"Planning for harder times: accumulating non-perishable everyday items."

C

Chris

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The idea of this thread came to me after looking at ONQs thread on Post Recession Prices. While writing a reply to the thread I remembered a radio interview I heard in a taxi in Germany about two years ago. The guy being interviewed had started accumulating non-perishable everyday items in the early 90s. I only heard two items before I left the taxi, but it did make for interesting listening. He had calculated his remaining life span from an actuarial point of view and then started accumulating stuff. The two items I heard him mention were razor blades and kitchen foil, both of which had gone up 70% since he had bought them, and in the case of kitchen foil the same brand was now 15% narrower. He had also kept the till receipts in order to make sure he didn't use something that hadn't gone up in price. Unfortunately I didn't hear the full interview as my taxi journey was over.

So here is a request for ideas of how to prepare for high price inflation, as is expected by Walmart's CEO: http://www.zerohedge.com/article/wal-mart-ceo-america-prepare-serious-inflation

Some things I thought of are listed below, but I'm sure there are more and possibly reasons why some of mine wouldn't be suitable:
1) razor blades
2) kitchen foil
3) cling film
4) light bulbs
5) soap
6) bin bags
7) drain unblocker (I recently bought some that had no use by date)
8) hoover bags (maybe better to switch to a Dyson)
9) batteries (not sure what the shelf life is)
10) high alcohol spirits (I like my whiskey)
11) candles
12) fire lighters
13) matches
14) dental floss
15) tooth brushes
16) socks
17) pencils


Some less practical items:
1) coal (a neighbour of my in-laws took delivery of 40 bags of coal last winter as he has space to store it)
2) oil
3) gas
4) fire wood
5) petrol/diesel
 
When the Euro collapses, you will need all those and some guns to defend your stash.

You have forgot can foods and dried milk. Those will be needed once anarchy starts.
 
Adding my tuppence worth, I saw a telly program once (no idea what) where a guy made the point that no matter how much you weight can fluctuate with diets or binges your feet always stay the same size, so you gotta add shoes to the list.
 
I once bought about 6 years worth of old spice sensitive shaving gel as a local shop was basically giving it away. I wouldn't really be interested in accumulating loads of clingfilm or foil etc as I hate clutter. I do admit to having about 40 cans of Baxters soup in the kitchen presses, but this will be used by year end. My mother accumulates packets of Erin/McDonnells soups/sauces by the hundred! In the past I used to go through them and throw away about a dozen or so as they were out of date, so she wasn't saving anything.
 
This could be a great challenge for the guys on "Extreme couponning" . I personnally would buy larger quantities of items when on sale (larger but reasonable quantities!) especially non perishable items as they will get used anyways eventually and it does balance out next week's shopping as there will be some items you do not need to buy again. I love Time's comment though: be prepared to defend your stash indeed!
 

Practically all these items are cheaper in Ireland than they were 10 or 15 years ago, at least in real terms, if you shop in Lidl or Aldi. Some of them are at least as cheap in nominal terrms.
 
Things to invest in:
Fishing line and hooks
Flint & Steel
A good axe (for firewood)
A good bow and a large quantity of arrows (for hunting dogs after all the farm animals have been eaten)
Galvanised Nails
Guns & ammunition (if you can get it)
Water purification tablets
Clockwork radio
Clockwork phone

I remember hearing that, taking an average 10 year price, by weight bread is the same relative price in gold as it was 2000 years ago so hold some gold.

When civilisation collapses and we’re back in a barter economy all of the above will be valuable, particularly the gold; that’ll be worth its weight in gold.

Things not to bother with;
Razor blades (looking like a big hairy lunatic will help dissuade others from trying to take your stuff)
Soap (as above)
Shampoo (as above)
Nasal spray (see items 1-3)
 
Bows are high tech.
Arrows tend to be of the non-return type.
Therefore I have undertaken cost-cutting as follows -

Rocks - plentiful supply hereabouts, large and made of granite.
Sling made of cloth (as in David and Goliath type) not rubber (perishes)

Live at the top of a hill and don't worry about water purification - invest in barrels for collection - start a fish farm.

Clockwork radio - check.
Fás Course in sending Smoke Signals - check.
Large covered hole in ground to "collect" people bringing guns and ammunition - check.

Per the recent advice that "by weight bread is the same relative price in gold as it was 2000 years ago" I suggest hoarding some flour and water and yeast and marrying someone who can cook.
This will place you at a great advantage to the guy hoarding the gold, who will find that while he has a potentially very rich diet, its not very nutritious.
Expect the price of bread to go up and gold to fall.

Grow beard - check.
Have sex with wife and save on batteries - check.
 

Eh, are you preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse?

I recommend some kind of a flame thrower. You should also raid the pharmacies early for painkillers (lets see them harrass you about codeine meds then!) and antibiotics, last thing you want is to be taken down by an infection from a scratch on the arm when youve successfully defended yourself from Zombies for months on end.

As well as a flint and steel, steel wool and a battery for making fire in wet conditions (it IS Ireland). If youre good at the GAA a hurl and sliotar would come in handy for taking Zombies out from a distance.

Try and steal a Toyota flatbed truck - I watched one being rightly destroyed on some car program and they were able to get it going again in minutes with a spanner and a drop of WD40. Go forever they do - or my old Ford Fiesta which also went forever, but would be less sturdy for slamming Zombies with.
 
My apocolypse bunker in my back garden is still well stocked (I presume) since 1998 when I was expecting the meltdown from Y2K
 
So how many tins of beans should one store. Would it be better to get the clip ones or the ones that need a tin opener? It's getting deadly serious now isn't it?

Marion
 
Is it wrong i am starting to see images from 'Shaun of the Dead' reading through these posts? Adding a couple of items:

shoes. With a decent sole. Should help me run, get over uneven terrain.
toothbrush and toothpaste. I can't function if i don't think my breath smells OK. Plus it should save on being taken out by gum disease or abscess.
solar phone chargers. Then I can try to contact people to get me out of here.
 
Marion said:
So how many tins of beans should one store. Would it be better to get the clip ones or the use that need a tin opener? It's getting deadly serious now isn't it?
Click to expand...
You want to be stuck in a bunker with people living on a diet of beans?
 
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