Barter Better In a Crisis, In Intervals, With These Stockpile Items

Photo: factfile.org

Bartering is a system that has always been used. We just made it easier when we as human’s began using precious metals, then coin, paper and electronic transfers backed by precious metals. That in it’s self is actually a form of barter but for the purpose of this post we are going back to trading items and labor for other items or labor needs.

Intervals? To truly barter effectively you want to barter in intervals which are determined by the stage and level of the crisis. Nothing has made this more obvious than the recent pandemic. You don’t want to be among those standing in line for items,  panic buying or eventually standing in line hoping to receive aid and you certainly don’t want to be in the group who misses out on the last of those supplies either.

As we saw in the panic buying from the pandemic in the first phase of a crisis, it’s the comfort and day to day items that are first snapped up and hoarded. You will never need to panic buy if you are not only prepared but have a stockpile for bartering. As seen in the beginning of the pandemic these items included:

•  Household paper products -Toilet paper, paper towels, and facial tissue
•  Bottled water
•  Liquor (So much so that it was declared an “essential” item)
•  Cigarettes or tobacco
•  Disinfecting supplies including bleach and hand sanitizer (including the ingredients to make your own)
•  Medical equipment like PPE and thermometers.
•  OTC medications
• Eggs and dairy products
•  Vanity items such as hair dye, and cosmetics

The first few weeks of the crisis these items were gold to those who had them and those that needed them and didn’t. Now as the crisis became less intense and many of the venders and factories that make these items were declared essential and production was allowed to continue or in some cases ramped up these items began to lose their barter value. But what if the crisis had only gotten worse and those venders and manufacturers were not able to produce?

By the second stage of a crisis people are beginning to realize life is not going to return to normal in the near future but most still have hope that it will end eventually and they can regroup. They still want the items from the initial stages of crisis and they are of greater value but you can add the following. (Again it does vary with the type of crisis and you as an individual can not prepare a stockpile for everything so take a look at what is most likely in your area)

•  Seeds and gardening skills/knowledge (Including books)
•  Laundry soap and general cleaning supplies
•  More specialized medical equipment. Like bandages, splints, antiseptic, syringes etc..
•  Maintenance medications or their natural alternatives
•  Nursing skills and knowledge (Including books)
•  Dairy and cooking/baking ingredients including dehydrated
•  Fuel
•  Batteries
•  Antibiotics and pain medications or their natural alternatives
•  Canning supplies and skills/knowledge (Including books)
• Boxed meals
•  Hygiene products
•  Self defense items

Then comes the acceptance phase of the new reality. Now your basic long term devastation preparedness items can be added to the list.

•  Firearms and ammunition
•  Hunting and foraging skills/knowledge (Including books)
•  Alternative energy sources (solar, bio-gas, etc…)
•  Water filtering devices
•  Mechanical parts and skills/knowledge (including books)
•  Fishing gear
•  Fire starting devices like matches and lighters as well as more bush craft  style starters.
•  Fabric and fabric creating devices as well as sewing supplies and abilities (including patterns)
•  Almost any storable food like canned goods and dehydrated items
•  Shoes and boots
•  Cast iron cookware
•  Hand tools
•  MREs
•  Trapping supplies
•  Dental skills/knowledge (including books)

These of course are just a few of the items that will become barterable and valuable during crisis events. Take your own skills inventory and plan to use that as your biggest prep against going without during hard times. Choose your stockpiles for barter and your own personal use carefully and spend wisely and you will make it through almost any disaster with a little help from your “barter” friends

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