What to buy re situation x

Given the fact that the credit crunch is on big time what do those people with limited funds buy for any near future emergencies. For the time being can we leave out the guns and ammo. I'm thinking more on the line of food and medical supplies, fuel for heating/cooking and cleaning supplies.

I have been stocking up for a while but would appreciate some input on this matter. Thanks

This is a main CHECK LIST used to select stuff from. You dont need everything, just stock what your family needs

#Stockpile LIST (Consumables)
DAIRY
 Eggs dried
 Milk powdered
 Butter tinned
 Margarine
 Spreads
 Whipped Cream
 Yoghurt
 Cheese tinned
 Cream Cheese
 Parmesan Cheese
 Other Cheese


MEAT, FISH & POULTRY
Dried, tinned, preserved
 Bacon
 Sausage
 Deli Meat
 Hot Dogs
 Chicken
 Turkey
 Beef
 Pork
 Ham
 Fish
 Shellfish


FRUIT/dried/tinned
 Apples
 Bananas
 Berries
 Grapefruit
 Grapes
 Lemons
 Limes
 Melon
 Oranges
 Pears


BEVERAGES
 Instant Tea
 Coffee
 Tea Bags
 Fruit Juice
 Soft Drinks
 ___ Water Filter eliment
 Spirits
 Wine
 ___ Coffee Whitener


VEGETABLES tinned
 Broccoli
 Cabbage
 Carrots
 Cauliflower
 Celery
 Cucumbers
 Garlic
 Lettuce
 Mushrooms
 Onions
 Peppers
 Potatoes
 Radishes
 Spinach
 Tomatoes
 Peas

BREADS
 Bagels
 Bread
 Buns
 Muffins/scones
 Rolls
 Flour/yeast

DRY GOODS
 Cereal
 Oatmeal
 Biscuits
 Crackers
 Pasta/Noodles
 Beans/Lentils/Peas
 Rice
 Bread Crumbs
 Flour
 Sugar
 Cake Mix
 Pancake Mix
 Gelatine
 Potato Chips
 Tortilla Chips


MEDICAL

 Vitamins*
 ____ Dressings
 ____ Sterile Wipes
 ____ Steristrips
 Aspirin*
 ____ Paracetamol*
 ____ Ibuprofen*
 ____ Antihistamine*
 ____ Anti-inflammatory
 ____ Antiseptic cream
 ____ Antibiotic
 ____ Nasal sprays
* Plus Childs versions

CANNED GOODS
 Sausages + pasta
 ____ Macaroni Cheese
 Tip Top
 Fruit
 Custard
 Pasta Sauces
 Soups
 Spag Bog Sauce
 Stewed Tomatoes
 Potatoes
 Corned Beef
 Tuna /salmon
 Vegetables


FROZEN FOODS
 Apple Juice
 Orange Juice
 Ice Cream
 Potatoes
 Vegetables
 Frozen Dinners
 Frozen Pizza
 Frozen Waffles
 ____ TV Dinners


BAKING GOODS
 Baking Soda
 Baking Powder
 Corn Starch
 Salt
 Pepper
 Chocolate Chips
 Nuts
 Raisins
 Vanilla
 Dried Herbs
 Spices




CONDIMENTS
 Oil
 Vinegar
 Ketchup
 Mayonnaise
 Mustard
 Salad Dressing
 Shortening
 Soy Sauce
 Jelly/Jam










LAUNDRY
 Persil Non Bio
 Detergent
 Comfort Softener
 Stain Remover

 KITCHEN
 All Purpose Cleaner
 Fairy liquid
 Detox / Detol
 Flash liquid
 Domestos Bleach
 Glass Cleaner
 Nylon Scourers
 Star Drops

BATHROOM
 Bath Soap
 Deodorant
 Baby Lotion
 Razors
 Shaving Cream
 Shampoo
 Toothpaste
 Conditioner
 ___ Baby Wipes

MISCELLANEOUS
 Batts AA/C/D
 ___ Batts CR123A
 Candles
 Gas Bottles 7KG
 ___ Fuel/ wood
 ___ Parachute cord
 ___ Water Filter
 ___ Cigarette lighters
 ___ PortaLoo Chemicals

PAPER/PLASTIC PRODUCTS
 Facial Tissue
 Toilet Tissue
 ____ Fem Sanitary prod
 Napkins
 Paper Towels
 Aluminium Foil
 Plastic Wrap
 Lunch Bags
 Sandwich Bags
 Garbage Bags
 Zip loc bags

Sorry about the mixed up format, its two lists posted side by side, but shows up as one list.

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS MEDICAL SUPPLIES
--------------- ----------------
AM/FM Radio / Solar Powered Hydrogen Peroxide
Baking Soda Multi-vitamins/Aminos/Vitamin C
Batteries / Large & Small Stitching Kit (for serious cuts)
Beef Jerky First Aid Kit
Blankets Penicillin if available
Booze & Beer Snake Bite Kit
Bottled Water Pain Killer (Tylenol, Advil etc)
Boullion Cubes
Candles CLOTHING ITEMS
Canned Foods / all kinds --------------
Coffee Fatigues
Decks of Cards Hiking Boots
Feminine Pads Rain Gear
Fix-A-Flat
Flashlights SURVIVAL ITEMS
Garden Hose --------------
Garden Supplies Air Compressor / DC power source
Ice Chests Backpacks
Knives Battery Charger
Light Bulbs Binoculars
Lighter Fluid Canteen
Matches / Lighters CB Radio
Needles & Thread Campstove / Fuel
Notebooks Chain Saws
Pens/Pencils Coleman Lantern / Fuel
Plastic Bags / Garbage Sacks Elecrical Wire
Pots / Pans / Silverware Fishing Gear
Rags (cloth) Gasoline / 5 Gallon Plastic Cans
Sardines Gun Oil
Scissors Guns & Ammo
Soap / Shampoo Inflatable Raft
Spam and other canned meats Lamps - 12V
Spices Machette
Suntan Lotion Magnesium Fire Starter
Tang & Vitamin C Maps
Tape / Duct & Electrical Oil
Tea Ammunition Reloaders & Supplies
Thermos Rope
Toilet Paper Scuba Gear
Tools Seeds - All kinds
Water pump/purifying filters Tent & sleeping bag(s)
WD-40 Water Purifier Tablets
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This represents a list that you can fill all, or part of, depending on your
needs and requirements. Print the list and put a check-mark next to each
item as you store it away. Don't try to fill this in a few weeks, but just
try to get 1 item at least per week, store it away, and then go on to next.
Some of the items are common sense, things that you should have in your house
anyway in case of emergency or need. Others are more "hard-core" and you
may opt not to purchase it - in that case, line through the item.


[edit on 1-10-2008 by Northern Raider]

This is my favourite list set up
STOCKPILING SUGGESTIONS

There are many lists available on the web and in books about what to stockpile or cache, this article is simply a guide of useful things to consider having around "just in case"

Some items you may wish to obtain can be useful on a day to day basis as well as being invaluable during a crisis for your own use or to barter with.

Tea / coffee / whiteners
Sugar / salt
Flour / grain / pasta
Soap / bleach / detergents
Tooth paste / deodorant
Zip lock bags / bin bags
Candles / parafin
Coal /charcoal / wood

All of the above are everyday consumables that will quickly become in very short supply during a crisis and pound for pound the likes of salt, paraffin, coffee, and candles will become more valuable than gold.

Writers of survival planning often suggest that you should keep a supply of pure gold and silver coins for use as barter currency, perhaps they are correct but in my mind if you can not eat it or burn it or preserve food with it I don't think it will be of much use to you. People will sell their souls for the supplies I have listed when they are in short supply and you can not really have to much in store because its something that you use continuously in your every day lives.


OTHER USEFUL ITEMS

Flashlights
Batteries
Nylon cord
Rope
Shovels
Picks
Pry bars
Hand operated tools
Paraffin and candle lanterns
Boots, insoles and spare laces
Ordnance Survey maps 1:50,000
Compasses
Ducting tape / insulating tape
Multi tools Gerber / Leatherman etc
Compact field glasses
Short wave radio or scanner
Spare knives
Hiking clothing /Gore-Tex type
Rucksack
Medical kit
Weapons
Tents / bivouac bags
Blankets
camp cooker / barbeque ( multi-fuel)
Water containers
Extra personal sanitation kit / spare prescription glasses

FOOD stuffs that have a long shelf life or can be reconstituted easily are required and it must be food you like. It does not put much of a strain upon your financial resources to spend an extra £ 2 a week on food to lay away for emergencies (unless you are a British pensioner) Don't forget to rotate your cached food through your everyday supplies so you always have the freshest stuff in reserve. In many cases rural folk and those who are affected by restricted access to the shops keep a lot more tinned and dry goods than would normally be found in the average families town house. I tend to buy tinned goods like baked beans, soups, vegetables, fruit, corned beef, tinned hams, peas, carrots, potatoes, tinned milk etc by the dozen, tins if looked after have a good shelf life and fairly easy to store. Do write on the end of the tin with a marker pen what’s its contents are and its expiry date, just in case the label falls off during storage. I have added a shelf life list further towards the end of the book.





INCREASED STOCK LEVELS

People have asked exactly what I mean when I say I am increasing my stock levels during a perceived looming crisis, Listed below are some of the things I do and some of the things I get in extra to my normal shopping.

Fill vehicles with fuel
Fill Jerry cans
Check over vehicles systems, POL* as required
Strip, clean and adjust all tools and blades and other pieces of kit

*POL Petrol, Oil and Lubricants

Fill potable water containers and treat.
Pack extras into bug out bags
Monitor news continuously
Change batteries in flashlights and radios
Top up normal shopping stock, I always keep about four months’ foodstuffs anyway.

Then I get extra

Tea bags 2000
Coffee 4 jars
Sugar 8 kilos
Salt 2 kilo
Whitener/creamer 1 kilo

Rice long grain 12 lbs
Pasta shells 12 lbs
Wheat flour 12 lbs
Cereal grain 12 lbs
Noodles etc 4 lbs


Tinned
Salmon/Tuna x8
Ham/Turkey x8
Processed meats x8
Soups Asst x32
Stews x 8
Tinned meals x 16 (all day breakfast etc)
Peas x 8
Carrots x 8
Potatoes x 16
Baked beans x16
Beans with sausages / burgers etc x 16
Mushrooms x 8
Mixed vegetables x 16
Mixed fruit cocktail x 16
Tins fruit various x 16
Tins cream x 4
Tip Top x 20
Tins custard x 16
Tins / jars cooking sauces x 12
Tins oriental / Asian vegetables x12

Dried fruit
Dried nuts
Dried meats

As above but vac packed assorted x 12

Get extra toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo etc bars neutral soaps x 32
Top up all medicines inc prescription stuffs

Bleach unscented x 4 gallons
Fairy liquid washing up liquid x 4 gallons
Batteries AA, x 24 ,12 x 357 silver oxide button batteries, 10 lithium CR123A batteries
Solar powered battery chargers and a set of Ni-Mh batteries is a good option

All Over & Above normal stock requirements.

Other items are obtained as and when deemed necessary, refer to your own main kit lists and select adjust as necessary.

Northern, Thanks for the detailed lists I am trying to build up 12 months supply of eveything, the main problem I have is enough secure storage space. I would rather spend £300 on supplies than a shed to store them in, so I'm looking on ebay to get some cheap storage.

There are some great lists here. Every time that we go shopping we stock up a little more.

We've always tended to buy things in bulk when they're on sale. Now, we're trying to lay in a decent supply just in case.

One of the posts pointed out how important it is to purchase food that you like. I second that. We stock up on the types of things that we normally eat.

Don't forget wine and/or spirits. Just because the economy takes a dump doesn't mean that I shouldn't have my glass of Cabernet at night. It could also be used to barter.

I'm gearing my preparations for an economic meltdown, not something where you grab supplies and make a run for the mountains.

Here's my post on planning for a depression.

Planning for a depression

Hopefully this will prove to be an exercise if futility and we'll all just have an abundant supply of food for the winter.

I think you got it bass ackwards.

The high capacity guns and ammo come first or you might as well help load up your supplies in the back of someone else's pickup and wave them goodbye.

Self defense and security measures are first. You may need to draw down to defend that last bottle of water and cup of rice. Or your first ones or any in between.

Here. Run through it a couple times and see what you really need.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 1-10-2008 by Illahee]

I don't think it's the right time just yet for me to stock up, but when I do I'll be buying food packets from an internet seller which will last me a year and can be preserved for 10 years. I'll also buy water which can be preserved for a long time, a small water purifier and a bow and arrows (guns are illegal in my country to own). If fightings might erupt or I run out of food and water, I plan to ride my bike to the Schwarzwald in Germany and built a hut out of wood (those forests are not very densely populated). Not much I can do, I just don't have that much money. Besides, I don't think I would want to live in a post-disaster world anyway.

But again I don't think something is going to happen just yet but it's likely a major catastrophe will happen in my lifetime.