TEOTWAWKI Shopping List

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Good points on gas and stocking up on extra cans/filling them up. Something I didn;t think of. I mean, worst case scenario - nothing happens and you use the gas.

Thats what I did on 9-11 at the quick stop in town whilst the zombies stayed glued to the tv. hahaha even in the store i coulda took the stuff and they wouldnt even have noticed because of the fear and stare at the tv.
I agree though maybe if you dont have to dont but say it's still stable as in 9-11 and you are on the way home, that will be a spit second decision

[RyanMac]

OH, I agree with what Lowdown says. I was thinking more of if anything happens when I am at work. We all drive together. My wife and I work close to each other and kids go to school. So, IF anything happens while at work - the wife and I know to meet at the car so we can get the kids and go home.

This is just something that I have thought about - on the drive home.

But then again, I have not thought about it being part of the problem. I am WAY too analytical (not sure how to say the other word on here...) to depend on a last minute shopping spree. (I was joking about 2-3 carts full) But I would consider getting fuel (the thing I learned most from this thread) and of course any auto batteries that I can charge up with my solar panels.

But then again - beanie weanies are delicious....

[monkeybird]

Least anyone forget, here is a link to an excellent story by Halfast. It is eyeopening and should be a lesson to anyone who preps. Regardless of how much you prep, it's the little things that get you!

http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/vb/sh...d.php?t=157494

[Triple-sod]

Avoid the rush, prepare now.

One of the two most dangerous things early on is going to be this idea of "last minute shopping."

You'll be exposing yourself to potential contamination (will you know for 110% sure what trigger caused the panic? Might be a bug going around), social unrest, rioting and of course unwanted notice.

Just something as simple as a couple of thugs sitting watching people going out with 4 carts loaded to the gills and following them home could ruin your WHOLE PLAN. All for what? A couple extra cans of food you should be stocking now?

Sooner or later some degree of order will return. If that happens when food is still short, don't think that some law dog won't question Suzy the checkout gal at your grocery. She will remember that guy that came in and bought all that food the first day stuff started.

When you wait till something actually does happen and THEN rush out and stock up, you are in fact and definition- a hoarder.

When you put stuff up ahead of the game, in times of plenty, then it's preparedness.

I for one would not risk my family, all my plans, etc. for a couple extra cans of beanie weenies.

When I've spoken out against this in times past, invariably someone would say "but I can't afford to buy a bunch of stuff now." My reply was showing them how for $.70 a day they could put up a basic year supply of food. That thread is here also, on the Basics board.

It's not far behind the "I have guns, I'll take food" thing in my mind- your exposing yourself to greater risks that you wouldn't need to it you planned correctly.

Please think that over and plan accordingly. I post this not to knock anyone, but hopefully to save some lives.

I agree totally, there are 101 disadvantages of the last minute approach.
I mean lets say 'the big event' is going to happen on May 10th 2011, what if you lose your job next week, and are out of work when its time.......

and you know for a fact the day it happens is going to be the day your car randomly dies on you...

I do like concept of this thread though, the idea that you have most of your prep work sorted and you have a good idea this is going to be your last shopping trip in a long time.

[Lowdown3]

Least anyone forget, here is a link to an excellent story by Halfast. It is eyeopening and should be a lesson to anyone who preps. Regardless of how much you prep, it's the little things that get you!

http://www.frugalsquirrels.com/vb/sh...d.php?t=157494

Haven't that read that story but I've experienced what your talking about several times. When it's a 30 minute drive to get a pvc pipe fitting, you start buying multiple 10 packs so you don't spend $3. in gas for a $.49 part.

A big part of solving the problem also is dry runs. The last couple years before making our move in the late 90's I was muiy busy. I had purchased radio equipment but only had a chance to work with about half of it. The smaller stuff was easy to get out and get familiar with. The HF equipment would have required me to do a little more work putting up antennas in a place I knew I wasn't going to stay (FL). So we make our move and after a little while I get a chance to unpack the rest of my comm gear and start setting it up. One of the Alinco HF rigs I bought used as a backup from a "reputable" HAM didn't transmit at all. Something that can be frustrating to figure out early on. Instead of messing with long wire antennas and the like I cheesed out and went with numerous specific band antennas for the bands I knew (thought) I would be mostly using. I ended up realizing that one of the bands wasn't very helpful to me and the one that I was getting the best luck with, I didn't have the proper antenna for. More coax, antenna tuner, etc.

While I've never considered my HF comm stuff a "do or die" can't live without part of my plan, it sure would be helpful for long distance contacts, general info gathering (where I could talk back), etc.

Another one was firewood. The last half of 99 I was making a big push to get a house finished here and necessary parts of the infrastructure done. During this time I was working full time in another state also. We had a small pile of firewood in the firewood shed of stuff we had cut up here and there, mainly clearing for necessary infrastructure and that. My time up here was limited, I couldn't devote a whole weekend to cutting firewood with so much more to get finished.

That little pile of firewood which before seemed like it would last a couple months, lasted about a week! I started cutting more but of course it wasn't seasoned and I knew not to burn unseasoned wood, so that was cutting for winter of 2000 at the earliest. I finally bit the bullet and bought 10 truckloads of wood from some local guy, having it delivered to a friend's place a mile away. I was assured that it was "seasoned." Utter BS.

Luckily that first winter here wasn't very cold- the good Lord has looked over us and helped shown us some of our stupidity and poor planning!!!! LOL

I realize it's not something every one can do and would even care to do, but we learned more our first year living at our retreat than the previous 14 preparing in suburbia. I thank the Lord that we were able to move when we did.

I'd hate to have to figure out some of this stuff in the PAW.

[Triple-sod]

I realize it's not something every one can do and would even care to do, but we learned more our first year living at our retreat than the previous 14 preparing in suburbia. I thank the Lord that we were able to move when we did.

I'd hate to have to figure out some of this stuff in the PAW.

That’s a brilliant point, obviously the best possible way to prepare yourself is to live no, pretty much as you would after it comes.

I think the thing to do is try your best with what you have. Like for ages I had myself believing it wasn’t worth even trying to grow much other than a few tomato plants, until I got an allotment (I think it’s a UK thing, it’s basically a piece of land you can rent for like

[Klayton]

Good for you Triple-Sod.

[Lowdown3]

Yes. Always do what you can with what you got.

The point I was trying to make in the last post was that it's important to get some dry runs in, shut off the power and other utilities for a week or so, pull out that gas mask you might not have ever done more than tried on and work with the stuff.

Their is sometimes little things that are necessary to make something work, or related logistics that are semi critical. Unless you are working with your stuff regularly you won't know about this. We can either think we know, or we can know.

And yes, no one is prepared for everything, etc. etc. But the dry runs, using your stuff regularly, thinking through the logistics trains for each critical item, etc. will help cover most of those "oopsey's".