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Preppers

Entry level prepping

12 replies

AndMatt · 01/12/2021 10:28

I've always been someone who "has stuff in". The toilet roll crisis didn't trouble me and the freezer and larder is always stocked so a month or so without being able to get shopping wouldn't be a problem, even if we did have to eat some odd meals. I plan ahead for medicines etc.

However, the house is entirely run on electricity, apart from gas central heating which needs electricity. The recent issues with people without electiricy for days on end has really bothered me I can't imagine what it must have been like for them.

The best I can offer is that I know where torches and batteries are!

What are the easiest/cheapest things to have on standby for cooking and heating when the power fails?

OP posts:
00100001 · 01/12/2021 10:29

Camping Gas stoves.

Thelnebriati · 01/12/2021 12:02

We have a camping gas stove and also some thin, cheap pans to use on it - I learned my lesson after we tried to use a our normal frying pan on it and we couldn't even fry an egg.
I also bought a table top food warmer, the type that uses tealights. Lidl have packs of 100 for £3. They'll keep a pot of water or soup hot but I wouldn't want to use them to heat it up from cold.
I really wanted a chafing dish and stove that uses gel fuel, but its a bit out of my price range atm.

We have several hot water bottles, and spare duvets. I got those in September, the supermarkets always have some specials for when the students arrive. If its cold we sit on a duvet with a hot water bottle, underneath a blanket.

BrieAndChilli · 01/12/2021 12:06

We have a couple of camping stoves that use the canisters of gas.
We also have several camping lanterns that are nice and bright
packs of candles/tealights with safe not easy to knock over holders.
we now have a log burner in our new house so if no electric (and so no gas boiler that need electric to run) we can at least heat the living room, let the heat go up the stairs and can heat som ewater/toast some bread etc on the fire.
We also have a coal bBq and an outside firepit that we could use to cook on if needed.

EzzieLove · 01/12/2021 19:13

Look up Cobb. It’s a brilliant camping cooker, very fuel efficient. I can cook a whole roast chicken using just 7/8 charcoal brickets. Also very well made, does not get hot on the outside and even keeps cooking in rain (I know). We use it all the time when camping. That and a camping gas burner and we are sorted.

Mischievous12 · 02/12/2021 08:09

I'm so sorry @AndMatt I posted my own thread last night and only just saw yours.
I could have written your post word for word.
Some useful replies on both threads Smile

Mischievous12 · 02/12/2021 08:11

@Thelnebriati I was also thinking of hot water bottles, hence need for a means to heat water!

BiddyPop · 02/12/2021 09:06

HWB if you have the means to heat extra water (beyond what's needed for tea/coffee and washing purposes).

We have lots of blankets, throws, fleeces that are on the backs of chairs or scattered in bedrooms. We often snuggle under them in the evenings anyway, but when we had bad snows, we organised ourselves to mostly live in 2 rooms downstairs, closing off those to the rest of the house during the day until close to bedtime to keep the heat in, and bringing lots of blankets into those rooms.

Have a radio operated by batteries or that winds up.

Power banks for phones especially, but also iPads etc if you have plenty. And spare batteries for torches, radio etc.
I also have a solar panel for camping so can recharge the power banks at least somewhat in the daytime.

Other than torches, or camping lanterns, a few candles and somewhere safe to have them lighting are useful. So nightlights in glass jam jars would work, but basically protect against getting blown out or, more importantly, knocked over.

Food and drinks that are comforting but don't need much cooking - tins of soup, dehydrated soup, hot choc made on water, hot squash, super noodle type pots, etc.

And entertainment that doesn't need power - pack of cards, board games, jug saws, books, puzzles, crafts etc. You don't need to keep all these in an emergency kit, just know where to find them when you want them.

BiddyPop · 02/12/2021 09:09

I know not all of those are about heating directly, but keeping people fed and occupied and feeling comforted goes a long way to help as well when it's cold. And they won't feel the cold so much.

Also, remember to layer up your clothes if your heating is gone. So a vest, an extra top under your jumper, the warmer jumpers in the wardrobe, thick socks etc.

BlackeyedSusan · 10/01/2022 08:51

Camp inside if really cold. Warmest room of the house. All together, sleep in a tent or den made of blankets under a table.

Wear many layers. Tuck trousers into socks, vest into trousers.

Thermal base layer, especially legs that usually have only one layer.

More than one lot of socks.
Fingerless mittens or wrist warmers
Hat/snood.
Scarf in the daytime
Those gel handwarmers that click.

If you cook on BBQ. Baked potato keeps heat for a while.

Keep moving.

TheNoonBell · 13/01/2022 21:35

@BlackeyedSusan

Camp inside if really cold. Warmest room of the house. All together, sleep in a tent or den made of blankets under a table.

Wear many layers. Tuck trousers into socks, vest into trousers.

Thermal base layer, especially legs that usually have only one layer.

More than one lot of socks.
Fingerless mittens or wrist warmers
Hat/snood.
Scarf in the daytime
Those gel handwarmers that click.

If you cook on BBQ. Baked potato keeps heat for a while.

Keep moving.

We have a four poster with some thick winter curtains for this time of year. Super snug.

The only problem is it concentrates DP's rancid farts.

indignatio · 13/01/2022 22:04

Entry level prepping... four poster bed .... farts.

Only on Mumsnet

Thelnebriati · 15/01/2022 14:30

With fuel bills going up, we're doing some of these things now. I've put 13 tog duvets on the chairs to sit on as well as blankets to put over us, and we're wearing more layers.

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