I figure I'll forget something and have to trade for it -- Do you pack/ store anything to trade for other items?

Teacher

That sounds like a tricky deal. Trying to anticipate what might be of value to someone else. I suppose you could pack two of everything, but of course you're doubling your load then. If that's still managable though, you could have a back up to your primary tool or you could have something to barter.

However, there are some things (matches and sewing needles spring to mind) that are cheap and light, but may be tradable with an unprepared person who happens to have something you do need. Luxuries such as cigarettes and chocolate may also be tradable items in a longer-term emergency (eg New Orleans situation), but for safety I think I'd rather pretend to have nothing of value...

eeph

You always have something of value. *pokes and prods eeph's arm, like a melon* Don't mind me, I'm check your ripeness. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Seriously, I would never pretend to have nothing. I'll pretend to have less than I have, absolutely, but I want to be able to keep things cordial. If you act like you have nothing, and you aren't naked, someone is going to introduce your head to a length of pipe and take your gear. Maybe robbed vs definantly robbed.

We had this thread in long term a few months ago. It includes a wonderful post on bartering ettiquette in area with DIY normality.

The question is, how long of a situation are looking at? At a few days, I'll trade the smokes that I keep as trade goods in my BOB. At a month, I'll trade from a stash of things like needles and fish hooks that are set aside for that purpose. At a year... I'm trading my brain. Call me Mr. Wizard: I can make black powder, including getting the nitrates from manure piles (yuck!), make a still, and tan hides, among other things.

I have to agree, I'll definately pretend to have less than i do, but there will be no doubt that I'm prepared. Any signs of vunerability may open you up to aggression from others. I don't want to be in-hospitable to those that need help, but I'm not an easy mark either. I don't want to trade anything but knowlege. If we can help each other, great, otherwise I'm not gambling my families well being.

In my kit the only thing that comes to mind is a couple of half-pints of Everclear 190 proof grain alcohol, but I'll probably end up using that myself. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Tampons and ammunition are the two best suggestions I've heard of for trading.

I would never trade ammunition (or worse, firearms) to someone not in my group.

Trading bricks of .22 ammo has long been suggested as coin of the realm in SHTF situations. It is a given that you would always retain superior firepower.

I've always thought that, even in the short term, knives would be something in demand as trade goods. A few swiss army knives wouldn't weigh or bulk much more that the same number of 22 bricks.
I would suspect that barter would spring up within a couple of weeks. Anyone want to trade a new mercedes benz for a SAK?

Has anyone ever read a book called "King Rat"?

Jon

I don't know what kind of situation you are thinking of. That said: I think consumable items would be in great demand; rolls of toilet paper, coffee, tea, chocolate, candy bars, snack bars, vitamins, first-aid supplies, batteries, soap, etc..

That will surely go first... after that, I think things like seeds, cloth, metal implements and hand tools and shoes will all be in high demand. I don't know if my wife even owns a pair of shoes that would last a year working outside. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Anyone able to generate electricity via solar/wind will be a king! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> (especially since diesel/gas generatorss will run out). In the past 5 years we've seen just how sensitive and fragile our infrastructure is (hurricanes, blackout, terrorist attack, bio weapons). If Mother Nature doesn't get us first, we'll do ourselves in, I'm sure.

Those with old-school skills and the ability to fashion tools and clothes will be at a distinct advantage... makes me want to take that blacksmithing course.

couple of packs of cigarettes.

Just like in high school, the guy with smokes has friends.

<img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I'm with Iron Raven. I'm too old to carry much and too poor to stock much. So my trade goods are a large collection of skills that are useful.

This might not be bad item for us to hoard- pencils, paper, and paper clips in a bundle. Getting me to fix something for you costs X, getting me to copy out the apropriate parts of the appropriate books costs several Xs.

In all honesty, if we are talking TEOTWAWKI scenarios, knowledge is going to be the greated long term resource. Ignoring the socio-political abuses of the catholic church (and I mean it, don't bring them up, please), the function of monestaries as knowledge repositories was critical during the dark ages.

i guess a variety of batteries could come in handy. maybe even a bunch of those $1 LED lights from countycomm. and of course all of the stuff others have mentioned. good ideas.

The problem with the usual stuff; gold coin, paper money, beads, etc is that people will soon realize that they need things, not money.

I lkie the idea of storing Swiss army knives and toilet paper.

TRO

Suggested by whom? My point is that in a society where survival is all that counts and getting something for free by simply taking it is moral if you can rationalize it in your mind, arming folks not in your circle is not wise. Retaining superior firepower is the goal, it shouldn't be assumed; it is rarely a given. Trading ammunition is not the way to retain superior firepower. You don't know what you don't know. $.02

Odds are, in a TEOTWAWKI senario gold and silver will retain some intrinsic value. Particularly if you can get to people who are trying to salvage technology and have a lot of know how. Other than that, I don't see anyone bartering the last of their gas or coffee for gold, but someone who needs something more portable than chickens would have a use for it.

You can also use it for dealing with people who are thinking about when the "situation" will be over.

Depends how "your circle" is defined. Bartering by definition is expanding your circle. You wouldn't trade anything to someone you might have reason to fear.

I'm thinking things that are cheap now and hard to find later:
water in bottles, sewing kits, swiss army knives, flashlights ( batteries!), small radios, alchol in small bottles,etc.

$20-50 worth of stuff that can be either back-ups for me or traded out.