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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Only on mumsnet do people prep.

523 replies

Notlong20 · 26/02/2020 20:49

There is not one person I know in real life that is prepping for a coronavirus outbreak. In fact, no one I speak to even mentions the threat of the virus.

Of course we know of it as the hysteria surrounding it is all over the news / social media, but aibu to think preppers only exist on mumsnet?

OP posts:
IceWings · 26/02/2020 22:26

baked beans and tinned tomatoes were not available for delivery after 1st march!
I noticed that and wondered wtf was going on. Presumably it’s across the country then?

PlomBear · 26/02/2020 22:28

Oh and I have some of those beef dripping chips in the freezer. Hopefully the power won’t go.

Russellbrandshair · 26/02/2020 22:28

If we get to the stage where people have used up their six weeks of food, there is no water or power, murdering gangs are roaming and the dead are lying in the streets, I would rather not be here to know about it thanks

Totally agree! I don’t want to live in an apocalyptic scenario surrounded by rotting dead bodies. I’d rather die, at least I believe in an afterlife! Can’t understand why anyone would want to be among the only people left- sounds absolutely horrific.

PlomBear · 26/02/2020 22:29

I would probably just move into the military base. I presume they’ll have food and stuff. Maybe I need to see the mess manager tomorrow and book a cabin for DH and I for the duration.

Lillyhatesjaz · 26/02/2020 22:29

I always keep some extra food in this time of year, as we live at the top of a cul de sac and a few times I haven't been able to get my car out for several days. It's a long walk to the shops so better not to have to

MrsFruitcake · 26/02/2020 22:31

I'm doing a bit of prepping and was met with total derision when I suggested to just one very close colleague at work that she should consider getting extra nappies, wipes and food in, just in case she has to self-quarantine. A full and frank discussion later and she had definitely come round to my way of thinking. I didn't mention it to anyone else though for the reasons most other organised people have already stated.

I just don't think that everyone (especially those under say 25) realise that having extra food etc in is a good idea and isn't being crazy.

Miljea · 26/02/2020 22:32

In the same way 'certain threads' on MN more or less dried up overnight regarding a Big Issue oncoming like a freight train; I suspect we won't hear a peep from the 'you're all nutters!' - Brigade quite soon, one way or another.

I low-grade prep, but you'll never know!

HerRoyalNotness · 26/02/2020 22:33

We’re supposed to keep stocked for hurricane season, so if we don’t need it for a Coronavirus lockdown we’ll be ready for summer. I just stocked up about 10 days worth today. Still need to get loo paper and frozen veg and meat for the freezer. And water for hurricane season as mine has expired but I’ll keep it for loo flushing should we need it.

We’re probably the least prepared, loads of people here have spare fridges/freezers in the garage and generators not to mention weapons. We’d have to just shut the blinds and hope for the best.

YourWinter · 26/02/2020 22:34

Don't you look at any other forums (fora?), preppers are across all the popular ones.

I am a prepper because as a single parent of three primary age children, in a rural location, I dreaded running out of anything we might need and being unable to just pop out to stock up. In the days before online supermarket deliveries, before we had internet, I didn't want to run out of loo roll, milk, paracetamol, food for us and for our animals... so I bought more than I needed, and found comfort in keeping an inventory, using things in date order, freezing and preserving, gathering wood on our dog walks so if the heating went off we could still keep warm by the open fire. They're all grown up but I still do it, and yesterday when a burst water main down the road meant the water was off when I got up, and not restored until after 6pm, I could wash, and wash up, flush the loo and make a pot of tea, because I have plenty of water stored indoors. The water company sent a van round at 3pm with bottled water for each home affected, but I'd already used 3 litres by then for myself and my little DGS, and that was using buckets from a water butt in the garden to flush the loo.

TattiePants · 26/02/2020 22:35

@SpaceDinosaur if the shit hits the fan I’ll trade you tuna. I picked up 3 multi-packs on offer in Sainsbury’s today and got home to find DH had done the same thing yesterday! We’ve got about 25 tins!

AvocadoOwl · 26/02/2020 22:38

I'm not usually a prepper but I have got a stash of supplies in for Coronavirus and I'm confused as to how anyone who takes even a casual amount of interest in the news can't see that it's a sensible idea to be reasonably well stocked up.

Italian towns were locked down with no warning at all. Supermarkets are being cleared out by panic buyers in multiple countries: these things could happen in your town at any point now.

Why wouldn't you want to be able to stay comfortably at home for a bit without having to worry about food and loo roll? Confused

Snowdropdelight · 26/02/2020 22:38

I'm a lap low grade prepping. Everyone was extremely dismissive of covid at work today, no way I'm going to interject with tales of 127 loo rolls and where I've stored them Grin

Snowdropdelight · 26/02/2020 22:42

It's so infectious, who would get us food if we were struck down?
We don't have family near by?
I'd like access to pre made highly nutritious soups, day nurse medicine, paracetamol, loo roll, dettol laundry liquid, hand gels. I can't imagine 4 of us ill, maybe not life threatening but feeling really rough, trying to scramble and get supplies we desperately need, ill, circumnavigating lock downs, clear outs etc... Last thing I want to be worried about...

HerRoyalNotness · 26/02/2020 22:42

The flu doesn’t kill just as many people. Of the resolved cases the death rate is at 18% but it’s expected overall it will be 2.5% which Is much greater than the flu. Apparently that’s the same rate as deaths from Spanish flu in 1918

Miljea · 26/02/2020 22:44

It's okay, a 'little chap' from Waitrose will pop round and see you right, you silly billies! 🙄

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 26/02/2020 22:46

Ive just been talking to dh about this thread

And he thinks its a good idea to get a few bits at the weekend

I blame notlong20 for starting the thread 😀

BedraggledBlitz · 26/02/2020 22:47

I've bought loads of tea bags, longlife stuff and toilet roll! The supermarket is already hell on Christmas eve etc, I cant imagine what it'd be like if we were hit with a pandemic. Carnage.

Plus I'm a single parent so if I'm ill, nobody is there to buy food. This way I won't have to worry about dragging myself to a shop.

I'm sure people think I'm bonkers.

PlomBear · 26/02/2020 22:47

Waitrose still has baked beans and tinned tomatoes in March...

TheOrangeFox · 26/02/2020 22:49

It seems ludicrously arrogant to not prepare somewhat when dealing with a highly infectious virus with an R0 as high as it is predicted to be.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not in a bunker stuffed wall to wall with camping meals but I have enough supplies to feed the five of us and pets for around 4 weeks.

Initially I started prepping because of low income. Not knowing if benefits could be stopped at any point meant gathering suitable extras where possible. Then with the storms, I stocked up on batteries, candles, and torches to be able to navigate any power cuts (our area was hit pretty badly).

I see prepping in this manner no more of an issue than doing a big food shop and having a well organised house. I don't wear it as a badge of honour and it's never come up in real life but that's because to me it's no big deal. Just like people have savings in case they have a reduction of incone, we have household supplies for the same reason and applicable to other situations.

If anything, threads like these make me see how woefully unprepared some people would be for even a short term power outage in their homes. You can't prepare for every scenario but you can surely take steps?

Onceuponatimethen · 26/02/2020 22:51

Actually this thread is brilliant - I’ve got so many good ideas. Have added calpol and tinned soups to my list.

speakout · 26/02/2020 22:51

I like to keep full stocks of non perishables all the time.
I have lived in a rural area for some time, not always possible to get stuff, plush I love a bargain.
I have rows of shelves in my garage a separate chest freezer.
I keep hundreds of items. Usually all bought on offer.
Last weeekend I bought 20 bottles of Radox bubble bath in tesco marked down to 20p each. I stock up on stuff when it is cheap. I dislike running out.

GoodDogBellaBoo · 26/02/2020 22:52

@gamerchick I’m with you. OP has made her mind up already, not even worth replying.

chipsandgin · 26/02/2020 22:52

Wow! I don’t know anyone who would or has prepped or even considered it.

However I also know nobody who voted for Brexit or who thinks Boris isn’t a dangerous buffoon...(& therefore was blindsided by both outcomes). Imagine if there is some correlation! The country would be full(er) of Xenophobic Tory voters who survived the apocalypse...terrifying thought. (disclaimer - am joking - about the correlation- still know no preppers though, have until now assumed just MN hysteria; who knows!?).

Made me think of this quote:

“The paranoid is never entirely mistaken”
Sigmund Freud

SusanneLinder · 26/02/2020 22:54

Well I have got some extra stuff in case of Quarantine for a fortnight as my DH has pre existing health issues and thought it sensible.
I have a job, Netflix and no mental health issues for those that think that people prepping do..😡

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