Trade items, what are you bringing?

[Gazrok]

I stocked up on cigarettes right before Y2K. Took me a while to get rid of them (I don't smoke), but I did finally get rid of them...at a slight loss, but it was good to be prepped.
Any whiff of anything going down, and I'll be sure to buy up a bunch again though. I agree they will become a great currency item:

1) They are small and easy to carry
2) Easily divisible
3) Something I don't have a use for, so don't mind giving up
4) In high demand by others

Perfect criteria for a currency if you ask me. .22 ammo for the same reasons (except 3)
Those folks who bought precious metals will be SOL. That's only a hedge against ONE SHTF scenario (currency crash). For all others, you'll never get the same purchasing power for it, if anything.
Don't get me wrong, if I could afford to get enough of it (gold), I would, just as a hedge for that one case, but only if I had the dough to spare after getting more sensible preps.

 

[ChancesR]

try stocking up on skills if you can or don't want to hoard stuff.... like CPR, picking a lock, First Aid, or for long term how to make things people will need out of things you can loot from abandoned buildings and stores like a still for water purification or how to start and control a fire and where or what will burn safely. and above all how to work with and calm down panicked people so they wont just kill you or if you need them will help you. people in a bad situation run on instinct not intelligence so be careful to learn that. you may need people or need to not be killed by the mob of people that will rise up

 

[Gazrok]

Having a skill is a pretty good way to ensure survivability. Even if you or a group get taken by a gang of rovers, if you have a skill, can likely keep you alive.
Of course, having skills AND preps....

 

[DrHenley]

Those folks who bought precious metals will be SOL. That's only a hedge against ONE SHTF scenario (currency crash). For all others, you'll never get the same purchasing power for it, if anything..

The SHTF will be a golden opportunity to build up your PMs, not spend them. They will become valuable eventually.

 

[Gazrok]

Eventually, I agree.
Anyone ever read that account from a Bosnian war survivor? Pretty easy to find the story.
Anyhow, he lived without power for a year, in a blockaded city of about 6000 people...so a real SHTF scenario.
He told about the things that worked well in the barter situation.

Lighters, batteries, ammo, food, alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, medicine

And Services, like prostitution, medical services, repair services, fixing shoes, making lamp oil, refilling lighters, etc.

 

[Darryl J.]

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)

Feminine products are indeed great for using as bandages. When I taught Self Aid/Buddy Care in the Military, I would bring that up all the time. One day I had one of my troops raise their hand and tell me a story where a maxi pad was used for a severe laceration. So, see it has been used in the past.