of paracetamol in under an hour if I really wanted to just buy having a little walk about .. out our front door a 5 minute walk two corner shops then onto home bargains, then Morrisons another little shop the. Asda, tescos, Tesco extra, newsagents X2 you get the gist a decent backpack to Cary the stuff so the staff doesn't seem your collection...

You can get big boxes of ibuprofen rom a pharmacy without much hassle especially if you hobble to the counter

As for what to stock well that's your call as we don't know what reactions you might have I can't take ibuprofen for example

I made a pharmacy worker look a right chump a few years ago when I asked for cocodamol and she wouldn't let me .. suggesting I take paracetamol and ibuprofen... The medication I'm on reacts with ibuprofen... "Really your telling me to take otc ibuprofen when I'm prescribed XXXX ?!" Her face dropped then I laid the maxiofacial pre operation paperwork on the counter my surgeon has told me to take cocodamol it's in writing here.... Oh she wasnt happy

[GillyBee]

You might want some antihistamines and your usual creams/gels,lozenges for scrapes, mouth ulcers, sore throats etc.

[korolev]

Another thought on water, toilet flushing if the water is off for a few hours. Whilst it's ok to let wee sit there with a bit of bleach , if you're water is off for a while you'll need to be able to flush a "number 2". Obvs the first flush is from the cistern but after that its stored water and you dont want to use your drinking water.
A few old milk bottles filled from the washing up bowl and kept outside can work for this.

(We don't need to worry as we have 8 water butts so can easily go get a bucket to fill the cistern)

[Frnc]

Yeah obviously with water.. drink a bit.

Use a bit to cook pasta or rice. Use that water to do the washing up. Use that water to flush loo. So this, say 1 litre, gets used three times. Also you could use another litre to have a 'bath' and clean teeth, and then use that towards a toilet flush.

You can bathe with even less - a few drops on a coin towel is better than a wet wipe, but don't flush it - they are cotton.