I've gone away from the hard core prepping channels on you tube, they are all gloom and DOOOOM! and to be honest, though there is a lot to take away from them at times, I don't need to be told to get this now cos it won't be available tomorrow.
The dockers strike is going to be a problem for us in the short term, and I think there will be shortages of certain foods and other goods soon.
I've just tripled my normal winter preps, and made sure of a 3 month supply of my normal prescription meds. That's it as regards buying in stuff. I have a good supply of tins and am trying out some retro wartime recipes for fun, so I'm not suddenly plunged into a strange diet.
I feel that apart from some more smokeless fuel for the multifuel burner, which I'm about to order this week, I'm pretty much set for all that can be thrown at me this winter.
As for the media, I listen to radio 4, look at my news feed once or twice a day on the phone, and then just get on with life.
Don't forget to have fun still, even if it's just a paddle in a river, or a picnic in the park.
Jam sarnies, pork pie, lemonade and an apple can be just as good as a quiche, roast chicken thighs and anything else that constitutes a modern picnic, at least when I was a kid it was . Affluence does have its drawbacks, and I can see a few horrified expressions reading this. It's about what you are used to.
I think we all need to get used to having less, rather than buying more and stacking high to maintain our present lifestyles.
There has been talk about austerity over the past few years, but if my grandparents had seen that they would have said.. you are joking! You have no idea what austerity is.
The electric rises are the main worry, but I refuse to worry to much, I can only pay what I can afford to, so that is what they will get... I won't be alone, and I think the power companies will have to cave in eventualy especially if they keep making millions in profits. I think it will work out, not without pain for all, but like the poll tax, there will be millions saying no way. So it will have to have a solution that is acceptable.
As Swyn says, not having a TV, means you are not spoon fed and actively have to look for the news sources and in doing so, you get more than one slant on an issue, which develops good judgement.