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Bartering in a Post SHTF World – Part 2
by D.K., Survival Blog:
(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)
Equivalent Value
When most people think of the word ‘barter,’ they think ‘trade,’ or ‘like-for-like.’ The following is a list of possible items that you might want to consider having for bartering purposes, or charitable giving, should the need ever arise. These are merely suggestions.
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Barter Item Categories & Suggestions
| Air Gun/Archery: BBs/pellets, CO2 cartridges Spare bow strings, arrows/bolts | Food: Freeze dried, #10 cans, MRE Flour, yeast, sugar, wheat Coffee/tea, drink mixes Hand crank grinder (meat/grain), spare parts |
| Alcohol: Homemade wine/liquor Airline mini-bottles | Fuel: 93-octane, diesel, kerosene, white camp fuel, 1 lb. Propane Fuel stabilizer, anti-bacterial, injector cleaner Spare gas cans, assorted gallons, siphon |
| Ammunition: See the ‘Equivalent Value’ section | Games/Entertainment: Boardgames, card games, dice Books (assorted reading levels) |
| Baby Supplies: Cloth diapers, pins, powder, rash ointments Clothing | Honey and Salt (Both have an almost unlimited shelf life, if properly stored.) |
| Batteries: AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V (rechargeable and non-rechargeable) Small solar charger, charging station | Hunting: See ‘Air Gun/Archery’, ‘Ammunition’, ‘Sling Shot’, and ‘Fishing Gear’ section |
| Cabling: Assorted thickness, cable clamps | Hygiene (feminine): Diva Cups, pads, tampons Yeast infection cream, UTI pain relief (see ‘Medical Supplies’ section) |
| Candle Making Supplies: Beeswax, tallow, molds, wick material | Hygiene (general): Soap, cleaning products, razors, shampoo, conditioner, solar shower, lime (for outhouse) Hair/nail clippers, scissors, combs/brushes Toothbrushes/toothpaste, lotion, ChapStick |
| Canning Supplies: Jars, rims, lids, funnels, tongs | Fire: Matches (all-weather), magnesium flint, Zippo fuel, lighters Lint, fire starting cubes, kindling, firewood |
| Communication: Handie-talkies, hand-crank radio, CB Portable solar panels Paper, pens/pencils, pencil sharpener | Fishing Gear: Line, weights, bobbers, lures, nets Rod and reel |
| CondomsDuct Tape: Muted colors, assorted roll lengths | Kitchen Supplies: Aluminum foil, plastic wrap, baggies, plastic ware Assorted tools (whisk, knives, measuring cups/spoons) |
| Duct Tape: Muted colors, assorted roll lengths | Laundry Detergent |
Barter Item Categories & Suggestions (Continued)
| Lubricants and Oils: Firearms – assorted oils, cleaners Vehicles – brake, motor oil, grease Machinery – motor oil, hydraulic fluid, grease | Seeds and Cuttings: Non-GMO, heirloom, zone specific/native, herbs, medicinal, crop Fruit tree cuttings (grafting/planting) |
| Leather: Spare hide/belt material Tools, buckles, thread, awl, scrape | Sling Shot: Handles, spare tubing Ammo (ball bearings, marbles, etc.) |
| Over the Counter (OTC) Meds: Pain/itch reliever, Neosporin, anti-fungal Antacids, Pepto, allergy, anti-diarrheal | Spices: Salt, pepper, assorted popular cooking spices |
| Pans: Pie, bread, baking, cast iron, skillet | Tobacco: Cigarettes, cigars, chewing/snuff, pipe, rolling papers |
| Precious Metals: Gold, silver bars/nuggets Pre-1965 silver coins, nickels, pre-1981 pennies Scale, gold testing kit See ‘Tangible Commodity’ section | Tools: Hand and gardening tools, gloves Multi-tool, screwdrivers, wrenches, sockets Screws, nails, nuts/bolts, anchors Vehicle/transportation maintenance tools |
| Reloading Supplies: Hand press, tumbler (with rock or media) Primers, wad, powder, shot, bullets, brass/shells | Transportation (general): Bicycle – tubes, tires, chain, repair kit, panniers, child seats, pull-behinds, hand pump Lawn Carts (for hauling excess/heavy goods) Vehicle – assorted belts & hoses for a variety of popular makes/models, and tire repair Popular manufacturer specific parts (starter, alternator, radiator, oil/air filters) Spark plugs, jumper cables, battery tender |
| Rolls/Tarps: Assorted dimensions, roll lengths, and thicknesses | Water: Filtration, treatment, carrying/containers |
| Rope/String/Paracord: Assorted lengths, muted colors | Wire Rolls: Plain, barbed, chicken, rabbit, chain link, assorted length |
Please bear in mind that this is not an exhaustive list. What you should do is review this list and think about what would be of value to you or within your community in the event of a major disruption. What you should not do is advertise that you have any of it on hand. Pay close attention to the consumables in your own stockpile as these are going to be needed by you and everyone else. Satisfy your own needs first before offering up any of these items for barter.
That being said, ammo, firearms, and platform-specific parts could potentially be bartered but bear in mind that the ammo and firearms themselves would be extremely valuable as compared to the spare parts for a particular platform. A functioning firearm would be on par with the value of gold, in my opinion.
Most Popular Ammo Calibers
Be sure to research the most popular self-defense calibers in your state, as well as the most popular hunting calibers. These change, over time, so try to find the most current information. This information can be extremely useful if you’re considering the inclusion of firearm platforms, parts, and ammo in your bartering plans. If you want to narrow down caliber and platform preferences to your specific geographic region, then I recommend that you speak with retailers and the owners of gun ranges in your area. Ask specific questions regarding what people are buying and shooting for both the caliber and the platform.
Tradeable SkillS and ServiceS
Suppose you don’t have any coin, gold, or silver and you’ve left someplace in such a hurry that you literally only have the clothes on your back and maybe a can of beans. What now? Well, now you need to make sure you have a skill or can provide a service in exchange for food, shelter, or both. The following list isn’t all-inclusive by any means, but it will give you a fair idea about what skills might be needed to survive post-SHTF. Take this list with a grain of salt as it was compiled assuming that there was no electricity or government assistance headed our way. The key question is: With a demonstrable skillset, will someone be invited in, or are they “out”?
