Am I the only one panicking and hoarding?

[Anonymous]

My husband is a hoarder. Your stock is just what our kitchen looks like on any regular day. You don't want to know what he did when stocking up in 2020!

Do whatever you feel you need to do, OP, as long as you only buy things you're sure you'll eat. Please don't waste food or other items, when there are so many people going without in this world. Also, there is no need to hoard these days, but if you have hoarding tendencies, I realize you're not receptive to this argument

[Anonymous]

I bought everything you bought OP plus a year's supply of vitamins, shelf-stable almond and whole milk, and spices in 16 oz containers. I also get my prescribed medications in 90 day supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Corn and wheat will go ip since Ukraine is a larger producer of both. Everything else will go up proportionally to given rising costs of fuel.

Why do we need Ukraine to provide wheat and corn for the US?

We don't but the countries the Ukraine depend on for wheat and corn will not be able to get their supplies from the Ukraine anymore, so they will depend on other countries around the world, the US being one. I understand we have a surplus presently, but not sure how much. With heightened demand prices are sure to rise for wheat and corn, and shortages could very well develop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Corn and wheat will go ip since Ukraine is a larger producer of both. Everything else will go up proportionally to given rising costs of fuel.

Why do we need Ukraine to provide wheat and corn for the US?

We don't but the countries the Ukraine depend on for wheat and corn will not be able to get their supplies from the Ukraine anymore, so they will depend on other countries around the world, the US being one. I understand we have a surplus presently, but not sure how much. With heightened demand prices are sure to rise for wheat and corn, and shortages could very well develop.

Correction to the first sentence: " meant the countries that depend on the Ukraine for wheat and corn".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know anyone who went hungry in March 2020.

How very nice for you, PP!

You might not know anyone who doesn’t have a car. You might not know anyone who doesn’t have investment accounts. You might not know anyone who relies upon school lunches. You might not know anyone who has ever visited a food pantry. You might not know anyone who lives paycheck to paycheck, and who doesn’t have a stash of cash for emergencies.

Your world seems very small and limited PP. Extrapolating from what and who you personally know to our wider community is likely to be quite inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Yes you are. Parents on other threads pissed that there aren’t enough cake, goldfish and fruit snacks for them at
kids birthday parties. And not because of a lack of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really love how OP is buying salmon, almond milk, multiple types of oil while supposedly on a budget. OP you clearly have no idea what it means to be on a fixed budget. I bet you bought Charmin and Brawny, too, right?

I’m lactose intolerant? It’s cheaper than buying milk, which is over $5 in my area. I buy it in bulk shelf stable at Costco. Also bought the salmon at Costco last month when it was on sale. I eat beans and chickpeas most of the week and once a week have salmon or chicken for a treat. Not sure why I need to explain this to you? I was just asking for help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really love how OP is buying salmon, almond milk, multiple types of oil while supposedly on a budget. OP you clearly have no idea what it means to be on a fixed budget. I bet you bought Charmin and Brawny, too, right?

DP. I’m also on a budget. I buy frozen and canned wild salmon. What about those things strikes you as problematic while on a budget? I buy oil. To cook the salmon and to stir fry the veggies and to help make the beans delicious. Again, what part of that seems incompatible with budgeting? I buy whatever toilet paper and paper towels are on sale that I have coupons for. That’s called budgeting.

This is important: A key part of budgeting is price per use. If one Bounty paper towel does the work of 3 off brand paper towels, using Bounty might cheaper and cost effective, and becomes even more so with discounts, sales, and coupons. Actually PP, you’re the one that might have no idea what it means to have a fixed budget. And yes, “fixed” can vary widely with respect to “amount”.

As to the almond milk, I don’t drink it myself, but I do appreciate the need to purchase something shelf-stable that lactose intolerant people can use safely for both cooking and as a beverage.

OP! You rock! Thanks for initiating this discussion. I hope we can all use it to share useful information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait, are you guys all worried about a nuclear attack? I’m not, but if you are and you want to plan for it you need a goodly stick of food that needs no heating or cooking and water (a month). If that happens you’ll be in your basement with no electricity and no way to make a fire, because you won’t be able to vent it to the outside (all cracks etc need to be sealed with plastic to prevent radiation getting in).

That’s a whole other level of planning and worry! Unwarranted, I think.

I *think* think OP was worried about inflation? (If so, I’m not sure she understands inflation). The other preppers seem worried about something else. Though I’m not sure what.

DP: My understanding of inflation is that prices will go up and a dollar will not go as far. If the number of dollars I have is stable, it is more cost effective for me to buy two huge jars of peanut butter today, because if I only buy one, buying a second jar when I actually need it will be much more expensive. Prices are already rising (along with profits) and multiple issues from war to shipping costs are likely to increase prices.
tldr: Stocking up now has merit.

PP, what else should I understand about inflation as I try to make my dollars holler going forward?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really love how OP is buying salmon, almond milk, multiple types of oil while supposedly on a budget. OP you clearly have no idea what it means to be on a fixed budget. I bet you bought Charmin and Brawny, too, right?

DP. I’m also on a budget. I buy frozen and canned wild salmon. What about those things strikes you as problematic while on a budget? I buy oil. To cook the salmon and to stir fry the veggies and to help make the beans delicious. Again, what part of that seems incompatible with budgeting? I buy whatever toilet paper and paper towels are on sale that I have coupons for. That’s called budgeting.

This is important: A key part of budgeting is price per use. If one Bounty paper towel does the work of 3 off brand paper towels, using Bounty might cheaper and cost effective, and becomes even more so with discounts, sales, and coupons. Actually PP, you’re the one that might have no idea what it means to have a fixed budget. And yes, “fixed” can vary widely with respect to “amount”.

As to the almond milk, I don’t drink it myself, but I do appreciate the need to purchase something shelf-stable that lactose intolerant people can use safely for both cooking and as a beverage.

OP! You rock! Thanks for initiating this discussion. I hope we can all use it to share useful information.

+1 I think people who don't have tight budgets imagine that those of us who do should be living exclusively on rice, beans, and canned vegetables. I can do a week of meals for $20, but not only is it monotonous, it's also not healthy long-term. Longterm, we need to be eating multiple fruits and vegetables, protein, healthy fats. If you have a low but manageable food budget the things to cut out are snack foods and single serve anything. I stock up so I can wait for sales and afford some bulk items, for example I just bought a 1lb brick of yeast which will likely last me over a year stored in the freezer. When green peppers went on sale for 89 cents a pound recently I made a huge batch of sofrito and froze it in cubes. I might be able to get prepared sofrito for cheaper on sale but it's healthier to eat the scratch version.

[Anonymous]

I would recommend adding a couple life straws, fire making capability (ferro rod + spare bics), and basic first aid. I also like to keep a little cash and gold and/or silver around. Sounds like you are doing good on food. Good for you for being proactive. All these people in the thread saying - “nothing is wrong! What’s wrong with you!” Are the same people who would be crying and panicking and begging for help and if something did go wrong that interrupted food supply chains or we had a prolonged lights out situation

[Anonymous]

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be panicking and hoarding for?

Sudden hoarding of supplies is what causes panic and shortages.

Maybe buy 2 can of garbanzo beans instead of one each time you go shopping. Otherwise you are part of the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be panicking and hoarding for?

Sudden hoarding of supplies is what causes panic and shortages.

Maybe buy 2 can of garbanzo beans instead of one each time you go shopping. Otherwise you are part of the problem.

oh i forgot most importantly, make sure you have protection to safe guard your smart investment and preparation against people like this who will quickly turn their anger at not having enough supplies toward people who were smart enough to have fore sight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be panicking and hoarding for?

Sudden hoarding of supplies is what causes panic and shortages.

Maybe buy 2 can of garbanzo beans instead of one each time you go shopping. Otherwise you are part of the problem.

oh i forgot most importantly, make sure you have protection to safe guard your smart investment and preparation against people like this who will quickly turn their anger at not having enough supplies toward people who were smart enough to have fore sight.

During the pandemic, a couple of my neighbors have brought me food when they went to the food bank or other food distribution. Either they gave me what they couldn't use/didn't like or they were allowed to take multiple boxes and brought them to relatives and neighbors. This is being poor not the Walking Dead. If people know you have a lot of guns, drugs, or money they might come looking for you, but even in spring 2020 when so many people were hungry people were not breaking into their neighbors' homes to take their chickpeas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be panicking and hoarding for?

Sudden hoarding of supplies is what causes panic and shortages.

Maybe buy 2 can of garbanzo beans instead of one each time you go shopping. Otherwise you are part of the problem.

oh i forgot most importantly, make sure you have protection to safe guard your smart investment and preparation against people like this who will quickly turn their anger at not having enough supplies toward people who were smart enough to have fore sight.

Yes, all the toilet paper hoarders were “smart and had foresight” to be able to wipe their butts while a global respiratory infection pandemic took off.