moonwork42029

I usually have enough on hand for a couple weeks and a little longer on canned items. This was very useful when we had the ice storm in 2009 and didn't have power for 13 - 20 days (had a generator for nighttime allowances).

they (family) don't laugh quite so much any more since we had everything pretty much.

Krystyna

Wow! That's a long time to go without power! I sure hope you own a treadle machine! But your point is a good one - regardless of why you stock up, if you're in a situation like that, I'm sure you're happy to have what you need on hand.

I went through our deep freeze and pulled out roasts and canned beef stew. Pulled out chickens and chicken breast and canned that too. Now if I'm in a rush, I can open a jar of chicken, toss it with veggies and pasta and there's dinner! The beef stew just needs some thickener and seasoning and voila - instant dinner.

A couple of years ago my husband saw a neighbor throw out brand new kerosene heaters - complete with instruction manuals. He brought them home and we used them when the power went out for a couple of days. I was initially skeptical because I thought they'd stink, but they didn't and I was warm. We have oil heat and I've used one during the day rather than heat the whole house with oil. We saved so much $$$ on oil that the oil delivery company called me to see if there was something wrong.

QBeth

My significant other doesn't always understand why I buy things we already have when I go to the big box store, BJs. Every month, BJs sends out great coupons and I've saved up to $70 in one trip (sorry, I forget the total beforehand). One time, when he went thru checkout while I continued to look around, he forgot to use the coupons. I made him go to the Service Desk, receipt in hand, to get credit for the coupons. $19!!! He doesn't argue too much any more. :-)

I think most of us are worried about what the next few years hold. More and more of us are putting in gardens or expanding existing ones. IMHO, I think this is a good thing, especially for passing on these lifestyle alternatives to the children.

amma

Stocking up is not a bad thing IMHO. I just make sure to rotate the goods and not buy more than I can use before they expire :D:D:D

milp04

Hi Krystyna,

You are very wise to stock up on essential items that your family uses. This should include emergency items and supplies, cleaning and paper products as well, along with bottled water. Possibly even a supply of extra wash cloths for misc. cleanup. Wash cloths can be used instead of toilet paper and then laundered if need be. (Not that I would want to do this, but if no tp was available to purchase what are you going to do, I ask?)

Get some extra bleach to keep on hand. This can help purify water to use for drinking and for cleaning.

Since you have invested in a freezer, have you also invested in a generator? Do you have enough fuel to keep it going for a period of time so that more fuel could be purchased or until power resumes?

Also, it is advisable to have at least a week's worth of CASH and COIN hidden and on hand at your home. In the event of power brown outs, cash can be used to make purchases.

Just this week I went to get lunch and they were not able to use the register. I had cash in my pocket and got my lunch. She grabbed a piece of paper to record the transactions so she could put them in later when the system was working properly.

Most of our stores' goods are trucked in daily to restock the shelves. If we have a major earthquake in the middle of the country we could see a severe interruption in what's available on the store shelves. We have been very lucky to have not have many major disasters but I feel we are being warned to do what is necessary to be prepared.

I encourage everyone to think about what you and your family would, could, can, should do to survive through a major difficulty?

Pam M

Krystyna

Pam, we're on the same page. I don't have a generator, but do have knowledge of primitive skills to help us get by.
At the risk of sounding like a nut, here's one more little thing to think about - foraging. I started thinking about the poor people in Haiti after the earthquake there. Everything was gone, just flattened. We are familiar with a few of the families there as our church sponsored the building of a school there. But what do you do if the cities and towns are flattened like that? Would you know how to head out into the countryside and find something to feed your family? How to get water?
I'm a former scout leader, so survival skills wasn't a foreign idea to me. This past summer my husband and I started hiking on our island and in the state parks specifically to identify wild foods and to learn how to prepare them. We had a lot of fun, got in some good exercise, and we had a ball trying out new foods. Quite a surprise for my "meat and potatoes" guy.

toomanycats

I am using my dehydrator more to dry what is in season. funny story here about stocking up on things. during ww2 my grandmother's sister who lived over the hill from here, saved up her sugar ration and stored it in sacks burried down in the hay in the barn. the 60's come along and Dad and my brother were over there helping fix the barn. First had to clean out the old hay on the bottom and low and behold here was Aunt Bo's stash of sugar!!! Hard as a rock but still there. How the critters and bugs stayed out of it I do not know. I plan on a little bigger garden and canning more what I do not dry. size of the garden depends on how strong the wells hold. There is only two of us now but mom will be moving back in with us. We are prepared. Living way out here you have to be. Had no power three days last week. We have friends and relatives that laugh at us for stocking things but hey, we are self sufficent and if turns out don't needd it like the y2k did, then won't have to be spending alot on groceries for awhile will we? My daughter was just out of college then and started working in San Francisco. Her and boyfriend would come up to see us and shop at "Moms"

greenini

We live in a condo now, so no garden here. But I have always kept at least a 2 to 3 week supply or more of food, including dry and canned beans. As campers, we also have propane stoves (yes, plural), extra propane, we do have a small generator, but it's not going to last for very long, lots of camping lanterns, flashlights, an emergency radio.

We should get water to keep, but with us, space is a big issue. If we get any warning we can fill the van's tank and live off that for a while. Or as they used to say, fill the tub up...I haven't seen those kind of emergency instructions in a long time.

CarrieAnne

I dont have much money to stock up on extras, but my garden will be bigger, and I do know how to forage, lol! Soon dandelions and aspapragus will be popping up everywhere!

Lynn Luker

I was saddened when I saw lines of Japanese people standing in line waiting for water---the DAY after their earthquake. Perhaps they had some, but it was buried under their homes? But we all should have enough to sustain our own families for at least 72 hours. Among other things we do, I rinse out soda bottles and refill with water. One two liter bottle will flush the toilet! (as I learned after an earthquake in 1992). By the way, I also found out the hard way that reusing gallon milk jugs does not work. Sure made a mess on my closet carpet! The news reports can scare us, but I feel better being a little prepared.