Trade Goods for the Natives...

[Jonas Parker]

We talk a lot about storing supplies for our own or our family's use, but what would be the items to stockpile for trade as the paper dollar goes the way of the dodo bird into currency extinction? Tobacco? Coffee? Extra ammo (as if there would ever be such a thing as "extra ammo")?

[Goldenspurholderx2]

I already have some pre 65 silver, only about $50.00 face, I need more. I plan on buying generic cigarettes and freezing them.

[JC Refuge]

A lot of necessary, useful, and practical items could prove valuable in barter.

FWIW, in the period right after Katrina in areas that were not getting much relief and of course where power was out for a lengthy time, it was reported in the media that gasoline, cigarettes, and alcohol were the most effective units of trade.

[Dr. X]

it was reported in the media that gasoline, cigarettes, and alcohol were the most effective units of trade....

Luckily us ol' mountain boys can kill two birds with one stone. White liquor, run only once, has enough octane to power a tractor, Jeep or older model truck. Run it through twice and you a have drinkable, tradeable commodity! As far as cigarettes, maybe not, but here in WNC we grow tobacco and a packet of baccy has been a trading item for hundreds of years. Also .22 ammo (to the right person) is cheap but to someone who must now hunt to provide food it would be a pearl beyond price...;)

as ever,
Dr. X

[Ryder]

Trading ammo, other than 22lr, is a dicey thing. Who's to say they don't end up using that ammo on you!

Heres a list I picked up of the first 100 things to disappear after a disaster....

100 Items to Disappear First


1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy...target of thieves; maintenance ect.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled ect.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, ect. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula. ointments/aspirin, ect.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Tuna Fish (in oil)
36. Fire Extinguishers (or..large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)
45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, ect
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffle Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, ect.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, ect
65. Sleeping Bags & blankets/pillows/mats
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, ect.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soysauce, vinegar, boullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky
83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, ect. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, ect.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Cigarettes
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, ect,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, ect.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens

From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

1. Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of the dry upappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches.
9. More matches

[witchdoctor]

I would agree that just about anything that we think we will need will be good for trading. Do not forget the most renewable resource for trading is a good skill!!! If you can preform a service for someone or teach other to do something for themselves they can give you stuff in return.

As for supplies a lot depends on what you can carry or leave at your bug-out/in location. Then, as someone said in another thread, do you want people coming to your place to trade or the general public sending people to your place for goods?!?! :confused: I guess once the dust clears so to speak you can go out and try to find somewhere to set up shop if you have a ton of stuff. If not then I guess you will have to watch what you do and say to people. I am not exactly sure how to handle that... it will require some thinking.

[Arizona Highlander]

There are lots of possibilities for trading. Here are a few I can think of:

Liquor is a terrific barter item - provided you’re not trading with violent people who may become even more violent once they get inebriated. HOWEVER, I think that liquor would be almost unmatched as a “bribery” tool - for example, having to talk your way past a police checkpoint. Some friendly chit-chat and a bottle of Jack Daniels just might grease the skids enough to get you through.

And yes, Dr.X, if you can brew your own, booze becomes a valuable barter item that you can always make more of! Now, I don’t know jack about brewing or distilling, but I sometimes wonder if it’s a skill I should consider learning. I’ve already got lots of stored wheat and corn - why not put it to good use? After all, the mash that’s left over after fermentation is still perfectly edible (a while back, one Korean drama featured a small-time distillery owner who also sponsored an orphanage. The owner was poor, so she often fed the orphans with the mash left over from fermentation - which left her little orphans constantly going about in a state of tipsiness :D ).

Ammunition is another questionable item. Personally, I think that swapping a few boxes of .22LR’s to a guy who wants to go rabbit hunting isn’t too big a deal (the late gun guru Jeff Cooper once referred to .22 rimfire shells as potential “Survival Wampum”). Ditto for birdshot in shotgun shells. These rounds aren’t really potent enough to pose much of a threat to you or your family, while still offering some legitimate usefulness in a hunting situation. But, I’d be REALLY leery of guys who might be offering to swap you 50 ounces of silver for a case of 7.62 NATO ball . . .

Cigarettes aren’t something I partake in, but to those that do, they’re hard to do without. Some smokers would trade their firstborn (as if you’d really want the kid) for a carton of smokes. Not sure how long they stay good, though, even if kept in the freezer. Maybe cigarettes are not the best stockpile item (unless one is a smoker himself) but I admit that there could be some real trade value here.

Gasoline would be priceless in a time of shortages, but it’s hard to store it safely. Honestly, I think I’d be unwilling to part with the small amount of gasoline that I’ve managed to stockpile - it’s too valuable for my own uses. However, I can just imagine a whole lot of unprepared people “bugging out” to their Uncle Fred’s place in the country - and discovering midway there that they’re running short on fuel. In a case like that, they may be desperate enough that a trade would be just too good for you to pass up.

Propane and Coleman Fuel are related items. Lots of these unprepared “Bug out” people will probably toss their camping gear into the SUV, only to discover later that fuel is in short supply. So, there could be big demand for those little, disposable propane bottles. Folks who took off in their RV’s might also discover that their RV propane tanks are low, and they might be anxious to barter for full, 5-gallon tanks. Propane lasts practically forever, so these items are worth considering.

Garden Seeds might have considerable trade value in a long-term situation. Non-hybrid (“heirloom”) seeds are preferred, of course, but even hybrid seeds would probably do well in trade. My local Walgreens had a closeout on seed packets last year, 10 cents each. For five bucks, I left with a huge bag full. How could I go wrong?

Incidentally, seeds, if kept cool and dry, have an amazingly long shelf life. I uncovered some 1995 dated seed packets last year. I thought they’d be worthless, but I still gave them a try. To my surprise, most still sprouted! So, don’t let some out-of-date seeds automatically turn you off.

Toilet Paper is no joke. Sure, sheets from the Yellow Pages will work, but most people really desire this luxury. It wouldn’t hurt to have a few extra rolls on hand for barter purposes.

Gold and Silver aren’t supplies I’d normally stockpile. In a SHTF situation, I think they’d have little value in comparison to more practical items like food or gasoline. However, over the long-term, precious metals might someday become a routine medium of exchange. Thus (depending on my own situation) I might consider trading a few things FOR precious metals - but I wouldn’t go crazy about it.