Doo Doo Hits the Fan Barter/Trade Items (what to stock up on to trade)

[Dorky_D]

I recently read on a blog that if there is some sort of collapse and trucks are not delivering stuff to stores, that bartering and trade will be a necisity. It might be good to stock up on stuff to trade. I wanted to give my opinion on some stuff, but more importantly ask what you thought would be good to stock up on, not for you but to trade with. I am looking for low cost items that could be worth a lot in a bad situation.

Things I would not bother with (you may disagree and that is OK)
Gold/Silver - You cannot use it for much other than to trade you cannot eat it etc.


Things I might get to trade
Ammo - It can be expensive, and it could be used against you
Food - I figure if doo doo hits the fan I will want to keep what I have.

Things I will trade for
Water - I have a well and a non-powered means to get at the water.
Skills - I am reasonably handy and can do a lot of stuff may or may not be tradeable
Magnesium Firestarter - I picked up a few at Harbor Freight - They are under $3 and could be worth more if there is a need.

Thoughts?

 

[IndyPrepper]

Just curious have you tried those firestarters out for Harbor Freight, what kind of results did you get?

 

[littletommy]

Bic lighters would seem to be a good idea, as has been said in a few other threads here, tobacco and liquor, like the small airline type bottles, would possibly be very sought after. I would also think things like packs of socks, salt and pepper packs, sugar packs, candles, would be quite valuable.

 

[jedi]

Define "Doo Doo Hits the Fan" are we talkimg about short, medium or long term?
Are we talking about TEOTWAWKI global, regional, local?
That would dictate your list.

Case in point if say "USA (all of it)" gets nuked and you now have to leave for Mexico GOLD would help you re-settle once you get there in terms of your wealth. (ie. same or more std. of living).

However in a global SHTF or say a regional one yes GOLD/SILVER is not going to help you for the short, medium term either.

• matches
• lighters
• candles
• smokes/cigars/cigarrettes (bix in bag in freezer)
• small liquor bottles
• medical pills over the counter (tylenol, alive, etc..)
• basic cloths (shoes, underwear)
• bathroom items (toothpaste, toothbrush)
• Toliet paper
• batteries

All the items on said list can "fit" in this type of situation BTW.

-Jedi

ps.
Now re-reading your thread if you are looking for low-cost items then the following I think fit.

 

[Andre46996]

Define "Doo Doo Hits the Fan" are we talkimg about short, medium or long term?
Are we talking about TEOTWAWKI global, regional, local?
That would dictate your list.

Case in point if say "USA (all of it)" gets nuked and you now have to leave for Mexico GOLD would help you re-settle once you get there in terms of your wealth. (ie. same or more std. of living).


However in a global SHTF or say a regional one yes GOLD/SILVER is not going to help you for the short, medium term either.

• matches
• lighters
• candles
• smokes/cigars/cigarrettes (bix in bag in freezer)
• small liquor bottles
• medical pills over the counter (tylenol, alive, etc..)
• basic cloths (shoes, underwear)
• bathroom items (toothpaste, toothbrush)
• Toliet paper
• batteries

All the items on said list can "fit" in this type of situation BTW.

-Jedi

ps.
Now re-reading your thread if you are looking for low-cost items then the following I think fit.

Should I have gold in case I need to go to North Hammond to then??? I could trade it to the Mexicans for Tamales..... The guy wasn't in the Food4Less parking lot this morning and I didn't get my weekly Tamale fix....

 

[Dirc]

What's the shelf life of Bic lighters? Will they eventually start leaking? Within a time period I need to care about?

 

[jedi]

Should I have gold in case I need to go to North Hammond to then??? I could trade it to the Mexicans for Tamales..... The guy wasn't in the Food4Less parking lot this morning and I didn't get my weekly Tamale fix....

Nah but if you gave that Mexican a new green card or even a new SS card I bet he would have traded all his tamales.

If you want Tamales wich taste good and are cheap go here.

Carniceria "La Chiquita" #3 (translation Small Meat Market #3)
4311 Indianapolis Blvd
East Chiago, IN 46312
219-397-2969

They sell tamales by the dozen for $5 to $7 depending on the type.
They have
- pork in red sauce
- chicken in red sauce
- hot pepper & cheese
- sugar
- strawberry

You can also get the pork/chicken in green sauce by calling it in.
They make them fresh on SUN, WED, and FRI but you can always call an order it and it will be ready for you.

The store is next to a KFC and St. Mary's School/Church on the main blvd. The place use to be a fast food join BTW.

Also on Sunday they have "carnitas" which they sell by the pound.
Carnitas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

-Jedi

 

[Dorky_D]

Jedi - I am thinking more of a large scale SHTF for an extended period (financial).

BTW nice Lego Thrawn. Not many people actually know who Thrawn was (long time ago and he died).

 

[Dorky_D]

Indy, no I have not tried them. I will do so and report back. In the mean time, this guy has a pretty solid way of working them. I will try his method and let you know.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVernlKQAwo[/ame]

 

[jedi]

Jedi - I am thinking more of a large scale SHTF for an extended period (financial).

BTW nice Lego Thrawn. Not many people actually know who Thrawn was (long time ago and he died).

Thanks its a custom LEGO figure I had made in honor of my grandfather who loved that character.

 

[churchmouse]

What's the shelf life of Bic lighters? Will they eventually start leaking? Within a time period I need to care about?

Not sure about leaking but the ones I had stashed in my camping gear failed. The flint wheel locked up on them???
Need to store in a zipp lock or some other sealed unit.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

I recently read on a blog that if there is some sort of collapse and trucks are not delivering stuff to stores, that bartering and trade will be a necisity. It might be good to stock up on stuff to trade. I wanted to give my opinion on some stuff, but more importantly ask what you thought would be good to stock up on, not for you but to trade with. I am looking for low cost items that could be worth a lot in a bad situation.

Things I would not bother with (you may disagree and that is OK)
Gold/Silver - You cannot use it for much other than to trade you cannot eat it etc.


Things I might get to trade
Ammo - It can be expensive, and it could be used against you
Food - I figure if doo doo hits the fan I will want to keep what I have.

Things I will trade for
Water - I have a well and a non-powered means to get at the water.
Skills - I am reasonably handy and can do a lot of stuff may or may not be tradeable
Magnesium Firestarter - I picked up a few at Harbor Freight - They are under $3 and could be worth more if there is a need.

Thoughts?

Okay, where do I start......
NO. You may disagree now, but after you've been around a bit you will understand. I'll try my best to be patient. Let's start at the beginning. Stores have about 3 days worth of goods on hand MAX. If transport lines are interrupted, far less. Bartering will only be necessary if YOU are not prepared so let's focus on that and not on running a store. Spend your time and other resources being sure you have multiples of everything YOU need. If you have 2 or 3 of everything, you will likely have some things to barter. I agree gold and silver should NOT be a priority, focus on lead and brass. If you feel the need to stock other metals focus on the ones that can be used for different things like various steels and maybe things like nickels and pennies. Pennies are tough since 1981 when they began making them from zinc so lets move on to nickels. Nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel (roughly) so by weight and volume they are far more valuable than even copper pennies. Okay, now let's move on to ammo. Quite simply, NEVER barter anything that can be returned to you from 100+ yards away or you may well lose everything. Get ammo for YOU to use and don't let on that you have more than a little. Food, stock a years supply (or more) of WHAT YOU USE. If you don't eat spam, it will be useless to stock it because it won't get rotated and you still won't use it. Stock what you use and use what you stock. Also try to have a good supply of heirloom (nonhybrid/open pollinated) seeds and learn how to grow them and harvest them as both food AND seed for future use. Stock gardening supplies, chems, tools, etc. Also stock canning supplies in great abundance. Learn more skills, hide tanning, meat curing, forging/smithing (I'm working on this one right now), etc. Dump the mag fire starters and get some fire steels (ferro-cerium rods). Magnesium has some uses but not very good for starting fires unless the fire you want to start is a thermitic reaction. If you still feel the need to stock item specifically for barter I suggest things like extra hand tools, reading glasses, feminine hygiene products, tobacco, chocolate, sugar, 190 or higher grain alcohol (everclear), etc. Following the above advice will serve you well as any and all of it can be used OR bartered and most will replenish itself in enough quantity to support you AND leave extra for trade. Thanks for reading and good luck! to the world of being ready for everything! If anyone else has anything to add, GO.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure you have the means to fell trees and turn them into firewood manually, without fuel. Great for heat, cooking, light, etc...and in case I didn't mention it, FIRST AID supplies and skills as well as learning what remedies can be found in nature for various maladies. Medical skills of this nature alone can guarantee you everything you will ever need from those that don't have them. Oh yeah, oil lamps/lanterns are really good to have as well as antibiotics and the ability to make soap from stuff like ashes and cooking grease....Learn how to harvest game with traps, snares, bow, slingshot, etc. Whatever doesn't make noise......and on and on...

 

[Cpt Caveman]

ThrottleJockey;2534032]"Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure you have the means to fell trees and turn them into firewood manually, without fuel. "

So what, you have a two man cross cut saw in your basement?
I'd wondered about that before but never handled it sufficiently in my mind. How do you figure on managing it?

 

[ThrottleJockey]

ThrottleJockey;2534032]"Oh, I almost forgot. Make sure you have the means to fell trees and turn them into firewood manually, without fuel. "

So what, you have a two man cross cut saw in your basement?
I'd wondered about that before but never handled it sufficiently in my mind. How do you figure on managing it?

I have several different types of saws in the garage (some two man and some one man) and the means to sharpen them AND set the teeth. I also have a son and a wife to work the other end of the two man type. A good axe or two and some practice using them will drop a tree pretty quickly as well but I don't recommend using one to turn it into firewood. By cutting the cambium of a tree all the way around at the base, you can kill it easily both beginning the seasoning process and making it easier to fell the following year....lots of things to learn for both of us I'm sure My father was once a logger in northern MN and my best friend is an arborist. Dads saws are decoratively painted and as antique as mine but will still work when the chips are on the table.

 

[Dorky_D]

BTW, I tried the starters and they work. I had a little trouble with the spark, but I have not practiced. I also did it inside and did not wich to se the house on fire. I used the kit from Harbor Freight and an AK bayonet for the steel.

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

What's the shelf life of Bic lighters? Will they eventually start leaking? Within a time period I need to care about?

I have a bic and some scriptos that are 10-15 years old and still work well. I'm sure this time would be shortened if kept in a non climate controled enviroment.

 

[irishfan]

ThrottleJockey hit the nail on the head. I have never understood stocking things to barter that you don't use yourself as you should be funding your own preps. One example for me is that I don't drink coffee so I don't stock it for barter but others who drink it would be wise to have an extra 4-5 cans put back for theirself and possibly one to trade. Our preps are focused strictly on food, water, medical supplies, and some creature comforts. I prep for a natural disaster mainly as here in Indiana you never know when a tornado, ice storm, or flood can take you out of the normal everyday bubble we live in.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Hey, I just remembered that I forgot another important reason to NOT attempt running a trading post. Suppose people begin to depend on you for things and then one day when you can't provide them...many will suspect you are holding out and I am certain you will be, at least enough for your own needs. This could get really hinky really quick since what is good enough for you will also be good enough for me....see where this is going?

 

[buckstopshere]

I'm making mead right now for this possibility. No way my wife and I will drink all this wine so I'll store it and use it for barter for SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, or just for whatever.

I travel a lot and I always clean out the hotel room. I take the soaps, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, coffee, condiments, and then I grab 3 or 4 packets of oatmeal on my way out.