Coronavirus Shopping

[Milo2]

I realised that people were going to panic buy way back in Jan/beginning of Feb. So I made a self-isolation meal plan. It involves cooking food from frozen rather than fresh. So gradually, week by week I would swap items and buy frozen instead of my usual fresh. I had to buy a new freezer which was something we needed as ours was too small for the whole family anyway. I did not panic buy anything or stockpile. Now while everyone else seems to be doing just that I have only been buying food once a week and just what we need. Like our usual food shop (except for all the things I can’t get hold of just like everyone else). Here’s the thing though - I feel a bit guilty but I don’t know why! Maybe it’s because I feel sad for those who are now struggling. At the time when I made the changes none of this was happening in the UK at all and everyone I told laughed at me. They said it would never happen here. But I could see it coming! Was I being unreasonable to make my plan?

TBH, it doesn’t really matter - you’ve done it now.

I think it was fair enough to do at the time.

Thank you!

For goodness’ sake no need for guilt. If more people had done the same the shops wouldn’t be so dire now

What you did was sensible. I also bought some extra dry goods and kept the freezer stocked because I have a large family and my priority is to feed my children if it all goes tits up. We don't have the ability to look after the whole country, only those we are directly responsible for.
It also means we are now buying less stuff when we shop, so there is more available for those who didn't/couldn't buy dry goods in advance. If we are shopping less, then we also aren't adding to to the numbers in shops, thereby reducing everybody's risk.

Saidul:
You are obviously on the make. I have reported your post,

I have also reported

You are one less person in the shops now OP! Thank you.

I still have my brexit stash, including 48 toilet rolls bought over a year ago over a few weeks so not depriving anyone. I still feel guilty about having this but I'm also bloody glad. People I know took the piss, don't care. I'm not panic buying and depriving others now. Guilt is a British thing.

I’m so glad you are all saying I haven’t been unreasonable. It’s just heartbreaking to see people struggling.

@Duchessofblandings @Aderyn19 Is it my post you have reported or what someone wrote? I’m not sure what ‘on the make’ means.

Def a British thing!

Yes we did a big shop in early feb because I just knew it would all kick off tbh. So I’ve been carrying on as normal since and Im keeping my “stock” for when the shot REALLY hits the fan!! Our stores here in Ireland are fully stocked, we had 3 days of semi madness but as of now we can all shop like normal.

It was someone else's post Milo. Someone who was using the site to advertise their business and make money out of this situation

Oh how awful! Thanks for clarifying!

You had a lot more foresight than most of us. It means that you are now very well prepared without having indulged in any panic buying. Good for you.

I've got to admit that although I thought the news from China was terrible, I only began taking the implications for the UK really seriously a couple of weeks ago.

Dp and I were saying this evening that we can't believe how much our attitude has changed in such a short space of time.

We've moved this to the coronavirus topic now, @Milo2.

Thanks @LouMumsnet

That’s understandable though @1066vegan The whole thing is very hard to get your head around. Sometimes I can’t believe this is actually happening. It’s like something out of a movie!!

Absolutely. Listening to the briefings from Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon, and seeing photos and videos of deserted city centres around the world is quite surreal. Really like scenes from a disaster movie.

I'm a primary school teacher. Our numbers were down last week and Friday had a strange atmosphere. It's going to be very odd in there tomorrow.

I hope today goes okay for you @1066vegan

We did this too, a good few weeks ago, and have a fairly substantial stash as a result. It's meant that we haven't had to clog up supermarkets and have been able to just do a skeleton shop for fresh stuff while all this has been going on, so I definitely don't feel guilty as otherwise we would be adding more footfall to shops and pressure on the supply chain.

Same here, we are both at higher risk, but not in the new 1.5 Million group.

I am house bound and we don't drive. I started to fill our freezer end of last year, added a few packs and tins to the shop each week.

I have kept doing normal weekly shops and thank god we have online shops already booked in for the next 3 weeks.

Hoping we get cough meds in the shop today as I have gone through most of ours as we have had the worse chest infection/coughs I can remember for the last 3 weeks ( Hoping that was CV, symptoms all matched but unlikely given where we live.) Locally everywhere has been sold out.

We have maybe 2 months worth of supplies now stored. Why do I feel so guilty? If we can edit the orders over the next few weeks, I am going to check with neighbours if they need anything adding, but still have this feeling of being just so lucky at the moment.

@Milo2 Thanks for the good wishes. Everything went very smoothly at school. Not too many children in each year group. Even a lot of the key worker parents found a way to keep their children at home - which is obviously the safest place for them.

We kept thing nice and positive for the children who were with us and none of them seemed too anxious