what im prepping for

[mikeq49]

i am prepping for an economic collapse and power outages

How are you doing that? Particularly economic collapse as it is so long term. My prepping is more about having things now to be able to keep our lifestyle eg spare of each type of light bulb. Skills are the only thigs I can see lasting long term as jo matter how much food prep you have it will eventually run out.

My prepping for economic collapse (or bad stuff if not collapse) involves keeping a buffer and helping my family (specifically DH) be less freaked out by tricky stuff. He's a planner - weekly meals etc and hates things messing with the plan . I'm trying to create a more "store cupboard" friendly existence that helps with that.

How are you prepping for economic collapse? I assume that involves a lot more then some extra food?

Maybe it's things like planting a good veggie garden, getting a sewing machine and fabric to be able to repair/make own clothes, growing trees to have wood for the fire, putting solar panels on the roof to generate own power...that sort of thing to make yourself more self-sufficient?

surely it makes more sense to try and have a way out of the country or learn how to kill? Economic collapse will be accompanied by civil unrest & lawlessness.

Prepping for: (as in made some plans/purchases/collected stuff)
fire.
Power cuts.
Illness.
Cold weather.
Hot weather.
Hospital visit.
Car accidents.
Car break down.
Savings for emergencies. (Car failing MOT, plumbing emergencies, replacing white goods)

the OP was talking about economic collapse though?

Drought, heatwave, severe gales
(choosing garden plants carefully and gradually shoring up garden and house)

Fresh fruit and veg to be almost non existent
(seeking out hardy old seed varieties with very high genetic diversity and filling my garden with hardy perennial foodplants and ones I can store seed from)

I should probably start a wine cellar too come to think of it 😄

Extreme weather (heat, cold)
Supply chain issues (keep a small backup stock of some tinned food, cleaning products and toiletries)
Economic changes (diversified income)
Illness (well-stocked first aid kit)

While my main focus is things more likely to happen, I am starting to get a very "doom and gloom" mindset from global events - weather and natural disasters, but also the UN Secretary General commenting on the doomsday clock shortening again and that we are likely now in the early stages of a global war, Ukraine-Russian conflict a year old and just noticing myself that what DH and I had thought about China pushing things starting by to become obvious with the "weather balloons" over USA and Latin America this week.

So I am getting a bit more hard core in what I am making sure I have.

Still no guns or other weapons though!

I'm learning archery! Getting quite good at it too if I do say so myself. Got my own kit and everything. I live in an area with tubs of farm fields and there like so plenty of rabbits and squirrels I've been learning to preserve foods over the last year as well.

Sounds great glasshole.

OP what are you thinking of as economic collapse?

I guess my reasons are predominantly mundane rather than end of world or financial armageddon.

2021 felt tough financially
2022 even worse due rising energy and food rises.

Husband is variable pay and commission based retail which I fear is sector that will probably slow down this year which maybe mean less money.

During last recession when he lost his job we realised universal credit takes 6 weeks.
So trying save up 6 weeks worth bills
Have least 6 weeks of food and in some areas more of the items that keep rising.
I do think we will end up In recession and April feel even more squeezed due to government money stopping and cap being raised to £3000 plus rises in water, council tax and other bills .

Energy costs been crazy so seriously considering a wood or multi fuel burner and to replace couple single glazed door/ window to make the house much warmer.

Worried about fixed mortgage ending this year December so definatly need buy xmas presents and food earliier and have a reductions pot so can take advantage of reduced food dec fill the freezers and feed us evening meals for jan and feb we do this every year.
Slowly trying run down freezers as some need a defrost .

We planting seeds again soon for pots on garden and allotment.
Maybe buy a water but for home .

Food slowed down buying some things but trying plug the gaps this year little extra each week so grocery bill doesn't rocket as trying keep grocery lower so can throw more at debt and pay off credit card.

Have brought extra candles camping stove kettle candles for blackouts would really love a solar generator just so costly.

I think energy Personnelly we at great risk blackouts next winter as last if European countries have much more gas storage than UK and filled up on Russian gas before was cut off.
So next winter energy be more competitive and this will pish up prices.
Energy is playing a part in food increased but so is brexit anyone know when biometric goes live as was worried about how ports will cope and delicate just in time system supermarket already struggling .
Ukraine / russia war also causes big gap agricultural and food supply.

Weather as well more extreme last year allotment dident do well due to heat.
We not in a flood area.
When we had bad stores and school was closed last year it felt great to have plenty in.

Just seeing the difficulties being faced in Turkey and Syria, and in New Zealand after their cyclone, puts what we face into perspective. Money is tighter, and very tight for some people, but we mostly have a roof over our head and some kind of food to eat even if it's less/different to what we're used to.

I definitely want to figure out how to dig proof veggie gardening this year though and get back to growing a reasonable amount.

I have 3 sets of shelves in conservatory that I store tins, jars and packets as well as laundry and cleaning products. I have 2 freezers. 1 upright in kitchen and 1 large chest freezer I store things from garden in and a few joints of meat. This year I am expanding my garden. Last year just runner beans and tomatos plus cooking apples from 2 fruit trees. This year planning tomatoes, peppers, runner beans and peas, planting a plum tree but not sure how long before it fruits, could be a few years. Also planted raspberry cains last autumn so hopeful of fruit this year. Going to put on strawberry runners this year and plant beetroot and potatoes in black bins. I have more time this year for development of garden. Getting a herb box too.

Its always a good idea to have as much security as you can. If you have too much savings you can't claim UC. It might be better to buy gold you can store and liquidate if needed whilst keeping savings under UC limit.

How are you doing that mike?

This is exactly how I feel at the moment, I am very worried about global war. From my perspective it’s 100% going to happen.

However my problem is I’ve no idea where to start prepping for this. We live in a big town and don’t have anywhere else to go.
if anyone has any idea what to do/where to start please let me know.

Not sure how old you are but this feels like the Cold War to me. So I don't think war will extend beyond the horrible situation in Ukraine.
My recommendation is to improve your diet and fitness- which is rich coming from me because I'm patchy at best on this. It's the one thing I know will make me better placed to face any challenges ahead. It's the hardest thing to do because there are so many depressing things going on, you just want to dive into a pool of chocolate and other edible comforts to help cope with it.

As Bellini says, the vibes are bad but I don't think we will necessarily see "boots on the ground" in the UK/Ireland.

There might be more scarcities though, so getting fit and healthy are important. And being able to be more self a sufficient - cook a proper meal from ingredients not ready meals, put a few things away to have in the cupboard in case of shortages/supply chain issues (not a year's worth though - maybe start with a few days and build up to a couple of weeks).

And do things to help sort yourselves out if anything happens - like having torches run on batteries and spare batteries, or rechargeable torches and perhaps either power banks or a solar panel (camping ones are good to recharge power banks to use for torches, phones, iPads etc).

And learn to be more self sufficient in other ways. Mending clothes, doing household repairs, having a non-petrol/diesel form of transport (electric scooter, old fashioned or electric bike, even a pair of roller skates or a wheelie trolley to carry heavy things as you walk). Those kinds of things to be ready with your back up options.

I agree with @BiddyPop. Don't think war here is likely, but stock preps will only take you so far. In any longer term scenarios they will eventually run out or be taken. You will need skills. Can you preserve food, grow it, repair things, know first aid etc? That's what I am currently trying to work on.

No I don’t see boots on the ground either, I am worried about nuclear way. Tbh if it did happen no amount of prepping would save us, so that’s not in the prepping plan.

I have quite a few bush craft skills that I can utilise and I can identify edibles from the forest (mushrooms etc)

@bellinisurge i suppose that my biggest weakness is my fitness and my diet. Both are currently awful, I’ve been binge eating for the last year and the weight has piled on so I know exactly how your feel. It’s been my only comfort… reaching for the chocolate.

@BiddyPop I live in a small house in the town so storage is an issue but I could look at possibly growing our own veg etc the only thing being is that I’ve no idea where to start. I went to the £1 shop and stocked up on what you suggested so I feel a bit better now about that. Next on the agenda would be looking at purchasing an e-scooter, tent, more outdoor gear.

@LegoGoldenDragon yeah that’s good suggestions. I’ve done lots of first aid but it’s the one thing I would have seriously confidence in my ability to carry out of required.

I think skills to manage in the longer term, being able to do things our parents and grandparents would have but we seem to outsource all the time, are the things to focus on at the moment. The ability both in skills and mindset to "make do and mend" if you will.