Ok, so we come out of lockdown. After you have breathed a sigh of relief (or whatever) what top ups do you need for No Deal Brexit/Second wave of this shit/Normal stuff you prep for

[bellinisurge]

I'm sure we'd all like to pretend this is all going away. I'm sure we have lists of places we want to go and people we want to hug.
Assuming we're going to do some of that, we also have an opportunity to take a look at our preps.
A second wave of this horribleness is not impossible. Neither is a lurch out of Brexit transition.
What are you going to top up on?

(This thread is for preppers in the Preppers topic so don't waste your time whining at us if you happen upon it. It's our thing, just move on)

I have to say, having an extra chest freezer has been an absolute winner for lockdown - we were lucky enough to get one for free right at the start of lockdown with only a bit of faff (for various specific and outing reasons!) and it’s been brilliant - just really good for ordering the odd extra bit and not having to worry about food wastage as we can just chuck it in the freezer without a thought without stressing over how we can make room.

I guess Brexit-wise I need to look properly at where my groceries come from and see what comes from the EU. Olive oil, wine etc. are fairly obvious, but for example I look at how much stock from Zooplus has German labelling and I wonder if we could have pet food shortages etc.

Definitely prep for your pets. I've been buying extra for my feline overlord for about a year. I dipped into a bit after the sort of Brexit deal was signed. Back adding to it again.

I read and applied the Brexit prep advice so we were okay apart from bread flour. Things I need to re-stock to a higher level are tinned tomatoes, pasta, ketchup, cooking oil, tinned tuna. I was also caught out by people buying up all the non-dairy milk. Need dd to eat up her crap that's taking up freezer space as I am vegan and need more frozen veg in there. Also need to go to opticians and ensure dog is groomed at first sign of another lockdown!

I followed the prepping threads from Brexit and was happy with my stocks when lockdown happened. Our local FB group is pretty good at sharing resources and I have now got contacts for a greengrocer and a butcher that deliver. I also had SR flour from a bakery business that was closing temporarily. My milkman has been brilliant and fingers crossed the supply will remain steady.

I'm trying to keep a stock of tins, packets and jars and we are doing the same with toiletries and cleaning supplies.

I've found Farmfoods is good for loo rolls, dishwasher tablets and clothes washing pods.

Again through a FB recommendation I have had a delivery of bread flour from Gartur Stitch Farm - 4kg last time and I'm getting 8kg later this week. I bake bread twice a week or thereabouts so use about a kilo a week. I had 500g of dried yeast from eBay at the end of last month that I'm yet to open but that will last ages and ages. I usually buy 100g tins and I think they last about 6/7 weeks each.

If things go tits up, human food is likely to be more important to import that let food, so I would have a good stock if I were you. Also flea treatments, pet bribes, dental treatment worms? Whatever your pet needs.

I remembered to add a 12 inch ruler to our next click and collect. We have a 9 inch ruler and a 3 inch ruler presently. I do have a spare but need a spare spare or two.

I have added olives to the list. We have loads in the Brexit stash but want to replace.

I had some supermarket courgettes that were looking a little past their best, so I’ve made 4 jars of chutney this evening.

I’m down to working 3 hour days from home as of this week. They had me doing my usual 12 hours but there really isn’t that much for me to do. So now with my reduced hours I’m putting my full effort into prepping for wave 2 and Brexit.
We have a large family and we simply couldn’t have sourced the amount of food we need with the lockdown restrictions.
The one bonus to shielding is I do get a weekly supermarket shop. Today we had a lot of vinegar, bar soap and Milton delivered on top of our weekly shop.

Task for this week is a full inventory to work our exactly what we used during the lockdown. Our nanny and her boyfriend moved in with us full time and I didn’t feel I could ask them to tick stuff off our spread sheet as they use it.

I had a really good sort out last week. I've got a box put aside for emergencies. I won't be letting anything else run really low, ie always have one in hand. Always have spare loo roll anyway, and will keep up my stash of canned tomatoes and pasta as we use loads. Always have a good supply of cat food, which has proven handy as Purina can't keep up with supply at the moment, so I can't get the two boxes my boys will eat!

I was and am horrified by the amount of ‘treats’ we get through and I want to find a better alternative to restocking those than supermarkets.

I have a great fruit/veg/staples supplier now and I managed to find a milkman. I get tests of eggs from the local farmer.

Can I recommend smol for dishwasher tablets? They come through the post and are packaged ethically too, and they do laundry tablets as well but I haven’t tried those.

smolproducts.com/

I have rotated all the stocks. I need more cereal.

How do those posted laundry tabs and dishwasher tabs work out if you have pets or children then? I can imagine a fair few nasty accidents happening with accidental consumption on the door mat?

Things I have learned to do better and will keep up:

1. Stock rotation - including writing on tins with marker pens
2. Hiding chocolate and chocolate biscuits from DS
3. Ordering medications well in advance
4. Tracking down said medications, especially HRT patches
5. Using Lidl more

Weetabix, UHT milk, calpol, bubble bath, kids craft paper, baking supplies, microwave sponge puddings, baked beans (had 24 tins, opened number 12 for lunch today), Easy cook rice.

Should be ok for most other things.

totally the outer box is cardboard like an amazon box, but small enough to fit through the letterbox. Inside that there’s a plastic (recyclable) case with the tabs inside and it’s secured with a sticker type thing that you rip to open and then it’s got two sort of indentations that act as locks almost? My four year old can’t get in to it, but if you’ve got a dog that will chew through cardboard and plastic post they’re probably not great then!

who gives a crap?

How big an order is minimum from I’m a bit Ltd in space for storage, how is it delivered anyone know? Due to my health I need to know a day and time for deliveries - “3-5 dats” type thing no good to me.

Loving their ethics too thanks to whoever recommended

There are certain cleaning products that prior to this I didn’t think I’d have a problem getting as I use loads due to ocd and nobody else really bothers with - how wrong I was!

Hand wash - same issue, I get through 3 a week because of the ocd and it’s been murder getting hold of any. Also due to not being able to get my usual brand/scent my eczema has kicked off dreadfully, very painful and itchy so I shall be stocking up on that when I can.

Latex gloves - again something I use regularly due to the ocd.

Soon as I can I’m stocking up, I’m even considering using wholesalers once they’re restocked/delivering again (believe me I’ve looked everywhere!)

Paper products - not only loo roll but kitchen roll and tissues (I have allergies I get through loads!) I THOUGHT I’d prepped - again wrong!

Keep on top of the recycling etc, I’d been a bit lax on this, my local council has severely restricted collections and it’s now causing me problems/anxiety. Also because I could really do with clearing out certain cupboards & drawers but can’t risk creating more “rubbish” at the moment until I can clear some out.

Flour - thanks to the frugal foodies thread (highly recommended for making the most of preps) I’m baking again for the first time in years and really enjoying it. BUT as a tip I’ll be using myself remember ready to use “mixes” can sometimes be bought when “raw” flour can’t be had - batter mix, cake mix, crumble & cookie mixes etc

Also because sugar, especially any but granulated has been hard to get, though I did discover it’s perfectly possible to make cakes with granulated, they turn out fine.
I’d also recommend the nest egg app for doing an inventory (get the paid version it’s worth it, maybe get free version just to see how it works) and when creating a record you can include:

a description of the item (I include food categories - carbs, protein, veg makes it easy to work out how many “meals worth” I have in)
category
location (you can customise, I’ve included things like which shelf on a cupboard, left or right side of a cupboard. I think especially useful for those of us using unusual locations too eg I keep my toiletries stocked in crates in bedroom as that’s where I have space, so you could have “garage” “attic” “under dc1’s bed” etc wish I’d had years ago - would have been very useful for hidden Xmas presents that ended up rediscovered at Easter!)
quantity
expiry date

Once you’ve done the graft of creating an inventory on it, it’s really easy to keep on top of, just add/subtract items as they’re delivered/used - I use the emailed “receipts” to update on delivery days then day after is when I update expiry dates. There’s a general notes section so if you have multiples of short shelf life items eg yoghurts you can note the subsequent expiry dates there and then when you use a yoghurt update the expiry date cell that informs the alerts and delete that date off the notes.

I recently had a day where I KNEW I had a tin of x in the cupboard and couldn’t find, so pulled it all out (found said tin) and reorganised it all with longest dated stuff at the back BUT put the tins I know I shall be looking for/wanting most out of those in the upper layer (hope that makes sense) so they’re easy to get to. I also cleaned out an empty grape punnet and a mushroom punnet and used them to store my casserole mixes & stir fry sauce sachets (yes I know I could make from scratch but as it’s just me this actually works better waste wise) which I’ve organised in date order BUT in “categories” so eg all my “chicken” casserole mixes are together, all my “sausage” ones so I can flick through to the right flavour but use the one of that flavour with shortest expiry date first.

I ended up with a lot because at first I needed to order deliveries to get other items but needed to make the orders up to min price but didn’t have much space so these helped bump price of order up without taking up loads of cupboard space.

I looked into a “milkman” delivery but they won’t deliver to flats, also looked at local veg box place but they’re overwhelmed at the moment and not taking on new customers BUT what I’m conscious of is a lot of these small independents are popular and getting a lot of business now but may well find everyone reverts to “normal” as soon as restrictions are lifted, so I’m planning to use and support them as much as possible at that point, as I think with the economy likely crashing that’ll probably be trickiest time for them.

@stealthninjamum & @MagisCapulis- I was a single mum too, dd now got her own place. On the ice cream side remember ice poles and those ones in pyramid shaped packs - they’re long life and you only freeze as you need. I’m going through a lot of ice poles now due to menopausal nonsense and even when freezer quite full I can squeeze a few in and I just replace whenever I take the frozen ones out

We were right - it takes no time at all for the shit to hit the fan yep! So so many people on my fb feed completely unprepared and stuck! Hardest for those who can’t prep due to lack of funds, but I think that means those of us who can (and I’m not exactly rolling in it myself!) really have a moral obligation to do so, so that when SHTF those people aren’t quite as hard hit.

@nearlynormal

Brexit-wise I need to look properly at where my groceries come from and see what comes from the EU

Unfortunately it’s not that simple. As discussed at great length on other Brexit & prepper threads there’s an awful lot of products that not only come directly from the EU but:

Require essential ingredients, packaging or manufacturing parts from EU

Come via EU - products from outside Europe don’t always come to us direct from those countries but is shipped in large quantities to huge EU based packaging plants where they’re packaged and then sent to the various wholesalers - who may also be EU based - and then on to retailers.

The one thing I’d REALLY like to stockpile but can’t due to imo stupid unnecessary rules are my meds! Not even loads I’d just like 2-3 months worth rather than having to re-order & organise delivery every couple of weeks (they’re not in sync either and as I can’t stock even 2 months worth I can’t arrange it so they are synced!) I’m especially worried about Brexit on this as I’ve already experienced issues with one last winter due to manufacturing issues that were triggered by Brexit nonsense and it caused me great distress. I really do think these rules could have been relaxed slightly & temporarily as I’m sure this would have freed a lot of GP & pharmacists time/eased their workload.

Stock rotation - including writing on tins with marker pens ooh I like that tip! My eyesight is dreadful and often expiry dates are in tiny writing in non-contrasting colours! Or in awkward places or all 3!

Bad enough having to use a magnifier on phone to check when organising let alone having to keep checking this would make life easier.

Can I give own tip? If you're using plastic tubs to store leftovers in fridge a whiteboard marker for the date you want to put on it (either when created or your own use by, I tend to do both) works great and just washes off

I'm back too!

I've always been a prepper, I prepped for the flu epidemic in 2001and rolled out the same for this one. My Brexit cupboard was quickly repurposed and served well.

Things I will add this time:

Icing sugar. I can't get icing sugar at all. I'm going to try to get a large catering sized bag for next time.

Along with catering sized bag of plain flour and baking powder.

Eggs have been ok, although variable. I can't see me being able to get chickens, but this is my preferred method of getting eggs.

Parmesan cheese. I think the price of Parmesan will rocket if Italy aren't up to speed.

Seeds stock for next year and lots of compost (it stores well). It was a real struggle this year. Although I found that if I planted the seeds from a tomato I was eating they grew easily. My plants are now 4 feet tall and full of flowers. Virtually free to grow too.

Hand sanitiser. Luckily I'd bought up 4 500ml bottles slowly over January and early February before panic buying and easily in time for stock replenishment.

The things I've struggled with are children eating all the chocolate and not being able to go out to get for more (shielding).

Eggs, I can get delivered from our farm shop but at eye watering prices. I've been using them in cakes instead of the usual 12 for tea!

Hair dye. I'm merrily going grey. Thought I'd be clever and order a red dye from eBay to go gently auburn. It turned out to be a professional dye, the bathroom was full on red and I now look like the character from Brave!

@Graphista My meds are not synced either and it's really frustrating.

What are you short of? (Don't answer publicly if you don't want to obvs.) I've got lots (in date) that I won't use as I trialled them and had to stop.

I feel like running a Swap Shop. 'Will swap Naproxen for Twix.'

Literally all of the above

Graphista I have had who gives a crap for a year or so from Amazon, got the last one in Feb, they no longer seem to stock it so I registered on the WGAC waiting list. Got my golden ticket on Monday so box of 36 on its way to me. I don't think I will get a delivery time as haven't been given a date but can let you know when it shows up. I have signed up for their regular delivery, you can specify frequency.

You reminded me that I downloaded nest app ages ago but haven't used it yet, must get on it, thnx

Thanks, Molly. I think they might not be for me then!

We need a new fridge freezer. Not urgently, but the drawers are knackered and it's so old you can't get spares anymore. Originally we were thinking of getting a smaller one, but not anymore. I'm now looking at the tallest type I can get in the space (standard gap, so not a big american type) 50/50 as we'd get more benefit from more freezer space.

Flour, sugar, chocolate chips..... general dry baking ingredients. We had an OK amount but we're running low on plain flour now. Beans. With DH working from home, his lunches were something that I didn't anticipate and we could not get Heinz baked beans at all for the first few weeks. Passata, packet mixes (chilli, soup etc). They're the things we went through quickly. Loo roll, we were lucky I'd bought some before people panic bought but we were on lower stocks than normal. Coke. We go through an obscene amount, in all honesty it's Coke running out that has decreed when I go to the supermarket. When it was limited to only 3 bottles, it was an issue. The one thing this has taught me, as I only go once a week now (with a list), is how much stuff we actually eat as opposed to what I think we eat.

Pet food. I put in a large order with Zooplus right at the start which is just running out now. That was definitely worth doing as the shops in town don't do the brand we use and there were shortages to begin with. The cat needs her jabs (due now, but the vet says they're good for an extra 3 months). We've set the cat up with a subscription box (flea/wormer - it's called protect my pet) so we don't need to order it from the Vets right now, we've had 2 months now and we're happy enough with it.

Speaking of subscriptions, DH has a few magazines running anyway but we've added New Scientist as it isn't stocked at the supermarket I'm using right now and I've subbed to gardeners world as it was a decent offer.

We're booked in at the Dentists in August (check-ups and hygienist) God knows if that will happen. I was really lucky that I had a broken filling fixed the week before lockdown. I've just ordered Antihistamines online in bulk (much cheaper than Boots or the supermarkets). Multivitamins have been in short supply.

I'm merrily making masks at the moment. Fabric is available but cotton tape (for the ties) is getting harder to get as is elastic. Assuming DD is heading back to her uni town in september, she'll need masks for public transport etc and they really need to be washed at 60 so it makes sense to have quite a few on hand (I've sorted out friends/family too). So craft supplies will be getting topped up (I ran out of navy thread the other day, it hadn't even occurred to me to have stuff like that in). Disposable gloves if I can get them. Stock up on Zoflora, I'd not used it before (at one point it was the only thing available) but it's actually a decent general purpose disinfectant.

I've got some tomato plants on the go, but TBH I'm not a great veg grower so it's more of a vanity project. Seeds. I managed to pick up some sunflower seeds at the supermarket but there wasn't a great selection.

Xmas/birthday presents/cards. We've had a few lockdown birthdays and I've used up most of my card stash, also envelopes/stamps/jiffy bags etc.

@JamieLeeCurtains

I feel like running a Swap Shop showing your age to be roughly the same as mine 

I'm the same, I've old stuff that I tried and didn't work for me (serious side effects) - that's another thing that's bugged me why they don't allow for "trial packs" or prescriptions of say only a week - the waste is criminal!

I can't get to pharmacy to dispose and it's irresponsible to put in refuse. Especially as some of mine are controlled. Bad drug problem where I live.

I won't specify exact names but basically anti depressants, tranquillisers (infrequently but I need them to hand), hormones, anti-inflammatories, painkillers, asthma meds, eczema meds, allergy meds...

And that's on the months I'm not on antibiotics, which feels like most of the winter sometimes! Shake me and I rattle 

I use boots as they're most reliable locally probably as they're so big they can get the stock usually, used to be free delivery but now it's charged, I went for the annual fee as works out cheaper for me of course, but even that only allows 1 delivery a week so if I'm prescribed different things on different days (eg if I've already ordered a repeat of a regular med then take ill with something else and need prescription for that) then I end up having to juggle it and hopefully have enough left of the repeat med to wait till the new med can be delivered too. Pita!

@lexloofah the nest egg apps great I'm a bit addicted at this point and play around with it giving items different descriptors etc depending on my mood

Amazon I can cope with as you can track, I need to "loosen up" my body to be able to answer door without keeping them waiting too long. But I'd need to know which day as certain days I don't open my door.

The way I cook and eat has really changed as a result of this and it's actually been good for me.

I had somewhat succumbed to the depression and was buying/eating ready to eat crap rather than cooking - I'm talking straight from fridge to gob!

These items quickly became difficult to obtain.

I'm now not only back to cooking from scratch, I'm trying new recipes, baking, eating more than I was and yet losing weight!

For all this I am so grateful to the Frugal Foodies which I think we're on our 3rd thread. It's a lovely positive, friendly thread and I adore all the posters on it, they've been so sweet, so understanding of my issues (ocd makes me VERY nervous on food safety issues) and so supportive. Love it

I also ended up with zoflora as a substitution, wasn't sure at first but works great and a little goes a long way so it's something that's easy to stock up on if you've not a lot of space. I've yet to do more than dilute and use in a Trigger spray bottle in the kitchen though. I know there's loads of uses for it must investigate further.

YY to the PP said about coke!! Me and DS are happy with water/milk/squash for DS, but DP will drink 4x1.5l coke in less than a week.

DS is gluten intolerant and I’m so glad I stocked up on his bread and plain/SR flour/pasta. The shelves were cleared for a good month and I still struggle to get flour. I don’t believe for a second that everyone that bought it was gluten intolerant!

@Graphista I agree that the Frugal Foodies thread is lovely!!

Thank you to everyone for all the ideas on here... I think I was better prepared than many people but the sudden panic buying/ scrambles in the supermarket did take me by surprise, I'm trying to prep better as I do worry that there'll be a second wave. I did a massive Poundland order (which took longer than usual to be delivered, but at least they warned me) for plenty of shampoo, handwash, moisturiser, some food, craft supplies etc and I'm registering with new suppliers too - trying to get at least one delivery from places like Abel & Cole to stay on their system.

I'm at home with small DC and DP is out 6am - 6pm weekdays (and sometimes weekends) which means actually going to local farm shops and similar is out for me - I'd find it far too stressful to take them along! If there's a winter lockdown I'd absolutely dread to think what they'd be like, having a garden has saved us this time round, they can potter around in it to work off some energy. I placed an order with the Book People mid-March and was told 4 weeks delivery - thought fine, that'll be great for schoolwork - still hasn't arrived

Luckily I've found a local supplier of compost and have plenty of seeds left but am having issues getting hold of plant pots now?! Eggs were in desperately short supply here too but I have powdered egg now just in case. One thing we are getting desperate for is clothes; I bought a big bundle via Facebook for the DC but mine are getting more and more holey and I'm down to my last four pairs of socks!! Money is tight here and I don't want to splash out on anything unnecessary, wonder if Sainsburys will run their 25% off soon...

RubySlippers77 glad its not just me scraping around for non-holey socks! Mine all seem to have given up the ghost at the same time, I’m rotating the 5 my Dad got me as a joke for Christmas! We’ve done an M&S order as DP needed some pants and socks as well, but they were out of most socks so I panic bought one of the few remaining sets they had even though it’s not my usual style.

I’m not usually a clothes horse so it didn’t really factor into my preps, won’t make that mistake again!