[Frugal Nurse]

So.... I don't live out in the country... although I want to. I don't have a homestead per se, although I want to.

I still must deal with the 'preparedness' and 'emergency' situation.

I have surfed some sites that are a little 'out there' and it's great, because I take what I need and leave the rest.

I've surfed this site too. Most especially stockpiling.

It seems there are two types for stockpiling.
There's the Survivalist version and the Economist version.

Although a survivalist version is a very good idea, because it is raw to the core. Even down to 'paper and pencil/sharpener to write things down'. But I question the sense in expending so much time and energy into something that 'might' happen. Might not as well. What are the chances? I don't live in tornado alley, hurricane hula or mudslide mounds. I do live through blastard blizzards though.

The economist version is okay too. It has its roots set in paying the lowest possible for any given item. But do I really need ANY GIVEN ITEM? For example, in times of emergency, do I REALLY need hand-pump soap? Do I really need laundry softener? Do I need air freshener? Do I really need PT? I could go as far as saying... do I really need tp?

So, I got to thinking. After reading hither and thither, that a year's supply of 'staples' are in order. If times were hard, I'd need staples to feed my family. Not continued convenience items, like hair conditioner, tissues for my nose kind of thing.

We can deal with a bar a soap. We'll use cloth for PT. Skip the softener for now. and if it's really bad... cloth tp rinsed and washed.

So, somewhere in between the two versions is where I want to be.


A person needs a source of protein, carbs and fats - hygiene - health - clothing - and warmth/heat.

How can one be prepared for an emergency and meet those basic needs?
That's where I want to spend my time and energy.
Rather than scouring the latest ads... clipping coupons printed on paper that came from trees.... using gas to drive to the places... to get an item packaged in plastic. (I don't care how cheap or how free it was. It's still called hoarding. I don't want to hoard - I don't like it. And I don't care if it was for a needy family - "teach a man to fish" instead. I digress here. sorry. Why do I do that!)



Tallyho!

 

[sunshine]

If I buy things NOW, before an emergency - I don't consider it hoarding. For instance - If I go to Walmart and purchase every single package of TP on the shelves , they'll restock later today or tomorrow. However, in the event of an emergency, if I were to clear the shelves - that's hoarding. KWIM?

That being said - I never clear the shelves of any item, unless I'm buying the last 2 available.

We live in an area that's prone to blizzards, electrical outages, etc. I keep at least a 2 week supply of food, TP, H&B, oil lamps, hand cranked radios and so forth.

My opinion is this : its insurance. I have fire insurance on my house, and I hope I never have a fire. . . I have accident insurance on my carr, and I hope I never have an accident. I have life insurance on me, dh and my kids - and I pray I never have to use it. However, if and when the time comes - I'll be mighty glad I had it. Same with my preps. . . I hope I never have to use them. . .but it's insurance - JUST IN CASE.

 

[Frugal Nurse]

Sunshine.. well said.
Actually that is very helpful to see it in that prospective. Insurance.

And I always thought hoarding was taking it all and stashing it. But your explanation is insightful!

So, then I won't feel so badly to store things for the possibility. Thinking of it as... insurance... helps a great deal.


BRILLIANT!

:hubba:

 

[Backtoreality]

I have to agree with Sunshine, here in the midwest we have to be prepared for ... you name it. Blizzards, floods, tornadoes, power outages (just because you haven't had one in two weeks), freaky ice storms, etc.

If I didn't have at least 2 weeks supplies of any and everything, that's when the emergency would happen, kwim?!

Now with the prospect of DH losing his job, we are trying for a 6month to 1 year backstock on nearly anything we can think of.

 

[nanagail]

I agree it's insurance. My husband works for the auto industry. They make the speedometers and gas gauges for Honda and Chrysler. They're the only factory in America that makes these. Their company is from Japan. The workers have been told that the company is building a plant in Mexico. But it won't affect their jobs here. Yeah right. Why build a plant in Mexico where they can hire workers for $2.00 hr. versus $15.00 hr. here. I don't know about the taxes and S.S. they would have to pay in Mexico but I'm sure it's a lot less. I am disabled and can't work. I get a measley $423.00 a month. If my dh loses his job, my money isn't going to go far. Our house payment is $434. mo. But, we only have 2 yrs. left on that. We're praying his job will hold out until then. DH has been looking for other work, but he's 52, and there's not many jobs out there. So, all that being said, we feel that we must stockpile. I have just started thinking about it. We have always bought groceries and staples for 1-2 wks. at a time before. But, when his job goes, if we have a yrs. worth of staples stored up, that will be one less worry on my dh. I wrote in a spiral notebook every thing we use, from tp, toothpaste, to milk and eggs. I filled up 3 pages in that notebook. Where in the world would you store that much stuff? And the way the prices are going up is ridiculous. It will feel good to have an item stored when the next time I need it, I see at the store that it's went up. I'll know I've saved a little bit to help my dh out. Gail

 

[Lady_V]

FrugalNurse,
We share that blastard blizzard, and the stretch of summer called August :lol:

In November, do you make sure your shovel is where you can get to it and intact? Why? Because you know you MAY use it that day but you WILL have to use it eventually.

Same with the survival/stockpiling. You may not have to use it that day, but you will use it eventually. The stuff just doesn't sit there unused. You use something, you replace something... it just helps to have a cushion.

We hope we don't have a state of emergency, but it can happen. We live on the coast, Raytheon, nuclear powers plants, the airport, financial district, hospitals... We also have the normal 'New England Weather' whatever it is, give it 5 minutes and it will change.

I remember THE blizzard of 78... I had just turned 6 (happy birthday + a week) and Mom 'got by' financially so we didn't have a lot of extras available. Well, the blizzard struck and we were without food my Grampa and his GF lived below us and they had stuff she canned -- Mom and I eventually got to walk to a grocery store... with my sled in tow, to bring home the essentials...

Having what you will use is planning, not hoarding... now, if I had 20 pounds of chocolate... :lol3:

 

[TheRootedNomad]

If I buy things NOW, before an emergency - I don't consider it hoarding. For instance - If I go to Walmart and purchase every single package of TP on the shelves , they'll restock later today or tomorrow. However, in the event of an emergency, if I were to clear the shelves - that's hoarding. KWIM?

That being said - I never clear the shelves of any item, unless I'm buying the last 2 available.

I agree with Sunshine on the thinking of it as insurance and with her hoarding views. I also think of "hoarding" as saving things you'll never use (like people who will apply for every frrebie even if they have no cleu what it is or will buy anyhting on sale even if they don't have a clue what they'd do with it) or having it and then not touching it when things get tight. You bought it for when ya need it right??? If your rotating your stock and only stockpiling things you use then you have insurance, are getting a better bang for your buck, and not wasting or selfishly cleaning out shelves in the time of an emergency.

I agree with you too Frugal Nurse, in that, in times of a real emergency could you do without TP and such. Of coarse, however, different people consider different things necessities. If I were to tell my father or DH there was not any toilet paper, even in dire straights, I don't even want to imagine the revolt.

As for your original question on stocking up on protiens, carbs, fats, and so on. From this perspective for emergencies maybe the army meals (can't remeber what they're called) are a good way for you to stock up. Another way might be to do a small garden and learn to can. Lots of benefits here besides stockpiling. Better for your health, better for the environment, better for your pocketbook. Also in a lot of places even if your not out in the country your allowed to have a few chickens.

On the clothing front....we'd simply make do

On the heating front....we've been thinking about getting one of those outdoor fire pit things for the deck (that we haven't put in yet) with the back up purpose of...If we had to we could bring it in to heat the house while we're awake. Pull up some of the stepping stones in the back yard, put em on the kitchen floor and set the fire pit on that. Use it only when we were awake and had to. If we had a fireplace I wouldn't worry about it. Kerosene heaters don't fit my game plan either because then you have to stock kerosene or get it when everyone else needs it to. We still need to look into the safety issues with this though.

 

[Natalie]

Well, one little thing at a time. And remember, if you can't afford Kleenx, you can still blow your nose in toilet paper! (You'll just need more toilet paper.)

 

[frugalfoster]

I buy and stock up on things only when they go on sale. I do it because I work in a field where it can go "feast or famine". I am a hair stylist. Fortunately for me, my business has stayed very good, but that can change at any time. I try to keep at least a couple of months of money in the bank and I keep the same in food in the cupboard. Yes, I call it my insurance!

 

[baxjul]

I also buy and stock up on things that I will use. Mostly food items. During hurricane season, it's water, candles, that kind of stuff. I've been to the store when there is a hurricane looming, and there isn't much left.