What do you have for barter?

[canid]

it's alright rick, it's just a little plumbing work...

[Rick]

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.

[Ken]

Forget what I said about liquor, cigarettes, and drugs.

[Ken]

I'll trade my skills but not my supplies. I'd just as soon no one know what I have.

Hey, Twinkie Man! If you've got skills, you're hiding them real well, too.

[Ken]

Rick, let me help you here:

Rick: "Where is that BAN BUTTON?"

[canid]

hahaha.

now this is getting funny.

[tennecedar]

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.

[Rick]

There's hardly a week goes by that a disaster isn't declared somewhere.

http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema

[wareagle69]

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.

brad paisley fan eh?
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

[trax]

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.

Well folks if TSHTF, we're all going to have to throw in and help out Rick...or he'll starve!

[endurance]

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.

[hoosierarcher]

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.

[Rick]

Just throw some mothballs in with those blankers or might not have any when you need them.

[Ken]

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:

[SARKY]

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.

[nell67]

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.

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.
If you have the green/blue egg layers,the eggs are going for almost double the price of brown eggs.

[Ken]

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.
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!

[Rick]

Blue and green eggs?

Well I'll swan. Never heard of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucana

[tennecedar]

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...

[RBB]

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.