# Barter items?



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

Ok I'm new HERE :wave: but certainly not new to preparedness, however, I do have some querries.

Anyone have any suggestions on barterable items to lay in other than alcohol and coffee? We do have barterable skills.. highly barterable skills but we may need some labor or whatever. Any idea folks? I have already gotten the neighbors preparing in a complimentary fashion to what we have but it;s really a question of what to barter for labor or whatever and HOW MUCH is considered a decent barter pay for labor etc. Am I making any sense?


----------



## MrSfstk8d (Jan 20, 2011)

I think the labor rates are going to be HUGELY dependent on how much and what type of SHTF we're talking about. It could be simply work for a meal and a roof. Or something more dear for something more complex.


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

maybe a few particulars on what type/severity of event you are expecting/preparing for would give us a better idea for suggestions... (ie you won't need sun tan lotion if you expect an ice age) :dunno:


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

MrSfstk8d said:


> I think the labor rates are going to be HUGELY dependent on how much and what type of SHTF we're talking about. It could be simply work for a meal and a roof. Or something more dear for something more complex.


:congrat: 100% concur with that


----------



## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Could be almost anything that someone wants and you can't get (or easily make) anymore. Ranging from toiletries to chocolates to food and ammo. If some type of event happens with mass die off, the survivors would be able to easily stock up simply by scavenging. However, if an event happens and relatively few people die, then day to day needs items are going to dry up pretty quick. 

If you have a group working with you, then each pick an area (toiletries, building supplies, luxury items (i.e. chocolate, coffee, etc.), tools, and so on) and plan on sharing with each other post SHTF. It would probably be your best bet.


----------



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

LOL - spf 15 or better please. 
There are just SO many things in the air right now that can go wrong in a NY second. Lets say... no power for an extended length of time and ... hmmmm... maybe- extreme food shortages causing chaos in the streets and wanderings into the countryside.. atleast for a short perios- oh- 6 months or so?
Id guess food in a shortage would always be extremely valuable. People still need to feed their families, after all.... but what about an extended power outage. Surely not just batteries!


----------



## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

My thoughts and opinions on barter and trade

Never show more than necessary for a given trade. Never let on like you have more.
Only trade alcohol, weapons, and ammunition to those you know will not be a problem for you later.
Try to barter skills and knowledge rather than goods. They don’t run out.
Try to barter the information in books. Don’t let the books leave your control.
Try to barter the use of tools and equipment rather than trading them away.
Try to make trades in neutral areas or at a designated barter/trade meeting. Make sure you aren’t followed back home.
Not all the items/skills listed will be of much value early into the event. It could be three to five years or more for some of the items to become valuable.
Try to have most of your equipment and several months of consumables before you stockpile trade goods, including Precious Metals.
When it comes to PMs, unless you are wealthy, start slow. A few silver dimes & quarters at a time. When you feel it is time to get gold coins, stay with the small denominations. And remember that there will be some people that won’t trust or want them.

Some of what I'm acquiring for barter (No, I don’t have all of these items. Yet.)

Scales to get agreed upon weights of items
commercial scale (±500#)
commercial scale (±100#)
commercial scale (±10#)
commercial scale (±16oz)

small containers for measured out items (spices, meds, etc.)(really small zip-locks)

1.0 oz gold coins
0.1 oz gold coins
40 count rolls pre-1965 silver quarters
50 count rolls pre-1965 silver dimes
blank barter slips (pre-printed slips to record barter transaction – who, what, when, how much, etc.)

A large library of useful books (remember, trade the information, not the book)

200ml bottles 190 proof Everclear
smokeless tobacco
2 oz boxes tobacco
booklets cigarette papers
smoking pipes
small boxes matches
butane lighter fuel
Zippo lighter fuel
lighter flints
lighter wicks
disposable lighters
straight razors w/strop, soap, & cup
shaving soap
Q-tips

playing cards
dice

candle/oil lamp wick
Coleman lantern mantles
Crank flashlights

Canned green coffee beans (with a roaster and grinder to use, not trade away)
2 oz jars instant coffee
16 count boxes teabags
2 oz jars bouillon cubes
tubs add-water-only drink mix

1 pound boxes sugar
various spices
small containers of cooking oil
2 oz boxes salt
2 oz cans pepper
5 oz cans milk
4 oz cans cocoa
2 oz bars chocolate candy
8 oz bags hard candy (individually wrapped)

4 oz cans Vienna sausage/potted meat
12 oz cans roast beef
7 oz cans Spam (or 12oz)(or Treet)
6 oz cans tuna
10 oz cans soup (heavy on the meat types)

16 oz bags rice
16 oz bags beans/lentils

aspirin pain killer
acetaminophen pain killer
multi-vitamin
OTC reading glasses
OTC UVA/UVB resistant sunglasses
Cheap wide-brimmed straw hats

small boxes tampons/sanitary napkins
reusable sanitary napkins

reusable cotton diapers
diaper pins
plastic/poly/nylon/rubber diaper cover pants

clothes pins

wooden pencils/ink pens
small note books
legal pads

50 count bottles water purification tablets

6”-12” candles
boxes strike anywhere kitchen matches

rolls toilet paper
bars soap (Ivory, Lava, Fels Naptha laundry soap)
hair combs/brushes
disposable razors
toothbrushes
boxes baking soda
shoe and boot laces

packets safety pins
packets of sewing needles
spools of thread

mousetraps
rat traps
fly swatters

jersey gloves
cotton/leather work gloves
insulated gloves
socks

tubes silicone sealant
tubes Shoe Goo/Goop
tubes JB Weld
duct tape
mechanic’s wire
electrical tape
friction tape
rubber tape
sheet plastic
divided buckets with a variety of nails, screws, bolts, nuts, and washers
sealed cans of welding rods (6011 and/or 7018 1/8”)
variety of brazing rods
cans of brazing flux

regular canning lids
wide mouth canning lids
Tattler reusable canning lids
Tattler reusable canning lid rubber rings
P-38/P-51 can openers

6-hour cans ECOFuelXB
1-lb propane cylinders
10-lb bags charcoal briquettes

solar 12-volt battery chargers
solar AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt battery charger
rechargeable batteries AAA, AA, C, D, 9-volt


#10 cans heirloom seeds
Coffee plant seed
Tobacco plant seed
Tea plant seed
Poppy plant seed

Biodiesel production chemicals
Soap making chemicals

500-round bricks .22 LR RF cartridges
5-round boxes .410/20 GA shells
single units M6 Scout/Savage 24F/Remington SPR-94 O/U .22 RF/.410 or 20 gauge combos


----------



## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Here are some examples of Tradesman’s Tools that could be stockpiled and either used and the product/service bartered, or their USE bartered out. One wouldn’t barter away the tools that bring in the food. (Again, I don’t have all the items or skills.)
±500# scale
±100# scale
±10# scale
±16oz scale

Tailor/Seamstress tools
Sewing machine
Serger
Sewing basket (needles, thimbles, thread, measuring tape, seam ripper, scissors, shears, marking chalk, straight edge, pins, neck magnifying glass, etc.)
bolts of cloth, patterns, spare needles, pins, chalk, thread, buttons, zippers, snaps, etc)
Treadle type sewing machine (Janome 712T)
weaving looms
>1,000 watt generator


Food processing tools
Grain grinders, solar dehydrators, butchering tools, manual meat slicer, manual meat grinder, sausage stuffer, stuffing tubes, jerky shooter, meat smoker, water purifier


barbers tools
scissors, combs, hair brushes, dusting brush, broom, dust pan, chair, neck apron, razor, shaving cup, shaving soap, towels

ammunition re-loader’s tools
Dillion progressive tool w/primary caliber dies
RCBS press with common caliber dies
Bullet casting equipment
lead
black powder making tools & screens

laundry tools
Staber washing machine
laundry soap
bleach
clothes lines w/poles, stakes & clothes pins
water heater (kettle w/tripod)
water tank
12v pump & battery
drain line
James washer w/wringer
2+ washtubs
>1,000 watt generator

entertainment tools
band instruments
projection TV
TV projector
Lap-top computer
DVD disk player
VHS tape player
Chairs
Karaoke machine w/cd-g’s
Lighting system
Sound system
>1,500 watt generator
Battery bank, solar panels, and inverter
protective bullet resistant face for TV’s if used
Classic books for storyteller to read

home canning equipment & supplies
firewood cutting tools
knife/edged tool sharpening tools
printer’s/newspaper publisher’s tools
butcher/meat cutter’s tools
meat processors tools (sausage, etc.)
tanner’s tools
milk processors tools (cheese, etc.)
baker’s tools & supplies
bath house/shower room tools
candle maker’s tools & supplies
gardener’s tools
mechanic’s tools
machinist’s tools - Smithy Granite 1340 Industrial Max metalworking all-in-one machine
woodworker’s tools – Smithy Supershop 220 woodworking all-in-one machine
blacksmith’s tools - Oxygen accumulator, acetylene generator
plumber’s tools
lumber making tools - portable sawmill
electrician’s tools
carpenter’s tools
roofer’s tools
stonemason’s tools
primitive building tools
cobbler/shoe maker’s tools
soap maker’s tools
brewer/wine maker’s tools
distillery tools
miller’s tools
spinner & weaver’s tools (looms)
teaching tools and supplies K-12
smelter/foundry/metal worker’s tools
sheep sheering tools
papermaking tools
rope, cordage, and net making tools
millwright’s tools
farm tools (prepare, sow, cultivate, harvest)
biodiesel equipment & supplies
wood gas generator equipment & supplies
charcoal making tools
black powder making tools
reference/do-it-yourself library (books/magazines/CD-ROMs/DVDs)(never let the media out of your control)


Here are the skill sets I think most likely to be needed. (I only have a few of them myself)

Alternative energy specialist
Alternative HVAC specialist
Ammunition re-loader
Appliance repairman
Assayer
Baker
Banker
Barber
Basket maker
Bathhouse/shower room operator
Beekeeper
Bicycle Repairman
Biodiesel maker
Blackpowder maker
Blacksmith
Botanist
Brew master
Brick maker
Bullet caster
Butcher/meat processor
Candle maker
Carpenter
Cartridge maker
Cartwright
Chandler
Charcoal burner
Cheese maker
Chemist
Chimney sweep
Cobbler/shoe maker
Coffin maker
Cook
Cooper (barrel maker)
Coppersmith
Dentist
Distiller, drinking alcohol
Distiller, fuel alcohol
Doctor
Dog trainer
Electrician
Electronics tech
EMT/Paramedic
Experienced barterer/flea market operator
Farmer
Farm hand
Farrier
Firefighter
Firewood purveyor
Fisherman
Food canner/processor
Furniture maker
Gardener
Gatherer (wild plants, useful rocks and minerals)
Glass maker
Goatherd
Goldsmith/silversmith
Gravedigger
Gunpowder maker
Gunsmith/gun maker
Handyman
Harvester/picker
Heavy equipment operator
Herbalist/mineralist
Horse trainer/wrangler
Hunter/trapper
Ice purveyor/harvester/maker
Knife maker
Knife sharpener
Knitter/crocheter 
Laundress/laundry room operator
Leather worker
Librarian
Logger/forester/sawyer
Lumber maker
Machinist
Mechanic
Metal worker
Metallurgist
Midwife
Milk maid
Milk processor
Miller
Millwright
Miner
Mulcher/composter/manure collector
Net maker
Nurse
Optician (eyeglass maker)
Orchardman/arborist
Paper maker
Peace Officer
Pedi-cab driver
Pest control specialist
Pharmacist
Plumber
Postman
Pottery maker
Primitive building specialist
Printer/newspaperman
Quilter/Quilt maker
Radio Operator
Rancher
Ranch hand
Repairman
Roofer
Rope/cordage maker
Sail maker
Sailor (Boatswain)
Salt maker
Salvage specialist
Security guard
Shake/shingle maker
Sheep sheerer
Shepherd
Shipwright/boat builder
Shoemaker
Skill At Arms instructor
Small engine mechanic
Smelter/foundryman
Soap maker
Soldier
Spice purveyor
Spinner/Weaver
Stonemason/brick layer
Sugar maker
Surveyor
Tailor/seamstress
Tanner
Teacher
Thatcher
Tinker
Tire repairman
Tool & die maker
Trade maker
Trader/Wagoner
Trapper
Truck driver
Undertaker
Veterinarian
Watch/clock repairman/maker
Weaver
Welder
Well driller
Wheelwright
Winemaker
Wood gas equipment maker
Woodworker


A few skills that won’t be in high demand, but would be a good secondary skill

Artist
Bookbinder
Candy maker
Comedian
Dye maker
Entertainer
Historian
Ink maker
Judge/arbitrator 
Karaoke operator
Maid
Massage therapist
Musician
Physicist
Scribe
Secretary
Storyteller
Toy & game maker


Some things I probably won’t get for barter for this reason: If there is a large die off the items will be available to pick up all sorts of places. If there isn’t one, they will still be available through normal channels.

Knives, especially ‘Cheap’ knives
Clothing 
Tools (Yes, have a really good set for yourself, and possibly one to barter the use of, but keep the tools)
Cooking equipment
Fishing gear


----------



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

Yea Jerry- I found that site too, thanks. I was more interested in what ideas y'all might have


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Culex hit the mark pretty good IMHO

food, ammo, toiletries (not necessarily TP, which is nice, but most people can wipe their Tuchases with a variety of things)

luxury items like spirits (to drink and as antiseptic/anaesthetic) cocoa powder

staple items like flour, sugar, and baking soda/powder, rice, oatmeal etc etc

medical/first aid supplies (check shelf life & storage needs)

insulin, aspirin, warfarin (or Dabigatran, just approved!), coreg, lasix, antibiotics AND a chart for what they treat & what dosage to use

blankets, the more the better

rope

boxes, bags, baskets, and other containers (after all people need _something_ to put their _other_ stuff in

pots & pans... utensils and tools

blade sharpeners

fuel (better yet, a way to make fuel)

batteries, dynamo powered radio/battery charger

shoes and clothes, hell even rags (up until WW1 there were people called ragpickers that scavenged battlefields for the clothing of the dead to seel so that it could be turned into useful products)

this is no way complete or in any order of importance


----------



## SaskDame (Aug 27, 2010)

A hundred years ago, almost any farm neighbourhood could manage almost all of the listed tools and skills. Individuals generally were able to maintain competence in at least a dozen or so skills.


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

SaskDame said:


> A hundred years ago, almost any farm neighbourhood could manage almost all of the listed tools and skills. Individuals generally were able to maintain competence in at least a dozen or so skills.


you might be pleasantly surprised to find out how many of us there still are out here... :2thumb: :beercheer:


----------



## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Centraltn:

You lost me. What website?


----------



## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Jerry D Young said:


> Centraltn:
> 
> You lost me. What website?


maybe THIS one?

Trade Goods: What's valuable in good and bad times?


----------



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

Hmmm.. hadnt thought of medicines as a barter item! Good idea! Pots and pans! Hadnt given that a thought either. Blankets is another to consider. Thanks for the group idea... I like that and it makes perfect sense! Thanks folks!


----------



## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

Great list JDY.

My Home Depot was clearancing out chimney supplies this weekend so I picked up the trappings of a chimney sweep for a song.

This month I added a spare grain miil (craigslist) and added some sharpening tools to my blacksmith/knife makers outfit.

I pick up knick knack electrical repair items at garage sales or go thru the free boxes, just so I can strip common parts and put them in my electrical repair kit. I am not an electrician, but electrical repair will be in demand and my simple mind can make simple fixes if I have the parts and the startup price is right-FREE

I also have 10x the water purification needs I require but the DW forbids me to consider bartering drinking water -she says I have to give it (water) away-anyone certified for prepper marriage counseling out there?

I also am identifying local wild plants to make teas, cures and aids.

Finally I picked up a large set of eyewear screws, nosepads, etc for a pittance. Short or long term, eyeglass repair will be in demand as much or more than optical fabricating. And it takes little skill.

I have spoken with each child who will relocate here in SHTF and I have stored items here that each has a competency for (barbering, blacksmithing, machining, optical repair, etc). If they are not totally on board with me, they at least tolerate the old man and those things that pertain to them they take more of an interest in.

*I try not to pay for barter items unless I use them myself regularly, tho I will forgo lunch or soda money to pick up a few odds and ends at a garage/estate sale. *

I have my dream list of PAW trades skills and watch the sales and giveaways and try to gear up without any cost to diminish my other prep plans.

In my area there are a ton of Doctors, Nurses, Dentists and Hobby Farmers. If I knew I had a Gunsmith in my area I would be *ecstatic*.


----------



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

All wonderful ideas. Thanks so much.

My kids are coming here as well.. but they are also gathering foods so they will bring it to add to the supply. Trying to talk my paramedic daughter in law to going to nursing school (only takes 16 months combined with what she already has), my hubby is a Dr and sister in law is a dental hygenist so I have those fields ( and the barterable skills area) very well covered. We do need the hygenists tools however.

Eyewear repair kits is a brilliant idea. All of the folks I know wear glasses!

You guys and gals are a wealth of helpful information, thankyou


----------



## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

Another one I forgot is rechargeable AA batteries (and limited AAA). You can recharge them up to a couple hundred times each, so they make great barter items. Most of us have some solar set up or another, so these fit right in. Double duty.

I also make sleeve adapters out of PVC pipe and springs to change AA and AAA to C and D cells. They are cheap to buy, but I like to make my own and it is sustainable. 

Yes, the AA and AAA will have a little less juice than the full size, but they work just fine in everything I have in the house. 

Also, back to the freebie electronics parts, all the pieces you need to make AA adapters to hook into 9v appliances. 

With little training, the littlest one in the family crew can become a battery barter meister. (inspect, recharge, test and trade)

The best thing is, I don't buy batteries anymore either (except for scopes, nvg's, smoke detectors and emergency equipment).


----------



## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I have old solar path lights that hold two AA batteries and I use them all the time to recharge batteries for me. Plus some of the new ones use AAA batteries and I have a few things around the house that use them. You just have to remember to go out at dusk and pull the batteries out if you want to use them. Not sure if only one day gives them a full charge but if you are careful and remember to pull them each night, I'd bet a couple days worth of sun would give you a full charge.
The tiny little one to two dollar ones in the dollar type stores would be great for the kids as night lights, if not using them as lighting in your house in an emergency. If you wonder if it really works, I have been using them off and on for a few years now as we tend to lose power quite often. I have been trying to pick up the older ones at sales as they will charge two batteries while the newer ones do only one.
But the newer ones charge even on cloudy days, I have noticed that even with a thick layer of snow on them you can see a faint glow under the snow! Sure it is not for long but still it works. So I may just have to keep an eye open for more of the newer ones too... once the batteries croak folks sell them at yard sales for as little as a quarter to a buck. In times of scrounging and bartering some cobbled together solar panels and car batteries and an inverter might be useful.


----------



## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

I keep several dozen gram bars of silver to barter with if I need to. They are marked .999 with 1 gram stamped on them so they can hopefully work as currency when SHTF


----------



## SurvivalNut (Nov 13, 2008)

IrritatedWithUS said:


> I keep several dozen gram bars of silver to barter with if I need to. They are marked .999 with 1 gram stamped on them so they can hopefully work as currency when SHTF


Wouldn't a silver dime (2.5 gm tw) be a better barter tender? (lower investment cost per ounce) (recognized purity and source)

Just asking cause I am always looking to cover all my bases and tweek my process as I learn more.


----------



## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

SurvivalNut said:


> Wouldn't a silver dime (2.5 gm tw) be a better barter tender? (lower investment cost per ounce) (recognized purity and source)
> 
> Just asking cause I am always looking to cover all my bases and tweek my process as I learn more.


A silver dime (like a mercury dime) has 0.0723 of an ounce of silver in it. A gram is 1/31th of an ounce i believe. So 14 mercury dimes would be 1.01 troy ounce. It would be better to have dimes. 
I have gram bars, dimes, and all that stuff. It's always good to have a lot of those on hand.


----------



## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*Barter Items*

Liquor, tobacco, and candy.

Some things never change !

:2thumb:


----------



## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I have put together a few sewing kits (needles, thread, pins, buttons) I also have several totes of all types of material and will be doing a few small first aid kits (bandaids, acohol wipes, triple antibiotic ointment etc.). another will contain a writing pen, pencil, a small tablet & index cards, these will be in qt size bags. I know it isn't much but in time of need it may help.


----------



## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Clarice said:


> I have put together a few sewing kits (needles, thread, pins, buttons) I also have several totes of all types of material and will be doing a few small first aid kits (bandaids, acohol wipes, triple antibiotic ointment etc.). another will contain a writing pen, pencil, a small tablet & index cards, these will be in qt size bags. I know it isn't much but in time of need it may help.


Great idea. Never thought about sewing stuff


----------



## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Sewing needles and fish hooks will be like cash.. not to forget some nice packs of fine waxed dental floss for sewing... You can't beat dental floss for tons of stuff. lucky for us the dollar stores have tons of it. Sometimes on sale 2 for 1!


----------



## philjam (Dec 17, 2008)

Get things to barter that you don't need for yourself. For example - I don't need any feminine hygiene products, but others will.


----------



## Centraltn (Feb 21, 2011)

FYI Phil... feminine pads make incredably great heavy bandages for large heavily bleeding wounds.. so you do need to get some for your medical kit!!


----------



## kyhoti (Nov 16, 2008)

We have been collecting various hygiene products (disp. razors, fem. products, toothbrushes) for a while now, and have several totes full. Moral will be a big issue post-fan, and having the ability to "clean up" will go a long way in building community. I have scrounged old shower fittings and have enough for an eight shower bath house; we also have oodles of the hotel-sized soaps.

While we use school supplies a lot at home, we have an overstock of paper, pencils, crayons etc. and school books for K-about 10th. School anyone? We have several dozen sets of various card games, purchased cheap, which are easy to play and bring our family (and hopefully others) together for a few minutes of relaxation and bonding time. We also have a large stock of hard candies and gum; keeping the children pleased in some small way will go a long way when tempers are thin from exhaustion.

We go with the idea that most folks post-fan will look for a feeling of normalcy; since getting food to eat will be an ongoing struggle, even with preps, these few little things will take the edge off, and have cost us next to nothing to acquire. 

I am going to run with the mini-kit ideas from this thread; for the cost of a few boxes of our stored zip-bags, these will make a great addition to our "extra" preps.


----------



## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

The_Blob said:


> you might be pleasantly surprised to find out how many of us there still are out here... :2thumb: :beercheer:


Yep. If man made it, I can probably fix it.

Jimmy


----------

