I am new here, and new to realizing the threat of BF…I am praying that it doesn’t happen, but am going to try to prep, just in case. Since I am just starting out, I need advice. We are VERY short on money, so I would like to prep little by little; buying a few things every 2 weeks when we go grocery shopping, but do I have time for that, or do I need to say “screw the bills” and run out and buy up all the water, toilet paper, diapers, and canned food in the stores? Do I have time to prep? Obviously, no one knows how much time we have, or even if this thing is going to happen. But I want to be as ready as I can be. Also, how do you all deal with the anxiety? I can’t think of anything else but BF…nothing. I am panic stricken over this. I have 2 small children, but live in a house of 8, so prepping for all of us is going to be very tough. When do I start to fill our pop bottles with water? Do we have a good chance of survival if we stay inside 100% of the time? How long will we be in? Will it be safe to come out between waves, or must we wait until there are vaccines or the WHOLE ordeal is over with? I am so stressed out. :(
For a good laugh read. What to prep if you only have 24 hours thread. I think other will help. Library is closing. There are a lot of good threads on what you are asking. Scan down the lists and pick a few to read. Library is shutting off computors. Welcome to the wiki.
all of that is covered here.. try to stay calm as all of this takes time. Prepping and dealing with it all. I haven’t been here all that long and I had the panics just like you. People will say, “try to prepare to the minimal level” (meaning sure.. go ahead and fill the bottles and pick up five or six big bags of rice. Hey it’s a start. Now it’s true we could face a problem within three weeks of any given moment. But it’s just as true that it could be six months, a year… or even longer. Remember this, there are people here who have been here six months to a year. When they got here they felt just like you do now. welcome to the forums (Smiles)
Welcome, Cassie!
Most of us are on here everyday… it takes time to learn the site and check everything out. The forum is a huge help, feel free to post any questions — but check out the Forum Topics Index first! There are SO many resources there to get you started reading about. Click Here?
((((cassie))))
First of all, take a deep breath…this IS doable, and you are definitely in the right place.
Here’s what we have posted and suggested at my site…actually “Nana” is the one who came up with the list over there:
Here are the first 26 weeks of the plan, all at once. You know that prices have gone up, so you would have to make adjustments accordingly.
WEEK ONE 5 lbs sugar $2.00 3 lbs. Crisco $3.00 5 lbs. flour $2.00 5 lbs. rice $2.00 6 cans tuna $2.00 5 lbs. beans $3.00 3 cans spaghetti sauce $3.00 5 lbs spaghetti $3.00
WEEK TWO 1 box oatmeal $3.00 5 lbs lentils $2.00 3 boxes saltines $3.00 1 case ramen noodles $2.50 1 can baking powder $1.50 1 can coffee $4.00 5 cans condensed milk $4.00
WEEK THREE 10 lbs. complete pancake mix $5.00 1 gallon pancake syrup $5.00 12 cans cream of chicken or mushroom soup $6.00 2 canned hams $4.00
WEEK FOUR beef bullion cubes $4.00 Chicken bullion cubes $4.00 Granulated garlic $4.00 Black pepper $4.00 8# brown sugar $4.00
WEEK FIVE 1 #10 can instant potatoes $3.00 6 boxes Little Debbie snacks $6.00 20 lbs chicken @ .49 lb. to home can 2 boxes salt $1.20
WEEK SIX 10# 15% fat (or less) hamburger to can $20.00
WEEK SEVEN 20 cans Progresso or other ‘no water added’ soup $19.80
WEEK EIGHT two cans coffee $8.00 1 container poultry gravy mix $4.00 1 container brown gravy mix $4.00 2 canned hams $4.00
WEEK NINE 1 box powdered milk $16.00 1 box tea bags $4.00
WEEK TEN 10 boxes breakfast cereal $20.00
WEEK ELEVEN 25 lbs. Sugar $9.00 25 lbs. Flour $5.00 25 lbs. Beans $6.00
WEEK TWELVE 36 pack dbl. rolls toilet paper $10.00 10 lbs. Chicken quarters for canning $9.90
WEEK THIRTEEN 12 cans spinach $6.00 12 cans peas $6.00 12 cans green beans $6.00 2 cans spaghetti sauce $2.00
WEEK FOURTEEN 1 grow light assorted seeds
WEEK FIFTEEN 12 cans mixed vegetables $9.00 1 #10 can instant potatoes $3.00 4 canned hams $8.00
WEEK SIXTEEN 1 carton dehydrated hash browns $5.00 12 cans diced tomatoes $6.00 12 cans whole kernel corn $6.00 6 rolls 25 sf. aluminum foil $3.00
WEEK SEVENTEEN 1 #10 can sliced peaches $3.00 1 #10 can sliced apples $3.00 1 #10 can fruit cocktail $3.00 1 #10 can applesauce $3.00 12 cans mushrooms pieces $6.00 2 cans pink salmon $2.00
WEEK EIGHTEEN 16 rolls paper towels $11.00 9 boxes tissue $9.00
WEEK NINETEEN 25 lbs. sugar $9.00 25 lbs. beans $6.00 Large box of Bisquick $5.00
WEEK TWENTY 1 #10 can of cocoa powder $5.00 10 cans refried beans $8.00 10 cans of tuna $5.00 2 - 100 ct packs of paper plates $2.00
WEEK TWENTY-ONE 36 pack dbl. rolls toilet paper $11.00 6 cans spaghetti sauce $6.00 6 lbs of spaghetti $3.00
WEEK TWENTY-TWO assorted sauces & condiments, 1 of each; hot sauce soy sauce worcestershire sauce teriyaki sauce liquid smoke gravy master ketchup mustard mayo
WEEK TWENTY-THREE assorted condiments, continued; pickle relish olives pickles salad dressings
WEEK TWENTY-FOUR 4 cans pink salmon $4.00 3 lbs Crisco shortening $3.00 5 lbs rice $2.00 12 boxes of asst cake mix $9.60
WEEK TWENTY-FIVE 2 lb pk pecan halves $6.00 2 lb pk walnut halves $6.00 12 cans pork & beans $6.00
WEEK TWENTY-SIX 10 lb bag of chocolate chips $9.00 2 cases ramen noodles $5.00 30 packs of kool-aid $3.00 6 lbs of pasta $3.00
I know that it has helped alot of people that were new to prepping and feelng scared and overwhelemed. I’m sure you can tailor it to your family’s tastes, and if $20/week is too much to start out with, then I would think cutting that in half to $10/week would be at least a good way to start.
With all of this, there hasta be balance…yes, I personally feel an urgency as do many others, but plugging up one hole in your life (preps, etc), leaving another hole open (monthly bills, etc) doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. There have been alot of posts on here about storing water…that’s not a personal concern of mine because I have a hand pump well and Berkefeld water filter system, so I’m not as educated in that area…I’m sure that either some will explain again, or you can always search the past posts to see what has been said. As far as anxiety goes, every time you purchase something to store in your preps, that anxiety will lighten a little…just the fact that you’re motivated and willing to so is a huge step in the right direction. I have children too (4), so I over understand your fears and concerns.
As far as quarantines go, there’s been alot of discussion about that also, so grab a cup of coffee, kick back and try to relax a little and start reading what has been shared on this site. Educating yourself empowers you and the more you learn, the more you understand, the better you’re gonna feel. If I remember correctly, the “waves” of pandemic flu last a couple of months (correct me if I’m wrong, I’m tired and my memory bank is failing me).
Regardless, you’re in the right place, and I know that I’m personally happy to see that you’ve begun the footsteps in the right direction. Preparing is a way of life for me, as I’m vulnerable to many natural disasters so I learned a long time ago the necessity of preps.
Good luck and feel free to ask anything…the say the only stupid question is the one not asked.
Shad.
See also Prepping Tips and Lists & Preparedness Guides Don’t forget over-the-counter meds, and, if you can, reducing debt and unnecessary expenses.
Adjustment reaction is a scary roller coaster ride; try and calm down if it gets too bad. Get out for walks, listen to music that cheers you up (or calms you down, at least). We don’t know what will happen, but, better safe than sorry.
There are also threads by US state, or by nation, if you use the Search box, in case you want to discuss with others in your region. (Let us know if you’re amazingly lucky and your local officials and commmunity groups are actually preparing against pandemic. Your household is already lucky Cassie; you heard that we’re in a pandemic alert period, and, you’re starting to prepare.)
Cassie
Howdy! Welcome! The others have already given you lots of good advice and direction; if I could add my owntwo cents…
Don’t panic or obsess. It’s a scary situation, but it CAN be dealt with and managed. That you are even thinking about it puts you MILES ahead of most people and increases your and your family’s chances. Take some deep breaths, a hot bath, eat some chocolate, and think of this as a just a project. Like cleaning the bathroom: Tedious, but it has to be done. ^__^
One thing to remember is that given the huge number of people on this board keeping watch on all aspects of the situation, if BF ever DOES to Human to Human there will be screaming about it here LONG before the Main Stream Media (MSM) announces it. So you’ll have some pre-warning, and a bit of time to finalize your preps. (But take things here with a grain of salt, as well; during the initial outbreak in Turkey, I worried some people were going to spontantously combust as declarations that this was IT flew fast and thick. As it turned out, that WASN’T it, fortunately; hopefully nobody panicked and overspent…)
As for filling the water bottles: Sure, go ahead. Keep in mind that Bird Flu isn’t the ONLY possible danger in the world, and some extra water can help with everything from a temporary loss of water service to earthquake, fire, terrorist attack, all that sort of stuff.
A few drops of bleach in the bottles will keep the water potable for years…
Good luck!
Cassie,
Welcome. Preparedness isn’t just shopping, it is a state of mind. All of us are vulnerable to “radical discontinuities,” which might be the loss of a job, an unexpected death or a natural disaster. It’s worth being prepared for all of these things.
We know from John Barry’s book that the communities who were mentally and emotionally prepared fared better than those who did not.
Welcome Cassie, I would suggest to you to enter the name mom11 in the search column. She has some wonderful ideas and suggestions as to low cost places to shop (aka Dollar General/Walmart/Aldi). Just looking thru her suggestions and stories should help you feel better.
Whoops, meant to say “keep water potable for MONTHS”
My goof.
Thank you, everyone….I am now feeling a bit better, as I have been saying the following to myself:
1. It might not even happen.
2. It might happen, but be ‘minor’.
3. It might happen and be bad, but we might not get it.
4. It might be bad, we become infected…this is bad, but NOT a death sentence. Even if death rates are 10%, we have a 90% chance of survival…
Cassie,
5. With the help of my community (and the help I render to my community) we’ll all get through this.
Cassie,
It’s very easy to get overwhelmed and panicky when one first starts; it just feels like you don’t know where to begin or what is more important.
This has been discussed on and off and I posted this step-by-step guide (at 13:24) to ‘triage’ your preparations to reduce panic and also to use your resources most effectively. Each person’s circumstances are different from others’ so it’s important to be able to create the list that works best for you.
Cassie,
Look at what wonderful help you just got from anon_22. Notice how alone you AREN’T.
Cassie, don’t buy too much flour at the same time because it does go rancid if stored too long.
The other people you live with—are they family, friends, or just people sharing a house with you? Are they aware and interested in preparing? You would be better off if you can get your entire household ‘on the same page’ about bird flu, to avoid winding up with a moocher who didn’t buy any preps that you wind up having to feed so it doesn’t go out to shop and come back infected.
Consider growing a garden to supplement your canned preparations, depending on your climate. You can use ‘grey water’ or collected rainwater or pond water or whatever for the garden so long as the final wash before eating is drinking-quality water. Do this within reason though—human or animal waste should not be anywhere near a food garden, so don’t use urine or anything like that.
being prepped doesn’t have to be too hard. I have one can of evaporated milk for each day. I have a can of soup (various flavors) for each day. I have canned tuna and chicken. I have some canned vegetables. But I also have a garden. In my climate I can grow lettuce, spinach, and carrots in the winter so long as I cover it with a ‘frost blanket’ when the temperature goes below 32F. Find out what works for your climate and try a garden. There are also books that include how to make a patio garden box if you are in an apartment. “Lake” seed company has cheap packets for 99c each (most items) that give enough seeds for most home gardeners. Instead of planting rows until you run out of seed, figure out how much you’d eat in a week and plant that much each week, with the seeds spaced properly for the final ‘within-row spacing’ listed on the packet. Plant them spaced that way in two dimensions instead of in rows—plant in squares or grids for maximum plants per space, but make sure you don’t have to step on the planting area to reach the plants—keep it small. Plant two seeds in each hole if you think some won’t come up, then cut off the weak one when the seedlings have two to four true leaves (the first pair of leaves are ‘seed leaves’, not true leaves).
You can’t easily grow enough calories to subsist entirely on your garden and there are too many things that could ruin your crops to risk going without other preparations. But you’ll find it much more satisfying to step outside and clip just the lettuce or parsley you need than to buy some and have half of it rot in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. And if you’ve been eating weeks of canned soup for lunch, having a fresh salad with it will be quite a relief.
But it sounds like your first task is making sure the people you are living with will not reduce your survivability by behaving badly or failing to prepare themselves.
Welcome I was also freakin out but after gradually prepping - an extra can here and there I have started feeling better about it so good in fact i slacked off for a while but now I am back on prepping again. You may find that your enthusiasm and energy changes as you move with it
i have 7 gallons of h20 so far.. some cans of tuna and 6 cans of beans.. need more I guess but stuff is crazy expensive here in Tokyo.. plus I cannot find powdered milk
Tokyoseminole…
I did a search on buying foods online for you and came up with this site…I do not speak Japanese so I can’t tell if any of these sites might afford you a reasonable way to purchase additional preps, but you might think about looking into it:
http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=32780
Good luck.
Shad.
Cassie, I started reading this board several months ago after seeing BF on the Oprah Show. I felt the same way you do now. I have just picked up “extra items” every time I go to the store and now I am in great shape. Make sure you look for expiration dates….obviously try to get the furthest out. Also, I have a lot of what we would use anyway, toilet paper, water bottles, laundry soap, soups, etc. Many here have said, “store what you use and use what you store”…or something like that :) Welcome and I hope that you find this board as helpful as I have.
Cassie:
When I first started prepping, I was afraid BF would go pandemic any day and I would be caught with nothing, or very little. Now, months later, I have a lot of food and water stored. This is a long term goal, not something that can be done overnight. Make reasonable plans, buy what you can, and feel good that you are way ahead of 95% of the rest of this country. You have found the best source of advice and support possible by coming here.
The people I live with are my mom and siblings, and she has agreed to help…after much convincing on my part! Thanks everyone, I have calmed down a bit.
Cassie, I was actually about to post a thread like yours — I’ve been struggling with the panic and anxiety lately. The people here have been very helpful to me. We can do this.
Cassie, Like you our family is of limited means, we live paycheck to paycheck. I only recently began prepping but already I have more than I imagined I would. What I did is I sat down and made a list of what we already use in the way of food, toiletries, cleaning and laundry supplies, using the spreadsheet on the computer. Then I figured out how much we normally use in any given two week period and multiplied that by 26 and rounded up. That gave me a fair estimate of what my family might need. I increased the amounts for some items to account for increased use. For instance I do not back all of our bread we usually just buy it at the store but if we are not going out shopping or for other activities I will not be buying bread I will be baking it myself so I will need to have more of those items needed to bake bread. We also do not normally eat many beans but in the absense of a large supply of fresh meat, beans and peanut butter will add protein so I am purchasing those and looking for tasty recipes for them. See the thread Recipes Using Canned Dry Goods Only. http://tinyurl.com/fo4zb I am also adding things like candles, oil lamps and flashlights for lighting, water storage, several alternative methods for cooking, additional pet food and supplies and many other things.
It’s all a lot to think about but a good list is helpful. Start with a small goal of say 3 months of supplies then work your way up if you feel you need more. Watch the sales and do not forget those bargain stores.
As for finding the extra money needed: Tax refunds, yard sales and overtime pay can help a lot if you have that available to you. Giving up any extras you may be used to can also add up. Movies, fast food, HBO, lattes, cigarettes, beer. Amazing how much all of that can amount to in a month and how much we can all do without those things. Give them up and use the money for preps.
Cassie - Several months ago, we had a thread running which discussed Systematic preparations for a pandemic. It discussed the various stages of preparation and what you might need depending on what conditions you expected to face. Give it a look-over At This Link and see if it is of any help to you in figuring out what you need to do.
As you have no doubt already discovered, this Wiki is filled with folks who have all been down your path, and can tell you what you will see as you proceed.
Never feel embarassed to ask. Anything you ask will be answered, and it will no doubt help hundreds of others who are just “reading the mail”.
I started reading the fluwiki and prepping about three weeks ago. Yes, I spent a lot of money upfront (thinking around$1500 US), but when the apocalypse comes, we will be eating well! Water needs are met by 20k swimming pool in back, sweetwater water filters and brita filters and bleach, bleach, bleach. Wine cellar also well stocked, but then it was before I started prepping ;-). I know I’m not going to starve right away, because I could live off the “fat of the land” for a month! This is not what I ahd in mind when I said I would do anything to lose weight, however! I think the hardest part is the “not knowing what will happen” and the anxiety that goes with it—and all monsters look much bigger at night.
Take your prepping steps one at a time—basic staples, first aid, OTC meds. Remember, you are not alone. Even during 9/11, when the phones went down, the Internet was up and running. For the short and immediate term, the Internet will be our communication.
Hi Cassie - I also came aboard after accidently catching the Oprah Show. I am never home at that hour - but by some chance I came home early. I even had enough sense to tape it, which eventually played a big part for me. My husband is a very super conservative guy who doesn’t ever get too excited about anything, and places very little credibility in talk shows or similar forums. Michael Osterholm was the guest and that gave a great deal of credibility to the topic to him. After watching the hour, he said :when I get paid next month, lets go to Sam’s (wholesale club like Costco) and begin our stockpiling. That show saved me weeks of convincing. I would recommend it for any friends, family that think you’ve lost your mind. Osterholm says, “people, this is not a matter or IF, but WHEN it will happen, and you need to know that when it does, you will be on your own”> The show aired on Jan 24th and you can get a transcript for 15.00 I think. One tip from me is that I cut out most or all of my discretionary spending. Everytime I started to pick up a magazine I thought, that would buy 20 boxes of fideo - a coke at a fast food place, 4 cans of beans, etc,etc.
I think most of us started out almost in a panic as we realized that the BF may be upon us soon. However, as you start to prepare you will calm down a bit, especially is a month or so goes by and we are not yet in a quarantine state. The BF, IMO, is just that, a BF and unless you are eating or have very close contact with a contaminated fowl, you are not in mortal danger. Others here may differ. However, when it finds a way to transmit itself from person to person, then it is time to panic.
Buy what you can, when you can. Think of the basics. Back in the Dark Ages (mid-60s) I took a college class and they talked of Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs. Before you can find self-actualization, you need to be sure your basic needs(food, water and shelter) are met. Those who have studied this later than I, feel free to correct me, it has been a long time. So get the basics first, stuff that will keep you alive. But whenever possible, find foodstuffs you like. If you are into peanut butter, buy several jars. If nothing happens, you just will not have to buy any for a while. For me it is coffee, a long time without my caffeine is not a pleasant thought. For others it may be smokes or booze.
Back in the 50s I read a book, ‘Alas Babylon’ about a fictional atomic (as oppposed to nuclear) war in the early 60s, in which the protagonist gets advance warning, does his prepping and survives (with a lot of help from nature). Can’t remember the author, others here will, I am sure. But it was a good, and reassuring read and scared the Hell out of me when I read it.
Should also mention that I live in Utah and the LDS church (of which I am not a member) has always encouraged its members to stockpile a year’s worth of stuff. There is an official website which talks about its recommendations. Take it with a grain of salt uhless you want a flatbed to deliver the supplies, but it does have some good ideas.
just to get started, and also to get a feeling of basic safety. 20 kg rice. 10 kg dry beans, peas etc. 60 cans of tomatoes. 20 cans of tuna. 5 liter of oliveoil in metal can, salt, spices and buljong. Empty bootles / plastic barrels for water, just fill them up when/if Human to Human is a fact. Very cheap and easy. Then you start to eat the rice and beans :) sirkulate the food is the best if the pandemic is not happening for a long time. When this basic are in place, start buying some ekstra of other storable food. …sorry the metric system ;)
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