How much food is enough? ~ How much toliet paper?

[Copper Catcher]

I hope this can be a discussion were we can learn from one another!

As you prepare for any man made or natural disaster, I'd like to know if you have a specific time period in mind for your stocked food supplies. An extra week, month, six months or a year or longer? Why?

Also, do you think it is best to have regular can food or dehydrated or freeze dried? How about supplies like toilet paper or plastic garbage bags?

I think mostly can food is good and some dehydrated meats in case there are some power shortages.

I'm not someone who holds to the theory that all electric power, water and sewer will stop forever and everyone will be forced to live off the land. I just don't see that happening!

I do see civil unrest and thinks getting bad at some point and needing to hunker down and that is what I plan on doing.

[68Camaro]

Well, if you don't have enough food (and a water supply), you won't have to worry about the rest... (Slightly sick humor, but true.)

My goal is two years across the board, in a mix of options. Plus a lot extra of basic staples for trade and for family/friend/neighbors. So I don't actually plan on stopping until I have no more room left. I'm mostly at the two year range for ourselves, for most items, but I've still got more to acquire for the larger goal.

That includes razors and other personal grooming items, coffee and filters and coffee maker replacement parts, propane and alternate cooking methods, plastic bags of all sizes and types.

Where I'm most short (though I stock it - it's hard to stock enough of it) is in paper products: toilet paper, paper towels, tissues.

Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

[NHsorter]

I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

How do the junkies all do it? Don't they just get multiple doctors to each prescribe the same medicine? Just thinking out loud here. It's probably not legal either. Not sure. I do know a guy whose wife was addicted to pills and she apparently had a few different docs giving her prescriptions and she was just going hog wild like Rush.

What about mail order from Canada?

[reddirtcoins]

Much, much TP... I for one have about a year of food per person in the house. Unlike most people we do eat out of our food stock. I'm building a new pantry from a closet that faced my master bedroom. We knocked it out years ago because it faced the laundry room. At one point I had a small office in there. Now I'm putting a large safe in and building the pantry wall around it so the safe is inside of the pantry. So a standard closet in a bedroom now becomes a pantry in the laundry room just off of the kitchen. I only keep about 40 gallons of water but am looking into a plastic tub that fills in the bathroom tub. I thought that was kind of cool.

[NDFarmer]

Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

This is also the area I am most concerned with. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic I don't know how long she would last if drugs were no longer coming into the drug store.

[68Camaro]

I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

How do the junkies all do it? Don't they just get multiple doctors to each prescribe the same medicine? Just thinking out loud here. It's probably not legal either. Not sure. I do know a guy whose wife was addicted to pills and she apparently had a few different docs giving her prescriptions and she was just going hog wild like Rush.

What about mail order from Canada?

I've considered all possible options and haven't found anything that is doable yet for her particular case(s). a) These aren't just pill-pusher meds - these come from specialists who are a tight-knit group and I don't believe it's possible to just appear on a new docs doorstep with these specific conditions and not have them ask where she came from - they'll want her records from the other docs. b) she's a rule-follower, and while she has the same concerns she hasn't broken free of the need to stay legal on these (versus alive). c) The drugs are not of type commonly available on the internet from other countries. But, I'm working it. If anyone has any other ideas I'm interested in suggestions.

[NHsorter]

Too bad the problem is not ED. Then you would have no problem finding a source. Only other option that comes to mind is Mexico. Probably not a particularity good option, or legal. Best of luck in figuring something out.

[Copper Catcher]

...Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

My wife has to take thyroid medicine too....I have asked her to see if the doctor will write an extra script, but like you, I doubt they will. Also, I'm not sure of the shelf life of the medicine as well. I'm very concerned about this!

[Engineer]

Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

Hop across the border next time you visit your daughter?

[68Camaro]

Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

Hop across the border next time you visit your daughter?

Looking into some off-shore options - concerned about quality (potency, dosage), but as back-up maybe an option preferrable to the alternative of not having any. Not sure I can get anything in Canada any easier, can I? - just maybe cheaper.

[Bham]

Where I'm most critical - my largest single worry bead - is my wife's medicines. WIthout a thyroid her life is dependent on several medicines that could become difficult or even impossible to get, and she has several other issues as well that require control from specific drugs, which diet or exercise can't fix. I'm still wrestling with that; the doctors won't prescribe her any significant amount of backup meds.

This is also the area I am most concerned with. My daughter is a Type 1 diabetic I don't know how long she would last if drugs were no longer coming into the drug store.

This is very concerning topic for me as well. My wife also has Type 1 diabetes and uses a pump. Although she has managed to secure six months forward on her prescriptions (under the concept of an extended overseas trip), it is not enough. In a life changing event, my biggest concern is where and how I can obtain insulin. On the other hand, I have not done my due diligence and fully investigated the where's and how's should the need arise. If anyone has suggestions on this I'm all ears!
Cheers!

[shinnosuke]

Food and water and medicine and shelter away from the people who don't have food and water and medicine. I am a city boy trying to move to the country before the zombie apocalypse. My ideal place in the country would include most of the features found in this real estate listing for $425,000:
http://www.survivalrealty.com/2012/08/o ... efuge.html

Did you see the part about the year-round spring?

Anybody want to partner up with me on this deal? My dad spent part of his youth growing up near here. We like the area, although we haven't seen the actual property yet. I have spoken briefly with the owner. She seems quite motivated to sell and bragged about her year-round spring. There are conservative neighbors who are well-armed so we would likely be among like-minded individuals. To gain access to the property you have to unlock a gate that leads to a pasture owned by a neighbor who keeps some nice horses. At the back of the pasture, where this 100 acre lot begins, is a dirt road that goes almost a mile back to the house, with trees on both sides of the road.

If you can't stay in the city, this is the place. Did I mention that it has a year-round spring? You can never have too much water. Toilet paper is a flat out luxury compared to water.

[68Camaro]

... Anybody want to partner up with me on this deal? ...

Attractive as it appears - and I did think about it - I've got to pass for now as it's further away from me that I need. It's most suited for mid/near westerners. I'm looking in the GA/TN/NC area.

[68Camaro]

A thought that might resonate with some. Glass containers. The re-sealable ones have many purposes, and are essentially impermeable to moisture.

We used to take these for granted - they are becoming rare with containers being converted to plastic. I've taken to keeping what few good resealable glass containers that are still supplied with pantry items. Pickle jars are hard to get the smell out of, but still have purpose (for example, pickles!). Molasses bottles, Karo syrup bottles, etc. A lot of theses have been converted to plastic, but what ones remain, suggest you clean and save them after the contents are done.

[rickygee]

A thought that might resonate with some. Glass containers. The re-sealable ones have many purposes, and are essentially impermeable to moisture.

We used to take these for granted - they are becoming rare with containers being converted to plastic. I've taken to keeping what few good resealable glass containers that are still supplied with pantry items. Pickle jars are hard to get the smell out of, but still have purpose (for example, pickles!). Molasses bottles, Karo syrup bottles, etc. A lot of theses have been converted to plastic, but what ones remain, suggest you clean and save them after the contents are done.

I have a cupboard full of gallon pickle jars, well maybe 10 or so. Was going to pitch them, but I think I'll hold on to them for awhile. If I have the chance in a 'situation' I can always fill them with water. Little pickle juice taste won't bother me a bit. I'm one of those organic apple cider vinegar nuts.