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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To stockpile 72 hours of supplies

542 replies

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 13:23

..in case of disaster or attack. A new preparedness strategy inspired by Nordic countries and Germany, who already do this.

Is this something you already do, or will do?

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/26/stockpile-supplies-72-hours-disasters-attack-eu-tells-citizens

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 19:42

LBFseBrom · 27/03/2025 18:44

It is scaremongering.

It’s not. It’s common sense.

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 27/03/2025 19:45

FurFangsPawsAndClaws · 27/03/2025 19:13

Threads like this really scare me.

I have severe anxiety and one of my biggest fears is the threat of nuclear war or some other attack, I try not to think about it or panic most of the time then we get advice like this about how we should have 3 days supplies and my anxiety goes through the roof.

Last May when the government sent out a warning I went shopping with a friend and we spent hundreds on tinned and dried food, water, batteries, candles etc. I still have the batteries and candles and have charged power-banks at all times but don’t really have anywhere to store bottled water, we have two cars so I might fill my car boot. We ended up eating a of the food as food shopping is so expensive now but usually have 3 days worth of food now as we do a weekly shop at Aldi rather than picking up a few fits daily.

My DP and friends are aware of how much I worry about this but they just tell me worrying won’t change anything and it’s extremely unlikely anything is going to happen, I don’t know if I’m just pessimistic or if it’s down to anxiety but I actually feel like something is imminent and we are being kept in the dark over it. I did something very silly a few months ago and watched the film threads
I know it’s just a film but the fact that everyone was going on with their lives with attacks being planned and unaware till the last few days is a scenario I can see happening.

The Russia and Ukraine war is carrying on and I avoid watching or reading the news but I can’t see it ending peacefully, the conflict in other countries and trump being in power in the US makes it seem inevitable that the UK won’t be affected in some way.

I agree with the pp who mentioned medication would be a big issue, I’m on daily medication that I only get prescribed once a week, without it my life would be very difficult and I bet there are a lot of other people for whom this would be their biggest concern. I think this is a big issue most people neglect to think about.

My DP is Persian and his family and friends back home are worried about living in a country ran by a power mad dictator, they are also growing increasingly concerned about the threat of war. My DP is autistic and can’t fully comprehend our worries because unless something is directly affecting him he doesn’t have the capacity to imagine how bad things could get, I’m quite jealous of this! I don’t want him to be worried but I think he needs a level of awareness just in case.

I do find the funny comments on this thread reassuring and it helps calm me that plenty of people don’t seem particularly worried. As I try to avoid reading/watching the news I imagine most people posting will be better informed of the level of risk then me and my overactive imagination, I
I hope my worries are just anxiety based and the threat of a nuclear attack is very low, I just find it hard to believe that with the emergency phone alert being implemented and the occasional warnings about having 3 days supplies that the government and people in power are keeping something big from us.

Does anyone else feel as worried or am I just letting my anxiety rule my life as usual?

The biggest thing we have to fear in the apocalypse is the loss of the internet.

It means that people will have to stop gaming and reading social media. Instead of getting wound up and being made anxious by stories on the internet about how we are all going to die of cancer caused by eating too many Cadbury's cream eggs we will have some proper stuff to worry about. The most difficult thing of all is you might have to have a conversation with someone and will either have to be really nice to them or be prepared to kill them in cold blood.

On the plus side, we'll all successfully manage to lose weight and keep it off. Without petrol or electricity for your cars (unless you can find a friendly person with solar and a charging point) you'll get fitter from all the walking and hunting you'll have to do. No one will complain about cats shitting in their gardens again. There maybe a problem with feral dogs temporarily, until they all get barbequed. No one will complain about Asbo neighbours. Instead you'll be actively recruiting them to head of security for you local milita.

Terrorists will find a place in society again as their skills in blowing up shit, can be put to good use breaking into food warehouses. Frustration with shitty managers who do fuck all will end over night as they find themselves surplus to requirements. If your MIL doesn't live in the same town going no contact instantly becomes easier. If shes a right one she'll have a reputation and be higher up on the hit list due to her lack of social skills. Failing that, there are no longer repercussions for murder and if we reach the stage of cannibalism, it simply makes decision making much easier.

Anyone with any sense will stockpile copious amounts of alcohol and chocolate and hot sauce. You will need hard currency after all. It will likely solve issues with global warming by reducing those emissions drastically overnight. You won't care so much about wearing the latest trends - second will become all the rage. You won't be jealous of people who live in mansions because it's easier to keep warm in a small home. You won't worry about your kids getting fined for not being in school in term time or failing maths anymore. You'll be pleased they took up hockey rather than football as the stick doubles as a weapon. And you can burn that fucking violin.

In answer to your question, yes you are letting anxiety rule your life too much. In some ways if the worst should happen, life will become different and less stressful in certain areas with no time to worry about much more than simply surviving.

BeTwinklyKhakiPanda · 27/03/2025 19:54

I am from NZ. I've always had a dozen or so bottles of water, enough food for a few days, loo paper, camping stove, windup radio etc. And wine. Because earthquakes. Live in London now, but old habits and all that

DrPrunesqualer · 27/03/2025 19:58

RedToothBrush · 27/03/2025 19:45

The biggest thing we have to fear in the apocalypse is the loss of the internet.

It means that people will have to stop gaming and reading social media. Instead of getting wound up and being made anxious by stories on the internet about how we are all going to die of cancer caused by eating too many Cadbury's cream eggs we will have some proper stuff to worry about. The most difficult thing of all is you might have to have a conversation with someone and will either have to be really nice to them or be prepared to kill them in cold blood.

On the plus side, we'll all successfully manage to lose weight and keep it off. Without petrol or electricity for your cars (unless you can find a friendly person with solar and a charging point) you'll get fitter from all the walking and hunting you'll have to do. No one will complain about cats shitting in their gardens again. There maybe a problem with feral dogs temporarily, until they all get barbequed. No one will complain about Asbo neighbours. Instead you'll be actively recruiting them to head of security for you local milita.

Terrorists will find a place in society again as their skills in blowing up shit, can be put to good use breaking into food warehouses. Frustration with shitty managers who do fuck all will end over night as they find themselves surplus to requirements. If your MIL doesn't live in the same town going no contact instantly becomes easier. If shes a right one she'll have a reputation and be higher up on the hit list due to her lack of social skills. Failing that, there are no longer repercussions for murder and if we reach the stage of cannibalism, it simply makes decision making much easier.

Anyone with any sense will stockpile copious amounts of alcohol and chocolate and hot sauce. You will need hard currency after all. It will likely solve issues with global warming by reducing those emissions drastically overnight. You won't care so much about wearing the latest trends - second will become all the rage. You won't be jealous of people who live in mansions because it's easier to keep warm in a small home. You won't worry about your kids getting fined for not being in school in term time or failing maths anymore. You'll be pleased they took up hockey rather than football as the stick doubles as a weapon. And you can burn that fucking violin.

In answer to your question, yes you are letting anxiety rule your life too much. In some ways if the worst should happen, life will become different and less stressful in certain areas with no time to worry about much more than simply surviving.

Chicken Farting GIF by happydog

Not sure hockey sticks are as good as swords from fencing
or bows and arrows re pp
or shooting ( now I really can show off about my kids going private 🤣🤣 )

Id rethink that sport.

Id easily go cannibal instead of resorting to eating animals but if you’ve got enough lentils and beans who cares.

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 27/03/2025 20:00

I'm amused at the idea of stock piling cat food. The Third Law of Cats would mean that they'd refuse to eat any of it the moment you opened the packet.

And try telling them that's all there is. Go on, just try...

BigTimeMummy · 27/03/2025 20:02

Is it just me or does this thread get reposted every few months?

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 20:03

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 27/03/2025 20:00

I'm amused at the idea of stock piling cat food. The Third Law of Cats would mean that they'd refuse to eat any of it the moment you opened the packet.

And try telling them that's all there is. Go on, just try...

Edited

Spot on! 🤣

OP posts:
RedToothBrush · 27/03/2025 20:05

BigTimeMummy · 27/03/2025 20:02

Is it just me or does this thread get reposted every few months?

It does. It still amused me.

PleaseDontFingerMyPouffe · 27/03/2025 20:06

OldCottageGreenhouse · 27/03/2025 19:11

@PleaseDontFingerMyPouffeThank you that’s kind. It was painful and made me incredibly dizzy. I couldn’t bring myself to beg as people just assume all homeless people are drug addicts. I couldn’t take the filthy looks. I was tempted to steal from shops but didn’t. I did faint in a newsagent once though, from lack of food and was arrested for the pleasure. That was embarrassing.

You must have incredible self-restraint to not steal food under those conditions. You're clearly in a much better place now but I hope you've recovered psychologically as much as anyone can from such a time x

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 20:08

@BigTimeMummy This is new advise within the EU. Although some countries, like mine, have had stronger recommendations for many years. So 72 hrs does sound a bit light.

It’s been talked about a lot, so not sure why you are surprised there are threads about it.

OP posts:
marsaline · 27/03/2025 20:19

For those worrying about storing water it starts to taste slightly stale after a while. Literally all you have to do is to shake it and that will re-oxygenate it. Then it tastes fine.

the whole thing about the plastic degrading is going to be the least of your worries if our power is targeted and we therefore can’t process the water. It isn’t a major factor.

interestingly I went a lecture a few weeks ago by one of the worlds leading cyber security experts. Attacks on our infrastructure in the uk are scarily common. We don’t hear about most of them.

Blackbirdsingssongs · 27/03/2025 20:20

Is that tinned food, because I already have about a month of frozen (or more).
I haven’t got storage for 100 litres of water!

marsaline · 27/03/2025 20:21

LBFseBrom · 27/03/2025 18:44

It is scaremongering.

No it’s improving our national security and building resilience. The world is an unstable place at the moment. If we can insulate ourselves from short term problems that’s a very good thing

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 20:23

marsaline · 27/03/2025 20:19

For those worrying about storing water it starts to taste slightly stale after a while. Literally all you have to do is to shake it and that will re-oxygenate it. Then it tastes fine.

the whole thing about the plastic degrading is going to be the least of your worries if our power is targeted and we therefore can’t process the water. It isn’t a major factor.

interestingly I went a lecture a few weeks ago by one of the worlds leading cyber security experts. Attacks on our infrastructure in the uk are scarily common. We don’t hear about most of them.

Good tip about the water!

OP posts:
BurntBroccoli · 27/03/2025 20:29

OldCottageGreenhouse · 27/03/2025 19:07

May I ask, did you go through a period of living in poverty or relative-poverty at some stage of your life? I only ask as I very much did once I became homeless at 16 (lived on streets) and even now, 24 years later, I still subconsciously panic if we don’t have a fully stocked kitchen.
Apparently it’s called food insecurity and is a known thing.

Yes I’ve always had this and always kept a good supply of everything.
Went through a stage of not having enough food when I was younger so it’s definitely food insecurity with me.

Smallwins · 27/03/2025 20:32

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 27/03/2025 13:42

It's a nice idea but I simply don't have space to keep 15 bottle of wine in my house.

Nor the will power not to drink it in non emergency situations

NattyTurtle59 · 27/03/2025 20:33

Lots of countries give this advice - I received yet another flyer about it just this week. It's hardly something new.

BurntBroccoli · 27/03/2025 20:34

RedToothBrush · 27/03/2025 17:31

And how do you intend to survive once the gas runs out?!

Those little gas canisters don't last long...

I bought a 6 pack of gas canisters so should last a while but also a flint just in case.

LibrariansGiveUsPower · 27/03/2025 20:41

Imbusytodaysorry · 27/03/2025 14:09

Seems like they are thinking an attack on our banking / computer / delivery systems /medical .
I think this is the attack they are waiting for at any time .

This seems more of an actual risk

seriouslessness · 27/03/2025 20:44

NattyTurtle59 · 27/03/2025 20:33

Lots of countries give this advice - I received yet another flyer about it just this week. It's hardly something new.

Yeah. Like I said. 🙂

Where do you live?

OP posts:
Crazyworldmum · 27/03/2025 20:46

I have 20 chicken should have enough food for a while lol . Joke aside we have lanterns stove and quite a few gas bottles , a water filtration system if needed and a stream near the garden . I keep car fuel always above half a tank too . We use heating oil ( kerosene ) so if we need I’m sure we can use it on the diesel car as an emergency to try and escape the island . Passports money and important documents always in the same place with a few cherished fotos and kids BC .

TheNoonBell · 27/03/2025 21:22

For those of you worried about water, check an old ordinance survey map of your area online and find out where the local springs are. Failing that check for wells.

ByBoldOP · 27/03/2025 21:48

Water we have 3 days worth (gallon a day per person)
Containers we could fill and water purification tablets.

Food we have weeks of food we could survive on

Ideally I would like to increase the water we have so that in a SHTF situation we could secure ourselves in the house and wait and see approach.

ByBoldOP · 27/03/2025 21:49

TheNoonBell · 27/03/2025 21:22

For those of you worried about water, check an old ordinance survey map of your area online and find out where the local springs are. Failing that check for wells.

Edited

Would this also show on a new ordinance map?

marsaline · 27/03/2025 21:58

We are lucky in that we live in a fairly wet country. Having a couple of waterbutts on all of your down pipes soon means you have a store of a few hundred litres of water.

you can make water safe to drink by filtering it and then boiling it or using a couple of drops of bleach

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