Anyone prepping for corona?

[thrifty++]

@sclass and illinidave - where I am the food supplies have gone through an interesting cycle as well. First dried and canned goods went off the shelves. First gradually. Then my god after the lockdown was announced everything went off the shelves FAST. It was really anxiety provoking going shopping and seeing all the shelves empty. There was zero pasta, zero rice, zero flour, zero canned foods, zero frozen veg, zero powdered milk or vegan milk.

Then the next weekend all the dried goods were back, well at least most of them. Then all the meat was missing. All of it.

Then the next weekend meat and dried goods were back but there was very little fresh produce. That which was there was ridiculously expensive, like $7 a cauliflower.

Now things are mostly normal. Except some things are not available. Like the cheaper baked beans. At 7- cents a can. The available cans are like $2.50. Why pay that much for baked beans? There is no hand sanitiser. And no anti bacterial soap. Strangely also no decaff coffee, which really annoys me but I wouldnt have thought it would annoy anyone else. But basically everything else is there.

I think what has happened is that the preppers have already loaded up sufficiently to meet their anxiety levels. Also the supermarkets now limit buys to no more than two of the same item.

Most of the hassle for me now is not wanting to go to the supermarket much because of not wanting to catch the virus there and also the waiting cues to get in due to limiting numbers for social distancing.

[thrifty++]

This thread has gotten long so forgive if this is already covered somewhere but has anyone thought about buying some precious metals? I don't want to buy heaps but just a little bit as a safety hedge. Like maybe $4k in gold and $4k in silver. I don't even know how to do that where I am though.

Also where is the safest type of place to buy precious metals from and to store it? ie don't want to buy it and/or store it from somewhere that could go under financially.

[fiby41]

Where is Mister Imperceptible when thrifty needs him.

[2Birds1Stone]

The time to buy physical Ag/Au was before all this panic started. Back then spot price and premiums were suppressed. Right now you will be lucky to find physical period, and if you do there is a very hefty premium above the spot price. When you sell physical, it's very hard to recuperate that premium, and most deals will offer you spot or below spot for the metals, especially if it's bullion vs. something like Silver Eagles/Gold Eagles.

I personally keep a few troy ounces of Au and several hundred troy ounces of Ag in a safe deposit box.

Edited to add - I've had success online, Provident Metals, JM Bullion, Gainesville Coins, Scottsdale Silver.

[thrifty++]

@2birds1tone - thanks. Im not really too worried about making money off it. More just about retaining some security. In saying that I don't also want to throw money down the toilet. Interesting what you say about the transaction costs.. That was one thing I am worried about. My ability to sell it off as an individual vs the large companies that trade it. I did read elsewhere about getting coins instead of bullion as its got lower transaction costs. But im not in USA so I don't know about the USA eagles. I was initially drawn to bullion as it feels more international. NZ does a good 24 carrot coin compared to the USA 22 carrot one. But then NZ is obscure so I don't know how useful it would be globally. Also then I see Canada does a good 24 carrot coin also. Maybe that is the one to do. Have you ever sold any before? How did you do that? What was the cost like?

[2Birds1Stone]

Ah! If you're in NZ then Perth mint stuff will be easier to buy/sell etc.

https://www.jmbullion.com/gold/gold-coi ... old-coins/ looks like many are out of stock though, with long backorders.

Edited to add - I'm seeing a $100-200/oz premium right now on physical gold coins. Which you're unlikely to recoup.

Also, look at laws in your country regarding transaction taxes on coins vs. bullion, and reporting requirements.

[thrifty++]

Re panic buyers. This was a very interesting article. It seems that its not just people panic buying for themselves. Its also opportunists who soaked up supply to on sell product at a large markup. Like the asshole who is the subject of this article. He didn't realise that the food market would bounce back so he tried to return his toilet paper but the supermarket refused. So glad. I wish he was named and shamed. https://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/world/co ... spartanntp

[Frita]

@thrifty++
The article mentioned producing smaller, 4-to 8-roll packages of toilet paper. That explains my last shopping trip to Walmart where on 4-packs of single-roll TP, limit three packages, were available. (I usually buy double or triple rolls. My spouse asked if these new rolls were single use.)

What have people seen with price gouging? I usually am not a Walmart shopper for multiple reasons (forced part-time work culture, not paying benefits, not treating women as equals for management roles, less quality in produce and meat, questionable ethical sourcing); however, I am now shopping there instead of my local store. They tend to be better stocked, plus I can check the app and shop for pickup. Our local store jacked up prices outrageously (For example, $9 for a 4-pack of toilet paper?!$*#%!). I just couldn’t justify paying so much more to shop there as our monthly food/toiletries bill would have quadrupled or quintupled.

[thrifty++]

@Frita - there was initially some price gouging. However the govt where I am started to threaten supermarkets not to price gouge and wanted any price gouging reported. A website was set up to complain. Lots of complaints were made. The price gouging stopped. Im not sure exactly what the govt could have threatened the supermarkets with though since I don't think its illegal its just market economics. But I guess we are in a state of emergency so the govt can do what they want and pass laws they want so the supermarkets seem to have paid attention

[Frita]

@thrifty++
I am glad to hear that the system works somewhere!

There is an American website to report price-gouging. I have completely lost faith in our system to the point of not even reporting this stuff. I did directly contact the market president and express my concerns with specific examples. I heard back from him that very day with a political, sucks-to-be-you-sort of answer. So I know that the store is aware of the price-gouging and chooses to continue. Good to know. Rather than engage in some crazy battle by involving the ineffective government with me being the victim in some dysfunctional triangle, I just won’t be shopping local for our groceries/toiletries during our CV homestay.

[Jason]

Sad reality is that this will hurt tips to the delivery people who truly deserve to be compensated above normal percentage.

[Jason]

He's either entertaining Pam Grier in his pimped out under-ground bunker or an unsuspecting fork-lift driver just discovered his torso in a flattened Corolla.

[thrifty++]

@2b1s - Im thinking its probably easiest for me to buy NZ gold coins. Will be far more accessible and lower transactions costs I imagine. Especially if there are back log orders for Aussie or USA coins.

Does it really matter that much where the coin is stamped? I mean your buying a commodity not a currency so why does it really matter? Or does it not matter? I was just confused and irritated by a few pieces of online info saying obscure coins are a problem. If so this system we have seems ridiculous. Why do they even need to be stamped with a govt label at all.

[2Birds1Stone]

The type of coin you buy will determine how easy it is to resell. While it's true that many coins are same pure gold and essentially worth the same spot price, the premiums vary based on where you are, and which coins are most popular in your area.

The biggest reason people stick to certain types/governments is the ease of determining authenticity/fakes.

A good example here is a coin I happen to own, a Mexican Centenario or 50 Peso coin. It's 1.2 oz but less popular and commands a lower premium on a buy, but if you look at what commodities brokers are paying when you sell back, you get below spot price on these.

YMMV, in NZ you are probably best of getting the most recognizable coins if you ever wish to resell.

Gold and silver prices fluctuate wildly, so it's not the best store of value....and not very liquid, especially if SHTF.

[Freedom_2018]

What have people seen with price gouging? I usually am not a Walmart shopper for multiple reasons (forced part-time work culture, not paying benefits, not treating women as equals for management roles, less quality in produce and meat, questionable ethical sourcing); however, I am now shopping there instead of my local store. They tend to be better stocked, plus I can check the app and shop for pickup. Our local store jacked up prices outrageously (For example, $9 for a 4-pack of toilet paper?!$*#%!). I just couldn’t justify paying so much more to shop there as our monthly food/toiletries bill would have quadrupled or quintupled.

So now I have to compete with snobs at Walmart for TP ?

[Alphaville]

walmart online has been great for me. it’s a bit of a game of chance to build a $35 cart to get free shipping, but i was able to score 12lb rice in a single shipment. i’m basically covered in the starch department now. i’m too far away for curbside pickup, but would use.

re: throne tissue: a bidet greatly reduces the required volume. i got a pair of handhelds by shopping online for “wudhu bottle.”

question, waltart related: does anybody here use sam’s club? i’ve been looking at the required down payments (“membership fees”) but not sure if worth it. leaning towards yes since they also work with instacart, and i’m nearly ready to kill for eggs. although instacart doesnt require membership, getting warehouse prices does.

[George the original one]

Shopping today went well, the store was well-stocked of nearly everything that people cleaned out (frozen OJ concentrate, TP, kleenex, flour, sugar, etc.).

Oregon's new cases have been slowly dropping, my county hasn't had a new case for over a week, and people are getting itchy to be let loose, so I figured I'd get a shopping trip in before Trump announced his new social distance rules. I'm fairly certain the west coast governors will do the right thing, but the madness of crowds has me concerned that there'll be an early second wave. Thus this lull made a good shopping opportunity even though we don't require a shopping trip.

Originally I had planned on going Friday since most announcements happen on a Friday, but Trump couldn't wait until Friday, so I moved the trip up to today. Back to the gardening and being a social hermit we go!

[bryan]

May check out a restaurant supply store (that's usually closed to the public) today or tomorrow.

It's been difficult getting my dad to adopt different habits.. he's (always) well-stocked (lives alone but has two refrigerators and a chest freezer) but he still goes to the grocery store every few days. Gonna try getting him to make meal-plans to cut down on the trips.

Aside: I'm surprised more people don't have bidets in the ERE community. I have a seat bidet installed on my toilet, and have for years. Reams of toilet paper? That is for literally unwashed barbarians.

i can't install here so i bought a handheld one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

it's basically a squirt bottle with a bent spout

I've had a handheld one for a few years now too.. I really should have kept better records, but from what I can tell it saves me about 30% on toilet paper. I have to assume that the more powerful bidets are actually more useful, else it's the bidet users that are barbarians (i.e. not wiping to my standard of cleanliness).

[slsdly]

@bryan, maybe I just have exceptionally high water pressure (I use a valve to reduce the input to the bidet itself), but back when I checked regularly, I always came away clean. Now I just dab (no rubbing) with a cloth to wick away the water most of the time. My toilet paper use is down > 95%; I have yet to go through what I bought 3 years ago. I have never tried a handheld one for comparison. I bought one that fits under the seat because it looked less awkward to use.

[Alphaville]

@bryan - 2 out of 3 times paper returns *clean,* and when paper picks up matter it's just basically a dab. no large clumps or smears.

my handeld holds 500ml. pressure depends on grip strength but also on sufficient quantity. if your bottle is small that might be the problem. i also use warm water which perhaps helps.

i can't remember how much i consume on my own since i've been married for a long time, but women tend to be the power users of the holy roll, and i'm glad do report our consumption has now nearly ground to a halt, with no complaints on her part.

ETA:

I have good records on this. I keep the same single toilet paper roll for over a year since I started washing with water instead. The roll is there just for the situations when I have someone come to my house. Since I haven’t been very social this last year, that happened exactly twice.

do you use any sort of material to pat dry? i'm interested in this and not for the lols.