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Ultimate Barter Item - When SHTF

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#121 ·
Great thread.
One item I never see listed, but is an absolute must where I live, s mosquito coils.
Mossies can make your life misrable. Chances are that if the shtf bad, there will be no council spraying, and mosquito, s will breed like you have never seen before they carry some bad diseses, number one killer in the world. Stock up on mozzie coils and citronella oil.
 
#122 ·
Possum-Pie said:
The PM horders are betting on the fact that some kind of structured society will quickly re-emerge. There are a lot of 'fat cat' PM dealers who scare people into buying junk PM. I know too many people who bought up PMs out of fear, and for a huge mark-up.
They are suckers. If a major collapse and anarchy happens with people struggling to get food and shelter, just walk into any bank, coin store, etc. and walk out with a wagon load of PMs if you truly think they will have value. The bankers and store owners will be dead, so why pay for them now when the towns will be full of gold and silver for the taking after TEOTWAWKI. Oh,wait- supply and demand says that if everyone has a wagon full of something the demand will go down.
You truly are culturo-centric. "Gold has always held value so always will in the future" That is a logical fallacy. In paleolithic society, hunter/gatherers had no desire for PM. They only wanted to survive.
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Just as in with any other preparation one should be making educated decisions for your preps. No different than researching a good battery or solar panel. There are good deals and bad deals.

You'd be surprised at how cultro-centric I'm not. I worked for a very large, well known, international company developing products and putting them into factories around the world. In my department those of us who are natural born American citizens are a minority. And I am in daily communications with coworkers (friends) living around the world. Ask someone from India about PMs. Or Hong Kong. Or even Eastern Europe. These are people who have learned that PMs are a very transportable way to move and hide wealth.
 
#123 ·
Writer's Block said:
This would REALLY never work. There would be too few of them to circulate. One person could control ALL the currency simply by hording.

You need to think about how many coins would be needed to keep in circulation, for people to hold onto as tangible wealth or for future purchases, etc etc.

Using only mints from before the event would be untenable.
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There may not be enough PM coins to create a full currency. So I think that nickles and pennies will form the lower value coinage. Post silver dimes and quarters may not simply because of the psychological impact of the government minting them with "junk" metals. As it was previous to the 1930s I see 1 oz gold coins being the equivalent to a $20 dollar gold piece. Pure 1 oz silver coins might become $5 pieces, etc.
 
#124 ·
Barratrooper1 said:
Great thread.
One item I never see listed, but is an absolute must where I live, s mosquito coils.
Mossies can make your life misrable. Chances are that if the shtf bad, there will be no council spraying, and mosquito, s will breed like you have never seen before they carry some bad diseses, number one killer in the world. Stock up on mozzie coils and citronella oil.
Click to expand...
I hate mosquitoes.

Here's a question: suppose mosquitoes become rampant, and people have no way to control or suppress them. Would that eventually result in migration away from such areas?
 
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#125 ·
I am thinking (and planning within my sphere of influence) that since a silver dime will likely be worth well over a dollar at current evaluations, that using current dollar coins as the next step down to make change may become a possibility. No intrinsic value, but durable, without many of the negative connotations of FRNs. As to equivalent fractional 'dollars', I am thinking this may be where things like individual .22s or other things might come into play.

Just my opinion.
 
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#126 ·
goose3 said:
I hate mosquitoes.

Here's a question: suppose mosquitoes become rampant, and people have no way to control or suppress them. Would that eventually result in migration away from such areas?
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I've always wondered how native Americans kept them away. No Deep Woods Off a couple hundred years ago. Going to check Google...
 
#127 ·
Jerry D Young said:
I am thinking (and planning within my sphere of influence) that since a silver dime will likely be worth well over a dollar at current evaluations, that using current dollar coins as the next step down to make change may become a possibility. No intrinsic value, but durable, without many of the negative connotations of FRNs. As to equivalent fractional 'dollars', I am thinking this may be where things like individual .22s or other things might come into play.

Just my opinion.
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Here is a question for you: If things do go bad and we are in a SHTF situation would you accept a PM in exchange for some of your barter items? Let's say it's one of your first "sales" early on after the collapse.
 
#130 ·
SLED said:
Found a couple sites talking about Goldenseal. The roots were mashed up and mixed with bear grease and smeared on the body. That had to smell good!!
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I have five bears, including a 600 lber, roaming around my BOL now. I don't think I'm going to smear bear grease on me. Maybe growing tobacco and learning to roll your own cigars would be a good skill to learn?:)

When I was a little kid I remember there was a citronella oil product that was used on clothing and skin much like DEET today. Not as effective but worked ok.
 
#132 ·
SLED said:
I've always wondered how native Americans kept them away. No Deep Woods Off a couple hundred years ago. Going to check Google...
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One way was different plants, like the Purple Beauty Berry. You can take the berry and rub the juice on you. They don't stain and keep them away. They also draw in deer, they like to eat the berries. Just one way :)
 
#133 ·
I'll give you my secret if you promise not to share :) take vanilla extract. NOT the imitation, but the real stuff. Just dab it on you. You smell good, and it keeps the bugs away. Someone told my mom about this when I was going to 4-H camp when I was young. She sent a bottle with me, and it really worked! I have used it ever since.
Let me just say, it did not keep ticks away. ugh I hate them more! I would love to find something natural that would help with those little suckers!
 
#134 ·
Marcie said:
I'll give you my secret if you promise not to share :) take vanilla extract. NOT the imitation, but the real stuff. Just dab it on you. You smell good, and it keeps the bugs away. Someone told my mom about this when I was going to 4-H camp when I was young. She sent a bottle with me, and it really worked! I have used it ever since.
Let me just say, it did not keep ticks away. ugh I hate them more! I would love to find something natural that would help with those little suckers!
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Thanks Marcie, will have to try that! It's getting cool enough in my area now that the bugs are starting to disappear. Will have to wait until next summer.
 
#135 ·
#136 ·
franklin said:
Here is a question for you: If things do go bad and we are in a SHTF situation would you accept a PM in exchange for some of your barter items? Let's say it's one of your first "sales" early on after the collapse.
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Given an acceptable agreement, sure. I am not going to give a case of canned beef for one silver dime, but if it is a reasonable offer, I will consider it, negotiate an equitable exchange for both if needed, and make the deal.

Just my opinion.
 
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#137 ·
I agree. Some kind of currency will evolve quickly.

I think it will be in the form of verbal obligations. The actual deal making will take place over the course of the year, in encounters after church, community events, school plays/concerts/sporting events, the county fair, or whenever.

We don't raise cattle or pigs, but every year we, that is, my wife, arranges to get one or a half one of each.

The bartering takes place all year, and involves corn, eggs, milk, honey, wine, beer, sewing, quilts, labor, cut wood, lumber, clothing, dried herbs, welding, mechanical work, skilled labor, and some money. It also includes 3rd and probably 4th party trades. Bob gots cows, Jane gots chickens, Mike gots wine, Wendy gots bees,..

I've been in enough rural areas to know that we're not unique. If you've got cattle to butcher, the community will figure out how to pay you for them.

Just as a starting point, would you take:
  • 2 smoked hams and a slab of bacon from someone you know does it well
  • 3 cases of local wine as soon as Mike bottles it
  • 4 bottles of high proof moonshine that you can trust
  • 52 chickens, one a week for a year
  • 52 dozen eggs, one a week for a year
  • 6 quarts of honey when Wendy winters her hives
  • 200 pounds of potatoes
  • 100 pounds of onions
  • 24 pints of apple jelly
  • labor assistance slaughtering/butchering/canning/smoking/cleaning up

all from neighbors you know and trust in exchange for beef? Would you raise a calf for us in exchange for some or all of the above? You know you can't do everything, so what can we do to make this happen?

Ace


franklin said:
Some kind of currency has to evolve rather quickly. There just won't be much trading and commerce without it.

I will be raising some beef cattle in my BO location. If I have an extra steer to sell how am I going to barter it? Few have enough to trade for the whole steer. They would also have to either devour it or process it before it spoils. It's much more likely that I have to butcher the steer and sell off pieces. Am I going to barter all those pieces? Spend hours or days working those deals? I'm well prepared. I don't need your moldy coffee, your stale cigarettes, your questionable canned veggies, or a night with your daughter. But you need the beef. How will you provide me with something of value in return which has "shelf life" and/or I can trade later for something I need next year?

I will however be willing to sell my beef for an accepted currency. I will accept gold or silver coins of identifiable quality. I may hedge my risk by accepting a mix of currency (likely PMs) along with labor or some skill I need.
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#138 ·
Post18guy said:
a few ideas;
Catnip fly and mosquito "dope"; http://purecajunsunshine.blogspot.com/2007/06/make-your-own-mosquito-dope.html

A classic recipe from an outdoorsman Nessmuk; http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthread.php/67156-nessmuk-s-bug-repellent

Lemongrass Insect Repellent;
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/lemongrass-insect-repellent.html
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I printed off the catnip one. We have a ton of it around here in the summer, citronella is a little more difficult to find. Thanks for the info!

If I kept the ingedients/recipe a secret, it could be a great barter item.
 
#139 ·
Adding garlic to your diet will repeal the little nasties , just don't over do it.

As for precious metals ,
Silver is the more practical one for me
1. silver is cheaper than gold, so,
a. how do you make change for things for far lesser value, and maintain the integrity of the object i.e. gold bar, coin, ect.
b. carrying large quantities makes you a target.
c. usefulness. What are you going to be doing with it other than exchange ?
d. security is going to be high on both parts handling the metal with genuine suspicion of thievery and death , at the very least dishonesty, over making some exchange.
I have seen even silver that had been fraudulently re-poured and cast with steel slug in side. Do you know the difference and have the equipment to determine what is pure and what is not?
These things matter if you going to play in that theater .
Food for thought.
 
#140 ·
It's medicine!

Axethebarbarian said:
...Not that I'd suggest doing it, but illicit drugs and those who can produce them would likely become very prominent and powerful once civilization was out of the way.
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Once pharmaceuticals are no longer produced, cannabis will make a comeback. A big comeback, out of pure necessity.

The palliative/analgesic effects will help in areas as diverse as injury, disc pain, minor surgery to childbirth.

In my mind it is one of the most versatile of all medicinal herbs, no pun intended.

I know old people who RIGHT NOW use it for their pain, and I expect the rate to climb when the pills run out. These folks use it because they are poor and/or lack medical insurnce.

We need to separate the 2 concepts of kids/losers abusing it for fun with the real, legitimate medical uses that it so obviously possesses.​
 
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