16 SHTF Barter Items to Stockpile

SHTF Plan ^ | 3/15/12 | Tyler of Debt Reckoning

[Kartographer]

16 Things to Stockpile with High Barter Value

Cigarettes.

Soap.

Bullets.

Alcohol.

MREs.

Silver Coins.

Detergent.

Water bottles.

Matches and lighters.

Sugar.

Toilet paper.

Water Filters/Purifiers.

Bleach.

Batteries.

Candles.

[Kartographer]

Let me add suggestions. Buy lose tobacco (Like Bugle Boy) comes with papers and store in vacuum sealed mason jars. A manual cigarette rolling machine could provide a bit of trade. Selco tells he made a bit on being able to refill butane lighters and I say a good small solar battery charging set-up could generate some trade as well. Sugar is on the list, but let me add the ability to make a product from it and not just alcohol! Many a fronter lady was able to develop a good business in pies and bear sign (donuts).

[Kartographer]

Preppers PING!

[DuncanWaring]

Bullets?

Or ammunition?

[Altariel]

I’m surprised bandages or medicines or other first aid paraphenalia aren’t on the list.

[JRandomFreeper]

I can grow or make a lot of that list. Soap, booze, tobacco, bleach and candles are easy if you are set up for it.

/johnny

[Disambiguator]

Both. Reloading components will be hard to come by, too.

[Eye of Unk]

Portable solar panels and rechargeable batteries.

i want one that will charge my small devices like my Kindle and my smartphone.

Obama cannot steal the sun.

[apoxonu]

I’d go for ammo if for barter.

[Kartographer]

I am not the authors editor, I have enough problems with my own poor writing skills!

[omega4179]

You can’t eat or wash yourself with bullets.

[Kartographer]

You are right especial antibiotics. They will be GOLD.

[I see my hands]

"Bullets"

As foolish as can be. You having ammo is good. The other guy not having ammo is good. There is plenty else to trade. Trade your ammo only if you want to die.

Let's trade our nukes to Iran for oil!

[apoxonu]

Agree but not sure about OTC medicines. I've heard that if you can nitro-pack them, they can keep ten years but not sure.

I would add wet-naps to the list. They're cheap and easy to trade with.

[Chainmail]

"bullets" and no firearms?

Can't believe that list hasn't got beaucoup guns.. Superb barter - even better convincer that your neighbor shares whatever they've got or doesn't take yours without asking courteously.

Would also recommend adding medecines of all kinds, particularly antibiotics.

[Eye of Unk]

A metal detector.

I just bought a Whites a couple days ago.

[rightsmart]

17. Birth Control Pills. According to Sandra Fluke this is the number one health issue for women and without a government to provide them, women won’t know what to do.

[spacejunkie2001]

good stuff. by the way, I LOVE the movie ‘The Book of Eli’.

Fantastic.

[scottteng]

They are probably talking ammunition but a black powder rifle and bullet mold along with lead to feed it would not be such a bad idea either. Long after the ammo was gone one could still have meat.

[Kartographer]

So you say, but you have a loved one with a nasty infection and some one is willing to trade you a bottle of ampicillin for 100 rounds of 22, 50 rounds of 12 ga. and 20 rounds of 9mm. What will you do. No one says make a habit of it and even Selco speaks of such trades in his writings. Sometimes something cost what it cause. If you don’t want to pay the price someone else will.

[spacejunkie2001]

“Obama cannot steal the sun.”

Or.....can......he

[Travis McGee]

Bleach loses its punch in 2-3 years. Three years without factories or transpo, and we will live in a bleachless society. And our cheap/effective biocide and disinfectant will be gone for the duration. Just in terms of water purification for safe drinking, this could be a game changer.

[I see my hands]

Quit with the specious arguments and dangerous advice. Are you slow? Do you want people to die?

[Noumenon]

As I travel, I’ve been making a habit of harvesting all the little soap and toiletry items that hotels put out. A very convenient size and ideal packaging for trade goods. You have to keep your eyes out for even little opportunities like that.

[Poser]

Primers
Bullseye
Unique
Lead
Brass

[Kartographer]

That’s why you stock up on Calcium Hypochlorite (Pool Shock)

http://readynutrition.com/resources/better-than-bleach-use-calcium-hypochlorite-to-disinfect-water_19062010/

WARNING Calcium Hypochlorite is highly corrosive you need to seal it up good and store it separate of your other preps!

[Travis McGee]

Yep. I'm also a big fan of solar power and solar accessories. Mockers who will reply in a minute never lived way off the grid. Simple solar panels can provide most of a first-world standard of living: music, SW and HAM radios, lighting, navigation gear, pressure water.

It won't do serious refrigeration, heating or A/C unless you have a LOT of panels, and I am only talking about 4' by 4' total surface area. But a lot of civilization" can be obtained with just a few panels or even a single 2' by 4' panel.

The same goes for small self-contained solar panels on battery chargers, solar powered radios, etc. I'm a fan.

[Kartographer]

There’s nothing specious about my arguments. But there is about your its your way or the highway. IF MY CHILD NEED THE AMPICILLIN YOU ARE DAMN STRAIGHT I’D TRADE!

Each man has to live with his own conscious. I can live with mine. Living with yours on the other hand I shutter to think of it.

[Altariel]

I would say it would be better to find something else the’d be willing to accept in trade.

[Freddd]

I have picked up a few that way. But I don’t really travel often. beprepared.com has the small little rounds of bath soap for .20 cents each. Probably other places too. I’ve also taken regular size bars I picked up on sale, used a warmed knife and cut those into 6 pieces, sometimes 4 pieces etc.

Someone shows up, I’m not giving them a whole bar, but I’ll give em enough to help wash off some germs and be on their way. And no I won’t be giving them my drinking water to do it. lol.

[Kartographer]

Don't leave home without it.

[I see my hands]

"There’s nothing specious about my arguments."

Yeah, there is, dummy. You prepare! Ever hear of it?

[Donnafrflorida]

Bleach can be made as its needed if you buy pool shock with sodium hydro.....this is not the same as for purifyimg water. that is calciun hydro...
watch the percentage. i noticed pinch a penny is only 40 some percent. my local pool store is 73.

[Kartographer]

What incentive would they have? Someone else is bound to come along and pay their price. As I said Selco mention such trades in his writings. I take firsthand knowledge over easy chair guessing.

[Donnafrflorida]

Whay do you recommend?

[Kartographer]

You are clear better suited than me so how about this you take over the Preppers Ping List because frankly I am tried of put up with crap from people like you.

[Noumenon]

Good thought. Haven’t darkened the Colonels door for quite a few years now, but those little wet-nap thingies are part of my 72 hour kit. Should probably stock up on ‘em.

[Noumenon]

WRT antibiotics, we’re on very good terms with our large animal vet. No more need be said.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Pick up some packets of honey, too!!

Actually...each trip to any fast food joint you can get condiments. However, mice LOVE mayo and will eat thru the packets.

Ask me how I know this... *sigh*

[Kartographer]

What's in your wallet?

[JerseyHighlander]

It recently came to my attention that Sodium hypochlorite is possibly the best option for point of use water purification.
Sodium hypochlorite is sold commercially as “ Dakin’s Solution “ or “ Eusol “.

Simple recipe, and the components last MUCH longer and are multi use compared to pool shock. Smaller storage footprint. Can be used for dental endodontic cleansing.

http://www.virginia.edu/uvaprint/HSC/pdf/09024.pdf

Directions on use for cisterns:
http://www.eastfremantle.wa.gov.au/uploaded/pdf/rain.pdf

General info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite

[redhead]

salt
sanitary products
paper and writing implements
recipes and instructions for low-tech, basic needs
spices and flavorings
milk powder, cheese enzymes
basic first aid stuff like gauze, iodine, gentian violet, sulfa powder, etc.

[Neidermeyer]

I like the SALT idea ,, I intend to buy several 40# bags of the “water conditioner” salt to use when storing meat ... assuming electric power is scarce or unaffordable... I can always use it in the swimming pool if it’s unnecessary (chlorine generator) ... with that said chlorine bleach can be created by simply passing a current through salt water... commercial salt==>chlorine generators sell for as little as $150 on eBay (listed for “above ground” pools) although you may need to trick the electronics to get the strength you want..

** How long do tobacco products store? **

[Donnafrflorida]

I read to NOT use sodium based for drinking. it said calcium only for drinking. need to research futher.i

[familyop]

And poodles—lots of poodles.

[SwankyC]

“You can’t eat or wash yourself with bullets.”

And you wont eat or wash yourself without them...
Think about it.

[blam]

regular, store bought, bleach, loses 50 percent potency per year.

[familyop]

"Yep. I'm also a big fan of solar power and solar accessories. "...pressure water."

I have a gravity-fed system (hill) for pressure without a booster pump and will install a PV solar power system for the well pump, when time and money allow.

"It won't do serious refrigeration, heating or A/C unless you have a LOT of panels,..."

Check this out.



See the "Residential PV Sizing Chart (Farenheit)" link (PDF) lower on the page for PV module and battery requirements (low requirements). ...two $295 PV modules (Kyocera 135s can be UPS'd from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun) and two golf cart batteries for less than $100 each from Sam's Club. A Morningstar SunSaver 15 Amp MPPT controller would work nicely with that setup (cheap).

For heating, have a look at this for the most BTUs per dollar.

$2K Solar Space + Water Heating -- One Simple DIY System
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/DHWplusSpace/Main.htm

And don't forget wind (tough homebuilt).

Our latest 10 foot wind turbine

Remember that frequent and enduring winds are required. Pair that with a Midnite Classic controller and Clipper for the ultimate rig (more watts). There are also 17 and 20-foot projects--great for small machine shops.

Independence, country style. Not so much "prepping" but a way of life for cheapskates like myself. And no, I haven't done all of those projects, yet, but most likely will before long. ...working on the rest of them while using a little PV power plant right now (modified RV).

[gitmo]

The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.

The bad ones TRY to use the Lord.