Prepping for brexit

[Numberonecook]

Ive just started getting some bits together ready for brexit. As a food scientist I am very aware of how much produce comes into the country and the resources needed to get things around the country. Im also aware of the chain and how everything is ‘just in time’ And a delay in the chain could lead to serious shortages and price rises.

This really worries me as there is 5 of us to feed. So, what non food essentials do you think I should also consider? We are not prepping for huge disaster just 6 months or so. I’ve got things like toiletries, loo roll etc. Anything else?

[user187656748]

We'll be withdrawing all our cash from accounts.

This is worrying. Its important to have some cash but if many people took this approach then the economy would collapse very quickly.

Its a confidence game.

[bellinisurge]

I wouldn't withdraw all my cash. I'd think about holding more at home but not all of it. Better to have skills to "sell" even booze and fags.

[GulagMilkMonitor]

Gosh yes please don’t remove all of your cash. It will not only send the economy south but also it is incredibly risky (and possibly an insurance issue) to have a large amount of cash sitting in your home.

[Numberonecook]

We still have our savings in the bank but have some savings elsewhere in cash. Also thinking about alcohol and tobacco to bargain with or sell. We don’t drink or smoke so no risk of us consuming it ourselves lol

[13luckyblackcats]

I have checked our food supplies, and we have enough for a reasonably balanced diet for the four of us for six weeks. After that May speech I will be aiming to at least double that on my next pay day. Seem to have more treat-type things and nice easy to cook things than our normal diet, so IF Brexit —is brilliant— doesn’t happen, we’ll have a great few weeks running down the stores a bit.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

No. Fuck off.

[13luckyblackcats]

@PoisonousSmurf hahaha no, we’re the ones who have enough at home to feed our families and won’t be adding to the queues for the last loaf and pint of milk.

[13luckyblackcats]

For me, community spirit is aided by taking care of my family’s needs so that we won’t be a drain on valuable resources if there’s a challenging situation. But everyone’s different.

[PoisonousSmurf]

Some of us know how to bake and have farms locally. So, no we'll be OK and not a snowflake fool who empties out the shops in the first place!

[13luckyblackcats]

@PoisonousSmurf that’s great, sounds like you have some excellent resources, well done you. Reminds me I need to pick up a bag of potatoes at our local farm on the school run next week.

Baking is a brilliant activity to keep the children entertained too. I bake a lot of bread, so always have a variety of flours and dried yeast in, it was really helpful during the snow and ice last year.

[Numberonecook]

Who’s emptying the shops poisonius smurf? Il have all my food here so I won’t need a shop. So whoever is emptying the shops will be the people who weren’t prepared. So when you come trolling a thread maybe think about what you are saying first so you don’t make yourself look stupid

[user187656748]

No. Fuck off.

Loving that we don't even bother to reason with the trolls anymore

[bellinisurge]

Isn't @PoisonousSmurf a treat?
If you saw me on the street, Smurf, or worked with me, you would never know I'm a prepper.
My community spirit died the day we voted to leave.
Meanwhile, my focus is me and mine.

[GulagMilkMonitor]

Adding a couple of things to your shop every week for years is in no way the same as cleaning the shelves of bread and milk in a frenzy of panic buying.
My stocks mean I don’t have to leave the house this week with a newborn when everyone else in my house has D&V.

[user187656748]

Looks like PoisonousSmurf actually realised that her point about us causing shortages was completely back to front and has skulked off in shame with her posts deleted

Likewise bellini - the few people who do know about mine are always surprised. I'm the one tottering around picking up my supplies in super high heels and full make up.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

Contact lenses, if you're using them, they are produced in Germany, I think.

[bellinisurge]

@PoisonousSmurf - it's not your thing so why bother coming on and slagging people off. Do you do the same on The Litter Tray or Style and Beauty or whatever? Find a topic that you're not interested in and then slag off people who are on the topic because they are interested in it?
Really odd behaviour for a grown up.

[ElyElyOy]

I’m well stocked on contact lenses but also going to sort an update glasses prescription out: haven’t changed it in 5 years as I rarely wear them, but I know my eyes are loads worse and if lense supply becomes and issue at least I have a back up :)

I’m focussing on waste disposal/reduction at the moment: getting stuff to the tip and getting a composter, larger bins, stashes if bags, and a small garden burner. No deal Brexit may cause issues on waste (we export a lot, and if ports are blocked we might not be able to move it). Also it may affect local government having to redirect resources or (worst case) staff not getting paid.

[13luckyblackcats]

That is a really good plan ElyElyOy. I have some compost bins but they are all full at the moment, which isn’t much help if there are collection problems.

Also sorting out the spare room and utility for storage/in case we end up with extra people here.

[AnotherShirtRuined]

I'm attempting to organise the entire house atm. Getting rid of stuff we never use to make space for stuff we actually need. Also getting an overview of what we already have in and what we need.

I've read time and again on here and elsewhere that prepping for many people is all about being organised rather than preparing for Armageddon. That's certainly true for me. My preps are all about what is likely to happen, such as Brexit and weather related issues, and less about that may never happen, such as EMPs and the like.

[DrWhy]

I’m genuinely unsure about what to do and what it might be worth stockpiling. I can understand getting in things that might get much more expensive like clothing and will last but surely if we are in a situation where you need 3 months worth of food surely society will have broken down completely and they will be no point in having it as we’ll basically be in Armageddon and having to defend the food from people who haven’t got any etc etc. Same with if the utilities go off. With a toddler and a baby on the way who’ll be a couple of months in March this terrifies me.
We have space in the garage to stockpile stuff, I’m just not sure whether in the situation that we actually need it we wouldn’t just make ourselves targets by having it.

[bellinisurge]

You're less of a target if you don't tell anyone. If you have a new baby on the way (congratulations, btw!), just think of it as hunkering down with your little ones for a bit. If you can afford it and find them,get some Look What We Found ready meals - store them wherever in your home.
Loads of other tips on here. You'll be ok - just start looking at storing a bit more than normal.