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Original poster

Are you stockpiling?

581 replies

CravingHobnobs · 01/09/2021 23:22

Are you stockpiling food, clothes, toys, medicines? I’ve gotten a bit worried lately with the news of price increases and limited supplies. Shelves seem fairly full where I am (London) but perhaps that’s not going to last? Can’t help but notice much of my food comes from abroad, not to mention medicines, DC clothes and toys, etc.

I’m a bit skint already but if prices will rise and I can do a bit of Christmas shopping for DC now I reckon I’d rather have it sorted.

OP posts:
Curlygirl06 · 04/09/2021 13:57

I've always been "one in use, two in the cupboard" type of person. When there were shortages and panic buying (and I work in a supermarket so I remember what it was like from the sharp end) I was glad I had the extras. A lot of my friends and family couldn't get hold of certain things, like loo rolls and cleaner but they knew I had stuff and I was quite happy to share with them.
Since then I've built the stocks up gradually and now I'm more like one in use, three in the cupboard.
We have freezers full of food, as I often get discounted meat etc from work, but whenever any of the kids come round they go home with a bagful of it.
Anything on special offer, especially washing powder, I buy a few extra of and if anyone is short I can give them some.
I appreciate not everyone can afford it or have the room but I feel that my way is not depriving anyone of anything as I'm not going out and buying 14 packs of loo roll and 28 loaves of bread at a time, and besides I'm always willing to share.

IStoppedWatchingTheWalkingDead · 04/09/2021 13:58

[quote LoisLane66]@Nat6999
I think you've lost the plot. Toilet paper is made in the UK anyway. Sardines, pilchards ..??
We aren't in the middle of a war zone.
Good grief. Let's hope the rest of Mumsnet aren't like you. 'Mad' doesn't describe it.[/quote]
What's the problem with sardines and pilchards? You don't have to like them but there's no need to call someone mad or talk about war zones.

Supermarkets wouldn't stock so many different variety of them if people didn't eat like or eat them.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 04/09/2021 14:01

However, I eat my own Christmas trees early

You what? Grin

Gilly12345 · 04/09/2021 14:04

5,000 toilet rolls last time I checked and Christmas shopping completed for 2021 & 2022.

Nat6999 · 04/09/2021 14:04

LemonViolet yes we do eat them, usually on toast for a light snack, the only thing we don't regularly use is dried milk but we have got some in for emergencies, earlier this year when it snowed we ended up having two deliveries cancelled as we live on a steep hill, without stocks we would have been struggling & at the beginning of the first lockdown we couldn't get a delivery for almost 3 weeks.

LoisLane66 · 04/09/2021 14:07

I stand by my comments. Stockpiling and panic buying are, more or less, one and the same thing IMO. Unlike one poster who mentioned getting her monthly stock of pet food and household products, I have no need to look in my cupboards for reassurance and comfort. I know that if I go to my three local supermarkets Waitrose, M&S and Tesco, they will have what I need. They're only closed for 2 days at most over Christmas. There is a local twice weekly veg and fruit market who come from Covent Garden plus a village bakery a 2 minute walk away. None of that will change so I will be able to get everything I want and more than I will need.
Overbuying is ridiculous and no wonder so many people are overweight.

loobylou10 · 04/09/2021 14:08

Stock piling and panic buying are absolutely NOT the same thing

NotMyCat · 04/09/2021 14:10

@LoisLane66

I stand by my comments. Stockpiling and panic buying are, more or less, one and the same thing IMO. Unlike one poster who mentioned getting her monthly stock of pet food and household products, I have no need to look in my cupboards for reassurance and comfort. I know that if I go to my three local supermarkets Waitrose, M&S and Tesco, they will have what I need. They're only closed for 2 days at most over Christmas. There is a local twice weekly veg and fruit market who come from Covent Garden plus a village bakery a 2 minute walk away. None of that will change so I will be able to get everything I want and more than I will need. Overbuying is ridiculous and no wonder so many people are overweight.
Except they're not.. for instance I was doing an online shop this week and the washing up liquid I use is on offer. Do I need it? No, I have a bottle I've just opened Do I have room to store it? Yes So I bought one bottle. And I'll buy another bottle next time it's on offer I do that with virtually everything I buy. So I don't have to pay £3 for something I use, I can pay £1.50 for it. If it's not on offer, I don't buy it Coffee is £5, I don't buy it at that price, I buy it at £2.50

I'm not stockpiling, there isn't hoards of food but there is always stuff I use so nothing gets wasted and there might be 1 ton of coffee or 4 depending how often it's been on offer!

Barmychick · 04/09/2021 14:13

Nope

NotMyCat · 04/09/2021 14:13

To add, I don't have the funds to shop at Waitrose or M&S or local farm shops etc, but I do this so I can spend less on my food shop

I also batch cook and freeze stuff so nothing gets wasted, it's like when years ago there was stuff being pickled and canned because they had surplus. Stock up for the lean months
I'm also commission based pay so if I have a lean month, I know I have food in and I will run the cupboards down and again restock on offer

FuckPilledLatteplus · 04/09/2021 14:16

We’ve still got about 10 years before shit properly hits the fan

YetAnotherSpartacus · 04/09/2021 14:19

NotMyCat Exactly.

There is a world of difference between buying in advance and stocking up (usually when items are discounted) and running in to buy several packets of product x when there is a shortage and a run on the stores.

It's just that some are too hard of thinking to grasp this.

Or, they want to try to be funny (emphasis on the 'try to be').

Agadorsparticus · 04/09/2021 14:22

No, we usually bulk buy from Costco or buy bulk packs from the supermarket, as it is cost effective so generally have a decent stock of long life basics that we regularly use.
We've run our stocks right down though as we are moving house.

GreenTortoise · 04/09/2021 14:24

Overbuying is ridiculous and no wonder so many people are overweight.

What a ridiculous comment. Stocking piling isn't one through fear though is it. Panic buying is so no they're not the same Lois.

GreenTortoise · 04/09/2021 14:24

Done*

shewalkslikerihanna · 04/09/2021 14:33

I have an arsenal of natural remedies and with my homeopathic remedy making machine I can treat a lot of ailments myself
So that base is covered

Dh ,ex scout leader, should be doing a bit more with prepping re supplies
He has however bought a small wood burning stove for when we lose gas and electric supplies which also charges devices
How that works I don’t know

We haven’t got round to weapons yet for the looters 😂

shewalkslikerihanna · 04/09/2021 14:35

Also if I never buy another article of clothing or shoes I will never wear out what I’ve got if I live the other 30 years I’m planning on living

LemonViolet · 04/09/2021 14:37

Haha, @LoisLane66, from my point of view you’re quite mad to be having to constantly be trooping around supermarkets regularly for a few days supplies, I’d feel that’s a massive waste of my time I’d rather be doing other things, BUT, each to their own, you do you, no need to be so judgey and superior about it!

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 04/09/2021 14:37

No cos I'm not a selfish twat

shewalkslikerihanna · 04/09/2021 14:40

@Nat6999
Wow great list
Thank you
I’ve saved that
Was only thinking of food and not toiletries/ shampoos etc

Although when faith in nature shampoos were £2 a bottle I bought enough to float the titanic

shewalkslikerihanna · 04/09/2021 14:44

Bloody hell gilly
That’s an amazing haul

Don’t forget something to keep away the looters 👍

YetAnotherSpartacus · 04/09/2021 14:45

Also if I never buy another article of clothing or shoes I will never wear out what I’ve got if I live the other 30 years I’m planning on living

A few years ago I found some shoes I liked so I bought six pairs. I'm now down to the last one :(

I know I am unusual but I only have the one pair at any one time. I use the recently retired pair as second best.

No cos I'm not a selfish twat

And another one misses the eleventy billion explanations.

NotMyCat · 04/09/2021 14:47

@YetAnotherSpartacus

Also if I never buy another article of clothing or shoes I will never wear out what I’ve got if I live the other 30 years I’m planning on living

A few years ago I found some shoes I liked so I bought six pairs. I'm now down to the last one :(

I know I am unusual but I only have the one pair at any one time. I use the recently retired pair as second best.

No cos I'm not a selfish twat

And another one misses the eleventy billion explanations.

It's bonkers Like if cat litter is half price, do you buy one or think oh no I have one bag at home I don't need any? Confused
YetAnotherSpartacus · 04/09/2021 14:51

Exactly!

I think some people really do though.

LemonViolet · 04/09/2021 14:53

No I only have one pair of shoes I like @YetAnotherSpartacus!!! I’ve worn them for over a decade now, probably had eight pairs or so. I have one pair in-use everyday and the older pair for gardening/muddy walks etc, and usually the next new pair in the cupboard for when my current pair wears out, but you’ve just reminded me I don’t have my spare yet, so I should get on that.