Trade items, what are you bringing?

[Tyler]

I was think about what others will be bringing to the trading table for the future. Personally I'll be bringing flasks filled with various types of rums and liquers, feminine products (side note on that, I heard you can us a tampon to help with bullet wounds, not sure about whether that is true but kinda a neat idea) I will also be getting some survival straws (or life straws, same thing just different companies) Water is very important and many might benifit from them. I will also be adding a few (3) to my bug out bag for me and to have 2 to trade should I need to.

So what aremyou guys (and girls) bringing to trade?

 

[Tyler]

Are you guys* not aremyou guys

 

[Hunter Valley Preppers]

Im not looking at trade, im more focused on survival. I will be bugging out, deep into the Bush.

Should the SHTF scenario be a long time scenario. I will eventually do re-con and scout for future items.

My first plan is to get my family out. Everything i take will be for a reason .

 

[Tyler]

As of right now my plan is to be moving out of this area and closer to an "urban" area.

Might sound like a bad plan but I think I'll be ok at the range out I'll be.

 

[jimLE]

just like hunter..my main concern will be survival..and that means getting out while the getting out is good..and that means haveing what i actully need only when i do bug out..and once i get to where im going to..then and only then start looking for things that i can use for barter..even if it means makeing diffrent things by hand for barter...my reason for that.is i might have to go at least some distance on foot.and i dont want to be carrying more whight then i have to.simply because more whight there is,the slower i move away from any dangers..

 

[Tyler]

Survival will be a big thing for me, but it might come up where trading might be a good idea for survival (such as running low on food durring a bug out.)

 

[Trapper]

I have no guns, ammo, water, food, TP, or other essentials anyone will know about or need. I don't run a store or a bartering company. The way I look at it if anyone even THINKS I have anything they will just come back for more. People can not keep their mouth shut. If one person is traded for anything, 100 more will be on your doorstep. If you don't hand it over it will be taken by force. I prep for my needs not for what someone else may want. Also, if your planning on bugging out how are you going to carry all your essentials and still have room for barter items???

 

[Tyler]

I'm good at making do with less my bug out bag contains (as of today) sleeping bag, rain poncho, 4 boxes of matchs in warter proof containers, knives, food for 5 days, water for 3 days, 100 water purifier tablets, cotton balls, spare cloths for 2 days, life straws (expecting delivery), first aid kit, tarp, premade snares (making them ahead of time), fishing gear (tackle, line ect.) multiple martial weapons (supports my bag too and acts as a walking stick) sun glasses, 50 foot of paracord and rain poncho

 

[old_anorak]

Not a business and I don't cotton to strangers walking up to my lines with their hands out. If someone doesn't have their **** together, that's not my problem, but it will be a bigger problem for them if they attempt my lines.

That being said, when it comes to those I know and trust, let's say Trapper for instance. I may send word to him that I have 2 sitting hens and a rooster to trade for say.... 10 pounds of nails. I'm not going to show up at his place unannounced and expect him to be willing to trade. Mind you, this is after the dust settles and we've picked off most of the squatters, looters, ne'er do wells, and just general riff raff.

 

[Tyler]

My plan is quiet unique in the sorta sense because of where I am. A lot (and I mean like 90%) are retired. I see that as an advantage as the thing I prepping for is TEOTWAWKI situation. My plan is not to walk up to people and ask to trade, far from it, my plan is if they come to my offering an item/s that I want/need then I want some thing to trade with them

 

[old_anorak]

Look at it from their perspective. They're going to be waking into what could easily be a trap that would leave others at home unprotected.

This is just my opinion, but if you are determined to go the trade route, go about it like the old time tinkermen. Have a cart and go from area to area, let them know that you are coming and they can meet with you in the relative safety of the farm yard or road. You'd need a few outriders as protection, but it could be done.

 

[jimLE]

not wanting to sound rude or cold harted.but whats the chance of at least 5 of them haveing what you need/want?and how long will that last untill they run of your needs and wants?then they'll be begging from you after that.and all the others will prolly be begging from get go..

 

[Tyler]

True, my plan is to keep mobil and as sad as it sounds, to get as far away from people as I can be.

 

[old_anorak]

If you are as far away from people as you can get, then that will make it all the harder for those desperate to trade. A parent with a very sick child can only travel so far before the child succumbs and what happens if they do manage to get to you and you actually have what they need to save their child, but they don't have anything you want. Can you look that parent in the eyes and say no?

 

[old_anorak]

Because speaking as a parent, if you had what my child needed and wouldn't trade or sell the medicine, you'd be a dead man and I would have no remorse over the fact. Not trying to be a hard ass, just speaking realism here, I think we all prefer that to having smoke blown up our butts.

 

[Tyler]

If I have something that can save a life I'll use it to do so. I'm not heartless my plan is to get away from the death and looking people in the eyes to say no. I don't want to do anything by force but should it come to that I will. Medical suppiles are the one thing that I have up for trade permenently, I can always find more.

 

[old_anorak]

Well they aren't an indefinite supply, so start stocking now.

 

[Tyler]

Medical supplies are the one thing my parents let me stock up on as much as I want so I'm not doing too bad with them. Half my BOB is medical

 

[old_anorak]

That is awesome!

 

[Warriorhealer22]

I think its a good idea to have some trade items. Remember a very important rule of war: no plan survives first contact. Sure, they won't be in your BOB but at your Bug out place, you have one right? You're not just going to bug out without a place to go? What do you do if your bug out place is ground zero? or flooded out, or burnt? what if the path of the giant meteorite or deadly weather destroys your place? Or your BOB is taken or destroyed? Then you become that person who may have to ask for items. Don't be so against trading, but don't go about it haphazardly. Like my lifelong motto says: Be Prepared

 

[Hunter Valley Preppers]

I will not be introducing anything into my prepes that will not benefit my family first and foremost. There, i guarantee will be items that people will want, and if it benefits us then yes, i may trade. Key word MAY
Adding items you know others will want but may not benefit yourself directly i think is silly ie: Cigarettes...Why would you plan these in if you do not smoke??

 

[Gazrok]

I heard you can us a tampon to help with bullet wounds, not sure about whether that is true but kinda a neat idea

Well, tampons are made to absorb blood, so yeah, they work good for any would that will bleed a lot. Same holds for maxi pads. I'm sure my fellow horse folk here will back me up in saying that horse wounds tend to be bigger, and may require a maxi pad over a normal bandage....

As for trading....once things settle down after everything goes loco....I'd like to use my place as a trading post. I have some unique ideas on it. If I can stick to my timeline, and assuming if the world goes crazy, it does it AFTER this timeline, I hope to be able to offer excess home-canned food, excess water, reloaded ammo, tobacco, homemade alcohol, biodiesel, medical services, and of course trade items others have supplied for these items. We'd trade it for things other folks loot in the cities, etc. (so we don't have to risk getting shot). I have some unique ideas I'm still ironing out on how to conduct safe trade. I'll post them here when I've finished.

My pick for trade items....cigarettes. They are small, will be in demand, easily divisible, and folks will trade very unequally for them. (and I have no use for them, so won't miss 'em)

 

[GatherYeAcorns]

A mix of everything, but definitely lots of ammo.

 

[Sbrosky1]

I look at my bug in location(farmland) surrounded by farmers. I take my couponing into account. I have tons of tooth brushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, bar soap, laundry detergent, dish liquid, deodorant, shave cream, razors, feminine tampons and pads. I have enough to food to feed my family for 5 months and still adding to it. I put 120 cans of veggies on the shelf and only cost me $30. I put 100 more boxes of hamburger helper meals on the shelf for under $75. When my food runs out I can trade the farmers around me for fresh eggs and milk using cleaning and hygiene supplies. Colgate toothpaste is free using a coupon, doesn't cost me anything to acquire but will come in handy 6 months to a year post SHTF.

 

[sharkbait]

"What am I bringing to trade?" After tshtf,i'm not bringing a damn thing to trade.I put all my efforts into self sustainability and protecting my family and I will not jeopardize that.

I will however barter with some of my farming neighbors with whom we've already talked about and I do have some stuff for bartering when things return to a little normalcy,but depending on the situation,we should be able to hold out for a least a year without dependence on others.

@GatherYeAcorns-I would never trade ammo after an event of any kind to anybody or for any reason.One of the worst ways to die,IMO,would be for you or one of your family or group members to get shot with your own stash.

 

[Sbrosky1]

Yeah, I'm not givin up ammo. Toothpaste yes. Ammo no

 

[DrHenley]

Take a look around the world and at history. Even in the worst of times and the worst of places there are markets where people trade. It's been happening ever since the first time someone traded some shiny sea shells for a fur, and there is no reason to believe it won't happen in the SHTF.

Sure, you can be a hermit for the rest of your life, but what kind of life is that? That's your call, of course. If you just want to be alone and left alone, have at it. You'll get no grief from me. But the bulk of humanity is going to do what they have always done.

I will have an excess of some food items, 22 ammo, precious metals, and water that I will trade for the things I need. Not sure exactly what I'll need, my crystal ball is a bit cloudy on that subject, but I'm sure I'll need something.

 

[Gazrok]

There's a great story out on the web...a first hand account from a man in Serbia, who describes their SHTF situation really well.
Trade is an important part of it too.

Even in the worst of times and the worst of places there are markets where people trade. It's been happening ever since the first time someone traded some shiny sea shells for a fur, and there is no reason to believe it won't happen in the SHTF

You are absolutely correct. For example, a scavenger may find a cache of 9mm bullets, but they use a .40. The bullets are useless to them, but gold to someone with a 9mm, and so on.

 

[Overlord]

am taking a ream of cigarettes. even during Typhoon Ondoy here, people were trading cigarettes for food in our area

 

[DrHenley]

Have you read the book One Second After? The author brings up a good point. The protagonist expects cigarettes to be the coin of the realm in the SHTF, and for a brief while they were. Problem was, cigarettes aren't something people just put away until they need them, they start using them immediately. They all got smoked pretty quickly and then they were gone. 22LR bullets became the common currency after that.