Are you doing anything to prepare for another pause or shutdown?

asp3 said:
The folks around here have been pretty good about keeping distance while in lines. Some stores have those circles set six feet apart on the sidewalks. I can only think about a couple of times when people got too close. When I said "Could you please stay six or more feet away?" most readjusted their position. Some gave me a disgusted look before doing so but I could count those on one hand.
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The only waiting outside a store I have done was when my wife wanted me to pickup dinner at Olive Garden. This was during the early days of COVID-19 last March when I was in the middle of my last engineering contract job, and the business was on the way home. The way that worked, you waited in your car in the parking lot, and they brought your food out to you. I thought that worked really well.

Near where I live, there is a strip mall with a discount store. If I go by there in my car in the morning, I see people lined up waiting to go in. They are only standing about 6 inches apart. So, around here, there seems to be much variability with regard to social distancing.

Edit: One difference is that with a restaurant, curb side pickup is typical during a lock down, while for stores such as a discount store that sells TVs, furniture, books, etc., in store shopping is necessary since they don't have a catalog on line so you cna pick your stuff to order ahead of time and then have curb side pickup.

Tony
 

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asp3 said:
The folks around here have been pretty good about keeping distance while in lines. Some stores have those circles set six feet apart on the sidewalks. I can only think about a couple of times when people got too close. When I said "Could you please stay six or more feet away?" most readjusted their position. Some gave me a disgusted look before doing so but I could count those on one hand.
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Same is true here.
 
I'm still trying to use up some of the odd canned foods that I bought during the initial panic.

I've gone back to shopping once a week and trying to maintain a rolling three week supply.

I think that it was @Pappy who made a joke in another thread saying their grocery delivery arrived and it seemed like they ate half of it.

That is a problem for me with shopping once a week I tend to pig out in the beginning and end the week eating more sensibly.

I need to work on ways to level things out from one shopping trip to the next. šŸ·
 

I could probably live on my stock pile for about 2 months (4 of us here) and would only need fresh fruit, veg and milk. I always have extra on hand and usually go through the stuff once in awhile to be sure none are going to expire soon. I have gone back to picking up my food orders and only go into the store for stuff that I need that was out of stock on the order.

As for the next shutdown - areas around me are already on shutdown and probably won't improve until sometime in the new year.
 
No more than usual except ordering my prescriptions, which I get via mail order, a bit sooner than I have to because like @hollydolly I'm not sure if a shortage will occur at some point. For the most part I've been a bulk shopper for decades though not as much now as before my husband died. Now I buy about half of items from supermarkets and Walmart. I stock up on things when they are on sale. Last month, I bought a bundle (12 rolls) of Kirkland paper towels and the month before a bundle (30 rolls) of Kirkland (Costco brand) T.P. (cause that's how I roll...pun intended). I also have other brands here, which I was trying out because for 6 months Costco didn't have their own brands (which I prefer) in stock.

My freezer section in the fridge is full, though it's not a huge freezer. I have some canned goods and I still have two boxes of non perishable items that were sent out by what appears to be United Healthcare in conjunction with our county senior program. United is not my insurer. When necessary I can always walk to the supermarket as things get low, unless there's some kind of unforeseen circumstances in the area that prevents that.
 
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OneEyedDiva said:
No more than usual except ordering my prescriptions, which I get via mail order, a bit sooner than I have to because like @hollydolly I'm not sure if a shortage will occur at some point. For the most part I've been a bulk shopper for decades though not as much now as before my husband died. Now I buy about half of items from my local supermarket as well as it's larger partner supermarket and Walmart. But I stock up on things when they are on sale. Last month, I bought a bundle (12 rolls) of Kirkland paper towels and the month before a bundle of Kirkland (Costco brand) T.P. (cause that's how I roll...pun intended). I also have other brands here, which I was trying out because for 6 months Costco didn't have their own brands (which I prefer) in stock.

My freezer section in the fridge is full, though it's not a huge freezer. I have some canned goods and I still have two boxes of non perishable items that were sent out by what appears to be United Healthcare in conjunction with our county senior program. United is not my insurer. When necessary I can always walk to the supermarket as things get low, unless there's some kind of unforeseen circumstances in the area that prevents that.
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Back in March you mentioned buying a couple of cases of Costco's shelf stable almond milk. I followed your lead - thank you for that! When I empty one case I buy another so I always have between one and two cases of it. Almond milk was previously one of the perishables that kept me running to the store!
 
Marie5656 said:
I live in New York State, and our Governor is suggesting a possible new pause. I have been stocking up on frozen foods, and non perishable groceries. Also a small (not stupid) stock up of TP and paper towels. Today I went for one last shopping trip for a while. Got a supply of personal supplies..body wash, some shampoo and a couple cold remedies, for my inevitable winter cold. Also filled my gas tank. Have no plans to go anywhere, but should be sent until after holidays for gas and supplies.
Even got some snacks, and soda pop as just for fun stuff. Also in the just for fun category, one of my neighbors got me interested in the adult oriented coloring books (I should say coloring for grownups). She also suggested I buy a multipack of gel pens. So I have a couple of those too.

I think I will be OK
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Glad you are prepared for a pause Marie, you're a smart gal. I never had an adult coloring book, but I did love them as a child. We've always had extra food, water and supplies on hand in the past for any emergency, so even before the Covid started, we were comfortable with what was in our freezer and pantry.

For years, many times if there was an ad in the Sunday paper for a sale on Scott toilet tissue at Target, I'd swing over there and get two or three packs, however much I had to buy for the sale price or free gift card. So I didn't panic buy anything for the pandemic. I don't shop as often as I used to, but I do make sure I have enough non-perishables on hand to get us through a stretch if needed.

I'm grateful I have my husband with me, we are both homebodies for the most part anyway, so this time is not bad for me at all. We still eat well and enjoy our time together, even if it's in separate rooms for a good part of the day. ;) Take care Marie....hugs. šŸ’š
 
PopsnTuff said:
I stay stocked up on everything....and lo and behold, my son found All of the Lysol products back on the shelf! .... limit is one per person only.
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I haven't seen Lysol since the pandemic, I always used the Lysol citrus scent, orangy color. I'd mix some with water in a spray bottle or use it from the bottle in the sink or for other cleaning. When I first looked for it, probably late March, there was none. I ended up buying a two bottle pack of Clorox spray cleaner.

I had a Clorox like that in the past that worked and smelled good. The one I used, I found out later, did not have any bleach in it. The new ones I bought in March did, but I didn't notice....until my almost new shirt suddenly had white bleached out spots on it :(while I rushed around the house sanitizing sinks, door knobs, etc. I'm glad I didn't bleach out my rugs, etc.

I've been using a citrusy Mr. Clean during the pandemic, I'm good with that and don't have to be wary of using it.
 
StarSong said:
Back in March you mentioned buying a couple of cases of Costco's shelf stable almond milk. I followed your lead - thank you for that! When I empty one case I buy another so I always have between one and two cases of it. Almond milk was previously one of the perishables that kept me running to the store!
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I'm so glad that tip helped you StarSong. I was very glad to find that option myself. My son just bought me another case last weekend. I now have 2 cases which should last at least 3 months. I don't use it as much as I used to because I've cut back on eating cold cereal.
 
Fyrefox said:
Just remember to wear your protective gear when you go out...

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Yeah, this is the dilemma I've got. I need a few items that I always get at Costco, but I really don't want to go near that store just before Xmas, when I am pretty sure it will be crowded, virus or not. But maybe it's time to "stock up?" If I wait until January, will there be any items left on the shelves?!
 
Sunny said:
Yeah, this is the dilemma I've got. I need a few items that I always get at Costco, but I really don't want to go near that store just before Xmas, when I am pretty sure it will be crowded, virus or not. But maybe it's time to "stock up?" If I wait until January, will there be any items left on the shelves?!
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I know what you mean Sunny. My son told me he wasn't going to Costco until after the holiday but I needed my organic apples and I wanted Michael Angelo's frozen eggplant parmasean, which they didn't have and a case of almond milk. He needed gas and Kerry Gold butter, so he went, on a Saturday, no less. I've got enough apples to last me until after Christmas.

Maybe if you go this week during the day, before or after normal lunch hours (if possible), it won't be so bad. I'm sure it will be more of a madhouse the closer we get to Christmas. The problem with the affects of this pandemic on retail establishments is that we never know what will be in short or no supply and when.
 
Does anyone live in a city where Costco offers home delivery? I donā€™t but sure would do it if I could. I can get some items mailed. The cost was slightly higher for the few non-food items I wanted.
 
Costco opened at 8 AM for seniors. DH & I got there at 8:30. No lines, very uncrowded, multitudes of pallets of Kirkland brand TP and paper towels, no limits on buying. I passed them by because I didn't need either. Everyone was masked, socially distanced and in very good moods.

They seemed to be in full stock on everything. Well, everything I was looking for.

Main reason for going was I'd scraped up a pair of my prescription sunglasses last week and wanted the lenses replaced. Optical dept. opened at 9. I did some shopping, walked up to their kiosk at about 9:30 and was waited on immediately.

Somehow managed to spend $350, plus $69 for new lenses!
 
Jules said:
Does anyone live in a city where Costco offers home delivery? I donā€™t but sure would do it if I could. I can get some items mailed. The cost was slightly higher for the few non-food items I wanted.
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Try Instacart. I think you can get Costco items delivered. I have not done this but I think I saw it on the list of stores.
 

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