There any sense on what would be good to stock up on now? When I’ve searched this, the advice is usually pretty worthless. Just advice indistinguishable from general prepper stuff. I’ve seen recommendations to stock up on things like flour, things that the US produces domestically in abundance. But some necessities are going to be more vulnerable to disruptions in shipments from China than others.
Anyone find a good guide or have a sense of what basic household necessities are going to be most vulnerable to disruption of trade with China? I’m not concerned with things like consumer electronics right now, those are luxuries. I’m talking basic food and household staples. I don’t need the standard prepper list that’s meant to prepare you for grave natural disasters. What’s really needed is an analysis of precisely what necessities are most likely to be interrupted by this.
Has anyone seen such a list, or have a sense for what necessities are most vulnerable here?
My advice is if you need something electronic or mechanical and it’s expensive buy it now. I just replaced my hvac last month because I know this summer will be a mess. Most air conditioners are made in Asia.
You want an e-bike, buy it now.
The more parts something has the more likely it’s going to be affected by tariffs.
Start growing some food if you can it’s a great way to be more resilient. I’d recommend buying things like coffee and tea and chocolate that are not easily grown in the US. There’s actually a pretty bad chocolate shortage right now I believe.
Also for other stuff, buy used, in thrifts or on eBay. Not only are you recycling, most sellers are individuals rather than big corps. Also, if you have old stuff you are not using, it’s a great time to sell. My eBay sales are up 10% this year.
Big fan of buying used on eBay, here. Works amazingly for clothes, too. They aren’t nearly as poor quality or as dirty as people would imagine. I can get brand new shoes or pairs of pants for $10-$20 per pair!
It’s impossible to know, the economy is complex. Even your example of flour may be affected. Many things aren’t done by hand, and if a machine used in producing flour needs parts that’s sourced from China, there could be a problem that disrupts production. Many things from China comes by ship there’s already been a significant drop in shipping from there. Remember it takes more than a month for a ship to cross the Pacific, and from there it may need to go by rail to where you are. If you live towards the east coast, it will take longer, and if there’s disruptions at the Panama Canal, there could be even more of a delay.
Shipping was busy before the tarrifs, companies were frontloading and warehouses are full. But if people start panic buying, that’ll empt the warehouses really quick and it could be months before anything new gets shipped in and who knows what the prices will be?
Some stuff that’s made in China might be fine if no one panic buys is. Some things made in USA there may be shortages or massive price increases because they need materials from other countries to manufacture them.
So the generic prepper stuff is pretty much the best anyone can offer you. Make sure you have a month’s supply of everything you need, more if possible. You’d need to know the specifics of every industry’s material needs and also know what people might panic buy to be able to be more specific than that.
This is why Trump’s broad tariffs are insane, it’s just pure economic chaos that’s going to hurt Americans more than it will hurt anyone else in the world.
There’s travel options that are a bit like using one of those picnic ketchup bottles. But if you’re like me, you want to blast your ass with a pressure washer and a squeeze bottle just won’t cut it. Some people suggest using a travel water pik but I haven’t tried it myself.
We got a new toilet several months ago and it took some time for the new bidet to get here. Those couple weeks have never felt more disgusting and it removed absolutely any doubts about their superiority.
We have started a sort of bidet pyramid scheme and have converted so many people. Housewarming? Bidet! Christmas? Bidet! Birthday? That calls for a bidet!
I must admit we’re a bit selfish in that we want to minimize the likelihood of bidetless crapping when we’re away from home.
Come to find out, thanks to bidets thorough, frictionless cleaning they’re incredible for people who suffer from hemorrhoids. They’re really hygienic and beneficial and everyone should just get on board already.
I just want to add this here, in the hopes that people see this.
From what I have read the shortage of toilet paper during Covid that became a meme representing the whole experience of supply chain shocks is actually misplaced.
The major reason there was a shortage of toilet paper was not really because there was a panic buy of toilet paper that cleared the shelves out, or rather that happened only after there was a genuine shortage cause by the fact that a massive amount of people moved from using toilet paper at their jobs, in their employers bathrooms, bought from a B2B company and delivered by a truck specialized in delivering supplies for businesses… to buying toilet paper from distribution networks positioned to deliver products to consumers in grocery stores and such.
Those are seperate logistics networks with seperate companies, seperate delivery trucks, seperate everything, distribution and sales of toilet paper not smoothly adapting to the shock of Covid was a product of this, not just some purely irrational fear in consumers, there is a legitimate reason it happened and it won’t likely happen again unless there is mass unemployment… at which point there are bigger problems….
There any sense on what would be good to stock up on now? When I’ve searched this, the advice is usually pretty worthless. Just advice indistinguishable from general prepper stuff. I’ve seen recommendations to stock up on things like flour, things that the US produces domestically in abundance. But some necessities are going to be more vulnerable to disruptions in shipments from China than others.
Anyone find a good guide or have a sense of what basic household necessities are going to be most vulnerable to disruption of trade with China? I’m not concerned with things like consumer electronics right now, those are luxuries. I’m talking basic food and household staples. I don’t need the standard prepper list that’s meant to prepare you for grave natural disasters. What’s really needed is an analysis of precisely what necessities are most likely to be interrupted by this.
Has anyone seen such a list, or have a sense for what necessities are most vulnerable here?
My advice is if you need something electronic or mechanical and it’s expensive buy it now. I just replaced my hvac last month because I know this summer will be a mess. Most air conditioners are made in Asia. You want an e-bike, buy it now.
The more parts something has the more likely it’s going to be affected by tariffs.
Start growing some food if you can it’s a great way to be more resilient. I’d recommend buying things like coffee and tea and chocolate that are not easily grown in the US. There’s actually a pretty bad chocolate shortage right now I believe.
Also for other stuff, buy used, in thrifts or on eBay. Not only are you recycling, most sellers are individuals rather than big corps. Also, if you have old stuff you are not using, it’s a great time to sell. My eBay sales are up 10% this year.
Big fan of buying used on eBay, here. Works amazingly for clothes, too. They aren’t nearly as poor quality or as dirty as people would imagine. I can get brand new shoes or pairs of pants for $10-$20 per pair!
It’s impossible to know, the economy is complex. Even your example of flour may be affected. Many things aren’t done by hand, and if a machine used in producing flour needs parts that’s sourced from China, there could be a problem that disrupts production. Many things from China comes by ship there’s already been a significant drop in shipping from there. Remember it takes more than a month for a ship to cross the Pacific, and from there it may need to go by rail to where you are. If you live towards the east coast, it will take longer, and if there’s disruptions at the Panama Canal, there could be even more of a delay.
Shipping was busy before the tarrifs, companies were frontloading and warehouses are full. But if people start panic buying, that’ll empt the warehouses really quick and it could be months before anything new gets shipped in and who knows what the prices will be?
Some stuff that’s made in China might be fine if no one panic buys is. Some things made in USA there may be shortages or massive price increases because they need materials from other countries to manufacture them.
So the generic prepper stuff is pretty much the best anyone can offer you. Make sure you have a month’s supply of everything you need, more if possible. You’d need to know the specifics of every industry’s material needs and also know what people might panic buy to be able to be more specific than that.
This is why Trump’s broad tariffs are insane, it’s just pure economic chaos that’s going to hurt Americans more than it will hurt anyone else in the world.
Keep in mind that flour might be in abundance now, but if everyone in the country buys it, the supply might drop quickly.
Apart from that, dried beans and lentils are probably a good source of nutrients, easy to store and last for a while.
If it’s really like Covid, toilet paper will be the first thing to go.
I installed a bidet like two weeks before that entire shortage started. I have never felt more smug about a decision.
Any fellow bidet user should feel smug about it, I say in half jest. Not using a bidet is barbaric, I say in full seriousness.
Can never go back after getting one
More hotels need to have them 😫
Couldn’t agree more. Went on vacation couple weekends ago and felt like a fool using TP
There’s travel options that are a bit like using one of those picnic ketchup bottles. But if you’re like me, you want to blast your ass with a pressure washer and a squeeze bottle just won’t cut it. Some people suggest using a travel water pik but I haven’t tried it myself.
We got a new toilet several months ago and it took some time for the new bidet to get here. Those couple weeks have never felt more disgusting and it removed absolutely any doubts about their superiority.
We have started a sort of bidet pyramid scheme and have converted so many people. Housewarming? Bidet! Christmas? Bidet! Birthday? That calls for a bidet!
I must admit we’re a bit selfish in that we want to minimize the likelihood of bidetless crapping when we’re away from home.
Come to find out, thanks to bidets thorough, frictionless cleaning they’re incredible for people who suffer from hemorrhoids. They’re really hygienic and beneficial and everyone should just get on board already.
TIL! Is there anything they can’t do?
I agree.
90% of toilet paper is apparently domestically produced in the USA.
Doesn’t matter. The shortage wasn’t rational then and it won’t be rational this time. It will just be the first thing people hoard.
I just want to add this here, in the hopes that people see this.
From what I have read the shortage of toilet paper during Covid that became a meme representing the whole experience of supply chain shocks is actually misplaced.
The major reason there was a shortage of toilet paper was not really because there was a panic buy of toilet paper that cleared the shelves out, or rather that happened only after there was a genuine shortage cause by the fact that a massive amount of people moved from using toilet paper at their jobs, in their employers bathrooms, bought from a B2B company and delivered by a truck specialized in delivering supplies for businesses… to buying toilet paper from distribution networks positioned to deliver products to consumers in grocery stores and such.
Those are seperate logistics networks with seperate companies, seperate delivery trucks, seperate everything, distribution and sales of toilet paper not smoothly adapting to the shock of Covid was a product of this, not just some purely irrational fear in consumers, there is a legitimate reason it happened and it won’t likely happen again unless there is mass unemployment… at which point there are bigger problems….
Buy a chest freezer! It opens the world imo.