# If you don't stockpile for disasters why?



## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

That's it. Why not.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Because I don't believe the world is going to end. Or even that life as we know it will end. or even that the supply of toilet paper will end.

Because I think the hype and fear, and the actions that are based in fear, cause a lot of problems, beyond the real ones that might exist.

Because I think we manifest our realty to some extent, and i don't want to manifest a reality where I'm shooting you because you want to borrow some coffee and sugar and toilet paper.

Remember in The Long Winter when some of the boys were stockpiling seed grain and had built a fake wall in their house so no one would know? And they weren't sharing with the town folk who were going hungry until Pa went over and made them share and then a bunch of the men rode through the storm to get more grain for seed to share with the whole town? Well, I liked Pa a whole lot better than the stock pilers in that book.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

Quote:

Because I think the hype and fear, and the actions that are based in fear, cause a lot of problems, beyond the real ones that might exist.

Because I think we manifest our realty to some extent, and i don't want to manifest a reality where I'm shooting you because you want to borrow some coffee and sugar and toilet paper.
You know, the thing I noticed is that once I quit watching the news on tv and listening to the fearmongering my life because so much happier. I was really fearfull after the WTC and that is when I made the decision to stop watching.

Plus I can;t count how many the world is ending paranoia scenarios I've lived through.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Maybe we are the only ones.
















:







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## MadameXCupcake (Dec 14, 2007)

We have not stock piled previously, we are now though. Previously I don't think there was a real threat of goods being hard to get or that they would be more expensive.
If hyper inflation was to occur we do not have the extra money to purchase more expensive goods we all ready live pay check to pay check now.

We do not have neighbors to rely on or land to grow food.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

I am rethinking my stockpiling. I have no chocolate in the house, and have had a glass of wine and so I can't drive to the store to get any. And wouldn't anyway because its pouring rain and I don't want to be that lady who goes out in the pouring rain to buy chocolate.

So, I will start stock piling chocolate in case I start drinking heavily due to economic stress. And coffee, because the thought of running out of coffee strikes fear in the very heart of me. And sugar and cream because what is coffee without sugar and cream.

But that's it.

Except maybe wine.

And does it count if I have 10 bags of kale in my freezer that I bought at the organic farm and froze for winter because its $2.00 a bunch and local instead of $4.00/bunch from Calif.?

Eek. Maybe I really am stock piler. Sorry, Ard!


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## shantimama (Mar 11, 2002)

What is your definition of stockpiling? I live in a region that gets hit _hard_ by snow several times each winter (as in all county roads get closed - the mail doesn't come or go, everything except the hospital closes, the gas tucks don't come to refill the gas stations, food trucks don;t make it through, everyone has to stay home until the roads get dug out.)

Every October I buy one or two 10L jugs of water and some non-perishable food that does not have to be heated to eat, flashlight batteries, stuff like that. It either gets donated to the food bank or taken on our family camping trip the next summer.

I stock up thoroughly. We have many senior neighbours and I want to have enough to share if need be. It isn't a matter of hoarding food and awaiting some horrible disaster. If there _is_ a horrible disaster I can't imagine that we would hoard everything for our own family - we would want to help others as much as possible.

Maybe this isn't the kind of thing you had in mind, though. Do you mean this or people buying and storing enough food for several months or longer?


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## purplegirl (Apr 5, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Maybe we are the only ones.
















:







:

Naw, I am right there with you. I simply don't believe the sky is falling, even with the current crisis. I think things might get tough, but I have complete faith in the universe that it will all work out. I have enough anxiety and don't need to add any thing else on my plate to worry about.


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## ASusan (Jun 6, 2006)

Because my parents stockpiled for Y2K in a really big way. And I got white cotton briefs in my Christmas stocking for the next 6 years.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

I think we meant things like getting weapons, pulling your money out of banks and converting to cash or gold or silver, buying several years worth of clothing, having several months of food stockpiled, etc.

Beyond the usual pantry stash for storms or a missed paycheck or 2.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ASusan* 
Because my parents stockpiled for Y2K in a really big way. And I got white cotton briefs in my Christmas stocking for the next 6 years.









:


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## odenata (Feb 1, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Maybe we are the only ones.
















:







:

I'm there with you, too, and think you said it quite well in your original post.


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## loitering (Mar 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
I think we meant things like getting weapons, pulling your money out of banks and converting to cash or gold or silver, buying several years worth of clothing, having several months of food stockpiled, etc.

Beyond the usual pantry stash for storms or a missed paycheck or 2.

Well, I'm stockpiling in that I'm buying anything I can get my hands on if it's free or nearly free with coupons, plus second hand clothes I plan to have my ds wear anyways, plus some knowledge that I've never had previously. But as for everything else, between my siblings, parents, and grandparents, we probably have enough. My grandpa has guns, my grandma and sister know how to sew, my dad's house is stuffed with clutter that could actually become useful if resources were running low, my grandma knows how to grow fruits and veggies and can them, etc.

I don't *expect* it to get bad enough that I need, say, my grandpa's guns. But it's nice to know they're there. If I had absolutely no support system in place and I had the money, I probably would buy more.


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## TEAK's Mom (Apr 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *ASusan* 
Because my parents stockpiled for Y2K in a really big way. And I got white cotton briefs in my Christmas stocking for the next 6 years.

OH my, that shouldn't be this funny...


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## karne (Jul 6, 2005)

I want to hang out through the crisis with the lady who's stockpiling chocolate. And wine.









ETA: You can never wear too many pairs of white cotton briefs during a crisis.


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## dawningmama (Jan 14, 2003)

Dude, I don't even like to but the big package of toilet paper. What if I need to up and leave the country? I like to travel light.


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## MommaZtoBlessings (Sep 26, 2008)

Quote:

I want to hang out through the crisis with the lady who's stockpiling chocolate. And wine.
Me too laughup







:


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## loitering (Mar 27, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dawningmama* 
Dude, I don't even like to but the big package of toilet paper. What if I need to up and leave the country? I like to travel light.

I got the best deal I've ever found on the most comfy toilet paper, and I bought 96 roles


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## grniys (Aug 22, 2006)

It really depends on the definition of stockpiling.

As in I'm getting ready for a depression and believe the world as we know it's going to end and I'm putting everything I possibly can get my greedy little hands on in the garage and hiding it so I can help my family make it through? Uh, no.

But I do keep extra pasta sauce, pasta and rice (and I'm not talking about the bulk packages. Just the regular sized ones) in the pantry where if we were short on pay period because of something unexpected we wouldn't have to use the cc or take it out of savings. I did buy the jumbo pack or toilet paper and paper towels because I saved $5 on the paper towels by not buying them seperately, and I have three bathrooms and didn't want to run out of tp constantly. Other than that, no.

I don't really think I stock pile. More like just trying to keep the household running smoothly.


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## Arduinna (May 30, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
I am rethinking my stockpiling. I have no chocolate in the house, and have had a glass of wine and so I can't drive to the store to get any. And wouldn't anyway because its pouring rain and I don't want to be that lady who goes out in the pouring rain to buy chocolate.

So, I will start stock piling chocolate in case I start drinking heavily due to economic stress. And coffee, because the thought of running out of coffee strikes fear in the very heart of me. And sugar and cream because what is coffee without sugar and cream.

But that's it.

Except maybe wine.

And does it count if I have 10 bags of kale in my freezer that I bought at the organic farm and froze for winter because its $2.00 a bunch and local instead of $4.00/bunch from Calif.?

Eek. Maybe I really am stock piler. Sorry, Ard!









: I'm down for the chocolate


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

I wouldn't say I stockpile for disasters because I don't think the world is ending soon. If it is, I doubt my paltry pantry will help me much.

That being said, if I find great deals on things I will buy a lot. I like to save money.


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## EviesMom (Nov 30, 2004)

Eh. I don't stock pile. I did, for a while, after 9/11 because I'm in NYC. A go bag for if I had to leave in a hurry and a stay box in case we had to hole up in the house for some reason. It all went bad or got really dented and banged up and I worried about it.) It just panicked me.

And I don't have the room to really stock pile. So I worry about what we'll need short term, not necessarily in an emergency but just due to every day life. For that, I stock up. Stuff like a couple rolls of TP and paper towels, extra pasta and sauce, extra oatmeal. It's basically the stuff that makes it a little easier if I don't have to worry about if we're almost out. And I do freezer meals too, so I have a few meals that I can get on the table easily.

Same thing with money. I have an extra $20 in a "secret pocket" in my wallet. It's not for an emergency really, it's for "oops! I have less cash than I thought but I need to buy an MTA card." kind of stuff. At home, we have a bit too, I guess it's $60 or so. Pizza money, laundry machine money, etc.

That said, I've decided that the kinds of things I have on hand that make every day life a little easier are also reasonable enough for disaster situations.


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## Malva (Nov 2, 2005)

I don't stockpile for catastrophes or disasters.

I do it because it allows me to eat local food year round, get good deals on bulk items and not need to run out to the store cause I'm out of chocolate. It also makes it cheaper to eat organic food.


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## thixle (Sep 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *grniys* 
I don't really think I stock pile. More like just trying to keep the household running smoothly.

This. I do wish we had more available $$ to get a slightly larger amount around the house. I like buying in bulk. I hate running to the store because I'm out of X and forgot to get it the last time I was there.


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## ledzepplon (Jun 28, 2004)

I have a pretty well-stocked pantry at all times. It's not like it would get me through Armageddon, but if we had an earthquake or something we'd be okay for a week or so at least, I'd imagine. I probably don't have quite as much water as I should, but we'd have enough for drinking only.

I figure if I were stockpiling for a bigger disaster (like longer than a week or two), I'd probably need a gun or something to defend my stash. Which I'm not interested in. At all.


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## 4evermom (Feb 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
I am rethinking my stockpiling. I have no chocolate in the house, and have had a glass of wine and so I can't drive to the store to get any. And wouldn't anyway because its pouring rain and I don't want to be that lady who goes out in the pouring rain to buy chocolate.

So, I will start stock piling chocolate in case I start drinking heavily due to economic stress. And coffee, because the thought of running out of coffee strikes fear in the very heart of me. And sugar and cream because what is coffee without sugar and cream.

But that's it.

Except maybe wine.









I think you've convinced me to start stockpiling.


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## minimunklemama (Nov 24, 2004)

I stockpile chocolate!!

Hey green and blacks was two fro six bucks!

I have ten in my fridge








if the world ends ,You bring the wine and I have the chocolate,at least we will die happy


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

natural disasters - I don't stockpile for them becasue I live in the middle of the prairies in Canada. We don't get hurricanes, there are no fault lines(or anything that could be considered a concern for the next 100 years or more), too far away from mountains to worry about mud slides & avalanches, tornados are mild & don't do much damage. Flooding happens every few years, but not bad here as the nearest river is 45minutes away & is small as far as rivers go. Yeah we get winter storms, but nothing closes for them & we usually have 2-3 days notice.

man made disasters - again I'm in Canada & our economy is slowed but isn't facing the situation that is in the USA. In reality if things got bad in Canada I would't be surprised if the gov't turned a few levers/pushed a few buttons & the water, power & gas that the US gets from us would be cut off. Our banks & financial institutions are protected by the gov't so bailouts wouldn't be needed. Aside from gangs, people who own guns own them for hunting.

Plus if worst came to worst Dad has enough farmland that all of us could have our own half section of land.

Dh could take up the family moonshine traditions & we'd all stay warm.lol


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## captain crunchy (Mar 29, 2005)

I don't stockpile -- I do stock up a few weeks' worth because I am a planner by nature and I get a feeling of security knowing that if something temporary happened (illness, weather, unexpected bill), that we will be okay for a bit. Also, we live in hurricane country and after charlie when our power was out for 9 days, I learned having a bit of stuff makes things a lot more convenient lol

As far as stockpiling for an apocalyptic situation -- I don't for several reasons: agreeing with what fek&fuzz said, and also because .... the stock you've piled is going to run out.... plain and simple.

I think there are way more effective things to cultivate in a state of *emergency* rather than a stockpile of goods --- knowledge, negotiating skills, the ability to remain calm and centered in a volatile situation, community, connections to people/services, useful skills (gardening/midwifery/knitting etc )--


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## joyluc (May 31, 2007)

I don't stockpile because I don't think things are that bad and I don't want to be focused on worrying, to me it is bad karma.

We had a hurricane in Ohio two weeks ago and some people lost power for a week. On the local paper's comment section people were talking about the chest freezers with tons of food that they lost. It seems to me if you are serious about stockpiling because of an apocalyptic event you can't be stockpiling dependent on electricity.


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## amydidit (Jan 21, 2005)

Even though I can totally see the world coming to an end (though I doubt within the next few years) we can't afford to stockpile. At all. We can barely afford to feed our family between paychecks, let alone buy stuff we don't immediately need.


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## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

I don't really stockpile. But I have a well-stocked pantry. I generally don't think the modern economy will end, but if it does, I figure I will adapt. A few of my friends share that outlook. We figure a lot of us would survive and figure it out. We're in a Medieval re-enactment group (SCA) so we all have skills - beer making, cheesemaking, weaving, arrow-fletching. They're not real survival skills - it's not like we can field dress a moose or anything but we're used to just figuring things out.

Plus, my house is pretty full of general living stuff. I don't have the organizational ability to stockpile more crap. DH buys stuff on sale all the time and sometimes it's expired before we use it and I have to throw it out.


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## Liliana (Jan 13, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 

Remember in The Long Winter when some of the boys were stockpiling seed grain and had built a fake wall in their house so no one would know? And they weren't sharing with the town folk who were going hungry until Pa went over and made them share and then a bunch of the men rode through the storm to get more grain for seed to share with the whole town? Well, I liked Pa a whole lot better than the stock pilers in that book.

It was Almanzo who was hiding his seed wheat that went out to get more wheat from another farm. He started counting and realized that even if he shared all his wheat it wasn't enough.


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## p.s (May 27, 2005)

depends on what your definition of disaster is.









I hate paying retail for anything, so that's why I stockpile. Having to run to the store for something would mean my householding had gone disastrously awry to me.
Then it's near impossible to get local organic garlic in the middle of winter here, so as the farmers' markets are winding up, I stockpile stockpile-able foods, like garlic, etc.


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## milletpuff (Jul 4, 2008)

I applaud anyone with the self-discipline to stockpile chocolate and wine _and leave it there till the disaster comes_


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milletpuff* 
I applaud anyone with the self-discipline to stockpile chocolate and wine _and leave it there till the disaster comes_









When I buy chocolate it usually doesn't even make it into the house- it's eaten in the car on the way home.


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## kirstenb (Oct 4, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *joyluc* 
We had a hurricane in Ohio two weeks ago and some people lost power for a week. On the local paper's comment section people were talking about the chest freezers with tons of food that they lost. It seems to me if you are serious about stockpiling because of an apocalyptic event you can't be stockpiling dependent on electricity.

I've been contemplating a freezer for my garage and this is something I have been thinking of- I would hate to have it full and then have something happen and lose all the food. Not too likely where I am, but still...


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## Ziggysmama (Dec 26, 2007)

I don't stockpile because I don't have enough money to have a bunch of food lying around not being eaten.


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## madskye (Feb 20, 2006)

I don't stockpile because we eat mostly fresh food and I also fall into the knowledge is power camp--I'm more likely to hoard how-to books than toothpaste. We put in a big garden this year, and the most paranoid thing we have done is that DH and I spent some time this summer consciously looking for food sources in our neighborhood. There's a huge fig tree in our park. There are also wild strawberries, raspberries, and grapes in the park. My neighbor has an apple tree.

I also don't stockpile because, if I am honest, I lack the skills to do it correctly for our family of 3. So whenever I buy more than 5lbs of flour or another grain, it ends up getting buggy. And, we don't have a ton of space for extras--no basement.

I do think bad times are coming for us, economically. I am more likely to stock up on things like pasta and sauce, and also pricy condiments that I won't be able to afford if our budget is cut.


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## Garden~Lover (Aug 13, 2007)

I think my definition of stock pile is different than other peoples. Ive seen pictures of others stockpiles and wonder how they do it. Its nuts, 20 bottles of cleaner, 800 rolls of toilet paper, 200 jars of pickles. LOL I dont do that. I do however have at least 1 extra week of food on hand in case I cant afford to do grocery shopping for what ever reason. I live so close to everything I could walk there.
if something is a decent price I will generally buy 3-4 not 50. I do not have the space for something like that.


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## mamadelbosque (Feb 6, 2007)

We got hit by that hurricane in OH a couple weeks ago - we were out of power for a good 5 days, which is what has really encourage us to stockpile more, actually







My dad had been procrastinating about buying a generator for YEARS... and he finally did it, like, 1 month before our power went out - a nice little honda generator. It burned all of 1 gallon a gas a day, and kept our fridge & two freezers going. Twas, fantastic!


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## Hey Mama! (Dec 27, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Ziggysmama* 
I don't stockpile because I don't have enough money to have a bunch of food lying around not being eaten.









: I can't afford it, nor do I have the space. I plan on being able to at least have a deep freezer full of meat in a few months but otherwise we are doing good to have enough food in the house for a week at a time.


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## melmel2849 (Jan 28, 2008)

I guess we stockpile, but I hadn't thought of it that way until recently. I usually have (or am in the process of preserving) more than a year's worth of food at one time. We live on a farm, keep a huge garden, and graze animals. I'm also painfully frugal, so when things are on sale, we stock up! DH has a hunting rifle, though I've never considered that we might need it to defend ourselves. So I think we'll survive if the world ends.

DH read an article recently about stockpiling, and he joked that we, in our quest for self sufficiency, probably could manage for the rest of our lives without contact with the outside world. He's right, but I don't think it will come to that.


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## Gracefruit (Aug 6, 2008)

We're currently in the process of getting an actual food storage going, as finances allow. My family has not done so previously mainly due to finance reasons, coupled with the fact that it's overwhelming to figure all that needs to be stored. My husband encouraged me to remember "baby steps baby steps" and that has helped me to undertake the emergency prep effort in a smart sort of way. I spent the summer caning, canning, and canning some more, have learned to dehydrate foods, and also learned to container garden "for real" rather than the whimish gardening I have been doing in years past. In addition to the food & water, we are also gathering together other necessities: flashlights, blankets, a good first aid kit, herbal tinctures/etc, hygiene needs, clothing in larger sizes for our daughter, and much more.

I've been in the habit of keeping a stock pantry at all times since we married, though I never necessarily considered this a special effort of food storage. I grew up in an area that experienced some wicked winter weather, so my parents always made sure we never ran out of essential food items, kept blankets & food in the car...just in case, and so on. The very first area my husband & I lived in after we married was a hurricane prone area and this helped get me in the habit of keeping other essentials in the pantry as well.

To me, keeping a full pantry and items at the ready doesn't necessarily just have to do with wide scale disaster or economic collapse, but also being prepared for a job loss or difficulty my family faces or another family we know. It was not until a banking error took several weeks to clear up about three years ago that I really appreciated the need to have extra food on hand. We were able to live out of our pantry AND host friends who had come up after Hurricane Katrina, all of the very small food storage I had going at that point in time.


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## chrissy (Jun 5, 2002)

I don't stockpile b/c...

1- I don't see a need (don't believe life as we know it is going to soon be over),

2- I hate having a bunch of stuff around, it takes up too much room and always seems to go bad before I use it.

But I don't have a bare bones pantry either. I do have several bags of dried beans and plenty of rice and pasta. I'm not hoarding these things, just buying a few extra when they're on sale. I'll use what we've got and buy more when they're on sale again.


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## notwonamesalike (Nov 13, 2007)

We don't stockpile for emergencies - we stockpile to save money.

example. Last October there was a great sale on FREE toilet paper at Albertsons.

We stockpiled enough that we have only recently run out. We went almost a year living on our free toilet paper. That's alot of money we saved.

We do the same with lots of other items. It makes sense financially for us.

Now I suppose if an end of the world scenario ever did happen, we would be able to hunker down quite easily - but that is NOT why we stockpile.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Same with us. When things are on sale, we stock up, freeze, etc, so technically we would be okay for a little while if something happened, but I think it is paranoid to stockpile for Armageddon type reasons.


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## [email protected] (Jul 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *chrissy* 
I don't stockpile b/c...

1- I don't see a need (don't believe life as we know it is going to soon be over),

2- I hate having a bunch of stuff around, it takes up too much room and always seems to go bad before I use it.

But I don't have a bare bones pantry either. I do have several bags of dried beans and plenty of rice and pasta. I'm not hoarding these things, just buying a few extra when they're on sale. I'll use what we've got and buy more when they're on sale again.









:

It is funny I was just saying to dh that I bet we could live for a few weeks on what we have in the pantry. Beans, rice, pasta, oatmeal etc. It wouldn't be gourmet, but we certainly wouldn't starve.

As far as chocolate goes, I store that on my thighs







.


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## MamaPam (Oct 8, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Because I think the hype and fear, and the actions that are based in fear, cause a lot of problems, beyond the real ones that might exist.


I agree with this a lot.

I'm assuming the op means stock piling like for an end of the world/complete collapse of the economy as we know it type scenario.

We do have a well stocked pantry for living in an apartment. We have what we need for a natural disaster, dealing with power loss for a while, and even enough where the extra food on hand would make things easier for things were very tight financially for a bit.

I don't think you can ever be completely prepared for every scenario. I think we are reasonably prepared for those that our family believes might actually take place. I think my faith plays a big part too. Its in God's hands and I'll trust in him ultimately that my daily needs are met.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

I don't stockpile because I don't think that it's necessary.

If I did have a stockpile, I wouldn't be able to eat it knowing that others right next door were starving.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Same here, and I certainly couldn't shoot a hungry person for trying to eat.


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

We don't stockpile because our house is not a fortress. Come what may, we are not prepared to make a last stand.

But I don't think that the end of the world is imminent. Some changes in the next few months? Possibly (even likely), but there's a big difference between the two.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Also, I wonder if people in flood zones stockpiled clothes to clothe the family for the next 5 years, 850 rolls of TP, 6 months worth of food and lost it all in Ike, Katrina, Hugo, etc.


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## Malva (Nov 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milletpuff* 
I applaud anyone with the self-discipline to stockpile chocolate and wine _and leave it there till the disaster comes_









You have to rotate it! That means you buy more and eat and drink the stuff you already have!


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Malva* 
You have to rotate it! That means you buy more and eat and drink the stuff you already have!

Exactly! I'm drinking up the wine from yesterday so it doesn't go bad.

I have forgotten to buy chocolate on my last 2 trips out.







I'm rather disappointed in myself for this lack of preparation.

Although I do have a cup or 2 of homemade grassfed butter that I suppose would keep me going for a little while.


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## milletpuff (Jul 4, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Exactly! I'm drinking up the wine from yesterday so it doesn't go bad.

Actually, I've decided to stockpile. In my stomach. Keeps it safer from theft/looting.


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## mamajama (Oct 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
I don't stockpile because I don't think that it's necessary.

If I did have a stockpile, I wouldn't be able to eat it knowing that others right next door were starving.

exactly. To me, stockpiling in case of disaster is about as anti-community as one can get.


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## mamajama (Oct 12, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milletpuff* 
Actually, I've decided to stockpile. In my stomach. Keeps it safer from theft/looting.









I'm using my hips for that as well as my tummy!


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## UptownZoo (May 11, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milletpuff* 
Actually, I've decided to stockpile. In my stomach. Keeps it safer from theft/looting.


Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamajama* 







I'm using my hips for that as well as my tummy!

















Yeah! My butt and thighs are VERY efficient stockpiling devices.


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## erratum (May 26, 2008)

Because I'm lazy.

that's the truth.


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## flapjack (Mar 15, 2005)

Because the greatest risk that we face here is from flooding, and if the disaster hits then it's all gone. I also think that if an area has been hit by a natural disaster (like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire in the floods over here last summer) then we owe it to support our local businesses as soon as they are able to open again.
But then we don't get many hurricanes around here.


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## sunnysandiegan (Mar 5, 2008)

Depends on your definition of stockpiling, of course. We keep our pantry and fridge and freezer loosely full and we do not store food elsewhere. We have a family of three and can live for awhile with what we have on hand at most points in time.

Last Fall, we moved out for home improvement projects to take place. We ate out of our pantry/freezer/fridge for a month prior to the move and made some freezer meals with the supplies, too, for the three weeks we lived at my dad's, which is a two-minute walk away.

We generally buy consumables (certain food, household items, etc) when the price is right and adjust our purchases and menus, etc to fit those within reason. We live in an area where we can easily walk to two large grocery stores and two farmer's markets and restaurants, etc.

Our weather is mild and our biggest natural threat is wildfire. Wildfires have occurred twice in the past few years and evacuation is a bigger issue in terms of preparation. Owning less and being less attached to those items is far better for our family. We were out of town during the first wildfire and our community was evacuated. There wasn't anything we could do and we quickly discovered what was most important to us. Our home was spared and we are grateful. Since then, we have moved those items (scrapbooks and photo albums) to be easier to grab by anyone and we've actively improved our neighborly relations (we know everyone within sight of our front and back doors) and our computer backup situations (DH's work and out of state). We got to practice again last year and aside from some fine-tuning, we feel as prepared as one can be.

As I stated on the other thread with a similar topic, the writing has been on the wall for our country's current financial challenge for awhile. Aside from adjusting the types of financial risks we're taking, we haven't changed anything else in the way we live. We trust in the abundance all around us.

Someone upthread or perhaps in the other thread mentioned the media. I have only gone through short spurts of being a moderate TV watcher. (I generally watch very little, if any, TV.) Around 9/11 was one of them and as I proofread my other response, I realized that I was far more anxious than usual (for me) during that time frame. Part of that was being a new mother, but I think the nonstop TV/radio habit "to keep informed" made things worse. I was being inundated with doom and gloom messages. I also watched TV a lot during both wildfires and I felt out-of-sorts more than would be typical for me. (I am generally calm in crises.) I have purposely avoided seeing or listening to any news media about the current crisis and I feel calm and optimistic. That isn't to say I am ignoring it, by any means. It just means I am more selective about my information sources. I was on a conference call regarding this very topic this morning. I knew the two speakers would be proactive and speak from knowledge, not fear or doom and gloom perspectives. It helps to surround myself with these types of people during tough times, well really ALL times.


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## slsurface (May 8, 2007)

Thanks, OP, for getting this thread started. I am curious too.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Because I don't believe the world is going to end. Or even that life as we know it will end. or even that the supply of toilet paper will end.

Because I think the hype and fear, and the actions that are based in fear, cause a lot of problems, beyond the real ones that might exist.

Because I think we manifest our realty to some extent, and i don't want to manifest a reality where I'm shooting you because you want to borrow some coffee and sugar and toilet paper.

Remember in The Long Winter when some of the boys were stockpiling seed grain and had built a fake wall in their house so no one would know? And they weren't sharing with the town folk who were going hungry until Pa went over and made them share and then a bunch of the men rode through the storm to get more grain for seed to share with the whole town? Well, I liked Pa a whole lot better than the stock pilers in that book.

I COMPLETELY agree! The 700 point drop in the market on Monday was all fear-driven







. Plus it's economics 101: By hording, we drive up the demand for products, which in turn increases cost. This is why I refuse to horde gasoline (I heard a commentator on NPR the other day say that the gas distribution system in the US was never built to insure that ALL Americans had a full tank of gas in their cars). So we do ourselves a disfavor by stockpiling beyond a sense of "normal" preparedness (for disasters or bad weather, etc...).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *purplegirl* 
Naw, I am right there with you. I simply don't believe the sky is falling, even with the current crisis. I think things might get tough, but I have complete faith in the universe that it will all work out. I have enough anxiety and don't need to add any thing else on my plate to worry about.

Yep.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Malva* 
I don't stockpile for catastrophes or disasters.

I do it because it allows me to eat local food year round, get good deals on bulk items and not need to run out to the store cause I'm out of chocolate. It also makes it cheaper to eat organic food.

I've been trying to take advantage of buying organic staples (flour, oatmeal, etc) for baking in bulk for just this reason. The difficult part for me is #1 space and #2 getting together enough money for the bulk purchase (even though I know I'll be saving money in the long-run).

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Garden~Lover* 
I do however have at least 1 extra week of food on hand in case I cant afford to do grocery shopping for what ever reason. I live so close to everything I could walk there.
if something is a decent price I will generally buy 3-4 not 50. I do not have the space for something like that.

Yes, this is me too. At any given time, there are ingredients for me to prepare probably 2 weeks worth of meals in my pantry. But I also consciously chose a house within walking distance of a grocery, hardware, craft store







, convenience store, and right along a major bus line (if I ever needed to ditch our cars).


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## audsma (Apr 21, 2005)

We used to stockpile for frequent floods and power outages when we lived on a road which flooded at 6 inches above flood stage, many times a year, but now we've just stockpiled for post partum meals.

I know people who have 6 years worth of toilet paper, but we don't. As someone who was told that Armageddon was going to happen on my 21st birthday (a coincidence-- I have to believe that my parents weren't just trying to stop me from drinking) I just don't take many things that seriously.

But, like a pp, I have 25 lbs. of rice b/c it was local and organic, and a great deal. When it's about eating locally, I stockpile at great prices. I'd love to root cellar, use my dehydrator, and can in addition to freezing only because I am much happier when I don't have to go to the grocery store. That said, there's no way I'm getting a second freezer.


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## inkedmamajama (Jan 3, 2003)

i cant even afford to stockpile, though i would love to have a thorough list-not because of the bailout sit. though, just because i think it would be good to stockpile food water, meds, toiletries, fuel, etc.

though you DO have to rotate your stockpile.


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## Astrogirl (Oct 23, 2007)

I honestly can't think of a reason to stockpile. I just can't see anything happening where I live that would require it. I live in a tiny rural european town and probably the biggest thing that could happen here, is flooding.

Our chalet in switzerland is stockpiled - in case we get snowed in.


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## Masel (Apr 14, 2008)

I havn't been one to stockpile but between this thread, a similar one on another board and a recent conversation with a friend in the Zombie Squad (it's not all about the zombies, really) I realized I should have a little more nonperishable food on hand. It didn't help that the creek between me and the grocery store seriously flood from the remnants of hurricane Ike a couple weeks ago. We're at the top of the hill but would be cut off from a lot if the water couldn't go down quickly.

My philosophy is that the society will not go out with a bang but with a wimper or rather years of succeedingly louder wimpers. The best I can do in my little house is to get us through localized natural disasters. I don't have rooms for stockpiling mass quantities of paper goods for instance.

I am quite sure however that those three cans of green beans (I should have something green and veggie-like I thought) will go into some canned good collection drive next year.


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## emcare (Sep 11, 2005)

I don't stock pile because we cannot afford to. I have a thing for "saving" things so if we could I'm sure we'd be set for a good long winter storm.


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## Smokering (Sep 5, 2007)

Yeah; basically, because we're broke. If I had money to be spending on Future Food I'd be spending it on tomorrow's dinner!







I'm trying to grow lots of veggies this summer, and that's about as foresighted as I've gotten.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
Because I don't believe the world is going to end. Or even that life as we know it will end. or even that the supply of toilet paper will end.

Because I think the hype and fear, and the actions that are based in fear, cause a lot of problems, beyond the real ones that might exist.

Because I think we manifest our realty to some extent, and i don't want to manifest a reality where I'm shooting you because you want to borrow some coffee and sugar and toilet paper.



That's an excellent point. Rather than starting to stockpile, I will increase my food bank donations. Better karma.


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
That's an excellent point. Rather than starting to stockpile, I will increase my food bank donations. Better karma.


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## wendyland (Apr 5, 2003)

We can't afford to stockpile, plus I'm too lazy to rotate stuff. We'd probably have enough in our pantry to last us a couple months. My husband has a great knowledge of local edibles and survival skills. He has purposefully gone into the woods with no food just to forage and see how long he can make it.

This thread has gotten me to think that maybe I should have some things on hand. Like toilet paper, although we do get a phone book practically every other week. I've already been thinking about having some extra bottles of spirulina on hand so that we have good nutrition if anything happened.


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## lanamommyphd07 (Feb 14, 2007)

well, I picked this coming year to compact and eat locally, and even though "stockpiling-type items" don't really count, I'm pretty minimalist anyway and overstocked pantries give me the *****. Even though that's the case, there's probably enough stuff in jars right now to go a few weeks at least.
I have been thinking about my coffee/chocolate/cigarette/bailey's stash though. But of course those are luxury items and if the fit hit the shan I'd probably need to quit all that anyway (or of course stockpile coffee and trade it--but I hear it goes bad quickly -- I wouldn't know. I never have it long enough to find out). I've been more mindful about wasting things lately--groceries really have gone up a lot. I haven't been hitting the fresh produce much.
I suppose since we're thinking of moving soon, I'm in the "get rid of it" mode as well. Maybe at the future location I'll want a full cellar. who knows?


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## hibana (Jun 9, 2006)

I refuse to participate in the fear that drives many people to stockpile. I am not worried about societal meltdown, collapse of the food supply, etc. Worrying about those things distracts one from the business of living.

I do worry about not having cheese, booze, etc when the need arises. So I have lots of cheese in my fridge, and dh is supposed to keep the wine rack full. Problem is, we keep drinking the stuff...


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## Mama Dragon (Dec 5, 2005)

I don't stockpile for the end of the world, but at any time an earthquake or whatever could hit and we be without power or safe roads to travel, so it makes sense to have *some* stored food. Just not an entire bunker full


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## veryerin (Jul 29, 2007)

We are moving in two months, so no, not stockpiling. I am doing the opposite of it, actually. If we weren't moving, I would keep a pantry of staples.


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## oneKnight (Aug 4, 2006)

I don't stockpile, mostly beause I don't have the room or the money.

Poor people like me keep on surviving.


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## lleegle69 (Oct 3, 2008)

Call me paranoid...(you won't be the first...heh)...
But assume this

Gas is deplete.....or non-existent...in your area....
(Presently there is NO GAS in "small-town-Alabama...."...where I live...)

Assume that there is limited gas available in surrounding cities...
(Atlanta....has almost none...)

If there is no gas....there is no means by which to bring food ....to the area..

Hooterville....(my hometown).... had a 30 cent increase in gas prices over night....
You would have been AMAZED at the mass hysteria....
People ramming past each other to get in line and pay $3.99 for a gallon of gas...

Additionally.....Walmart.....
our grocery....
supplier of gas,...
oil, ...
tires,...
and cheap haircuts...
was empty from shelf to shelf....
(Keep in mind , however....that in the south...we empty shelves at the mere MENTION of bad weather....
even if the weather report is in regard to other cities....
other states...
HELL...other countries....)

My point..and I do have one....is that I do not think we should "panic"
and begin stockpiling food and "weapons of mass destruction"
However....
I also do not believe that we should sit back...and wait for the other shoe to drop....(yes...the first shoe has hit the pavement....)
We are not immune to a collapsed economy....

I think that our country has become complacent....believing that "this will never happen here"...
Consider for a moment....that it DOES happen...

If you wake up tomorrow and your bank is closed....CLOSED...
If there is a rush....for gas....food...money...
Are you even slightly prepared?

Have you ever even imagined...
one day
without toilet paper?

Sorry...
I was a girlscout....
our motto...was
"Always be prepared"

Just a thought....
Are you?


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## Sierra (Nov 19, 2001)

"Natural disasters" have certainly happened in the location where I am living now, so I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a few gallons of water on hand, flashlights and batteries, and a well-stocked otherwise unused first aid kit. The Red Cross has a few ideas: http://www.redcross.org/services/pre...0_239_,00.html. If I lived somewhere with no history of hurricanes, etc. I probably wouldn't be as interested. Plus, when I was living on the other coast, after a storm once our power was out for over a week one winter(!), and it was miserable so I want to be more prepared if that ever happens again.

I do not have a stockpile. I do try to buy non-perishable food goods when they are on sale to keep the pantry fairly well-stocked, but we often end up eating these things when money is tight right before I get paid. However, latey I have been thinking more and more that I need to figure out a way to make sure we will have food in an economic or natural diaster or fossil fuel crisis emergency. I am really worried about economics right now because I am feeling the national crisis somewhat personally. If I ever have a spare few dollars in my grocery money, I am going to start up with more sale-based food shopping for emergencies because there is a chance we will go through a period when many of us can't afford food. If nothing else, it will be purchased at lower prices than probably what we'll see a few months from now, so perhaps in a few months we'll reap the benefits. Food prices are supposed to continue to rise at an incredible rate.


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lleegle69* 

Have you ever even imagined...
one day
without toilet paper?

Sorry...
I was a girlscout....
our motto...was
"Always be prepared"

Just a thought....
Are you?

I have survived far greater hardships than a day without toilet paper.







I am adaptable and creative enough to get through whatever life throws at me.


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## WeasleyMum (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *milletpuff* 
I applaud anyone with the self-discipline to stockpile chocolate and wine _and leave it there till the disaster comes_









I can't stockpile anything like chocolate, because it gets eaten RIGHT AWAY. I tried once a few months ago with Ben&Jerry's, it went on sale for just a few dollars a pint! Way cheaper than usual. So I bought several pints, thinking I'd have a freezer stash... Yeah right. I ate that icecream in less time than one could imagine.

In general I don't stockpile much, first because I'm pretty disorganized-- my household is chaotic and there are many things that need adressing. I'm doing well just to have enough groceries in the house to make dinner, I don't plan ahead very well. Second, I'm pretty new to these ideas of the End of Oil, the Long Emergency, whatever you want to call it, the EOTWAWKI. I only kind of stumbled across all that over the summer, and I'm still in the processing stage, not the OMG MUST PLANT WHEAT IN THE FRONT YARD SO WE DON'T STARVE stage.

I am starting to make a few changes, more for general comfort than anything else. After running out of toilet paper a fair few times, I try to stay 2-3 12-packs ahead of that scenario-- also can buy it on sale that way. I'm starting to always have enough jarred spaghetti sauce and dried pasta to be several meals ahead, my freezer is full (mostly meats, veggies, and homemade meals), but I'm nowhere near what anybody would call "all stocked up".

To answer some PP's ideas that it's "bad karma" to be well-supplied, or that it somehow indicates a bad outlook: I don't get it. I mean, let's take something like toilet paper. If I have a one-month supply of the stuff waiting in my laundry room (that I replenish religiously as it gets used up), how does that make bad karma? Now let's say that EVERYBODY on my street-- no, in my city-- has a backup supply of toilet paper. Is that somehow bad for the town's mentality, our outlook? I don't see it. I think that could be applied to most things. Having a freezer/fridge/pantry full of food, a tank full of gas, a closet full of quilts or blankets, these things don't spell bad karma or a doom-and-gloom mentality to me. I'd personally, probably, feel more relaxed knowing that I was just that much more prepared for whatever life chucks our way. Kind of like having that savings account at the bank (the what-if-we-lose-our-jobs-and-can't-pay-the-mortgage! account), except in food, paper goods, or whatever.

I mean yeah, as *Choli* just said, we are adaptable and flexible-- if we had to go a day without TP we'd survive. But why not plan ahead a bit instead, so that maybe we didn't have to?


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## choli (Jun 20, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WeasleyMum* 

To answer some PP's ideas that it's "bad karma" to be well-supplied, or that it somehow indicates a bad outlook: I don't get it.

I didn't say it was bad karma to be well supplied. I said it's *better karma* to contribute more to the food bank.

I strongly believe that it's better karma to give to others than to "stockpile" or hoard for myself.


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## almadianna (Jul 22, 2006)

i do stockpile but not like for end of the world stuff... we do it every year in the beginning of hurricane season and we eat it all after the end of hurricane season.

we live in texas and have had 3 major hurricanes/tropical storms hit us in the last 10 years (rita, allison, and now Ike) so it has been quite helpful. because of my stockpiling we were able to eat very well for the 2 weeks that we didnt have electriity.. we ate warm food, healthy meals, and didnt have a single MRE.

But like i said above I dont stockpile like 300 pounds of toilet paper or anything like that.. the most that i have is that i buy meat through a farm and I (at the most right after delivery) have around 70 pounds worth of meat in my deep freeze... other than that it is usually a few boxes of stuff here and there.


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## dolcedaze (Jan 29, 2006)

I didn't, for years, because it didn't seem to make financial sense. I've never bought into the absent paycheck scenario, because in those cases the money would do us a lot more good stashed in the the bank than previously spent on things we might or might not need. We've never lived in an area where natural disasters would last more than a few days.

Now I've started, out of frugality and not preparedness. I keep a supply of coupons for things we do use or that give overage, then use them to buy a year's worth of items on sale for free. I have a large pantry completely stuffed with free food. We have the space and it saves us thousands of dollars, so I no longer had a reason not to do it.


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## WeasleyMum (Feb 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
I didn't say it was bad karma to be well supplied. I said it's *better karma* to contribute more to the food bank.

I strongly believe that it's better karma to give to others than to "stockpile" or hoard for myself.

OK, that's a good point, and I may be guilty of skimming and/or mixing up posts (







). But they are hardly mutually exclusive activities, either.


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## whalemilk (Jul 11, 2008)

Even if I wanted to, where would I put it? There's four of us and three cats in an urban apartment with two tiny bedrooms and a miniscule kitchen. I wouldn't say it's cramped but let's say the ambiance is very...European. Very Ikea. We store stuff under the beds, the closets are stacked, the tiny freezer is arranged just so only to hold a month's worth of broth and chicken breasts...and we don't *have* a lot of things! Any extra "stuff" we had got sold this summer when we hit our personal financial crisis. Unless I started piling cases of canned goods on the floor and just walking over them, I don't have anywhere to put a year's worth of food even if I for some reason thought that was a sane idea.

So speaking of elitism, one thing that bothers me about this whole concept is it pretty much requires you to be a North American space hog to start with. You need a certain amount of square footage in your home to stockpile, you need a house with its own yard (and not an apartment or condo) to have a "sustenance" garden, and you absolutely must have a car to haul the vats of ketchup and pinto beans home from Sam's Club and Costco. And if you're thinking of raising chickens or shooting game, that requires you to live a little further out and drive everywhere, and to have a little more space...for all the pioneer fantasizing I see, NONE of this scheming is really sustainable.

And who am I, I am no Army sharp shooter, hell I was raised Quaker. I'm some fat housewife with bad hips, and if the hoardes of hungry, angry men came to our door I and my two very small daughters would be toast, albeit after my skinny nerd husband put up a valiant effort at defending us. To anyone who isn't already higher on the totem pole, or married to someone who is, this whole idea of steeling ourselves against anarchy and deprivation by stockpiling is a sad, sad joke.


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## the_lissa (Oct 30, 2004)

Good points. There are so many reasons why peoel are against stockpiling, and it has nothing to do with being a cool kid. I think it is harmful.


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## dancebaraka (Dec 14, 2006)

I am hanging out in both sides' threads... for the record, I can see all sides to this.

For myself, I want to cultivate integration of ideas, and not "either-or" thinking. KWIM? Anyone??

For what it's worth, we *are* prepping for a financial depression. I am not stockpiling food beyond a month, though. We are downsizing, living within our means, paying off all debts, etc. etc.

Oh yeah... and ditto the wine and chocolate. 2-3 cases of 2-buck chuck is on my shopping list. No matter what happens, I'll be festive!


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## Scribe (Feb 12, 2007)

I've been following and thinking about this thread for awhile now, and have finally come up with the reasons why I don't stockpile:

1. I don't really believe anything horrible is going to happen, and if it does, I don't really believe that anything I can buy up now and save in my house is going to help.

2. Stockpiling does feel like hording to me, and doesn't seem generous or community-spirited.

3. I believe very strongly in not giving myself license to worry unnecessarily, and too much focus on what could happen ends up being just that.


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## slsurface (May 8, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *avengingophelia* 
3. I believe very strongly in not giving myself license to worry unnecessarily, and too much focus on what could happen ends up being just that.

How very zen!







Well said.


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## grniys (Aug 22, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *choli* 
I didn't say it was bad karma to be well supplied. I said it's *better karma* to contribute more to the food bank.

I strongly believe that it's better karma to give to others than to "stockpile" or hoard for myself.

I needed that reminder. Not on the food issue though (I don't keep much in stock in my pantry... just enough to get us by if we're short grocery money sometime). I just bought some new, better sewing stuff and wasn't sure what to do with my old stuff. I was just going to keep it around in case I ever needed it... but I most likely won't.

I absolutely agree with the karma thing. Thanks for the reminder.


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## tinybutterfly (May 31, 2004)

I haven't had a chance to read all the replies yet. We don't stockpile, but I do want to get our emergency kit together after letting it slide for several years and would also like to put away about three months worth of stuff in the pantry and a regular sized freezer ( the kind attached to our fridge) for winter. Also would rather pay lower prices if I can now if prices do go up pretty soon. Stocking up, but not stockpiling.

We live where there are tornadoes, floods, winter weather some years, we had some earthquake activity this year AND the edge of Ike came through and caused issues this year. Who says the midwest is boring.


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## georgia (Jan 12, 2003)

Posts have been removed that were in violation of the User Agreement or referenced/quoted posts that were removed. Please be proceed with caution because further violations will necessitate this thread being removed.

Thanks!


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## be11ydancer (Dec 2, 2003)

I haven't read all the replies but there are reasons other than the world ending to stockpile essential supplies.

If DH (sole income earner) suddenly became disabled or worse, there would be enough food to last us a while.

When we have all become ill in the past and no one could get to the store, we had enough food.

When my dad lost his job last month, they were able to live off the large amounts of dehydrated everything that they had been buying over the years. This helped them tremendously, and a lot of it tasted really good.

And I don't like going to the grocery store more often than I have to so it's better to buy 6 jars of peanut butter at once than to buy one every week.

When a work crew was replacing water lines recently and the water was shut off, it sure was nice to have bottles of water available. I just wash out the cranberry juice bottles and refill them with water and put in the back of a closet. It's no trouble really.

That said, I don't have any fuel storage in case of a power outage. But I did make a simple campfire pit in the backyard and could easily use it to cook with if necessary. If the power went out and was expected to be out for a long while, I'd just start cooking all the meat that's in the deep freeze... probably have a big bbq or something.


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## velochic (May 13, 2002)

I do stockpile and I thought I'd just say something about the psychology of it.

When people are faced with tough times, they often feel powerless to do anything about it. Nature, work lay offs, the economy... none of these things can we control. But keeping our family fed and safe *IS* something we can control. Part of stockpiling is knowing that for a given period of time we *are* in control of making life easier for our families. Women are natural nurturers. Protecting our young is part of our nature. That is why I prepare for disasters both natural and man-made. Nature compels me to.

I agree that just going out and buying $1000 worth of food you may or may not eat is foolish. Stocking up in a panic is irrational. You *will* waste in that case. That's why I have been preparing in the fat years (several) for the lean. And I have worked on my self-sufficiency skills, too. Learning how to be a good gardener, preserving and purchasing seeds, knowing how to preserve food even in an emergency (and buying the tools to do so), learning back-to-basics skills that will allow us to continue when others don't know what to do. It's all part of the process... it's not just buying more food. The bottom line is that you have to know how to live sustainably in the case of a major disaster or depression. The large stockpile of food allows you to get your ducks in the proverbial row as you gear up to live in sustainability mode. If nothing happens, a prudent prepper will have made sure that nothing goes to waste. They will have their rotation system set up and document expiry dates and plan their daily consumption around that. Over the years I have saved at least $5,000 in groceries alone by stocking up. And only 1 time has anything gone to waste... 4 cartons of UHT milk went over the expiry before we could use them.


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## kijip (Jun 29, 2005)

I agree with everyone who says the sky is not falling. I am not particularly worried about the economy just now.

But I have a long term stock of food and supplies. And I garden on a tiny urban lot, we have chickens with another family and I own/use things like a pressure canner.

The assumption that everyone who is interested in stockpiling and self sufficiency is living in fear of economic collapse is incorrect. All of the people I know IRL who do this are super community minded and none are especially scared about social and economic collapse.


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## Juliacat (May 8, 2002)

I guess I get discouraged reading things like "you'll need 3 gallons of water per person per day." Assuming 3 days, WHERE THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO STORE 9 GALLONS OF WATER?!?!?!?!? There's barely enough room in our house for US!

I'd probably be more likely to stockpile if I knew what kind of disaster we were going to be dealing with!


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## fek&fuzz (Jun 19, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Juliacat* 
I guess I get discouraged reading things like "you'll need 3 gallons of water per person per day." Assuming 3 days, WHERE THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO STORE 9 GALLONS OF WATER?!?!?!?!? There's barely enough room in our house for US!

I'd probably be more likely to stockpile if I knew what kind of disaster we were going to be dealing with!

It's only one gallon of water per person per day. You can store it under beds, backs of closets, cabinets. Get creative.

Do you have any weather issues in your area that cause power outages? Hurricanes, storms, tornadoes, floods, etc? We have some bad winter storms, and we've had alerts where we've had to boil water for a day or two due to a water main issue. It was nice to have a few gallons on hand for that.

You don't have to be stockpiling for the end of the world. Just getting a few things to have on hand in the event of a storm, power outage, water issue, etc.


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## Mama Dragon (Dec 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *fek&fuzz* 
It's only one gallon of water per person per day. You can store it under beds, backs of closets, cabinets. Get creative.

Do you have any weather issues in your area that cause power outages? Hurricanes, storms, tornadoes, floods, etc? We have some bad winter storms, and we've had alerts where we've had to boil water for a day or two due to a water main issue. It was nice to have a few gallons on hand for that.

You don't have to be stockpiling for the end of the world. Just getting a few things to have on hand in the event of a storm, power outage, water issue, etc.

I thought it was 3? For bathing, drinking, cooking? 1 gallon wouldn't last long I think?


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## lacysmommy (Nov 10, 2004)

Having water on hand is VERY IMPORTANT, even if you don't store anything else. Even just a couple gallons for the unexpected. I didn't think we needed it, because we live close to a large water source, have bleach and a water purifier (we're campers), and we pay our water bill. But our water main broke one day and I didn't have any water on hand to flush toilets, wash hands, or even drink. It took a couple days to fix it, so we didn't have water for a while. With two kids, it is very difficult to not have water on hand. It is a major PITA to go down a couple blocks to the lake to retrieve it, so that's really only a viable solution in a true emergency situation (thinking earthquake for us). I think you can also use the water in your water heater as water storage, but I'm not sure how you do that. I now know better and will be stocking up on water as soon as I can! I'm planning on getting a couple of the slim packs-- they have a spout and hold about 3-4 gallons. I will probably get 4 of them and store them in our carport or the storage shed out back.


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