Does anyone have a specific list of items they keep extra of just for barter?
Silver? Food? Ammo? Wool blankets?
Any suggestions for any of us that always cruising yard sales and flee markets?
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Does anyone have a specific list of items they keep extra of just for barter?
Silver? Food? Ammo? Wool blankets?
Any suggestions for any of us that always cruising yard sales and flee markets?
Does the ex-wife count here? :innocent:
I don't keep a list, or for that matter stock up on things for that specific purpose. It would really depend on what was needed or what somebody else finds valuable. Booze? Ammunition? Rice? Gasoline? Maybe your skill to build or fix something? Vanillar Creamer? Just depends on what is in short supply and needed.
I'll take her...and give ya.....5 Geese and two turkeys, (I really want to get rid of the poultry, but don't want to kill them). Guessing You felt that way about the Ex at some point, so you know how I feel. The poultry is pretty much useless to me, hoping you Ex is good for something.....:innocent::innocent::innocent:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken
I can't do it. I can't take advantage of a friend like that. The poultry are far more useful. This illustrates the personality changes my ex went through: :bat: Besides, Alaska is still too close to me. And you wouldn't make me your Attorney General. However, I'd barter her to some alien from Pluto - if I didn't like the guy. :innocent:Quote:
Originally Posted by hopeak
Remy, what do you have to trade for my ex-wife? How about one of those matches?Quote:
Originally Posted by remy
OK maybe i'm the only one that does. I personally look for deals on ammo at the end of hunting season. In common calibers i may not even own. Someone will want/need them at some point. I kept a roll of tyvek from a house building job. i've traded pieces of that for things i need. More than paid for the roll and still have half of it left. I'm currently buying old traps to put up at the barn for a rainy day. Any other REAL suggestions would be a great help.
Seeds of all varieties.
Think about what would be of value for whatever scenario you envision. Storm related - having an extra generator may be of great value. Ammunition and firearms are always of value to somebody. The things that you would, and do stock up on for an emergency will be of value - buy more.
the problem with yard sales, and thrift stores as well for that matter, the the nature of items. they are almost invariably the surplus of common domestic items [in often dubious condition] of which there are too many in the first place, and with which the average home is already equipped.
from this perspective, i would say that the values that last are often in the items that don't. anything storage stable, but consumable/disposable will always be in demand.
That's the way i felt too, once. In 1993 our house burned. My mom got us into a shelter house a church ran. A week there then into a rent house. We lost everything. My mom had to get a skillet from her sister to cook supper for us. I wore clothes given to me by a stranger. When a person/family/neighborhood gets displaced, those wore out items are life savers.
yes, but there where and are plenty of them.
their lack of value holding ability, in economic terms is reflected by the enourmous discrepancy in new -vs- used pricing.
e.g. a new pair of slacks ranges from $20 upward.
a new teflon skillet of decent quality will often set you back $30.
either of these items can generally be found in a thrift store or a rummage sale for under $5, and often without respect to what condition they are actually in.
this is not to imply that those items are without value, or use, most of my posessions come from such sources, but that the more ubiquitous and durable they are, the less they will be in demand at any given time.
point: after a serious disruption in the supply of consumer goods as might follow a national or regional emergency; you will probably get more value out of a trade for a case of baby diapers than a matched set of mass produced flatware made in china by the millions, and with no shortage in supply.
a further parallel: if you lived in coastal florida, and a hurricane has caused widespread flooding which has forced all the local supermarkets to close their doors, do you want to be one of the 5 guys standing on the same corner selling oranges, or perhaps the one guy with mangoes?
I hate to say this, but in a true barter situation you're probably going to be best off if you have liquor, cigarettes, and any possible drug or medication now on the market - legal and illegal - to trade.
dogs, horses, chickens, homegrown veggies, water, manual labor, meat
:idea: You mean, like, studding yourself out?Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason_Montana
We often talk about bartering after some sort of SHTF scenario, but really there is no reason to wait. Google "how to barter" and you get millions of returns. Some people do it every day. Here's an interesting article http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natur...verything.aspx on barter.
i used to go to Okanogan county barter fair up in NE Washington. thousands upon thousands turn out for it every year.
they get regulars out from Portland, Seattle, etc. it's surprising how far people will go for such a simple thing.
thats right. I provide services...umm...if the price is rightQuote:
Originally Posted by Ken
Well (he asked coming his hair) just, um, what are we talking about?
it's alright rick, it's just a little plumbing work...
This is an interesting thread. Let me tie this into a thread we had a couple of months ago about stealing to survive. Just about everyone said sure the would.
So now you barter one of your wool blankets or five cans of veggies or whatever and that guy tells another then another and the next thing you know everyone in the area knows you have blankets or veggies or whatever. It might have been the last ones you had but they don't know that. So, one evening, they come knocking. Yeah, I know, you have all this fire power. Trouble is they did to. Only they had a scope on theirs. Your family will mourn your passing.
I don't stockpile to trade with anyone. That's not my primary concern. I'll trade my skills but not my supplies. I'd just as soon no one know what I have.
I used to just be paranoid but now I'm paranoid that I'm not paranoid enough.
:blink: Forget what I said about liquor, cigarettes, and drugs. :whistling:
Hey, Twinkie Man! If you've got skills, you're hiding them real well, too.:innocent:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Rick, let me help you here:
Rick: "Where is that BAN BUTTON?":tongue_smilie:
hahaha.
now this is getting funny.
I never really think about a global or even nation wide event that would cause the every man for himself situation. In my itty bitty mind the most i really plan for is a regional problem. Federal disasters are declared every year in every corner of the nation.
My planning is to stay put if I can. Helping all I can. If I'm displaced I'll grab what I can and bug out. The bartering would be helpful during the going back home and rebuilding/salvaging phase.
There's hardly a week goes by that a disaster isn't declared somewhere.
http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema
brad paisley fan eh?Quote:
Originally Posted by tennecedar
think about what ever you use on a daily basis. now add to that, good point about a skillet, i find cast iron, even the cheap crap for very cheap at yard sales, i must have 15 skillets of varyiing sizes and pots.
what would you want from me if you came by my place in a desperate situation, i can use physical labor, tree cutting and splitting hauling manure and weeding and such which i will trade to you for a skillet and small amount of food-keeps me from overworking and being worn down and we both get something we want
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rick
Well folks if TSHTF, we're all going to have to throw in and help out Rick...or he'll starve!
I think there's some sense in thinking about your regional needs. Having a generator, batteries, and flashlights to barter makes a lot of sense along the gulf coast. Having propane space heaters makes a lot of sense further north. Having an extra couple of propane tanks is always handy.
Personally, I liked the earlier suggestion regarding chickens. Most folks don't want to put the effort into setting up their own coop so they're happy to buy eggs off of you. If they don't mind the trouble, then sell them chicks. Heck, store a few rolls of chicken wire while you're at it to either barter or expand as demand for eggs increases. Obviously there's the risk of theft, but motion detector lights can go a long way toward reducing that risk.
I have stockpiled Altoid tin mini kits
ferro rods
small lockback folding knives
I make 2 or 3 mini kits a month
I buy ferro rods (just the rods) in bulk then I put one in a ziplok bag with a 3" piece of hacksaw blade and 6 tinder cup firestarters
Oh and I buy daypacks and other backpacks from Goodwill for 1.50 and wool blankets every chance I get, and put together maxi kits (partial) I don't know what I'll trade for but they will give people some basic help if TSHTF.
Just throw some mothballs in with those blankers or might not have any when you need them.
I got one bear to barter. He's fat, drunk, and old. A bit crazy, too. But he'd be good for skinning and making dog food. I won't accept anything less than a burnt matchstick. Here he is:
So we are talking about 2 different barter scenarios, 1; everyday bartering and 2: Disaster bartering.
1: everyday, with people i know, ammo, magazines, skills, pretty much anything I have an excess of that someone else needs or wants.
2: Disaster, guns and ammo are a BIG NO! I don't want them used against me. liquior, chocolate, tobacco, food, TP, anything else I have extra of that could be traded.
Absolutely, in my area,those who are willing to build new coops,are spending premium money for laying hens,upwards of $25 right now for a brown egg layer,much higher for the green and blue egg layers,I may have to pen my Aracauna's up for a while.Quote:
Originally Posted by endurance
If you have the green/blue egg layers,the eggs are going for almost double the price of brown eggs.
Wow. This chicken must be worth a fortune!Quote:
Originally Posted by nell67
Blue and green eggs?
Well I'll swan. Never heard of them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucana
Yeah they're great. The breeds originate from pre-Columbian Chili. I like the them when i can get them. As of right now we have brown leghorns that lay white eggs. The kids eat em better...
I'm trying to put TSHTF scenarios together with bartering - and coming up blank - for the most part. If it was an extremely long term (or permanent) scenario, maybe. Anything shorter term - you'd be quickly on your way to becoming the most unpopular person on the block - at least in Minnesota.
You'd be a lot better off keeping mum about your stash for quite a while.
And while I can't see myself stocking up on them, I think tobacco and alcohol might be pretty good barter items. Prescription drugs might be good too, but a little hard to get hold of, plus they have a shelf life.