urgent shopping run needed?

[Vortex2]

>> Price of Nickel is up 70% in one day. Other metals and metals also up sharply. We are seeing major contraction in manufacturing and food production globally in the coming months.

This alone will mess up all sorts of industries.

Add in a war, sanctions and related shortages, then life is going to get a bit sparse.

It's time for a run to the shops - esp B&Q - to buy anything such as drill bits etc which you are short of.
Maybe batteries and/or rechargeables plus chargers too.

TBH I'm getting a bit nervous ...

[adam2]

Most of us are hopefully already reasonably well stocked with food and fuel.
Time to consider other items though, and perhaps a little more food and fuel.

Batteries, yes, keep an eye on expiry dates, they vary a lot from only a couple of years for air alkaline types up to 20 years for energiser ultimate lithium.

Whilst I do not expect prolonged utility outages, it could happen so review off grid cooking, heating, lighting.

Tools and hardware will become more expensive and may be in short supply.

Spare bedding and long underwear.

[mr brightside]

What foodstuffs are you guys stocking up on?

[adam2]

Tinned tuna, tinned cooked luncheon meat, tinned beef stew, tinned tomatoes, tinned fruit, cooking oil, sugar, dried pasta, dried fruit, chocolate bars, and a bit extra of everything non perishable that is used regularly.

Also already have a stock of doomfood.

[Catweazle]

Don't forget your multivitamin pills.

[Mark]

Tinned tuna, tinned cooked luncheon meat, tinned beef stew, tinned tomatoes, tinned fruit, cooking oil, sugar, dried pasta, dried fruit, chocolate bars, and a bit extra of everything non perishable that is used regularly.

Also already have a stock of doomfood.

I've still got my stock from COVID....
The only addition is more cooking oil - Ukraine is/was the No1 world producer of sunflower oil.
There's only so much you can do though - nobody will survive nuclear war...

[clv101]

The way things are going with sanctions, import and export bans, now may be the last chance to buy *things* at reasonable prices. Both prices and availability could rapidly deteriorate in the coming weeks.

[Catweazle]

The way things are going with sanctions, import and export bans, now may be the last chance to buy *things* at reasonable prices. Both prices and availability could rapidly deteriorate in the coming weeks.

It's something I struggle with. Having some soft metal is nice, but when do you "cash it out" into something more useful ? Do I keep the metal in the hope that the "things" I will need will always be available ? Or swap it for consumables right now.

Solar panels are on the shopping list, if I can find some reasonably priced, otherwise it will be copper pipe for solar hot water.

Suggestions for my shopping list are always welcomed.

[adam2]

You can not eat gold, and neither will it keep you warm.
Stocks of food, fuel, tools, boots, clothing, blankets and the like are more likely to save your life than gold.
IMHO, gold only be considered if you already have useful supplies.

[Vortex2]

Just thought : a bit of real cash might be good to have, as tills and ATMs could go offline.

[Lurkalot2]

It's something I struggle with. Having some soft metal is nice, but when do you "cash it out" into something more useful ? Do I keep the metal in the hope that the "things" I will need will always be available ? Or swap it for consumables right now.

This came up in conversation with my wife last night . Not the soft yellow metal as that's certainly staying where it is at the moment but we do have a quantity of other soft metals such as lead , aluminium and copper as well as harder stuff like stainless steel and mild steel , that is to say I have an amount of scrap metal , but when to sell it?
I was having a similar conversation with someone else about diesel. Again I have a quantity that was purchased when it was around £1.25-30 a litre which seems a long time ago but really isn't. When do I use that. Currently diesel by us is just shy of £1.60 , if i use it now I'm saving around 30p a litre or do I wait until it reaches £2 a litre as some are predicting and potentially save 70p a litre? I'll probably hold on a bit longer as we aren't desperate but I don't really think there's a right or wrong answer.

[RenewableCandy]

I genuinely don't know if diesel has a 'use-by' - does it?

[Lurkalot2]

I've used diesel stored in a jerry can for a year without problem. How much longer I'm not really sure. I use a quantity of petrol over the summer months for work in mowers and other petrol powered tools and tend to purchase and fill my cans towards the end of the year as a hedge against inflation. As yet I've had no problem with it although I'm beginning to wonder about the newer E10 mix.

[adam2]

I genuinely don't know if diesel has a 'use-by' - does it?

No it does not have a published use by date as does say perishable food, but neither does it keep forever.
Storage life depends on conditions and varies from months in a small vented fuel tank in a vehicle or on a machine in the tropics, up to decades in a large tank in a basement in cool conditions.

High and variable temperatures encourage the growth of some form of mould or fungus, this tends to block fuel filters. If keeping diesel fuel in bulk, keep plenty of spare fuel filters.
Air and moisture encourage spoilage by growth of mould or fungi.

Diesel fuel can be purchased in sealed drums rather than dispensed "loose" into vehicle fuel tanks. These should keep well since they are sealed against air and damp. Keep dry though against the drums rusting.
Drums of diesel fuel purchased from reputable suppliers whilst times are normal should contain what is claimed. Beware of sealed drums from doubtful sources or during an emergency, they might contain something else, perhaps water.

Additives are available, use of which is claimed to extend the shelf life of diesel fuel, no direct experience of these.

Plastic containers are fine in the short term, but for longer term storage I consider sealed metal drums, or a bulk steel tank, or steel jerry cans to be preferable.

Take proper precautions against fire. Diesel fuel is low risk and hard to ignite, but once burning will burn as fiercely as does petrol. ISTR A respected member had an accident involving a diesel generator, and was lucky to prevent the fire spreading to a bulk diesel tank.

[Catweazle]

It's often reported that petrol has a shelf life of 6 months or less depending on the temperature it's stored at and the construction of the container - metal being preferable to plastic.

My experience is different, I've used petrol that has been stored for years, without problems - although admittedly in low performance applications like lawnmowers and chainsaws. I wouldn't use old petrol in a high performance motorcycle for example.

My main need is for diesel, for tractors, so I had a couple of barrels of red delivered some time ago. I don't have a diesel generator, so store some petrol in metal jerry cans. I chose Super Unleaded, as I wasn't sure if the ethanol would degrade the seals on the cans, also it starts at a higher octane so hopefully could lose some and still function well.