To ask if you have prepped for the second wave

[Oldbagface]

Have you been buying a few extras with each shop in anticipation?

I notice many items are already out of stock online.

What sort of things have you been putting away.

We have bought the odd extras with each shop e.g. tinned tomatoes, pasta, loo roll and baking powder.

We have loads of flour anyway as buy in bulk for our bread maker.

Oh, and chocolates for Christmas.

I should also say to the nay-sayers that being well stocked up meant I could help neighbours - some tinned/jarred goods bought months before we'd even heard of the pandemic (when in plentiful supply) were much appreciated when they were no longer easily found in shops.

Yes have started, will continue to add in the following weeks. Also starting to look at Christmas now and will shop much earlier than normal.

No. I did last time but then it turned out that no one in my area panic bought and we were blessed that while there were shortages in most the country for some reason no one here gave a toss. So I assume it will be the same and Im not bothering now. Although toilet roll. It's mg worst nightmare to have no toilet roll but I always keep some in

@ThroughThickAndThin01 Good idea re Christmas. I bought the kids' Easter eggs way before lockdown which was lucky as we didn't end up going to a supermarket until May. I even got small eggs for an Easter egg hunt so they had as normal an Easter as possible.

I buy multiple bags of gf pasta every time I'm in morrisons as it's about 1/3 of the price of gf pasta anywhere else. People probably think I'm panic buying.

Just bought an outdoor heater

But this is how I have shopped by entire life! I grew up very rurally and mum always had a stash of tins and preserves. We were snowed in a a couple of times and they came in very handy. I didn’t know there was a rule that you could only buy the food you needed that week.

I’m not sure that’s it’s selfish or that it has had any effect on supply lines or if it has they would have adjusted in the 20 years I’ve been doing this. I tend to do bulk order from catering companies / Costco anyway So shouldn’t impact on others.

There just isn’t a need to buy extra. Hopefully the government will take responsibility for the stupid and not allow bulk buying now.

Am I prepared......no, not even mentally 😭

Are we assuming that's sarcasm @Redcups64?
If you think our govt will take responsibility for anything??

Bought a new combined fridge-freezer for the garage yesterday. Been wanting one for years. Our current freezer is full of fresh berries which will be nice for smoothies this winter.

@ohthegoats

I stocked for Brexit for the last two Brexit dates, and have done/will continue doing for the end of transition. We get everything delivered now too.

We did this too. During 2018 and 2019, over a number of months. I've used up things that were getting close to their dates, and replaced them over the summer.

I'm pregnant, have asthma and no car, so I don't want to be taking the bus and queuing if we can't get online deliveries. It also means we can cope if we have to isolate for 14 days.

Yep. Signed up for milk and veg box delivery. Stocked up on pasta and rice etc over the past couple of months. After what Johnson said yesterday, I think there might be some panic buying now. I won't need to partake, thankfully.

@Redcups64 people can define their own need. PPs have stated being disabled or less able to shop regularly. DH is a keyworker and they have already had cases at work. We are not going to be so irresponsible as to go to a supermarket when self-isolating.

Also, sod queuing for busy shelf-stripped supermarkets if there is a second wave with potential local lockdown. We didnt have to do that last time (just the once but didn't need the panic bought stuff) and wont have to this time. If it comes to that which it probably won't. My DH had the same attitude re there being no need back in March but was really glad I did last time and is now fully on board for round 2. He returned shell shocked from his one supermarket trip at the height of lockdown in May.

Us being stocked up with essentials meant I could focus on coordinating and buying grocery boxes for 2 elderly and shielding relatives in another city without having to worry about my young kids going without. It also meant I could juggle working from home while homeschooling 2 kids without worrying about going to the shops and the logistics of that while keyworker DH was at work. I know personally that my family need to prep, so we have. There will be one less person in the sainsburys queue if there is another lockdown so thank us later!

Everyone's situation is different and their needs are different.

I live abroad. Usually we buy pasta/tins etc at the cheaper large supermarket near DH's work and buy fresh food near us. Our lockdown was a lot of harder than the UK'S and we were no longer allowed to drive miles to a supermarket so we had to rely on the small, expensive, limited variety shops near us. Walking, not car, and one person at a time, so had to go out more frequently.

When lockdown ended we cleared out a cupboard and SLOWLY started filling it with things we couldn't get last time or which are miles more expensive locally.

Inevitably more restrictions will happen this winter and we want to limit how often we go to shops.

Similarly I am buying for Christmas cos during the last lockdown they stopped all non essential deliveries and I don't fancy having nothing to give to my 6 and 9 year olds...

I know these threads always attract a poster or two mentioning privilege but I find it ironic as I was taught to keep a larder as a thrift measure by family of poor and intermittent income. Hey ho.

Of course some people never have the spare change, cupboard space or ability to organise a back up.

Like I said previously we've helped others shielding, with deliveries via a church scheme. We could also miss out shopping when things were more busy.

If I can stand powdered milk in my coffee I do not get why anyone else cares about my being slightly prepared enough to last a couple of weeks without going to a supermarket and our family having the spare capacity that we can where necessary help others.

Imo everyone WHO CAN should have some basic supplies for a week at home.

It's not the prepared who cause any idiocy.

@SallySeven too right!!

@SpilltheTea

I don't understand 'preppers' or panic buyers. You're hardly going to starve ffs

We were down to our second to last loo roll when Ocado cancelled our delivery back in April. We borrowed a 9 pack from my friend who was better prepared.

But my primary motive for maintaining well stocked cupboards is so we don't add to the shortages when scarcities occur. And don't have to go out when awaiting test results

Store cupboard.
Pantry.
Ocado.

And meanwhile in the REAL world

@SallySeven I'll admit we live life day-to-day and rarely have more than a couple of days food in. I am very disorganized and clearly an idiot. Sorry .

Ocado is not some lofty out of reach fancy pants supermarket. Their own brand stuff is cheap.

Ocado has free deliveries if you book in advance and aren't choosy about timing. As some of us have already said, buying in bulk and with offers is a cheaper way to shop overall. It doesn't suit everyone, but it isn't unusual either.

[quote toolatetooearly]@SallySeven I'll admit we live life day-to-day and rarely have more than a couple of days food in. I am very disorganized and clearly an idiot. Sorry .[/quote]
My mum was like that, two children and often no decent food in the house. Not for want of cash, just indifferent to food, especially the months my father worked away. I’ll never eat Findus crispy pancakes, tinned vegetables or Vesta curry again.
Like I said before, some people are grasshoppers, some are ants. I married a grasshopper, he’s great fun but not practical. So I prep, to avoid bewilderment , confusion and wailing when deliveries are cancelled, or we isolate with nothing in the house.

I agree people need to be prepared.

Pasta was on sale last week at 50p a bag with a years date - I brought 4 bags. A few for us and if needed friends.

I have tins stacked up, beans spaghetti tomatoes and tuna.

There’s meat in the freezer.

There’s no deliveries available locally, all gone every week. So we can’t rely on those.

Next I’m buying cereal and biscuits/crisps and chocolate.

Do we really need more panic buying and irresponsible behaviour?

This only ends up having a negative impact on the vulnerable and the elderly who can't access goods and online delivery slots because those people who are perfectly capable to go out if needed are being selfish...

Not panic buying as such, have struggled getting delivery slots throughout the covid period, we live rurally so popping to the shops every day or 2 isn’t really ideal. I have signed up to Hello fresh so we get 3 meals worth delivered a week so I only need to shops once a week (even 2 weeks) for other bits. I always have food stocked up as we often get cut off for a day or 2 in the winter anyway.