2019 Brexit Preps

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I thought it would be useful to have a thread as we head into the new year where we can discuss our Brexit preps.

Today I picked up all gift wrap and cards I will need for next Christmas which I would normally do anyway but I added some neutral gift wrap which could be used for birthdays. I also stashed a few toys in the sale which can be used for birthdays. The thought of the DC going without birthday presents is too sad.

I’ve also just stashed some lightbulbs, candles, lights and matches.

Going into 2019 I’m focusing on:
Solar chargers
Camping gas
Protein
Medicines
Box hair dye
Skincare
Loo roll and tissues + hankies
Cleaning products
Home brew kits
Books on self reliance

Strongly recommend people don't look at buying Brexit boxes or similar. That is somebody else deciding what you eat and, no doubt, fobbing you off with crap in amongst anything genuinely useful.
You know your family and your situation (and budget) better than anyone else.
If you haven't already started, just use "what we need for 3days" as your guide. Do more than that if you want. You know you better than anybody else.

The transition period only happens if the Withdrawal Agreement goes through. The vote on that is tomorrow.
If it doesn't go through, No Deal with no transition period is the default and can only be stopped by new legislation.

@bellinisurge Thanks, that answers my question. So the chaos might kick off sooner rather than later 😕

I would say if we No Deal shortages will kick off around the time we leave on 29 March . It may start as people empty the shops beforehand and/or when supplies can't easily fill the shelves as they empty.
If we no Brexit, there may well be civil unrest (although empty shelves and unprepared people might do this too).
If we WA, we get a transition which is unlikely to have widespread shortages .
There are other possible outcomes to tomorrow's vote. There's a thread called Westminstenders which covers it pretty well. Any of them could mean some bumpiness and reasons not to go to the supermarket.

OohMrDarcy please will you let us know how the bread mixes are - I have got one in the cupboard and don't know whether to get more but won't get chance to use it for a week or two.

I tried the Waitrose breadmix and ended up with a very unpleasant chewy loaf - only afterwards did I google and realise I hadn't prepared it right.

So I strongly suggest doing better than me by googling how to properly mix/stretch it all together beforehand

Thanks for all the great suggestions across all the prep threads. I did a fairly major shop today - spent close to £100 but we really have most of what we need now foodwise for 5-6 weeks of bad weather / supply disruption / alien invasion. Almost everything has dates of late 2020 so I will simply replace as we use. I feel anxious about the uncertainty of it all but prepping has made me feel calmer and more in control of what is within my power to control. If we don't 'need' our stockpile for Brexit then we will simply use it up camping and over the next 18 months so no problem. I still need to get water / loo roll / toiletries / first aid stuff plus clear freezer space for butter / cheese / frozen veg and meat. May pick up more herbs and flavourings.

I think it’s important to recognise that whatever happens (both tomorrow and in the next few months) someone is going to be p*ssed off and feel aggrieved: and a proportion of those people will be willing to take it further. Just look at what happened last week with MPs and journalists getting verbally assaulted in front of the worlds press and Police: plus the amount of death threats being sent to those vocal on all sides of the debate.

Even if everything goes through well politically/bureaucratically, it doesn’t mean that there won’t be reprocussions. And let’s face it, we have had riots in our cities for a lot less than this. It’s also not that long ago that the fuel protests brought some parts of the country to a standstill. Add in major flooding (which again seems to happen somewhere in the UK most years) and we are potentially in for a veritable shit storm.

Speaking of fuel how much diesel can you safely store at home? I'm assuming one of the little emergency plastic containers would be safe enough if put somewhere dark / cool / spark free like a shed or garage? Plus one in the boot of the car in case of running out on the road?

I haven't got anything yet.
My house is small so I don't know where I'd put doubles of everything anyway!

I'm in London and so we've luckily never been snowed in or anything where getting to shops hasn't been possible. The corner shop on my road is even open on Xmas.

What is it that we are expecting to happen?

Willow if it does turn out to be a few years early then you have some things under your belt. Just start using and replacing things as you go.

I don’t know about storing diesel,petrol. DH has a 5 litre petrol container for the lawnmower, he keeps it in the shed so that it’s away from anyone’s house.

Agree the Brexit Box doesn’t look like the best option, I was aghast at the cost of it. Sorry if it seemed like I was recommending it.

@HalloumiGus , I don't store petrol or diesel. I thought about it. Years ago I used to have a container. I've decided against it because we can manage without a car if we have to. If my mum were still alive and 60 odd miles away, I might have had one. Nervously so.
But I don't think it's wise.

I don’t store fuel either. I do have an electric car though, that can be charged at home. Chances of a prolonged power cut are extremely low.

I wouldn’t store fuel - it’s just an accident waiting to happen: just keep your tank half full which gives you over 100/200 miles in most cars (more with more modern/efficient cars). Those little containers are more for “Ive ran out of fuel 5 miles from home” - but if you keep your tank half full that won’t happen.

@SuziQ10 probably nothing, maybe something. Supplies from Europe will struggle to get in to the country in the event of no deal: that’s not just food, that includes the machinery that makes food, chemicals and parts for the food and items and medicines we manufacture in this country. In the event of No Brexit then there is a risk of rioting (people are already getting nasty and nothing’s even happened yet really).

Just because there is food on the shelves in your local corner shop, it doesn’t mean there would be much there in the event of blockades at the port. Are you old enough to remember the fuel crisis less than 20 years ago... the shelves were pretty bare then!

Morning all - I'm getting pretty antsy about todays vote... and to top it off I'm skint until payday (next wednesday) so can't stock up any more really until then.....

I'm arranging a sainsburys delivery for that day at the moment that will have some extra meat for the freezer, as well as extras of shampoo and conditioner and toothpaste, and some jars of pasta / curry sauce as my extras on this one.

Will let you know how the weekend bread test goes kaitlinktm and thanks for the tips holyswearing !

I don't even know what I'm hoping for anymore.... if the vote goes through - yes we have a deal so hopefully food supplies ok... but if it doesn't - risk of no deal OR no brexit... I know which option I'd rather there!

No sign of the household website.

Ive been watching the house of commons all afternoon (well half listening to it whilst drafting a boring document). I am losing the will to live. Its literally different people saying the same thing over and over again.

I’ve been avoiding it, can’t do anything about the vote so I’m looking a puppies on Youtube and will get my head around it once the vote is done.

I’ve been watching most of the day too. It has been round and round in circles.

Another shop today. I'm aware this is anxiety but I can accept that. I just keep repeating @bellinisurge 's mantra: what would you normally eat? Buy that. Everything has late 2020 best befores so plenty of time to use it. Today I got mainly spices, jarred olives, lots of halloumi and some prosecco 😁 also some evaporated and dried milk. I'm curious to see what we can do with these.

I'm curious to see what we can do with these.

All together? that might be an interesting meal...

@ElyElyOy
Thank you.
No I haven't really ever experienced a time where we've been unable to go to the shops / empty shelves. Luckily!! Closest thing was probably the riots here in London but everything blew over after a couple of days.
Thanks for the tips all. Due to not having much space I'm not going to get too keen stockpiling but extra non perishable food & basic medicine I think.

@SuziQ10 no problem, it’s hard to imagine when you haven’t experienced it. A 3kg bag of dried pasta is less than £3 for over 30 portions: it might be boring but it’s filling and stores well (I decant them in to containers) and a few sauce jars/passata and maybe tuna/cheese/beans and that’s going to keep you going for a month of main meals :) A lot of people get quite in-depth with their prepping but I just try and focus on basics and having spares (although I do have a loo roll obsession, I could cope with starvation but not no loo roll )

So the vote has been rejected.... no deal or no brexit are the remaining options....