How's everyone doing?

[bellinisurge]

Thought I'd start a thread to see how everyone was doing because this B-word stuff is getting a bit stressful.

My dh has come around to prepping for Brexit but not really generally. He's also pretty anxious about Brexit and doesn't really want to talk about it.
Early morning conversation with FIL this morning. Told him about our extra food supply to get him to mull it over for himself. Can't yet talk to MIL.

Morale is an important part of all this. Any morale tips to share? Mine focus on food and laughs and being reassured by having stuff in.

Just so we are clear - I would much prefer all this to be my little eccentric way and not something hitting everyone for real.

I don't usually think it might be needed by a specified time (other than usual winter preps) but with Brexit on the horizon things are slightly different at the moment.

That sort of idea is fairly situation dependent. It seems to have pretty much only developed as a part of pop psychology after WWII in comfortable western societies where medical treatment was better than it ever had been before and in many cases there was support for the impoverished ill and unemployed. It actually was unlikely people would become destitute or whatever, and where social ostracism was a much lower risk because of a combination of changing values and greater mobility. Things are changing now. The situation for people going on to Universal Credit was unimaginable 15 years ago as a routine occurrence for large numbers. Same with the No Deal Brexit thing. Even if it's only half as bad as many of the predictions, that is still a lot of disruption and job losses.

When situations arise where it may be genuinely very difficult, then the important thing is to plan and do what you are able to. Sitting there worrying and not doing anything when you have the means to do something is the worst option: you have more of the stress yet no practical utility. (I have tried talking to a couple of these people and they are too scared to think about upcoming problems and planning would mean thinking more. THAT's a problem, not being in a situation where you can manage without buying anything for a month.) Elderly people who remember rationing, or even people who remember power cuts and various shortages in the 70s, remember situations when it was prudent to stock up on stuff when it was available. Not to mention those of us who've lived in rural areas where 2 week power cuts can happen due to high winds, snow, and low prioritisation from utilities.

Has anyone eaten the Look What We Found meals? Are they any good? We have corned beef and spam (!) which we actually do like but that's it. Always lots of pulses too

Do people think that panic buying will happen UK - wide after mid Jan vote?

They are bloody awesome. We usually have them for the first night of self catering holidays. When we went to visit my elderly Mum, we always had them.
Really can't recommend them too highly for a lovely ready made meal.
They are pricey but we always keep an eye out for them on offer.

As to whether there will be panic buying? I hope people are thinking sensibly about it and following some of the tips on here.

currently £1.48 in morrisons

I'm there tomorrow!

Not doing great TBH....mainly because DH falls absolutely into the refuses to support it / does not believe SWHTF camp so feels like a real uphill struggle. I do the shopping so am just making wise choices on what I buy but no way I'd get away with massively over purchasing- although we are in a position where we could, unless I started to use my own savings.

I did wonder about using savings to get one of those family sized emergency bags like from Evaq8. Has anyone seen / got? Gimmick or good idea?

I'm v worried to be honest and would feel much better if I had a lovely big prep stash in. Although the cupboard where I'd need to store it is also probably the only vaguely safe place in our house if things got really nasty. And if they didn't...I guess we could go a few days without extra supplies. Our kitchen is always full to bursting with everything on a normal week.

@BoyMeetsWorld - I personally prefer something more bespoke. Emergency evacuation bags are not generally filled with stuff that suits you and your circumstances.
For what it's worth, I very much doubt Brexit will mean emergency evacuations .

If it is a general "Bug Out Bag" you want to get, look at sensible folk like Prepper Pot Pourri and Suttons Daze on YouTube. The latter did a vlog every day in September 2018 on emergency preparedness. Sensible. Non-panicky. Budget friendly.
Don't waste your money and energy on someone else's ideas when yours, worked through calmly and practically, are much better suited to you.