Why You Should Stock Up

 And pay attention. I said "stock up" not hoard. We know the difference even though we tend to split hairs and argue over it. Hoarding is bad for your mental health and bad for others who can't get what you have taken away from them. 

Stocking up is having enough to do you through problematic times, no matter what they are. 

Stocking up for disasters is usually the first thing that comes to mind. If you live in hurricane prone areas you stock up one way and if you live where blizzards could keep you home for days and days, you stock another way. If you "prep" or stock for other possibilities you will have another goal in mind. 

There are as many reasons for stocking up as there are for having different lifestyles, but the one basic thing is preparing for the unexpected. 

Job loss
Illness
Major storms
SHTF - a scene where everything falls apart (who knows?)
Peace of mind
Being able to help others

I'm sure there are other or expanded reasons many of you have. 

What started this post today was when I was asked to help a family who had fallen on hard times. With a couple of young children and little food until payday, they needed help. I was able to go to my pantry and fill three grocery bags with meals for them. 

It didn't leave much of a dent and there is only one thing I need to replace soon. If/when other things happen, I intend to be ready for them, too. I hope you are.

All things in moderation

Were you stocked up before this virus hit? Have you bought more than one product when a good sale was on? Kept a few weeks' worth of meals in your pantry and/or freezer? Used coupons to add to your stock?

I hope you have been doing this all along and not rushing to the store now and panic buying in multiples like so many are. It's cheating and very selfish to grab more food and paper goods than you need right now. That puts an incredible strain on the delivery system and it hurts others who need products, too.

I'm not saying you shouldn't get a little extra of things that may be hard to find. Maybe an extra dozen eggs or a box of tissue, but not an entire cart load! Leave some for someone else, for heaven's sake.

If we would all do that and quit panicking, there would be enough for all, just like there always have been. I'm not naive enough to believe that people will actually come to their sense any time soon, so for those of you reading this, please do your part.

Don't panic. Be careful but don't live in fear. This isn't the only pandemic the world has seen and it won't be the last. "All things in moderation" is a very good thought to go by all the time and times like these remind us why.