barter scenario

[chiggersngrits]

O.K, it hit the fan a month ago. since then there have been no public utilities, no t.v. broadcast, only sporadic radio broadcast, no newspapers or internet. best case it will be 6 to 8 months before even basic services are restored to the largest citys much longer for rural areas. with just the supplies you have on hand right now what would you be willing to trade for. or if you have everything you need rank the list in order of importance.

1. ruger 10/22 and 500 rounds ammo
2. two 5 gal. jerry cans gas
3. 30 gal barrel drinking water
4. 10 bag rice
5. 12 mre with heaters
6. midland base camp radio with 2 walky talkys
7. 4 laying hens and 1 rooster
8. complete military cold weather sleeping bag system
9. one year old boer goat
10. oil lamp and 2 gal. lamp oil
11. 20 packs assorted veg. seeds
12. morgan fairchild

remember uncle chiggs trade wagon wont be back around for aleast a month so get it now. please no cash(worthless) credit(please) or canadian bacon(jk) so what you got?

[Teotwawki]

I'll trade ya my gas guzzling chevy 4x4 pickup for that ruger.

You really need some reliable transportation for your barter business.

[Chicago Dan]

I'll play along.
I actually like these kind value scenarios.

I'll just rank your list.

1. 30 gal barrel drinking water(really just interested in clean barrel)
2. Ruger 10/22 and 500 rounds ammo
3. 4 laying hens and 1 rooster
4. one year old boer goat
5. 10 bag rice
6. 12 mre with heaters
7. 20 packs assorted veg. seeds
8. midland base camp radio with 2 walky talkys
9. complete military cold weather sleeping bag system
10. oil lamp and 2 gal. lamp oil
11. two 5 gal. jerry cans gas
12. morgan fairchild(sorry got no use for da bimbo)

I'll then leave it at that and let others comment.

[nell67]

how are you operating the midland?? with no utilities,and no batteries or a generator listed,seems to me like its useless?

[Rick]

There is nothing on there I need. Dan's rank is as good as any I suppose.

I think the problem with barter or at least trying to stock supplies for barter is that none of us know what will be valuable tomorrow. For example, you have a radio and 2 walkie talkies on the list but if the problem is an EMF burst, from any source, the electronics could be toast. Same for vehicles so the gas does me little good. A radiation problem from any source and your seeds are worthless. See my point?

And I don't know what you are willing to take in trade? I doubt you want that 4X4 truck but....who knows.

From a practical perspective, make certain your personal supplies, those that you will need, are in order. Then if you want to stock barter items I would stock ammo and guns in common calibers. The Ruger 10/22 and 100 rounds of 22 long would be a great item, IMHO. Just don't forget the accessories like an extra magazine.

[Teotwawki]

Good Barter Goods IMHO:

Liquor, tobacco, salt, coffee, ammo.

[Rick]

I agree with one reservation. If you are stocked well personally, that means you are rotating your perishables. Now you have to add the coffee and salt to the mix so they don't become stale. That, in effect, reduces your personal stock or extends the rotation schedule of your personal inventory. As for the tobacco, if you don't use it then there is a good chance that you will be throwing it away....assuming nothing happens, of course.

I don't disagree they all would make great barter items. Folks will be more than willing to trade for them. I just thing there is also a down side that needs to be considered and folks shouldn't run out a buy up barter items until their personal stores are in order.

[crashdive123]

I don't believe that I would NEED anything from your list (but you did say you'd be around next month in case I'm wrong)

Here's your list with comments:

ruger 10/22 and 500 rounds ammo - a good item, but I have no need for it
two 5 gal. jerry cans gas - another good item, may consider for my generators
30 gal barrel drinking water - may consider (for barrel)
10 bag rice - shouldn't need - see me in 6 months
12 mre with heaters - shouldn't need - got any of the meat loaf?
midland base camp radio with 2 walky talkys - no need
4 laying hens and 1 rooster - good item - most probable on the list for me
complete military cold weather sleeping bag system - no thanks - do you want another?
one year old boer goat - another possibility
oil lamp and 2 gal. lamp oil - no need
20 packs assorted veg. seeds - no need
morgan fairchild - no desire

[LindyLu]

Just gotta jump in here on the coffee. If you store green coffee beans properly, they do not go stale. Just roast em and grind. Use a manual grinder. Better than Starbucks! IMHO
Also, home brewed wine & beer. Takes a little time to age but also very easy & seems to me, both would be great trade items. Most of those skills have been lost...but not by me. I am woman...hear me roar.

[Ken]

EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) is usually confined to just beyond what is called the "blast radius" of a nuclear detonation. If that's where you and your equipment are, you probably won't be needing it anyway.

However, some nuclear weapons are designed for the primary purpose of creating an enormous EMP. Why? To take out an enemy's electronics and communications resources without completely incinerating other infrastructure and to produce relatively "low" residual radioactive contamination in the area, thereby permitting enemy military occupation of the area sooner rather than decades later.

The Midland and other electronics (help me here, Crash) can be protected from EMP effects by proper shielding. In other words, if you melt down enough lead and make a lead box thick enough to store your electronics in, the equipment will probably survive. We're talking about at least 10" lead walls here, and that lead is really heavy stuff.

Most vehicles with electronic systems (almost EVERYTHING built since 1980) will suffer EMP damage. That's one helluva big lead garage were talking about! (Maybe you should have kept that 65 Chevy truck with all the body rot.)

You won't be able to depend on most civilian two-way systems (other than "ham" radios whch have been shielded) for long range communications. Most medium (over 3 miles) to long range systems rely on repeaters, duplexers, "voting systems," and high elevation antennas, all of which would likely be destroyed by EMP. Same goes for cell phone systems, which often share tower space with commercial two-way. Most of the cheap two-way "walkie-talkie" systems are pure junk even without EMP. When they say "up to 5 mile range" you can often count on 1/4 mile unless you have optimal conditions and clear line of sight.

If you want to spend some money, think about sat phones. (Yep, still gotta' shield them beforehand.) IF (big word here, "If") some of the satellite constellation survives, sat phone to sat phone communications will probably keep working for at least a few months. Sat phone prices are way down now - as low as $39.00/month and falling.

You can keep radio batteries charged with manually cranked generators or some of the other ingenious devices members have posted about.

[Teotwawki]

Not sure if it is true but I have heard that a microwave oven will protect from EMP.

So, for your small electronics, store them in the microwave.

But, unless ya keep yer stuff in the nuker or big lead garage all the time it is probably one of those things that you can really not do much about.

If the bombs start going off it is not likely we will have any warning.

[Ken]

Not sure if it is true but I have heard that a microwave oven will protect from EMP.

Sorry, Teo. Absolutely not true.

[Ken]

BTW. Think medical supplies. Great barter goods.

[bulrush]

I'll trade you a Katadyn pump water filter for your 4 hens and rooster. To me, hens are easy food (for eggs), and chickens I know how to take care of. My main problem would be keeping predators away from them, so I'd have to make a coop.

I have a mess of pocket knives to trade but none of them are high quality, and everyone here has at least a dozen knives already.

[Sam]

Good Barter Goods IMHO:

Liquor, tobacco, salt, coffee, ammo.

and nails, rope, plastic sheeting, duct tape, t-shirts, socks, sturdy shoes in various sizes, wire, fishing supplies (line, hooks, split-shot).
this is just a few more things people may see a use for in the city or country side, IMO.

[Dennis K.]

Good Barter supplies - I would guess hand tools & consumables like fire-starters, gas, water purification tablets.
Although, a good source for non-biocontaminated liquid is homemade beer. No known pathogens can live in fermenting beer or wine. For centuries, many people, especially in urban areas were paid in Beer, Wine, and Firewood. Hmmm, there's a lesson in that...

[Rick]

I don't know. I had an uncle that lived in beer for a lot of years. I know he was a pathogen. That's probably a kinder name than most called him.

[Dennis K.]

**guffaw**
Another legend says that if you drink 8 pints of Guiness a day, you'll never die.
- Dennis (pickled & preserved) K.

[tacmedic]

I have to endorse the thought that liquor would be a good barter item especially in the city. Having worked weekend nights in a city ER for a while it seems that a lot of people can't live without it for very long and might be willing to trade most things for it. Cigarettes being a close second.

[dragonjimm]

i agree with the liquor and drugs as barter not to mention the mary jane but what about services say some one who could fix the 4x4 or a traveling doctor,midwife (the biggest population boom occur after blackouts) or vet.
and please remember not every one will have the fore thought to put back more then a weeks worth of groceries. if youre the shady type you might get a lot for the seeds and midland.

i got a bag of winter clothes that fit a three year old and a single burner propane stove and lantern for the goat?