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Thread: Whats Everyones take on bartering?

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    Lightbulb Whats Everyones take on bartering?

    Just wondering what everyones thoughts on what items would be the best to stockpile that could be used for bartering when SHTF?


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    Hall Monitor Pal334's Avatar
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    Seems that toilet paper will be a valuable comodity
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    naturalist primitive your_comforting_company's Avatar
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    Sweet tea, black pepper, and food. In that order.

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    I barter now whenever I can.

    What sort of situation do you envision for your shtf scenario? How long does this scenario play out? I don't purposely stock up on "barter" items, but I do have a lot of things that people might need.
    Last edited by crashdive123; 04-11-2012 at 06:49 AM.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    So far, the only thing I stock up on for bartering is ammo because it will always increase in price, and I feel it may be hard to get someday. I'm not sure when the SHTF will happen if ever, but I know ammo will always be worth at least what you pay for it, maybe a lot more.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Why barter something that could be used against you? Guns, knives and ammo are off my barter list. If they need ammo you know they are out (or low) so they aren't in a real good position to cause you grief. Load them up with ammo and they may be back to take the rest. Just a thought.
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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Yeah, ammunition and weapons are not on my list of barter items for the sort of scenario that I suspect the OP was referring to. I have used them though, during times of normalcy, to trade....that's how I picked up quite a bit of my knife making gear.
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    Senior Member cowgirlup's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnnybugout View Post
    Just wondering what everyones thoughts on what items would be the best to stockpile that could be used for bartering when SHTF?
    Learn some useful skills. Always needed and no one can take them from you.


    That being said we don't buy much in the way of barter items. Our town has a freecycle area at the town recycling center. I've picked up manual can openers, some childrens clothes, decent camping gear and books that I keep around just in case. I would hesitate to barter food because you don't want to be known as the person with the food stockpile. Quick way to become a target.
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    One step at a time intothenew's Avatar
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    I'm with cowgirlup, skills. But take one step back from that and think of it as what it is, a business. Who will your clientele be? What will your clientele need? How can your clientele pay? Then develop the skills to suit.
    "They call us civilized because we are easy to sneak up on."- Lone Waite

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    Senior Member Sparky93's Avatar
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    Start putting auto parts in the front yard, if you get enough parts you don't have to mow the grass and there is always going to be somebody needing something for their old truck that just blew the water pump or what have you lol... you think I'm joking, but I'm speaking of my buddies house.... no joke....
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    Senior Member flatlander88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cowgirlup View Post
    Learn some useful skills. Always needed and no one can take them from you.


    That being said we don't buy much in the way of barter items. Our town has a freecycle area at the town recycling center. I've picked up manual can openers, some childrens clothes, decent camping gear and books that I keep around just in case. I would hesitate to barter food because you don't want to be known as the person with the food stockpile. Quick way to become a target.
    Good point. My goal is to take care of my family, only. I do have things that they don't know about just for the simple fact that I don't want people coming over and "needing" this or that. I can use my resources as needed so I can make them last as long as I can.
    "You are not good enough now, and you never will be, to not die in this sport."

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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Why barter something that could be used against you? Guns, knives and ammo are off my barter list. If they need ammo you know they are out (or low) so they aren't in a real good position to cause you grief. Load them up with ammo and they may be back to take the rest. Just a thought.
    First of all I wouldn't barter with just anybody off the street. I have enough close neighbors and family around here that would support the bartering.
    If I ever had to barter with strangers, I have a plan for that as well. Ammo will be extremely valuable in a SHTF even, and would be worth some risk. I would either have full control of the situation, or no barter.
    There are ways of maintaining control, beleive me!

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    Senior Member Thaddius Bickerton's Avatar
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    Barter is a way of life here in poor south Appalachians.

    For post appoclyapitc world barter any small portable items would be of high value for barter.

    Bic lighters and p38 can openers for example.
    It would totally stink to have a can of beans and no means to open it, and hot food is better than cold beans IMHO.

    Hot sauce and other condiments and spices

    difficult to manufacture items like needles and fish hooks and fishing monofiliment.

    Comfort / luxury items like alchol / cigarets n tobbaco / make-up for women / womens monthly needs / combs n brushes n tooth brushes n toothpaste/ soap (although I consider soap part of medecine as much as comfort, etc.

    Ask yourself what you commonly need, or would need in grubby times and would have a impossible time making it and is small and portable and of low enough cost to be worth trading for say a loaf of bread Those are your small change items.

    Ask yourself what larger items / skills you can trade for larger items like a cow or horse.

    As for PM's (precuios metals) that is a whole other can of worms. My oldest son (the metal worker) he will often barter his work for "junk silver coins" over current FRN's in payment, and can then report his payment in terms of the face value of the still legal tender. 20 dollars face value pre 1964 coins is a lot less than what they could be sold for silver value, but as legal tender he can write up the bill of sale / reciept for the face value. Win win win.

    Just a few tips, and before some legal eagle chimes in about the silver, I know the pitfalls and loop holes, but if you want to share it for the unknowing, please feel free. Done right payment in speci works, done wrong or on to large a scale and you draw big brothers attention, and legal or not he will ruin you with court fees and his thug enforcers.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Now I have this vision of you rolling around on the ground trying to bite the lid off a can of beans.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Now I have this vision of you rolling around on the ground trying to bite the lid off a can of beans.
    You need a buck tooth girlfriend for that!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    Why barter something that could be used against you? Guns, knives and ammo are off my barter list. If they need ammo you know they are out (or low) so they aren't in a real good position to cause you grief. Load them up with ammo and they may be back to take the rest. Just a thought.
    Never wiser words were spoken!

    I remember many years ago attending a "Survival Expo" in Los Angeles. One of the "vendors" was a man who was very well known -- and considered at that time as a "radical" by some -- named Kurt Saxon. I stopped at Saxon's table where several people were gathered. On the table, along with his books, was a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum revolver, and a small stack of gold double eagles. Saxon was talking about how important it was to be prepared with many items, etc.. including firearms.

    One man said he did not own a gun and that if TSHTF, he'd use his gold to buy a gun and ammo. Saxon looked at him and said, "Okay, you come to me with your gold to buy my gun, huh?"

    The man nodded and said, "Yes."

    Saxon smiled slightly, picked up the .44 Magnum and said, "Guess who's going to end up with the gun ... and the gold?"

    The man finally got the point.

    I won't sell, barter, or give someone something with which he can use to kill me and take my goods.

    S.M.
    Last edited by Seniorman; 04-13-2012 at 12:51 PM. Reason: Correct typo.

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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Well I'll tell you this, if I run low on food for my family, or need supplies really bad, I am not going to hide from a bunch of outlaws and do without, or let my family starve. I will find a way to deal with them, they may not like it, but there are ways to handle people like that.
    The old saying that only the strong survives, has some truth!

  18. #18

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    I agree with everyones comments, some things that I like to keep a cache of are Cigarettes (although I think its a nasty habit) once SHTF they wont be manufacturing things like this, but people will be craving them. A few other things that I have would be sugar,batteries,emergency candles....Now as far as the ammunition, I can see the positives and negatives, but I guarantee I have several different locations with a cache of firearms and ammunition....I can also guarantee that when someone does come to barter with me they will have more guns pointing at them that they dont know about than they can have pointing at me!
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnnybugout View Post
    ...................................Now as far as the ammunition, I can see the positives and negatives, but I guarantee I have several different locations with a cache of firearms and ammunition....I can also guarantee that when someone does come to barter with me they will have more guns pointing at them that they dont know about than they can have pointing at me!
    Bad guys generally run in packs, taking the cowards way.....Better....Make sure you have back up.

    Personally I don' got no guns or ammo....so no trouble here.....
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    Fortunately I live in a small town and most folks know each other. That being said I will barter anything I have that I feel that I have more than my family will use. I will however be careful in who I tade ammo or drink with and then only in small amounts. I try to have extra meds, food and a few extra garden tools for those that I feel will put into good use.
    Who would have thought we would be here this quick

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