What Items Should You Stock For The Purpose Of Barter?

barter-items

While being better prepared involves stocking items for one’s own use, what other or additional items should you stock specifically for the purpose of barter?

In a SHTF world (you can define that however you wish) there will be value in things that people have taken for granted all this time. Some things will be ‘worth’ more than others due to the new circumstances of surviving in a post-collapse world (again, this does depend upon the extent of said collapse).

Lets hear some of your ideas about some of the things (items) which may be useful to stock, specifically for barter purposes…

I’ll get the list started with a few ideas…


 
Matches
BIC lighters
Gasoline
Diesel
Paracord (parachute cord)
Cooking spices
Playing cards
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Ammo (.22LR)
Duck (Duct) Tape
Drinking water filter

 
Okay, your turn… keep in mind that I’m looking for potentially valuable barter items for trade. Keyword: barter.

One way to think of it is to imagine yourself as the proprietor of a barter-trade store. What things would you have on the shelves… And/or what would you take for it (them) when dollars are worthless?

Another way to think of it is to imagine what items or services might you yourself need in a post-collapse world and what might you trade for it (them)?

What are the ‘things’ that ‘most’ people would find valuable?

I think what I’ll do is after we get a number of comments with ideas, I’ll list them all in a Poll so that we can all discover how they rank in order of perceived ‘value’. Should be interesting…

80 Comments

  1. soap,feminine products,all types of over the counter drugs and medical supplies,solar lights,even cheap dollar store ones will help folks see at night. Flashlights,coleman fuel and mantels. Seeds,tools. I could go on but this is my add on.

    1. After the 2004 Boxing day Tsunami swept through Aceh in Sumatera, one of the greatest shortages turned out to be be feminine hygiene products followed by baby hygiene products. These items were forgotten by all the well meaning N.G.O.’s. Plenty of bicycles donated – couldn’t be used on destroyed roads, plenty of thick woolen blankets – useless in a tropical climate where the might time temperatures never got lower than 28 degrees c (82 degrees F)
      but no bras, knickers or feminine products.
      Actually the blankets weren’t totally useless, they were used to wrap bodies in for burial.
      Honey is a superfood. Even civilizations used it as an anti biotic more than 2000 years ago. pure Honey never goes bad. Bees are a good hedge.

      Making soap and tanning leather the old fashioned way is a real smelly and laborious dirty job.

    2. If you can use it, so can everybody else. FH products are a good bet. My wife grew up in USSR. Women were literally on the rag every month, and had to wash and boil them (yuk!). Keep these dry and they pretty much don’t expire. 1/2 the population needs these on a regular basis.

  2. Any food item and water. Also, any means to get/store food: seeds, plants, ammunition, hunting, trapping and fishing gear, ziplocks, canning supplies, knowledge.

  3. Eyeglass repair kits, salt, baking soda, basic spices like pepper and cinnamon, cheap shampoo, veg seeds, thread & sew needles, basic buttons. Offer basic services like clothing and shoe repair, welding repairs.

    1. Dollar store reading glasses will be worth much more than DG charges now.

  4. After the SHTF I believe the most valuable “barter” items will be;
    Food stuff of any kind; the sheeple will be starving to death, they will need food
    Clean water; or a way to clean water to drink, filters, tablets, Clorox
    Any kind of ammo; just be very very careful bartering with ammo
    Warm clothing, blankets, temp shelter
    Fuel/Propane
    Transportation to somewhere, anywhere
    Shelter; somewhere to stay that’s “safe”
    Your skills; people will need things “fixed”

    As far as what would I take for trade?
    Obviously anything I was running short of materially
    Labor/work/skills; building a new community will not be easy

    I may be a little vague but…..
    NRP

  5. Salt. Unless you live next to the ocean, and understand how to slowly let it evaporate to gather sodium chloride from it without heating(easily found online), then most of the survivors post-collapse won’t have access to salt. It will however be essential for preserving meat and fish.

    It’s inexpensive to purchase now.

    Sugar is not a bad answer. Most people won’t be able to create sugar post-collapse, but many can either seasonably create maple syrup, harvest corn syrup from standing corn stalks, or maybe find sorghum molasses based upon locally grown crops.

    Since 40% of the bee hives died this year, and mites are always a problem, then good luck with honey. The real stuff is expensive (contains locally pollens so it also serves a medicinal purpose). Most honey today isn’t technically honey.

    1. I try to keep a years supply of softener salt for this reason. It will work well enough for preserving meat.

    2. I agree on the salt and sugar, I have about 150 lb of both. I get salt at costco in 25 lb bags for about 5.00. I don’t remember the exzact price on the sugar but it is close to the same.

  6. -Bathroom tissue by the ton.
    -Cheap $5 reading glasses from the “Dollar” stores. Several in each power gradient.
    -Bleach.
    -Tobacco in any form.

  7. We live in a disposable society where people discard clothes instead of repairing. As I don’t know too many people today that do any kind of sewing except the older generation, so I think sewing supplies will be in demand, also matches, lighters, fuel of any kind, alcohol and tobacco.

    1. Old fashioned hand or foot operated sewing machines will come in handy – if you have some cotton.

  8. My wife and I have been “harvesting” buttons off of every single shirt or blouse for our entire marriage. Buttons, needles, thread, matches, sharpening files and tools, had tools of all kinds, etc.

    I agree with lighters and matches as well.

    Found a restaurant supply store that now, is open to the public all though they do not advertise as such. I picked up five cases of Hershey bars for bartering cash. Since I’m not a fan of chocolate, YES, I do NOT like the taste of chocolate at all, no worries on me eating it all up. The bars are slightly smaller in size then the current “normal” sized bar conveniently placed at the grocery checkouts. Will be getting more of those as well.

  9. Sawyer Mini Water filters. Cheap (between 12-18 FRNs) and can provide up to 100k gallons of drinkable water. You can get by for some time without food and nearly everything else…but not water. Every once in awhile Woot.com will have them on sale for 12 bucks and they are great little things to store in case they are needed

  10. Alot of people think tobacco and alcholic drinks or nips, but I wouldn’t waste my time saving these for barter..’cause the people looking for these items when TSHF could also be the type to slit my throat and rob me. So with that said, I thinking: Salt, Bic type lighters, over the counter meds,sugar/ honey, soap/shampoo, spices, canned fruit, candy/gum and batteries.

    1. And no one will “slit your throat and rob you” for the other commodities being mentioned? Are tobacco and alcohol users inherently more violent, even homicidal, than the general population? There are many more accurate markers for who might be a threat, like maybe the Cookie Monster coming after your sugar treats.

      1. AHHHHH MAN!!!!! I forgot about that stinking Cookie Monster.
        Need to add 100 boxes of Sugar Cookies to my Prep List.
        :-)
        NRP

      2. Ah yes, an alcoholic will slit your throat and kill you for booze if you’re the last guy he knows has some! Use your head….. or are you an alcoholic? A drug addict will kill you for a fentanyl patch off your arm, and yes, people with these dependency monkeys on their back will do anything to get another fix.

        1. No, actually I’m not an alcoholic, nor do I imbibe any mind altering chemicals, but thanks for pointing out to others your eagerness to name call in an attempt to bolster your argument. As far as I’m concerned, any dependence on these things is a sign of weakness. I have seen (not heard about) the aftermath of many murders. The failure to control the words coming out of ones mouth accounts for a greater number of homicides than most other motives. Unless one is Rambo, they might keep this in mind, should the rule of law disappear.
          Now, back to the original premise. Do you think that a desperate person, addict or not, would not “slit your throat” for a can of vienna sausages if he hasn’t had any food for three weeks? Come on “use your head” like you said. I would name call, but that’s counterproductive, and, frankly, not my style.

        2. Actually Dennis, I truly believe that, yes, some will kill you for that can of Vienna Sausage or that last drop of water (no matter the alcohol content of the water). When times get desperate, and they will get desperate, I know of no man that would not kill for their family to live on that can of sausage. I also agree with you that controlling your verbal output will and does now get a lot of people in dire straights. Hence a lot of danger in “bartering” after TSHTF. One wrong word, or even the others knowing you “have stuff” would be enough to be very worried or even dead.

          I believe it will take a long long time (decades)for the Golden Hordes to die off or kill each other off before order can be restored after a SHTF. And even longer to actually trust someone you don’t know. Would I be willing to go to a “Mad-Max” swap-meet? Not on your life. My thinking is after the SHTF, either you have it or you don’t need it, period. You will do no good to your family/wife/yourself if your pushing up roses.
          JMHO
          NRP

        3. NRP, I’m with you my friend. I can’t imagine bartering off anything, should shtf, until life settles down to the point that I can realistically determine #1-what I need to keep #2-what I can do without #3-what’s its’ value in the new reality we find our-self in.

      3. Are tobacco and alcohol users any more dangerous than anyone else? NO! not as long as they can get their tobacco and alcohol! “The chains of addiction are too weak to be felt, until they are too strong to be broken” Trekker Out. I Know,Cause I’ve Been There!

    1. I was surprised too! My wife got caught in N.J. during hurricane Sandy and was in a large apartment complex with no electricity and guess what, nobody had a way of making coffee without electricity! You could’ve sold a hot cup of coffee for $10. Matches were also a hot item. Surprisingly batteries were abundant. A deck of cards was a hot item. If you could entertain you could’ve passed a hat.

    2. I didn’t think to add it though I store freeze dried for that reason. It will store basically forever that way and while I use fresh ground and don’t really like the freeze dried in a pinch it would sell for a pretty penny

  11. Adhesives. Super glue (even though it does have a shelf life), JB Weld (INVALUABLE!), wood glue.

    Ramen Noodles. Not the best nutritionally, but filling.

    Propane canisters.

    Airline size bottles of booze. (One to a customer. LOL)

    Tarps, plastic sheeting.

    Kitchen equipment: pots/pans, utensils, cups.

    Coffee, beans and/or ground. Manual grinder.

    Zip lock style bags that will hold one cup of something. This is for items such as sugar, salt, powdered milk, flour, or whatever. If/when things go down the toilet the price of ‘normal’ items, such as 5 lbs. of sugar, will skyrocket to the todays price of an F-150. Most ‘barterings’ will be for a quantity needed now. Besides, trading for a large quantity of something means you have a lot more. Which could lead to ‘after hours’ visits by some.

    As much as some people hate them, plastic ‘shopping bags’. (I have about 7 million in the garage.)

    Other things: Gasket material (fuel and water), hardware (nuts and bolts), hose clamps, wire (hook-up (18-22 AWG)through 10 AWG), wire nuts, fuses, lugs, sphygmomanometer (blood pressure checking), thermometer, possibly a stethoscope, pens/pencils/paper.

    1. I agree with all the other items mentioned but will add one…Bibles

      1. Yes, Bibles indeed! Non perishable food, water, shelter (ability to keep warm) are very important, but the Word of God is of the utmost importance. People need to know that things will not get better until Jesus returns to earth.

  12. In the absence of a civil society, any barter, or trade, becomes dangerous for anyone involved. I ask myself, “What do I need to barter for?”

    Bartering is what takes place AFTER things have calmed down and the people, who could not survive, haven’t. Bartering takes two civil parties to take place.

    Think about what it is you think you will need to barter for. What is it that you would want, or need? That which is key to your survival, you should already have. That which is not key to your survival is a luxury.

    Better to have piles of what you need, than piles of things to trade for what you need.

    1. “Better to have piles of what you need, than piles of things to trade for what you need.” – Ision

      Ision,

      They are really the same thing, Ision. Anything that you (or I) might need on a daily or weekly basis are barter items because others will need the exact same things. Thanks for above post.

  13. Several people have mentioned alcohol. I am going to look into homebrew methods. Why people not only drink the stuff but also it can be used to clean wounds , preservative, etc. It can in fact have several uses.
    Knowledge is a useful skill.

  14. Teabgs, better than nothing and cheap! Homemade laundry soap in small containers, enough for 5 washings. Trial sizes of toothpaste, tylenol and shampoo. The list could go on forever because most people will have nothing!

  15. I have been experimenting with using Food Saver brand rolls for making my ammo airtight and water proof. So I tried putting 10 .22LR rounds in a small easy to see and count “bag” I made. Set aside 1000 round for barter. Will only barter 10 at a time. Have no problem with someone thinking they might use it against me, as I will be rather picky about who I trade that with.

    Yeah, I “know” all of the “what-ifs” from the various Mad-Max dreamers, but in reality, that isn’t going to happen, life doesn’t have screen writers to make sure everything comes out like it does on the screen.

    One of our local grocery stores has a “managers special” each month on toiletry items in travel size, THE perfect size for barter items too.

    1. TP—

      The world HAS to turn into Mad Max. I’ve already bought my hockey mask, shoulder pads, and a leatheer coat with chains attached!

  16. Here’s a couple:

    1. Tampons and Maxipads-Keep the females in your house happy or the SHTF will seem like a picnic.

    2. Plastic cups, plates, napkins, spoons/forks/knives and other food ware that is disposable. With water being a valuable resource, you don’t want to waste it washing dishes.

    3. Condoms- Do you really want to take a chance?

    4. Candles- Batteries won’t last forever.

    5. Honey- Stores forever.

    6. Books- When the internet goes out, books will be worth their weight in gold, especially how-to books.

    7. Shoe laces, gloves, toboggans, and SUSPENDERS. When you lose all that weight, your pants will need help staying up. You don’t want to look like the homeboys in the hood, do you?

  17. High on my list of wants, after a period of time so that things have settled enough for barter markets, would be shoes or shoe repair.

    Immediate post SHTF I am sorry to say would be caffeine, chocolate and sugar.

    1. I don’t know about shoes, but years ago I learned how to make leather moccasins and I’ve gotten pretty good at it. They’re not fashionable enough to wear around town currently, but if SHTF me and my families’ feet will at least be covered by something after the shoes wear away. I didn’t think of it before your post, but I guess moccasins would be a good barter item.

  18. Salt
    Hand Cream/Salve
    when things collapse, there are likely to be a lot of sore/cracked hands and feet….

  19. I heard on a Stuff You Should Know podcast about currency about how the drug market often uses Tide Laundry Soap (no other brand) instead of (or in leu of) cash. If it’s already an “established currency,” why not stock it?

    1. Any idea why Tide is such a commodity? I’ve heard of people stealing this from stores, but it can’t be just to wash clothes, can it? What is it really used for, if other than washing? Just curious.

      1. There was a story not long ago how Tide is a hot commodity in the drug market. Drug addicts steal Tide, trade it for drugs. I know, it sounds far fetched, but is true. 41% Roundup Weed & Grass Killer was thought to have something to do with Meth production a few years ago. Same thing, high ticket item traded for drugs.

        Getting back to Tide, you know, even drug addicts and drug dealers are concerned about getting clean……

  20. I probably would not barter anything I stored, rather barter or trade only the stuff I can produce in ample quantities: potable water, grain, repairs to many things from trucks to appliances including the fabrication of many parts.

  21. Did not see this mentioned so far and since Sears and Roebuck catalogues are a thing of the past I say toilet paper will be a much sought after barter item, especially for those who did not prepare for when the S_HTF.

    Prepackage a quarter roll per package so you get about 4 barter bags for each roll.

  22. I don’t intend to acquire anything for barter, for my own families use yes but for barter I’m not sure it makes sense for me. But I have often thought that plywood and 2×4’s would be a good choice. I purchased a pallet of plywood when I replaced the roof on my house some years back and got a good price by buying a full strapped pack of it. It doesn’t go bad if you keep it dry and the price keeps going up.

    I also read where someone commented that “the 22 LR will be the new dime when money is worthless”. Makes sense, one 22 could equal one rabbit or even one deer in the world that follows SHTF.

  23. Knowledge
    Skills
    Basic hand tools, gardening, building and repairs.
    Seeds
    Books or copies of books, on basic subjects.
    Building materials if you have room to store.
    Basically anything we used to survive before electricity.

    1. I like your answer for knowledge and skills for barters. That way they don’t kill you right off.

      I think having antibiotics and medicines would be in demand with many injuries and illnesses to heal or save lives from external and internal causes.

  24. to add to the already awesome list of ideas

    * candles
    * hard candy (chocolate will go bad)
    * as opposed to just seeds, why not seedlings
    * grease for cooking (once crisco and vegetable/corn oil is gone, most people won’t know how to get this fat for cooking)
    * local plant knowledge (for spices, medicine, rope, etc)
    * have a vegetable garden (even a small garden can produce a bunch)

  25. Great barter list. How about:

    Pocket and fixed blade Knives
    Machetes
    Skillets, Sauce Pans and Baking Pans
    Cooking/Eating Utensils
    Essential Oils, Medicines and Bandages
    Backpacks and Sling Bags
    Homemade Food like Bread, Tortillas, etc.

    For skills:

    Knowledge about essential oils and medicinal/Edible plants
    Cooking/Baking
    The Ability to Teach What You Know

  26. items I feel the common joe will not have but will want badly
    Spices
    Matches
    Garden seeds
    Road maps
    Flour
    Sugar
    Board Games
    Canning supplies
    Water purifying tablets
    Aspirin
    Ammo
    Compass

    Barring the fact, I m able to stay put at my current location.

  27. Today, the sway bar linkage on my truck broke, and I am broke right now too (poverty sucks). Being the pack rat I am, I remembered that I saved an extra new one, dug it out and fixed my truck. The lesson learned here is save your spare auto parts, they may very well be great bartering items!

  28. Where I live, way back in the Ozarks, folks help each other. No charge, just because it’s the neighborly thing to do. Barter is no more than swapping for things of perceived equal or similar value. I will cut a load of firewood for someone that is no longer able physically able, refuse any payment, and before the week is out, they will show up with several loaves of fresh baked sour-dough bread. I’ll repair a neighbor’s rifle, later, they will gift me with a hindquarter or a back-strap.

    Barter? That’s between strangers. Neighbors give and receive. No one keeps track of who is ahead. Try as I might, I’ve never been able to out-give. I don’t expect this to change in my neck of the woods, even if the world goes to s#*t.

    Outsiders coming out from the city probably shouldn’t expect the same though, especially if they are coming, planning to take. I’ll protect my neighbors and they will return the favor.

  29. Tobacco, in various forms, and match books.
    Booze, no wine, no beer.
    coffee, tea.
    aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, prescription pain killers.
    Candy.

    People have addictions. They will pay when they are hurting. People are soft, they will be sore when they have to work hard again. People will need to escape from their stress and anxiety. Eventually people will get tough and reprioritize what is of true value, but initially they will be willing to give up a lot for a little comfort.

    All are easy to store and transport, have a long shelf life, can be had for cheap right now, and will go for a premium when typical sources dry up.

    I’ll take gold and silver, precious gems, real jewelry in trade. Security would be handy, but I won’t be buying that from just anybody. My stocks are fairly robust now, so except for unexpected issues, not much I will need after SHTF that I don’t have now.

    Once the reset button gets hit, and another civilization starts to pop, all that gold, silver, and gems will have a viable market again. My kids/grandkids could be well situated, assuming they survive till then.

    I know I will not.

  30. Fish Hooks of all sizes
    Lead lots of lead
    Molds to make bullets or sinkers
    Fish Lures
    Fishing Line
    Bow String
    Canning Lids of all sizes Lots of them
    Canning Jars if you have enough (I never do)
    Rechargeable batteries and a way to recharge them
    Paraffin
    Strike anywhere matches (If you can find them) dipped in Paraffin
    First aid supplies, Band-Aids
    Books of all sorts, Action, Mystery, Love, Louis Lamoure Sci-Fi
    Pens, Pencils Writing Tablets, Plain Paper, Note Book Filler
    Towels cut 4” wide & 8” long or longer (bandages or Butt wipe)
    Garden supplies, Starter Pots, Seeds and yes seedlings,
    Rhubarb seeds (yes you can start rhubarb from seed ask my neighbors0
    All sorts of tools, Pliers, Wrenches, Sockets, Hammers, All Sizes of Screwdrivers

    BEST yet get with your neighbors or the people in your group and draw from a hat items for them to stock pile for group use and barter.

    1. I noticed you put lead down. Funny, but true, I walk and run a lot. As I’m walking, I always look down at the curb/road to look for wheel lead weights. You would be surprised how many I have found in the last year. I save them, just in case. :)

  31. Sulfur
    Saltpeter
    Charcoal
    Corse Grit sand paper to make powdered charcoal

  32. A good number of the things mentioned are things that would be priceless and that I wouldn’t trade away. Sure they have value and you can’t collect everything (even if a packrat wil most of us are). You’d have to desperately need to trade to give away many of the things people have listed for they are not renewable.

    Whatever you have of value that is listed here, might certainly be stolen by desperate people without those things. There houses will be full of useless things and they will greatly desire what you have.

    If you did live along the ocean, then this would be a trade item, just as it was in history. If you’re a gardener, then your heirloom seeds might be traded too as they are renewable.

    Preppers will likely trade with other preppers who survive, with a high chance of tradining renewable items: new livestock, soap, candles, honey, crops when they come in, etc.

    Certain preppers will learn skills like digging wells, putting in Biosand filters, tinkers (see history), blacksmithing, etc.

    Alsmost everything else would be so dear that I doubt you’d trade it.

    1. Anon,
      I agree with you about trading precious resources. Once you trade away an item that can never be produced again, what are you going to do then when you need one? I guess what I’m doing at this point is to gather as much as possible and decide the cut off point of what I’m willing to let go.

      1. It’s not that what has been written doesn’t make sense, but it’s a sense that will not computer post-collapse.

        Think how much time and resources go into making the smallest item today. The various parts are highly specialized, are sent through the supply chain, and then assembled in a short amount of time, and then sent out.

        Living in post-collapse times, we won’t be able to replace these things. The value of each “thing” is a result of the amount of time to grow it, the assembly of it in human labor, and then the distribution of it.

        This is why “spices” were incredibly value in history, for they came from so far away and served an incredibly valuable function. They took tremendous amounts of labor to grow and then to be shipped across the world (large by caravans and ships and then by drovers).

        The smallest thing like a basket made of honeysuckle vines will have little intrinsic worth because that vine is now ubiquitous in America. But still, it takes skill and labor to produce it. However, post-collapse, something as simple as matches can’t be manufacturer and might not ever again be manufactured in the lifetime of the survivors.

        So to think you’d trade such an item, you have to weight the NEW intrinsic value versus a terrible need to trade it.

        Those who grow medicinal herbs and know their uses would likely have a very high trade value, but only if you can prove its efficacy.

        It’s my belief that people who learn how to convert old tires to shoe soles by becoming cobblers as happens in 3rd world countries will have a very valuable trade item.

        But parafin oil for lamps, matches, canned goods, tools, etc all of these things can’t be replaced…and so are PRICELESS. You can’t eat silver and gold, so it only has a value as long as you have abundance of life and are blessed with security. However in history, both held their value as true money.

    2. While I agree some of the things would be priceless that would be in the eye of the beholder. Lighters,salt,sugar and spices might be priceless but as I get older I find that I can’t do some of the work I did as a younger man so being able to trade some of those for maybe someone to turn over a section of ground for a garden or to chop enough wood to last a winter would also be priceless

  33. Tampons
    Sanitary napkins
    Midol
    Deodorant
    TP, lots and lots of TP

    I live with my wife and adult daughter, so these are the things they absolutely, positively will go insane if they do not have them.

  34. I’m not sure if it was mentioned but in my neck of the woods bug spray is essential. Also a guide to wild edibles may be of interest. That leads me to a question to to this group. Is there a web sight where I can find free printable comprehensive guides for preparedness. I have started a hard copy binder for the homestead and am having trouble narrowing the choices down. God bless all and thank you.

  35. I have been thinking about this since yesterday when I first read this piece & for an old lady I think seeds would be my best bet because I can reproduce them. It might not be instant gratification for those receiving them but I guess if they want that they could alway just eat the seeds. This way if that is all I can offer, many won’t come back for more & if interested in producing food they will also get a lesson on saving their own seeds & then we can start rebuilding our country.

  36. I think the folks ( I think there was more than one) who suggested they would only barter for things they could do or “replace”, might have the “right idea”, in the SHTF scenario.

    That way, whatever you trade (your time, teach a skill, some meat you hunted/trapped,etc) can be replaced. After all, may come a time when you need the things you have stocked up on.

    On the other hand, in a pressing emergency, giving up a small amount of stored goods, may save your life. Should you fall off a cliff, and need someone to toss you the end of a rope, and pull you up, promising someone to give them your last jar of coffee (once up), —worth the barter.

    1. @Anon
      I believe you are right as far as an emergency situation goes. Life will not be easy after SHTF. Nor can any of us see what “might” happen, way to many if’s. Heck even a small cut could cost your life if not treated correctly.

      But, “After all, may come a time when you need the things you have stocked up on.” you are exactly on the money there. That’s is why we prep ,store up, and try to outguess what it is we will need for two to five years after TSHTF or longer.

      It will be a fine line between keeping your “stuff” and bartering for what you may not have though of as we all try to look into the crystal ball.

      A lot of people said something about knowledge and skills, I tend to agree with that more and more.

      As far as that last jar of coffee, they can have it YUCKO, nasty stuff. hahahahaha
      NRP

  37. I see many of you listing feminine products as a barter item. The amount of space needed to store these in large enough quantities to be a valid option is pretty significant….and heavy (not an issue if you are set to bug in instead of bugging out)

    My wife has herself two generic ebay ‘divacups’ for her bug out bag. With an average life of 10 years they are cheap, small and light enough to be a valid option for those if you inclined to barter in a post SHTF world.

    Renewables are a good option for those with the skills to make. Instead of matches/lighters, a cheap to make homemade fire piston would be invaluable in a collapse. They are easy to make and last a lot longer than matches or a lighter will. Woven vine fish/crab/crawdad traps are something else that might be useful in trade (though bulky) and can be used in pond, lake, river or coastal waters….and again easy and cheap to make once you know how.

  38. – Toothpaste
    – Toothbrushes (soft)
    – Dental tape or floss
    – PLAX plaque remover (excellent mouthwash product to use)
    – disposable razor blades and canned shave cream
    – fingernail and toenail clippers

    KIND Non-GMO bars: antioxidant/protein bars. (Tasty, healthy instant snacks.)

    Cans of soup and pre-cooked rice

    Quality first aid kits.

    Unscented bar or liquid soap

    Glass baby bottles and reusable old-style white baby diapers

    Potable camping style cook stoves, sleeping bags

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