Krystyna

TooManyCats - we stocked up around Y2K and I'm glad we did because I lost my job. Those extra things sure came in handy.

Greenini - If there is a common garden area, you might still be able to grow a few things. When my mom sold her house and moved into senior housing she really missed her garden. I brought some huge pots, filled them with dirt and tomato, peppers, basil and they were a hit. The New York Times actually did a story on it. Too many of the other residents started helping themselves, so she put in more pots behind the shrubs and had a secret garden of cucumbers, green beans and more!

CarrieAnn - wild asparagus! Wow! what a treat. I found a huge growing area for beach plums and we were dragging them home by the 5 gallon tub-fulls. Lots of preserves and they were sooooo good right off the bush.

Lynn, yup. Those milk containers will do you in. I am also filling soda bottles. I cleaned out a kitchen cupboard that was full of pots and pans that I rarely use. They went into the garage and now I have a good stock of water.

These are strange times.

keesha_ont

I'm guilty of stocking my stash....

Aurora

I have always stocked up when things were on sale. This habit has helped me more than once over the years when money was short.

I learned a valuable lesson during the ice storm of 2009. I do not plan to maintain a freezer full of food, I plan to can my meat and vegetables from my garden for storage.

When I return to my homestead in the next month or two, I will live without electric. It really is not that difficult. I have a treadle and plan to convert an extra 66 Red Eye to hand crank.

It is actually fun. I am prepared to live using very little electricity. I have two springs and a small cave on my property.
I camped for several years in preparation for living with less.

Stocking up is what I have always instintively done. Life is full of things I have no control over. But I can control how I react to them and I find it easier if I am prepared, there are fewer surprises.

Joan Dickson

One of my main concerns is the expiration dates on stored foods. And cans can still become contaminated and/or lose their seals. Something to take in consideration when stocking up. Always something!!!

Quiltbeagle

We live paycheck to paycheck and can't afford to stock up on things. The prices are just crazy! Green peppers were $1.49 EACH last week! No, I couldn't get any.

Gelswood

I read an article from the Wall Street Journal where the writer said that food was a better investment because we are getting on average a 14% return for our investment. I wonder how those on fixed incomes are going to make it if everything keeps going up, up, up. If you have any ideas for them please sha

arimuse

the only thing Id stock would be TP! lol - I can live w/o lots of paper but not TP. Im trying to give up meat anyway - I cut grd beef w/ black beans in recipes and have made plain old veggie burgers w/ them too and they are just great. I have a country home, 18 acres, and have been planting fruit trees the last few yrs. I always have a garden and even the flwr bed around the house is now going under veggies w/ roses mixed in. I currently have seeds started for 52 different herbs and veggies. I can, I worry about the price of electric so dont want lots of freezers. I want some chickens (for eggs, not meat!). Dont drink milk, hate the stuff and anyway, its a big propaganda adults should drink milk - all (human and animal)babies who are at a breast need milk - after that its hard on a digestive system, you get the vit D / calcium from sun and veggies. I eat fish, but I have a fishing license, so will catch as needed. Since Im old, I dont need as near as many calories a day to be healthy and certainly dont need any premade foods or such. Most people eat way way too much as it is and not enough plain foods (fresh veggies and fruits) There is a movement out there, I get the newsletter, to "eat like a caveman" which is all protiens/fats/complex carbs. I dont personally think cave people ate tons of meats unless it was scavanged. I think people ate what was the easiest things which were picked from the ground or trees, but its an interesting idea. But, as for stocking up, no, it would spoil and take up way too much room to try and do that. sharet

bobbie1

Good advice. We are doing the same. Save a Lot is a store here that sells things a little bit cheaper than Food Lion, Walmart, etc. and sometimes get in special shipments that they don't always carry. They got in a special shipment of Green Giant green beans, corn, peas..59 cents a can. We stocked up with 4 cases as string beans is one veg that everyone likes. 2 cases of peas and one of corn. Also storing up dried beans and brown rice. Just have to remember to pull things to the front when restocking.

QKO

Business must be slowing down at Wal-mart.

The CEO gets out in public and tells everyone what they already know, that prices are going up. But he throws a few extra words in there designed to make people panic and run out and buy a bunch more. Since Wally World is the biggest retailer on the planet, his self-serving statements are designed to do at least two things:

1. Drive a bunch of people into his stores in a panic buying frenzy.
2. Justify Wal-Marts coming price increases.

Not to mention the outcome of 1 and 2 above;

3. Drive up the price of Wally's stock and thereby further drive up the CEO's personal fortune.

Here's an idea; Let's all go out and stock up AT PLACES OTHER THAN WAL-MART AND WAL-MART SUBSIDIARIES!

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Krystyna

Another thing to keep in mind: pantry moths. The larvae can chew right through the packaging. After a horrible infestation a few years ago I started double freezing everything that's not in a can. Freeze two weeks, take it out for two weeks, refreeze. Stuff in bulk goes into 5 gallon tubs that I get from a bakery. I pop in oxygen absorbers and then seal. No more waste.