Prepping as a renter

[QuietKingdom]

Just wondering if others are in the same boat as me/or have useful tips even if not. I'm a long term private tenant so I never know when that letter is going to drop through the door giving us 2 months notice to move out or putting the rent up higher than we can afford leaving us scrambling to find a new home. I'm a big planner and would love to do more prepping, especially as I worry more about how we'd afford all the rises in cost of living and energy but I also like to live quite minimalistically so that I'm ready to move and don't overspend on removals or have to turn down a property due to lack of storage space. We also can't make the bigger changes I see listed here like improving insulation, growing veg in the garden, installing a wood burning stove or solar panels that I'd love to do to be more self- sufficient. Currently I have:

• stacks of boxes and storage containers ready for moving (most double up for daily use too)
• dust proof clothes vaccum bags

-allotment for growing food

• minimal furniture and try to minimse our belongings
• camping rucksack with torch, tin opener, dry bags, tarp

-fire and water resistant bag of essential documents -many lists of what to pack, what to check for in a new rental house, who to inform of new address -thick curtains and draft excluders

• some white goods are the landlords but I choose the ones that are ours by energy efficiency

-laundry airer to dry outside when possible -savings to cover removals, next deposit and months rent in advance (working on this) -first aid kit -a small food store and bottled water but probably not enough. I usually run it down before moving as heavy tins and bottles are a pain to move with so struggle with the balance of this one.

Any tips appreciated

Open a savings account and put 5% of what you spend in food into it each time you shop. Cash is good as you don't see it in your bank account.
Also draw out cash too food shop. Pop your card in the car , so you can only spend the cash, but can return in a few mins with your card if you need to. Not being able to overspend really help you look at what your buying.

You sound pretty organised tbh!

The 'prepper' tins of food I have in the house are the ones that will be of most value, eg good quality tinned meat, and some spares of the ones I am pretty reliant on, eg tinned tomatoes. Storage really must be a pain if you have to have the possibility of moving always in mind.

Thanks @Bollindger that's a good idea. I don't have a car so I do my main shop online so can't use cash for that but it's a great tip for days out with the kids as that's probably where I overspend most. Setting a budget by getting cash out would be a great idea.

@SpinningTheSeedsOfLove prioritizing high quality tins is a good idea, I will focus on things like curries and all day breakfasts, I've got too much soup no-one likes at the moment, I think the good stuff tends to get used up!

Buy a box of wine (16 bottles) from one of the online retailers. Drink the wine and keep the box. The boxes are perfect for storing tins. You get at least 3 in each section so 48 tins per box.

Simple and discreet.

Wine is an added bonus.

How long is your notice period? Keep just a little bit less food than that? Which allows you time to pack up and not have to shop much.

Perhaps store a bag of milk powder instead of boxes of milk. (Lightweight, not too difficult to pack. )

We had a thread, a year or so ago, of what to prep in one small stacker box. So maybe allow yourself that space. Instead of storing water store water purification tablets and the knowledge of how to purify water.

My contribution to the box would be: a solar/windup/battery radio. (They are quite small. ) Water purification tablets. A solar lantern or head torch.

Food wise: couscous a small amount goes a long way. Some sort of flavouring such as sachet of cumin or herbs, a pack of dried fruit such as sultanas. Small tin of fish.

That's a great idea @BlackeyedSusan I do have a 70litre clear plastic box I could use. Our notice period is two months so it's a good idea to think in terms of that. I like the idea of focusing on lightweight foods and water purification tablets too. I will have to draw up a shopping list of light foods, maybe some camping type foods and dried things, cous cous and spices is a good idea.

Just thinking if you have to move in a hurry you could eat easy meals from your tins to save so much cooking. (Curry tin plus tin of peas and tin of carrots plus sachet of microwave rice feeds two) DD is veganish so has couscous sachet, dried fruit and mixed seeds.

Ex rents. We have planted veg in pots in his garden and even bought a compost bin. The plan is to empty it into bags for life if he needs to move and stash in my garage.