Posted on 03/20/2014 7:03:59 PM PDT by Kartographer
This article is about identifying, stocking, and using the post collapse equivalent of a pocket full of dollar bills. It should be enough that if someone is trading eggs or socks you can buy a pair without having to run back to the house, but not so much that if someone robs you at gunpoint, you've lost a major part of your savings. That's barter.
I define trading being qualitatively different, because it involves much higher-value items. Trading involves some psychology on both sides, similar to buying a car or a house, as opposed to daily shopping. Also, it is less likely you will know the other person or people involved. Trading is the subject of another article, because you don't want to have a reputation for doing it (or, more precisely, doing it for a living). Professional traders have always been distrusted, even by those they know. House flippers, car salesmen, and traditional horse dealers are good examples. However, if you continually trade goods (services are different and safer, because the buyer has a stake in keeping you alive and happy), you'll also have to deal with people you don't know. This is a temptation for the opportunists among them to follow you home. You might drive them off with gunfire, maybe wound a few, but the rest will still be out there, and you and yours have to leave the house eventually.
(Excerpt) Read more at survivalblog.com ...
I like seeds.
Not in my house.
Not in My house. I’d have to hide it really well or someone would drink it all before I had a chance to barter it.
Thanks for the post. That observation about the collapse of the Soviet Union, makes more sense to me that the nothing nowhere nohow scenario.
In additon to stocking up, I try to move toward being as self sufficient as possible, and get the skills I need for that.
Very good perspective.
If you post that, please ping me - I’d LOOOVE to see how it’s done...
That has not been my experience.
I have several thousand rounds of CCI Blazer .22 - the cheapest stuff I could get - that's many, many years old, and every time I take out a box to shoot I've have zero failures.
Sooner or later, someone's likely to come by who wants to burn it, just because it hasn't been burned yet.
I’ve got most of a 500-round box I bought about 15 years ago, (Remington?), brass-plated bullets, and lubricated.
It still shoots 100%.
The problem is that the lubricant has dried-out somewhat, and in a pump-action rifle I’ve got, after 10 or 15 rounds the empty case won’t extract; I have to push it out with a cleaning rod and clean the barrel.
Huh.
I'm shooting a Ruger 10/22 and a Ruger MkII pistol.
No issues.
The only lubricant on a cartridge should be on the bullet, not on the case.
Have you checked the extractor on the rifle? I guess if new .22 (if you can find it) extracts flawlessly then the extractor's good... and you say it works OK until a dozen rounds are fired... still and all, crud in the barrel from dirty ammo (Blazer fits that description) shouldn't hinder extraction.
I’ve taken it apart and cleaned the bolt/extractor assembly as best I can with spray cleaner (Outers?) and relubricated that mechanism.
Other, newer/nonlubricated ammo feeds/ejects much more reliably.
Different brands have different size case rims - could be a marginal rim size and a marginal (worn) extractor.
Stick with what works and good luck to you!
Yes. I'll move my car from in front of my place. No light will be seen coming from my place as I have black out blinds that go up quickly. No smell of food will come out of my house. I have a solar panel hooked to recharger and rechargeable batteries for power so there won't be noise from a generator since I don't have one and won't need it.
Someone on here is recommending a motion detector for long range notification of movement. I have a battery motion detector alarm for my back small garden and front window has vibration detector to go off if the window is touched enough to cause vibration and front door is hardened against being kicked open, and has battery operated motion detector under the door in case it moves even a tiny bit. I have “defensive” weapons to use in case any sensor sounds.
Everything I have causes no sound except for the motion and vibration detectors and defensive weapons.
If I have to be seen, my hair won't be combed and I have old lady type clothes bought for that reason that will be wrinkled and I'll dirty my hands so I won't look freshly washed.
I look at this like playing a part in a movie. I'll be playing an old lady with nothing and whatever it takes to play that part, I have it.
I have one fixation - every time I go to the grocery, I pick up a package of dried multi-bean soup mix and a box of instant rice. I have a fast way to cook dried beans and instant rice will cook with the beans. Those two items are so cheap and available, and would provide a lot of good tasting soup and be a complete protein with the added rice, that I just keep picking those up.
An extended family member who lives 5 hours away, knows I'm a prepper and he says prepping is a good thing to do but it costs a lot of money. So, he has nothing. All he has thought about is having many pounds of dried beans sealed in a trash can. He hasn't thought about how one would provide water and heat to cook those beans which would taste flat without any seasoning if he managed some way to cook them.
Prepping first requires a plan so one doesn't freak out at the thought of the magnitude of it. Then, action has to be taken to begin that plan and follow it until the plan is complete. Everyone’s plan will be different as needs are different from person to person. Shelter, water, food, power, protection, medical needs, sanitation, are basic needs but each of those needs are large within its category when you begin to prep for each one.
A person will never prep until he/she actually starts doing it. Thinking won't buy a bag of dry bean soup mix and a box of instant rice, but picking it up at the store will.
In a true SHTF sit-u Spices will be at a premium because a majority of them are imported...
Sam's Club usually has a large assortment in large containers for cheap. They store well and the can be easily broken down to smaller amounts (old prescription pill bottles work great)
1. I am so screwed.
“1. I am so screwed.”
I have told you over and over, that woman is not going back to your house, so you might as well start prepping. :o)
You are so right.
What people don’t realize is how quickly preps can be accumulated, even if you are just picking up one or two extras every time you hit the store.
With food prices continuing to climb, I look at it this way - there is no excuse for throwing away spoiled food, which is just money wasted. If you can afford to throw away food, you can afford to prep - you just have to shop smarter.
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