Preparedness barter items

[RobertRogers]

Post SHTF there are going to be a number of things is short supply but high demand.

In your opinion what might these be? Excellent barter in exchange for what you may be missing or want.

[hunter63]

Lot of god info here;
http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/yabb/forum.pl?board=sel-primitive-skills;action=display;num=1185811441

[RobertRogers]

excellent resource! Thank you

[Mac_Muz]

I have a lot of stuff on that list because I love the outdoors, but there is a heck of lot of stuff only a family needs...

Sort of an odd list if you ask me.

I have on 2 aladin lamps this seconds heating the room I sit to type in, which is a sort of all in one room.. bed, tv 2 computers, and my silver bench. I have 2 more lamps which get turned on in colder weather.

I can almost run no heat all winter if I want to be sweater comfortable. We like sleeping in cool air anyway. 50 ish...

Once we lived illegally in the woods for 3 full years begining in Sept and ending in a Sept.

Knowing these woods in NH made things possible that other plac es we might not have done as well.

For example I have tools and one is a chain saw. Knowing that and these woods there is white ash... Burns about as well green off the stump as it does dry... That saw was the only power tool had I could use at that time... It was handy but we could have gone with out.

2 stroke oil outta be on my list though, providing I can get any gasoline..

I can trade services... I do now..

In SHTF I would be a KING... We have man operated tools of all kinds...

[Elijah_Sue]

It always surprises me when I bring up this subject to friends who are into Preparedness that they have no barter items. We have a BOB just for stuff to trade.

In our Barter Bug out Bag we have

30 knives of different sizes.
30 vacuum sealed loose tobacco/ rolling papers.
30 just add water vacuum sealed meals
30 vac sealed instant coffee, tea, creamer, sugar, salt & pepper packets.
10 flashlights/batteries
20 vac sealed 2 ten hour candles with matches and a vac sealed packet of dryer lint (makes great kindling)
5 8'x6' tarps
5 skeins of nylon rope
10 bars of hard soap.
10 pack of playing cards
10 small bags of hard candy.
5 small first aid kits.
3 small hatchets
5 chain tree saws.

It make for a heavy bag but if we have to bug out we can always cache it somewhere,

es

[longshot]

my thoughts on trade items
A list of trade goods to store if TSHTF/TEOTWAWKI.

These are items that you may want to store for trade or that you may want to trade for in the event of a long-term emergency where there in a significant interruption in the flow of goods and services into your community.

A note, I would not trade ammunition, firearms, or alcohol. These can come back to hurt you, if you trade booze the addicted person that would trade valuable commodities for this will come looking for more and more, this will become a nuisance at best and they may become violent when the supply decreases or is interrupted as the person(s) feel you are “holding out on them” likewise trading guns and/or ammo will give the person who you traded with the means to come looking for the rest of your arsenal and whatever other supplies you have stashed.
I would trade for any of these items if I felt that I was short of my projected minimum goals, but not if I had a quantity of liquor and if the weapons did not meet my standards or if they exceeded what I considered as necessary for my hunting/defence needs, as they do fit into my preparations but only if the ammunition would fit my firearms and if the weapon meets my standards and needs or perceived needs. The alcohols has medical properties as well as being useful for future trade, just keep the booze under wraps when you get it, safer that way.

You should weigh the value of trading verses the value of charity to someone who is in genuine need. Sometimes the reward of what you have is not in what you get in goods but rather what you get in goodwill and in “Rep” points when you truly need to make a trade in goods or services.

NEVER trade what you cannot afford to do with out!

Never trade for luxuries if all of your basic needs are not met!

Fuel; gasoline, kerosene, home heating fuel, diesel

Engine supplies, spark plugs, belts, and oil can all be traded, at least in the early stages of an emergency. As parts wear out or are found to be degraded due to neglect before the emergency and be God sends f or yourself and could be valued commodities in the short term.

Cooking oil, can be used in wick type heating and lighting appliances.

Salt, table salt, and course salt used for salting fish, and meat. Salt should be horded as a valued commodity. You need salt to stay alive. Salt has been used for money and as a unit of trade for centuries; it can be used as such in the event of a long-term survival situation. The use of salt preservation will allow you to preserve food when there is no refrigeration or other means of keeping food for hard times.

Sugar, bags of sugar can be divided into smaller packages to enable more trades and allow you to stretch your “dollar” so to speak.

Tobacco, obviously this is an item that you, or anyone else, should not be using. However, having a small amount to use as a trade item makes sense, the person who is addicted to nicotine will trade for their smokes. This may be taking advantage of a persons weakness/addiction but it could be the difference between closing a large deal or not and could get you an item that you really need.

Canned gravy and sauces; can make bland meals more appealing

Books; how-to books, repair manuals, storybooks, romance books, and other escapism type books, plant identification/preparation books, gardening books, etc.

Paper, pencils, school supplies, even if you do not have school age children stocking school supplies may be of benefit as trade items as there will, most likely, be families or groups with children of this age group who will want for the kids to be educated. Having access to these supplies will make it easier for the kids to learn.

Knives; folding knives, skinning knives, fillet knives, general-purpose knives all can be traded as many people do not keep these type of “outdoor” knives and as such will need to trade for them as they find the need to accomplish the necessary tasks involved in the new reality they may find themselves coping with.

Axes, hatchets, and larger axes used for felling trees and splitting wood. I would also include machete type knives in this category. Not many people keep an axe, although some may keep a small hatchet a full sized axe such as you would need for felling trees to acquire your firewood for heating and cooking. Machetes can also be useful for felling trees and clearing brush, although I find them more useful for brush and trimming branches than for felling trees.

Fishing lures, sinkers (weights), floats (bobbers) most of these lures and such are more to catch fishermen than fish but a few on the trade blanket may bring something of value.

Fishing hooks, stock various sizes that are useful for the kinds of fish in your area, wither that is small streams and ponds or large lakes or the open sea. Remember, small hooks can catch large and small fish but bigger hooks can only catch bigger fish.

Fishing line, nylon fishing line in weights suitable for the kinds of game fish in your area, no sense stocking 40 pound test line when the most you are likely to catch is small trout and pan fish.

Snares, wire for snares may be in short supply for some even though it is a proven method of putting protein on the table. Stocking plenty of surplus snares that you can trade for other items just seems to be a good idea. Even if no one wants them you still have a large supply of food getters to feed your family.

Firewood, this could be of benefit if you live in an area where some (i.e.: you) have the means of cutting and delivering firewood but others may not, the flip side of this is that you may have to trade for fire wood to keep your home/shelter warm and to cook and preserve food.

Cloth, bolts of broad cloth as well as heavier fabrics will come in handy as trade items as people’s clothing wear out and new garments need to be made. Care should be exercised when trading for cloth that may he hard to come by for you as well as others in your trading community.

Sewing supplies, zippers, buttons, thread, needles, etc. fabric glue, “iron on” patches. May also be in short supply, trade carefully

Yarn, balls of yarn could be traded, if there is no access to wool from local sheep operations and if there is no means of turning that raw wool into useable yarn. Insure that you keep plenty for yourself, as your access to new supplies will be just as limited as those who you trade with.

Patterns for clothing (sewn and knit.), not everyone makes clothing from scratch, however, the need for new clothes to replace old or worn out clothing will become necessary and the local Wal-Mart wont be available if the supply links to China and Asia are cut or interrupted for an extended period.

Boots and footwear, you’re going to need your footwear. Perhaps the last thing you should ever trade is your boots, or shoes. If you store a few extra pairs with the thought that someone will be desperate enough to trade for them you may be right on the money so to speak. However, you should assess your own position and determine wither you will or may need those old work boots or winter boots in the future yourself or in someone in your group may need them.

Warm coats and other clothing that your family has out grown; keep enough for yourself and your family/group

Feminine hygiene supplies, useful items to stock, even if you’re a single male. Makes useful trauma pads for heavy bleeding and as a trade good, women will make a trade if they are available as they are leaps and bounds above any of the “alternative” methods of dealing with menstrual discharge.

Make up, cologne, deodorant, etc some will trade for these luxuries and if you have a person who loves these indulgences having a stock will mean that you will not have to trade for them.
*Note; these items can work miracles on a person’s morale and give tremendous boost to that person’s physiological well being.

Coffee, small individual sachets of coffee could be trade items especially a few weeks or months into a long-term situation

Tea, a couple of tea bags in a plastic bag could be a trade item same as the coffee mentioned above

Chocolate, doesn’t store that well but can and will bring top draw at the trade blanket.

Candles, you should have very few surplus candles, as you will need them for your own home/shelter.

Wicks for kerosene lanterns, wick material can be bought in long lengths and be cut to the desired length needed for your particular lantern or for trade to individuals (cutting in shorter lengths will make a roll of lamp wick last and be distributed to more people, i.e.: more trades)

Mantles, for propane and Napa fuel lanterns.

Matches, wooden matches are the best for storage as they don’t absorb as much moisture from the air as do paper matches, but if that is all you can store try to keep as dry as possible.

Lighters, store both butane disposable lighters and the refillable kind. (Refillable butane and the “Zippo” kind that uses liquid fuel) also include Flints, for refillable lighters. Wicks for the “Zippo” lighter may be a valuable item to keep.

Flint and steel fire starters, magnesium block kind such as you find at sporting goods stores and at big box stores. These will work when wet and the magnesium that you make burn very hot, hot enough for even slightly damp tinder may be made to burn.

Swedish fire steel, standard issue for Swedish army works like a charm. Good for about 3000 strikes and will work when wet as long as your tinder is dry.

Rope and cordage, cordage of many types from light twine to heavy rope has many uses from tying bundles to shelter making to dry clothing. Not everyone can make rope or cordage, not many will know what fibres are suitable or how to process them, such skill would be valuable in the long run of a SHTF scenario.

Reusable bags, cloth or mesh bags that can be used over and over

Garbage bags, good for storage and for covering people’s supplies, also works well for improvised rain gear.

Buckets, if a supply can be obtained, a few could be traded as plastic or metal buckets and pails would be invaluable for tasks from hauling water to carrying the vegetables from the garden a bucket would be difficult to improvise and, unfortunately, coopers (makers of wooden barrels and buckets) are rarer than hens teeth. Just insure that you keep a good stock for your family or group, they may be just as hard to find if yours break or wear out in a long-term situation.

Good will; spreading good will is something that comes back to help you most of the time. If you see someone who really needs some of what you have to trade but has nothing to trade in return, you should consider giving him/her some of what you have. The day may, and will most likely, come when you are the one in need, if and when that day comes you are in that persons shoes he or someone who he has told about your kindness may just be there to help you. Plus you get the payoff of having done something good for a neighbour making him a friend and a possible ally.

Knowledge; the skills and knowledge of how to do tasks and produce products when the “usual” methods and supply is interrupted or no longer available, this would be a tradable item in a SHTF scenario some examples could include making tools, nets, finding new ways to reuse old items that needed power to operate, doctoring and nursing skills, vet skills, rope and cordage making, you may also be able to trade knowledge for goods and services by showing others how to do some of these things in a class or group setting.

Long-term; in the long-term, you will need to trade with people in larger areas than your local neighbourhood or county. After awhile, you will just be trading the same goods or services over and over. What you will need is an influx of new goods to replace older and worn out items. Other towns or other parts of the city may and, most likely will, have people who have skills that either differ or have a unique approach to products and services that could prove to be beneficial to your situation. There may be a blacksmith in the next town that can make tools and utensils where as there may be someone in your town who makes baskets. Baskets could be traded for axe blades or roasting spits.