General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWho stocked up a week or more ago because they were informed and saw what was coming? It's MAGA's we
are seeing swarm the stores now because they listened to what their fearless leader told them to make believe. At least that's what I'm throwing around on FB to yank some chains. I'm in good shape to wait out the MAGAdeath flu.
greenjar_01
(6,477 posts)I don't know that your characterization of current stockpilers is accurate or fair, but there are stack of pasta and canned sauce and dried goods in our pantry. My partner, luckily, is a very good bread maker, too, and we have flour and starter. Just so long as the gas and power stay on.
brewens
(13,590 posts)It was Monday right after they opened and was maybe a little slower than usual. My characterization might not be accurate but it's fun, and it certainly doesn't have to be fair. It wouldn't have hurt some of these people crowding the stores to have paid a little attention the previous weeks.
spooky3
(34,456 posts)online retailers would tell me they had a stockout, but would send if new supplies came in, so I signed up wherever I could, then all of them sent me TP and the grocery store also had some after they had been out.
jpak
(41,758 posts)Done 2 weeks ago.
Hopefully safe?
underpants
(182,826 posts)We have at least 6 months of food and a buttload of toilet paper.
Wounded Bear
(58,662 posts)I've visited my local Safeway and things didn't look too bad, though when I went to Big Lots there were several people with the large packages of TP in their carts and at least one with a cart load of bottled water.
Need a Wal-Mart run this morning. We'll see, I guess.
Sugar Smack
(18,748 posts)Good luck getting your check, and be safe out there.
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)trip home this week and a month+ at home.
htuttle
(23,738 posts)I started telecommuting last Wednesday, and have been walking a block to the grocery store to top stuff off during off-times to avoid the crowds.
Scored a 6 pack of primo-grade American TP this morning, so feeling pretty good about that.
dweller
(23,640 posts)that's all they had, it's been out 2 days at the store and it was down to maybe 20 packs.... i prefer the cheap foreign scratchy recycled paper, but no luck
😑
✌🏼
zackymilly
(2,375 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)OneBro
(1,159 posts)I have a large extended family in Texas, many of them elderly, most of them at or below the poverty line. With one exception, all are fellow democrats. Elderly people on fixed incomes and young adults working multiple minimum wage jobs simply didnt/dont have the resources to stock up.
Luckily I had the savings and credit to help some of them, but because requests for help came after public panic buying and price gouging had set in, this has been a huge financial gut punch.
Ill recover financially, I hope, but I suspect things will get much, much uglier before the dust settles.
Sugar Smack
(18,748 posts)I wish you and your family good luck with whatever you do have. And to stay safe during this damn mess.
OneBro
(1,159 posts)This too will pass.
Native
(5,942 posts)we live in red Florida, home of the no information voter. I knew they'd all panic and buy toilet paper first because they're idiots. After that I then got the stuff I knew we'd need long before people started buying the right things to be prepared. My pantry is not completely stocked because I know we're not going to lose power, unlike the MAGATs in our state who are acting like a hurricane, literally speaking, is on its way. I'm drowning in stupid, every day, in every way.
brewens
(13,590 posts)time in most areas. You might see some staff shortages for awhile and have a little trouble, but not a situation where you'll be desperate to get food, as long as you have money.
Native
(5,942 posts)there are plenty of able bodied people under 30 who are capable of keeping at least that much going for a few months. Now if cargo planes are no longer allowed in or out and drastic measures have to be taken for many more months, well, then I hope we all have guns (and I never thought I'd ever say that). I think this time in history, when people feel they can shit on their neighbors for any reason, will not be a time when common adversity brings out the best in us - like we've seen in the past. It's a whole new world now - one I believe is infected with something much worse than this virus.
I hate guns personally, but my bro thinks I should go out and get a shotgun. Because virus. I'm 64, no dog, and alone.
appalachiablue
(41,140 posts)living together, our brother got her a gun. She never used it thank heaven, but I borrowed it once and I hate guns & gun culture.
Stay well & safe.
Native
(5,942 posts)Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)Only the last 10 years have been spent in a large city with immediate access.
I just kind of always have a 30 day supply of food, medicine, detergents, etc.
I did buy an extra bag of dog food, a couple dozen extra eggs. Other than that, nothing has changed for me.
musette_sf
(10,202 posts)so we are good there, it's all been delivered. We'd gone to Costco earlier in that week, so have at least some supply of paper goods.
I placed online orders a week ago for OTC meds and supplements should symptoms arise, and they've almost all been delivered.
I've just signed up for Instacart, which delivers in my area from several markets. I'm allegedly getting some more TP and paper towels in an hour or so.* I just did a modest stockup since AFAIK the supply chain is still running for the most part as of right now. I think I will be hanging out on Instacart over the next several weeks for supply replenishment.
Think I will sign up with Chewy today and order cat food. We are trying to use our local pet supply store (not a chain, they really deserve and earn our business) for as long as possible, but putting in a backstock supply won't hurt.
*I'm also allegedly getting some of my fave frozen shrimp wonton soup. They're my "roses".
"Hearts starve as well as bodies; bread and roses, bread and roses."
musette_sf
(10,202 posts)No TP left by the time the shopper got to Safeway, but did get paper towels. I ordered four shrimp wonton soups but only got one
Placed an order on Chewy today for cat food and cat litter.
I have a new Instacart order for Monday with TP... AND wine
safeinOhio
(32,687 posts)Enough food and water. Have great well water and a small gas generator to run the pump.
Only fear is if natural gas gets shut down. Getting warm enough to not worry about heat. Next worry would be inter net. Have to walk a couple of miles to get phone service without wifi.
Live next to a couple thousand archers of woods with lots of small game and wild plants. One mile walk to a nice river full of fish. Just ordered lots of pellets for my silent air rifle.
gay texan
(2,453 posts)She told me that things got really rough during the Reagan years and she was able to feed our family out of that thing for 6 months.
I do the same thing. Anytime they have a sale on roasts and veggies, I buy them up.
I'm really digging the Asian stir fry thing as of late. Easy to make, and I can eat off of it for a number of days.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,350 posts)... for hours with many desperate shoppers. Every grocery store is like a cruise ship.
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)when I've been out.
usedtobedemgurl
(1,139 posts)Little by little I watched what my daily needs were and stocked up to match them.
Raven
(13,893 posts)on things like dog and cat food, flour for baking, pasta and rice, frozen stuff. I never thought of toilet paper. Oh and wine.
Sugar Smack
(18,748 posts)I wouldn't throw it around FB or taunt people with it. They may not become smarter, but they'll become hungrier & more desperate. I don't begrudge you your schadenfruede, not even a little bit. But this particular scenario could provoke people way past getting their chain yanked.
brewens
(13,590 posts)Sugar Smack
(18,748 posts)Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)It may depend on whether or not you live near reported cases.
Crunchy Frog
(26,587 posts)we only just got a new refrigerator and freezer so didn't have the storage space before, and various logistical issues.
MrsMatt
(1,660 posts)when the first reports were coming from China.
I'm a bit of a worrier.
AllyCat
(16,189 posts)...so we donated it today to the food pantry.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)many people cant afford to stock up, and those of us who can should help out.
Wednesdays
(17,380 posts)We get the big package from Costco. Lasts us a month, and we get another whenever we run out. Bought the last one about a week ago, before the locusts swarmed.
Now you can't find a single scrap of TP in any store, anywhere. That, and bottled water (we just get it from the tap, filtered in a Brita pitcher). What are these people expecting, nuclear holocaust!?
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)stay in for a long period of time. Subs just don't make it! Water is another issue, tho - I mean, the taps will still work. Unless all water supplies become contaminated, we should be OK.
I stocked up on all necessary items - food, tp, Kleenex, cleaning supplies/wipes, medications, masks, gas - a couple of weeks ago when I saw COVID blossoming. Freezer and pantry are full. Now I'm in and staying put. If this goes longer than expected, there's always Amazon, Walmart, Peapod and S&S pick-up.
At the time I shopped, all stores were fully stocked. I was actually wondering what was taking everyone so long to start preparing. Like a flip of a switch, it all disappeared last weekend. After the initial surge, they'll be re-stocked at some time.
Good luck, All. Stay well.
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)We live near a forest, have a wood stove. Which is great because we got several inches of snow last night (in rural Oregon).
I imagine if things continue to devolve as predicted, we'll be using the neighborhood apps like NextDoor to check on each other. It's so rural here we can't even see our neighbors' houses, only know a few of them despite living in the area for 14 years.
MLAA
(17,297 posts)I did it because of climate change creating extreme weather conditions that are likely, at some point, to create shortages/delays in food supplies. I did not anticipate this, so I did have to add sanitizer, Clorox wipes etc.
democrattotheend
(11,605 posts)When I first heard about people going crazy to buy it up. I didn't buy a ton, just what I would have ordered in a regular order. Thankfully we have enough for now, because the order isn't coming until March 27. But I just looked out of curiosity and there is no more brand name toilet paper for sale on Amazon, and even the no-name stuff that keeps popping up says it won't be delivered until mid April to early May. Don't know why people went crazy stocking up on toilet paper to begin with, but once you hear about that you have to get some too since you probably won't be able to just run to the store and get more when you run out.
I also ordered a bunch of other groceries from Amazon pantry earlier this week, which will be delivered next week. We have enough food to last in the meantime, and thus far most places around here are still delivering takeout, which I admit we rely on way too much.
I probably didn't stock up as early as I should have, TBH, but I didn't wait until now.
gibraltar72
(7,506 posts)but Wednesday I listened to people I believed. We had to go out Thursday on a planned trip to see daughter and grandson. Told wife we are in for two weeks lets make a list of anything we are short on. Generally keep a full larder. There were a few things to pickup. Basically I believe at this point if you don't have to go out it's next to criminal to do so.
Generic Brad
(14,275 posts)Im a key member of my companys pandemic planning team. I took the possibility extremely seriously.
Flaleftist
(3,473 posts)And if I wasn't able to get any, I could have always made some homemade with what I have here.