Are you taking any steps because of the Ukraine situation?

[DetailMouse]

The situation for those in the country is heartbreaking, I've sobbed at several news stories this morning and my heart aches for a Ukrainian friend whose family is still there.

On a far more selfish, practical level have you "done" anything to protect yourself and your own situation? If nothing else I can see an impending deepening of the financial crisis. A friend has taken all her money out of the bank, for example, but it's true she's prone to a bit of drama. Gas supply worries me a lot.

Is there anything we should be doing now to help a bit if the situation is prolonged or worsens?

I’ve cancelled my holiday because it’s not fun anymore. Changing Covid rules in the various ports and Covid testing I could just about cope with. But the very real possibility of war across Europe has led me to cancel.

Everyone who is going (various families) also cancelled yesterday. According to travel agent, they processed huge numbers of refunds.

When a holiday stops being fun and starts causing anxiety, what is the point??

We were still in cancellation window. If we’d waited, we’d get no money back.

My reply was meant for @Hotpinkangel19

If there's all out nuclear war or compete breakdown of society of course we're all doomed and stocking up on cyanide pills might be the answer, but there are loads of things that could happen in between here and there. Thinking about how to avoid being one of the people queuing at the bank or unable to get to work isn't stupid.

A washing line - going to be using the tumble dryer a lot less!!

We can but hope that mainstream media don't start whipping people into a frenzy like they did in Feb 2020 saying food and grain supplies may be affected or that'll be it. We'll be queueing round tesco's car park again.

I really, really hope the media show some sense.

@DottyHarmer

These people drawing out cash to do the shopping in case of cyber attack… [ confused] How do you think that supermarkets/supply chains/manufacturers operate? On slips of paper? If there is a cyberattack nothing will work… except possibly looting

Most cyber attacks don't take out the entire cyber network. Agreed if it did, we have a very major problem but far more likely to be "just" the power supply or some banks - both of which have already been done.

Oh bloody hell. I buy in bulk generally from Costco and my loo roll cupboard is almost bare, Been planning a stock up trip for today for a couple of weeks. The neighbours are going to think I'm prepping when I get home 😂

Covid certainly has taught us how fragile our supply chains are which is another reason I won’t be panic buying. Having lived through it once I won’t be out there in a queue clutching cash to try and buy scraps. If that’s your bag then you go ahead, I’d rather work my way slowly through my cupboards and freezer then see who’s still alive at the end. Then go from there.

@DetailMouse

It's £85k and in a war like crisis might mean you get your money eventually, but there would certainly be long delays. If the banking infrastructure collapses for example, the government aren't going to be handing out cash.

Obviously this is all very black and unlikely but it is what's happened in other countries in times of crisis.

What if her house burns down?

I wouldn't use her as any sort of barometer of what to do.

Keeping a small stash of cash in the house (a few hundred, not thousands!), maybe add a couple of tins to my food shop this week and some longlife milk.

@NobodysGonnaKnow

Covid certainly has taught us how fragile our supply chains are which is another reason I won’t be panic buying. Having lived through it once I won’t be out there in a queue clutching cash to try and buy scraps. If that’s your bag then you go ahead, I’d rather work my way slowly through my cupboards and freezer then see who’s still alive at the end. Then go from there.

This is exactly it though. You've already taken precautions if you've got well stocked cupboards. You're not doing nothing.

I too hope the media don’t ramp it up. I’m still mighty confused why people think supermarkets will be there ready and waiting for them with the only change being cash payments. everything In the supply chain relies on technology.

We have a plan for if telecoms go down, which is a good thing to have for any crisis. Four households will all meet at house A, and each knows how the other households will get there. It means that we're not all out looking for each other, without any means of checking if we've reached house A in the meantime.

(There's an alternative plan for flooding, as one has direct access to their upstairs level!)

@DetailMouse

It's £85k and in a war like crisis might mean you get your money eventually, but there would certainly be long delays. If the banking infrastructure collapses for example, the government aren't going to be handing out cash.

Obviously this is all very black and unlikely but it is what's happened in other countries in times of crisis.

If there's nothing in the shops, having 85K under the mattress isn't going to help much.

There is not going to be a nuclear war or anything that dire so people definitely should not panic.

The most likely scenario is a wave of cyber attacks which yes would likely take down banking for a while. So I agree that having some cash on hand is a good idea. Maybe the big chains would not be functioning well but I assume my small local shops would still be able to sell food for cash.

@DetailMouse

I imagine she means her life saving not the days to day money used to pay the mortgage

But if everyone does that then the banking system will collapse so no don’t do that.

Nothing other than a Red Cross donation

Absolutely dying at all the fellow Santander users who already keep cash ready for the next card crash.
I’ve learnt my lesson and I have £100 in the house ready for their bi weekly outage

Don't know what can be done tbh.
Watching the news, praying to whatever we believe in for the people of Ukraine, and trying to be a good person.

Major supermarkets are not the only places to buy food. I live surrounded by farms with shops, where I can use cash (should the banks go down) to buy fresh produce, plenty of fishing communities nearby etc. They will still need to sell their products quite quickly.

I’m still mighty confused why people think supermarkets will be there ready and waiting for them with the only change being cash payments. everything In the supply chain relies on technology.

Most stores have a backup plan, albeit very labour intensive and the queues would be immense! I've seen it used in one store, I doubt they've ever tried to even simulate such a scenario nation wide.

(Sorry, in one Boots store. The customers soon became very impatient.)

This is exactly it though. You've already taken precautions if you've got well stocked cupboards. You're not doing nothing

Noooo. That’s what happens when you go shopping weekly. You have food in your freezer and food in your cupboards. I have not planned for anything at all.

@BarryKentPoet

Major supermarkets are not the only places to buy food. I live surrounded by farms with shops, where I can use cash (should the banks go down) to buy fresh produce, plenty of fishing communities nearby etc. They will still need to sell their products quite quickly.

And then? When you’ve eaten the sheep and pigs, slaughtered the chickens and picked the carrots. Then what?

@NobodysGonnaKnow

This is exactly it though. You've already taken precautions if you've got well stocked cupboards. You're not doing nothing

Noooo. That’s what happens when you go shopping weekly. You have food in your freezer and food in your cupboards. I have not planned for anything at all.

You have, you've always got enough in to have "stocks" for any crisis. Some people here want you to believe that's selfish.

@xxxsuper

Why has she taken her money out of the bank?

Money out of bank seems a bit risky! I thought our money was “safe?” In banks.