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Original poster

Are you taking any steps because of the Ukraine situation?

616 replies

DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 09:16

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?

OP posts:
Tubs11 · 25/02/2022 12:42

Are we back to stockpiling pasta, toilet roll and apparently stashing cash under the mattress again? Hmm

AladdinPrincess999 · 25/02/2022 12:43

@DetailMouse are you writing an article for the DM? Couldn't help but see the DM in your name. Grin you are irritational. You clearly have anxiety (join the club) but just do you and stop scaremongering!!

AladdinPrincess999 · 25/02/2022 12:44

*irrational

GrannyWeatherwaxsHatpin · 25/02/2022 12:45

No. I'm not taking any steps at all.

I'm not moving money internationally (what good is moving my cash to the Caymen Islands - does it need a holiday or something?), I'm not stopping using my car in some sort of solidarity movement, I'm not panic buying bog roll and pasta. There's always cash in the house and there's some food around. That's as it always is.

I am bored titless with one fucking drama after another. Those of us old enough to remember the Cold War, or at least the last vestiges of it, know that we survived the last round of Russian paranoia so I'm sure we'll make it through this one, even if Vlad is wanking himself to sleep at night at the idea of a new Iron Curtain. No-one is going to start throwing nukes around because it's MAD - Mutually Assured Destruction. It's why we still pay trillions of pounds to keep these weapons: if everyone has them, no-one uses them. And even if Russia does launch cyber attacks, this shit happens all the time. There's planning for and protection against it - our national IT infrastructure is not run by a 16 year old on work experience.

Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 12:46

[quote AladdinPrincess999]@DetailMouse are you writing an article for the DM? Couldn't help but see the DM in your name. Grin you are irritational. You clearly have anxiety (join the club) but just do you and stop scaremongering!![/quote]
Ah the response as soon as people run out of argument Grin

Actually I don't have anxiety. I am interested in the way things might play out and what (if anthing) we should be doing now to be prepared rather than being forced to panic later. Just being pragmatic, not anxious.

OP posts:
Waxonwaxoff0 · 25/02/2022 12:50

Not doing anything. There's nothing I can do.

FAQs · 25/02/2022 12:50

Where my daughter works at the weekend they have one of these card readers, their internet is a bit unreliable in the middle of nowhere, she had never seen one before and when I picked her up her boss (same age as me) was laughing tell me how they had to show her what it was.

Grin

www.retailgurus.co.uk/backup-imprinters/starter-packs/addressograph-bartizan-premium-manual-card-imprinter-backup-starter-pack-2

Lilitchka · 25/02/2022 12:51

I am half ukrainian
My relatives in Ukraine have all.their bank accounts frozen, without warning. So they can't use their bank cards to buy things and banks are physically closed too

Dillidalli · 25/02/2022 12:53

@Sparklingbrook

Are you sure this 'friend' isn't you OP?
I was going to say the same thing Grin
Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 12:53

[quote FAQs]Where my daughter works at the weekend they have one of these card readers, their internet is a bit unreliable in the middle of nowhere, she had never seen one before and when I picked her up her boss (same age as me) was laughing tell me how they had to show her what it was.

Grin

www.retailgurus.co.uk/backup-imprinters/starter-packs/addressograph-bartizan-premium-manual-card-imprinter-backup-starter-pack-2[/quote]
I was once in a pub when their network failed and they brought these out. I had to show them how to use it Grin

OP posts:
FourTeaFallOut · 25/02/2022 12:54

Completely ridiculous. Can you imagine stood in Barclays and withdrawing £85k and then stuffing your pockets and your wheelie bag while you explain to everyone around you that you are just a run of the mill drama llama that likes to make everything about themselves and you aren't actually about to pay a ransom?? GrinGrin

CrimeaChimera · 25/02/2022 12:54

I have written to my MP to ask him to support Ukrainian refugees coming to the UK.

Dh and I have decided that we can take a refugee child if needed.

I have started researching organisations I can volunteer with to help.

I worked in Kyiv 20 years ago and have friends there. One I have heard from- they are heading for Poland.

Phobiaphobic · 25/02/2022 12:54

@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 the banking infrastructure collapses, I'd have thought cash would be relatively worthless. We'd be pretty much back to bartering.
CrimeaChimera · 25/02/2022 12:55

@CrimeaChimera

I have written to my MP to ask him to support Ukrainian refugees coming to the UK.

Dh and I have decided that we can take a refugee child if needed.

I have started researching organisations I can volunteer with to help.

I worked in Kyiv 20 years ago and have friends there. One I have heard from- they are heading for Poland.

Thise are the steps I have taken, to answer the original question.
Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 12:56

@FourTeaFallOut

Completely ridiculous. Can you imagine stood in Barclays and withdrawing £85k and then stuffing your pockets and your wheelie bag while you explain to everyone around you that you are just a run of the mill drama llama that likes to make everything about themselves and you aren't actually about to pay a ransom?? GrinGrin
It's not that ridiculous. Some companies (few now, admittedly) still collect wages in cash weekly and lots of people cash large sums to pay tradesmen. You just need to order in advance and tell the bank a made up reason why you want it . No one said it was £85k
OP posts:
Hobnobswantshernameback · 25/02/2022 12:57

Well I'm hiding under my bed and have told Vlad that I'm not coming out until he stops being a silly Billy
That should do it

purplehairlady · 25/02/2022 13:00

@LowlandLucky

Other than buying extra animal feed I wont do anything differently. We don't keep much money in the bank anyway, we live in a rural area so our vehicle is always topped up, our coal and woodpile is healthy, the larder is depleted but then we are nearing the end of winter.

I'm so interested in people who live like this.

How do you live without money in a bank? What happens in you are burgled or your house is on fire, or do you not really have savings?

Does this mean you don't invest any money in stock, ETFs or similar??

If you have all of your money "under your mattress" doesn't inflation scare you even more?

Not being rude, genuinely curious.

balalake · 25/02/2022 13:01

None at all. Though the point about supporting any refugees should any come to the UK is well made.

nitsandwormsdodger · 25/02/2022 13:02

I woulda be more worth about her mental health
What a bizarre thing to do

NobodysGonnaKnow · 25/02/2022 13:05

@DetailMouse I’m not getting at you I promise. I just think it’s worthwhile taking these through processes to their logical conclusions. I honestly find that helps my anxiety.

We’ve established you could take money out and if it helps you feel more secure then do it! Not your life savings, but a couple of hundred sounds okay.

You could buy some extra food. I don’t like the idea but again, if having some more tinned tomatoes in your cupboard helps, then do it!

You’re going to keep your car topped up. Okay!

You can’t store gas in buckets, we all know that (I hope!) but you could try and use a little less gas. Okay. I think as the price continues to rise well all be trying to use less fuel whether it’s petrol, diesel, electricity or gas.

You could buy some torches. Pack a bag. Ensure your kids have passports. Photocopy some documents. Fine. What you can do is control the future when it comes to war, climate change or pandemics. When you can accept that you will find peace with it. Then you just crack on enjoying the time we have left as none of us know what will happen today, tomorrow, a weeks time or a years time.

NobodysGonnaKnow · 25/02/2022 13:07

*what you can’t do....

Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 13:08

[quote NobodysGonnaKnow]@DetailMouse I’m not getting at you I promise. I just think it’s worthwhile taking these through processes to their logical conclusions. I honestly find that helps my anxiety.

We’ve established you could take money out and if it helps you feel more secure then do it! Not your life savings, but a couple of hundred sounds okay.

You could buy some extra food. I don’t like the idea but again, if having some more tinned tomatoes in your cupboard helps, then do it!

You’re going to keep your car topped up. Okay!

You can’t store gas in buckets, we all know that (I hope!) but you could try and use a little less gas. Okay. I think as the price continues to rise well all be trying to use less fuel whether it’s petrol, diesel, electricity or gas.

You could buy some torches. Pack a bag. Ensure your kids have passports. Photocopy some documents. Fine. What you can do is control the future when it comes to war, climate change or pandemics. When you can accept that you will find peace with it. Then you just crack on enjoying the time we have left as none of us know what will happen today, tomorrow, a weeks time or a years time.[/quote]
Yes, if people weren't so keen to shout stupid or selfish this is the sort of sensible steps we could be discussing. Of course, as I've said, complete disaster and none of it will help, but there are a lot of things that could happen between where we are now and amegedon.

OP posts:
FAQs · 25/02/2022 13:09

I’ve thank goodness only been in the situation once when the banking system crashed, cash become king, the shops/suppliers were aware it was a possibility and put measures in place, as I fully expect would be the case here.

But it was the only way to buy goods, people were selling what they had for cash, those who had stockpiled were making a fortune.

Others were kinder and swapping essentials such as baby formula for items, everything become currency.

What become highly valuable was foreign currency, especially American Dollars because it could be exchanged for local currency, in banks, foreign exchange outlets, hotels etc who held stock I remember the scramble to buy/sell foreign currency.

Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 13:10

It's not about the cost I just haven't got round to it. I will, but not this weekend or probably next month. I've got some busy weekends coming up.

OP posts:
Original poster
DetailMouse · 25/02/2022 13:10

@DetailMouse

It's not about the cost I just haven't got round to it. I will, but not this weekend or probably next month. I've got some busy weekends coming up.
Oops, that's not the right thread
OP posts: