Thread: What Trade Goods?

If a global economic/social collapse where to happen, and if you and your family managed to survive the short-term chaos, what do you think would be so valuable later that you would consider spending a few of your scarce dollars on some now, to salt away for later? To me, this is a real dilemma if your budget is tight.

What would salt away if your budget was not so tight?

My best thought is to first invest in tools (defined broadly) to produce things of value. What kind of tools? My cheapest answer: skill to tan leather hides, along with heavy thread and hand needles for sewing leather. Could things ever get this bad?

My short list -
Alcohol
Hygine stuff (TP, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap)
Common ammo (.22, 5.56, 7.62, 12ga)
First Aid stuff

Interesting, I would think the ability to use tools would be much better than haveing tools. The world is flooded with chinese junk tools so I can't imagine you could get much for any of them in a crash. The guys who know how to use tools probably will have their own, and who will you trade tools to if they don't know how to use them? Maybe garden tools?

I am with Redneck on this and would buy every day items people will run out of. Women will kill for toiletpaper LOL

jj

The problem with toilet paper is that it takes up so much room. To stock up any appreciable amount you would need a large space. If I had some spare change around I would also buy some common mags. 1911, glock mags, ar15 would probably be the highest on the list.

Vacuum pack the TP it gets way smaller.

But BOOZE and DRUGS will be the most sought after trade good. Followed by electricity

Before I would even consider buying goods strictly for trade I would be sure my stocks of stuff I need/use are complete. Since it is basically impossible to be full prepared I will not be buying those items.

Now if you have access to those items at no or VERY low cost I would consider it.

Originally Posted by Just Jim

Interesting, I would think the ability to use tools would be much better than haveing tools . . . The guys who know how to use tools probably will have their own, and who will you trade tools to if they don't know how to use them? Maybe garden tools?

I am with Redneck on this and would buy every day items people will run out of. Women will kill for toiletpaper LOL

jj

Yeah, I agree. I didn't write clearly. I wasn't thinking of buying tools to trade them for other things, but invest in select tools, and the skill to use them, to make things of value that one could then trade. Almost anything else you stock up for trade on will run out eventually, except maybe garden seeds.

Alot of people worried about all this and I guess it's a way to get it out in the open and talk about it. Heck even my Dillion Bluepress reloading magazine is posting headlines about the coming crash. Guess fear sells good.

jj

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Before I would even consider buying goods strictly for trade I would be sure my stocks of stuff I need/use are complete. Since it is basically impossible to be full prepared I will not be buying those items. Now if you have access to those items at no or VERY low cost I would consider it.

+1

On a "tight budget" I would concentrate on what one would personally use for a predetermined number of days without electricty, food, water, etc. On a "not so tight" budget I would do exactly the same thing, but increase the number of days. In a typical barter-type situation people will trade what they stocked too much of for things they did not stock enough of. So to me, stocking a ****load of things specifically for bartering doesn't make much sense because the funds could be used in a better way.

Originally Posted by Just Jim

Alot of people worried about all this and I guess it's a way to get it out in the open and talk about it. Heck even my Dillion Bluepress reloading magazine is posting headlines about the coming crash. Guess fear sells good.

jj

Yep, fear has always been the best way to convert people and to control people. Are we being irrational here? I don't know. For this thread I was just wondering if I could hear everyone else's best ideas, and perhaps get discussion going a little deeper than the level of bug out bags.

Battery's
D's AA AAA 9 volt more 9 volt.

Originally Posted by EZLivin

+1

On a "tight budget" I would concentrate on what one would personally use for a predetermined number of days without electricty, food, water, etc. On a "not so tight" budget I would do exactly the same thing, but increase the number of days. In a typical barter-type situation people will trade what they stocked too much of for things they did not stock enough of. So to me, stocking a ****load of things specifically for bartering doesn't make much sense because the funds could be used in a better way.

I agree, except, that if you are more clever than the average bear, might there not be some small things that very cheap now that most everyone else will fail to store, that will bring you much more value than another case of beans, for the same money spent? What if you were the only person in your area who had the foresight to stock up now on fish hooks that you can buy now for $15 for 500 on eBay? A dozen fish hooks might be very precious, and worth as much as ten or twenty pounds of smoked fish. And monofilament line, which is dirt cheap now, but very hard to make without complex infrastructure.

I don't have the answer, but I think it's an interesting question to consider. If nobody has fish hooks, the whole community will suffer.

#1....ammo
#2....ammo
#3....ammo
#4...common needs,toilet paper,tampons for the girls to be comfortable in stressfull times,soaps,toothpaste,etc.
toilet paper is not a real high priority though since i can use american dollars since their only worthless paper not backed by anything anyhow.
i could also use the oregonian since thats all the liberal biased p.o.s.is worth anyhow.
#5...batteries
#6....more ammo

Originally Posted by Sense Amid Madness

Yep, fear has always been the best way to convert people and to control people. Are we being irrational here? I don't know. For this thread I was just wondering if I could hear everyone else's best ideas, and perhaps get discussion going a little deeper than the level of bug out bags.

Guess it depends on who you are and where you are in life as to what goes into a BOB. Maybe some of us are going to stay right here and have no BOB. Every figure out the calories it will take to leave and how far you will get before you run out of what is on your back?

I have questions myself on the BOB idea and would certianly entertain a discussion, as long as it doesn't turn unruly as usual here LOL

jj

Originally Posted by doubletap007

#1....ammo
#2....ammo
#3....ammo
#4...common needs,toilet paper,tampons for the girls to be comfortable in stressfull times,soaps,toothpaste,etc.
toilet paper is not a real high priority though since i can use american dollars since their only worthless paper not backed by anything anyhow.
i could also use the oregonian since thats all the liberal biased p.o.s.is worth anyhow.
#5...batteries
#6....more ammo

Batteries, TP, tampons, I agree. But are we all really sure about the ammo? From this sound of this forum, the commuity will sink in ammo. How long will it be until every game animal, cow, pig, chicken, dog, cat, bear, and squirrel have been shot and eaten - especially around metro areas? What will we then shoot with all of this ammo? And who will trade you anything valuable for more of it?

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just trying to challenge the thinking. Is there not one other thing that might be of more value, after the choas ends, than another box of ammo? Of course, if your community has to face a maruading hoard of criminal rapists, murders, and thieves (ala Mad Max), then that extra box of ammo will be pretty darn precious. I don't know. Just askin'.

Originally Posted by Sense Amid Madness

I agree, except, that if you are more clever than the average bear, might there not be some small things that very cheap now that most everyone else will fail to store, that will bring you much more value than another case of beans, for the same money spent?

Ya, I do agree with you on that. The enterprising entrepreneur will do what they can to identify those things. For example, I think a LOT of people on this board are going to be wanting cooking oil and spices long before they are in need of more beans, rice, and ammo. (And I'll gladly accept their gold, silver, rare coins, favored currency, and jewelry in trade, but probably not their ammo because I already have enough and the other things are a better store of value. )

I like the Movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The line that sticks out best is "choose wisely". Does that resonate here with anyone. How are you making a choice with the information available?

jj

The first thing about prepping is YOU have to decide exactly what YOU are prepping for. Only then can YOU even begin to make a plan and get supplies. You will also have to make your choices off of where you live, rural, suburban, urban. What time of dwelling are you in, house, apt, duplex, ect. How old are you, are you on your own, do you have wife/kids, how about other family members that might have special needs like limited mobility or medications. Then of course if you are planning on staying (bug in) or leaving (bug out). While people may have similar situations YOU have to decide what is right for YOU.

If YOU feel in your situation that buying lots of fish hooks and line, that you may or may not use on your own is the best way to spend YOUR prepping $$$ by all means do so. Again each person is different.

I don't plan on stocking anything for trade. In my mind this opens you and your family up to people saying oh, I traded t.p. for food the other day to this guy thats hunkered down and they had all kinds of stuff. They get a couple more bad guys and suddenly your a target. I say stock up, lay low, keep your mouth shut.

Originally Posted by gunfreak

I don't plan on stocking anything for trade. In my mind this opens you and your family up to people saying oh, I traded t.p. for food the other day to this guy thats hunkered down and they had all kinds of stuff. They get a couple more bad guys and suddenly your a target. I say stock up, lay low, keep your mouth shut.

Yeppers, kinda makes you wonder if by helping people on these forums if one day they may be your advisary in the future.

jj