# How to make a profit when shtf happens?



## dentorian (Dec 4, 2010)

Hi im a little new and just realised how to post i live in australia if that helps. i was just wondering how i could profit from a (economic collapse,crisis,mob rule and world war 3 or anything really)


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

I think the main idea is to concentrate on what people will need and then what they want.
Example:
I live in North Carolina, USA. I will concentrate on firewood because I have a lot of trees I can cut for wood. I purchased manual wood cutting equipment so I would not need gasoline. I have bought or otherwise aquired wood heaters and exahust pipe to install the heater.

Alcohol. For some it is a need. Others a want. I will try to stay away from the people that need it. They will be nothing but trouble later on.

I have chickens so, I usually have quite a few extra eggs to sell. I will also be able to sell chicks and used up laying hens for meat. Food will always be a need for someone.

The very most important thing to remember: Be straight with people. Always be honest about what you are selling or trading them. In a situation like that your reputation will mean everything. Get caught messing someone over and it may be your last time. Deal with folks honestly and always make them feel like they are coming away with the better end of the deal. You will have a returning customer and maybe a friend.


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## hedgeliving (Nov 12, 2011)

My cousin, who has been composting most of his life, began selling compost this last year. He made an extra $7,000.00 over the summer. I've been selling organic seeds as a tiny side business for the last several years but last year I had more orders than I could fill. I went to our local butcher and asked what she would like to sell but didn't have. She said she wanted to sell quail meat but no one raised quail. I raised 500 quail the next year and made after cost an extra $1700.00. Worth it for the little bit of extra work they gave me. I range between $1500 and $2000 a year on them. Not much but every bit helps. 

If you want to make money, don't wait. It takes time to build a customer base. Too many people sit and wait for something to happen while life is passing them by.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

JustCliff said:


> Alcohol. For some it is a need. Others a want. I will try to stay away from the people that need it. They will be nothing but trouble later on.


it has so many more uses than 'wasting' (my opinion) it getting blotto



JustCliff said:


> The very most important thing to remember: Be straight with people. Always be honest about what you are selling or trading them. In a situation like that your reputation will mean everything. Get caught messing someone over and it may be your last time. Deal with folks honestly and always make them feel like they are coming away with the better end of the deal. You will have a returning customer and maybe a friend.


I was raised that this was the proper way to live life and do business, IMHO our PC/fast-food mentality/instant gratification-geared 'culture' has forgotten that this concept deserves more than mere lip service. One thing that I do with customers is treat them ALL 'special' (a little extra here or there), but that is because they ARE to me; without them, where would I be? :dunno:


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

There's a man in our area that raises pigs, butchers them, and sells such things as hams, pork chops, bacon, and sausage.

His breakfast sausage is THE BEST I've ever eaten anywhere, anytime, in my life! So...

I asked him and his family what I could be growing to: A) help them continue to feed their pigs after the SHTF (They're preppers), and B) what herbs or spices I could be starting now to help them continue to make that sausage after the SHTF. I reassured them I wasn't trying to get their recipe!

I'd also be willing to buy those herbs and/or spices and vacuum seal them to trade him later, if they're not things I can grow here, either outside or inside. 

Then I can barter feed or spices/herbs for sausage when the time comes!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Get knowledge and know how to use it. Look in your area, what do people need?

A good carpenter will always be able to find work, if only to go in and fix what some do it yourselfer screwed up. Houses always need upkeep and most folks today have no idea how to do fix it.

Do you have land to farm on? Folks will always need to eat. As pointed out above, chickens, hogs, cattle, rabbits or crops will always be worth ‘money’.

How about a skill that may be lost? Blacksmithing. After a collapse who is going to make or fix metal tools?

Check your area and see what might be a niche that no one has filled.

Of course then there are the buy PM’s folks. If you have the funds a little extra gold or silver will be worth something and perhaps much, much more in the cashless future.


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## dentorian (Dec 4, 2010)

thanks everone beeing 16 i dont have alot of funding to go with my ideas and stocking alcohol i think mum would kill me :nuts: i think i will go with growing spices as their is that many kangeroo and rabbits around it could feed the whole poppulation untill everyone got on their feet and i just purchused some australorps.  and ill keep looking for a spot that needs filling aswell its great i live near gold mines.


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## tugboats (Feb 15, 2009)

I have been taking classes in all sorts of fields. General blacksmithing, carpentry, wood working (ya you betcha there is a difference), plumbing, welding, knife making, wood carving, brewing, wine making yada yada yada.

I belive that each skill set that you have developed is another avenue to barter or to earn currency. Try and perfect a dutch oven recipe for bread or baking pies. Preparred food stuffs have always been in great demand. Do not forget that your labor is a valuable economy. Us older folks will pay well for an energetic individual that is honest and trustworthy.

An honest, hardworking person will always earn a decent living. The more skill sets that you have will increase the demand for your services. I hope I read about you on the list of "The five richest people on earth".


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

I guess it depends on what you mean by 'profit'. My first thoughts were investment related, profiting on the collapse of the dollar, that kind of thing. I would think at 16 you might be a little young for that, not that you arent capable, but I dont think you can open an investment account, right?
I would say first make sure you could get by if SHTF, then work on 'profiteering'. I guess if you have an abundance of rabbits, then you have a good food source, is there any way to profit on them? Is there demand for pelts or meat?
How about precious metals, gold and silver?


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

Learning how to sharpen hand tools (knives, axes, saws, scissors, etc) may come in handy.


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## dentorian (Dec 4, 2010)

i guess with the mostlikely occourence is an economic collapse which will make money worthlessss so ill start panning this holidays and i might do some cources to gain a skill or two and ill buy some ferrets so i dont have to waste no bullets on rabbits. thanks mates :2thumb:


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## lefty (Sep 29, 2011)

learn what you can. skills will be in demand and can be sold or bartered.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

dentorian said:


> thanks everone beeing 16 i dont have alot of funding to go with my ideas and stocking alcohol i think mum would kill me :nuts: i think i will go with growing spices as their is that many kangeroo and rabbits around it could feed the whole poppulation untill everyone got on their feet and i just purchused some australorps.  and ill keep looking for a spot that needs filling aswell its great i live near gold mines.


due to the 'species specific' virus released to kill rabbits years ago, how safe/legal are they to consume?

looking into a KFC-type venture with a friend 'down under' I know that the meat is unable to be commercially sold... :gaah:


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## PamsPride (Dec 21, 2010)

Seed saving. People will be hungry and want a way to get/grow food. Garlic! I love garlic and it would make so many bland foods taste good! Herbs...spaghetti is kind of bland if you only have tomatoes and not seasonings. 
Build a greenhouse with scrap windows and wood and do plant starts.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

PamsPride said:


> Seed saving. People will be hungry and want a way to get/grow food. Garlic! I love garlic and it would make so many bland foods taste good! Herbs...spaghetti is kind of bland if you only have tomatoes and not seasonings.
> Build a greenhouse with scrap windows and wood and do plant starts.


I find it so hard to give gardenning/growing advice to people in other parts of the world, or country for that matter... the way things grow here with comparitively little assistance... IMHO Ohio truly is paradise -- I've been/seen/lived in many different places in my short life, yet I always end up back here. I can honestly say it would take a set of extraordinary circumstances to get me to leave!


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## kilagal (Nov 8, 2011)

Well since you are still in school I would make the suggestion that you see about learning to sew. Take a class on it. I am not kidding you can make very good money mending for people when things are not going well. 
Don't laugh if you are a guy. After all I am a gal and I took shop class as well as homemec in high school. 
I have taught my dh to sew as well. And replacing zippers is a really big thing with people when things get bad. They decide to get an older coat fixed instead of buying a new one. And mending jeans, etc is always a good thing to know. 
I also do sewing machine repair. I used to even have my own repair business to fix machines here in the states. Long story short I now do it for myself and a few friends. But that is also something you might want to check into is fixing the machines. They do have courses that you can do through the mail even or at least they used to. 
And good luck in whatever you do choose.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

dentorian said:


> Hi im a little new and just realised how to post i live in australia if that helps. i was just wondering how i could profit from a (economic collapse,crisis,mob rule and world war 3 or anything really)


After a collapse you need a way to meet potential customers and also protect yourself from robbers. Announcing that you have food to sell to a bunch of hungry people could end up being very dangerous. Not unless you wait until most hungry people are gone and you're looking to sell to people like yourself.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

does anybody remember what a Tinker was?...

a travelling jack of all trades that repaired/maintained mundane household items


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## Ponce (May 3, 2009)

To trade with I have around 80 groceries shopping bags full of used clothing in near new conditions from the "Senior Thrieft Store".......at this time is $4.00 for all that you can put in the bag but when I started it was only $2.00.

Also have a brand new metal engine lathe (used to be a machinest) but my biggest asset is my silver........with it I can live the rest of my life just fine.

The clothing and the engine lathe are my plan behind my plan.......doesn't hurt to always have a back up.

Now then......have a big truck with a trailer and take what people will need from poing A to point Z..........and remember that the rich will always have money so consentrate in something that they will need, like security and so on.


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## dentorian (Dec 4, 2010)

The_Blob said:


> due to the 'species specific' virus released to kill rabbits years ago, how safe/legal are they to consume?
> 
> looking into a KFC-type venture with a friend 'down under' I know that the meat is unable to be commercially sold... :gaah:


most rabbits have built up an immunity and when you butcher them you can check their livers to see if they have been effected by myxomatosis. When an economic collapse happens, the government wont care, as long as thier citizens are well fed.


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## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

Being able to manufacture a doohickey or a thingamabob that no-one can live without and doing it without the use of electricity is something that you might want to look into. The thing is, you need to start now and you need to perfect the skills to do it. You also need to create the market for it.

Just so that you know, I work in the metal industry - I design stuff that is cut and formed and welded and painted .... etc. Some of the products that I design are sold to the final customer for between 2 and 10 million dollars (Canadian) ... and some of the products that I design don't cost the customer very much money, but, the products end up saving lives in case of accidents...

The stuff that I design and that is built by my shop all takes significant amount of time, people and lots of electricity (computers, CNC machines) and the movement of product (tons of steel, stainless and aluminum). At home, I don't have the same tools available, so, I make-do with what I do have - a small forge and some hand-tools, a small anvil, scrap metal and ideas ... 


I have posted pictures of some of my "commercial" stuff here on PS, I don't think that I have posted my "personal" stuff ... it just isn't as pretty, but, it is functional ...


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

Anything food related would always be good. Maybe curing meats, with the abundance of wild critters there that may be a good option to explore.


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## lefty (Sep 29, 2011)

Toilet paper, will be great for trade and dating.


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## georgia (Nov 9, 2011)

Eventually society will reform and children will need to be educated. Teaching will be necessary, as well as pastoring/counseling in our small societies. I'm hoping to load up on some age appropriate textbooks, with school materials. My DH will also be needed to marry and bury. Many of the earlier society occupations will still be needed.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Davarm said:


> Maybe curing meats, with the abundance of wild critters there that may be a good option to explore.


before you know it, and much sooner than you would like, the descriptor will change from 'abundance' to 'scarcity'...  

maybe you could start a peer group of like-minded (concerned) people now; lone wolf survival is pretty hard and never as easy as sharing the load


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## oldvet (Jun 29, 2010)

The_Blob said:


> before you know it, and much sooner than you would like, the descriptor will change from 'abundance' to 'scarcity'...
> 
> maybe you could start a peer group of like-minded (concerned) people now; lone wolf survival is pretty hard and never as easy as sharing the load


Excellent advise Blob. :congrat: :thumbraise::congrat:


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## OutdoorsNative (Nov 23, 2011)

These are all great ideas and have really got me thinking. I'm always thinking about supplies I will need and different skill I need to learn. I never stop to think about how I can profit from what I know in a survival situation. Good thread, really has the mind running now. Thanks!


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

kilagal said:


> Well since you are still in school I would make the suggestion that you see about learning to sew. Take a class on it. I am not kidding you can make very good money mending for people when things are not going well.
> Don't laugh if you are a guy. After all I am a gal and I took shop class as well as homemec in high school.
> I have taught my dh to sew as well. And replacing zippers is a really big thing with people when things get bad. They decide to get an older coat fixed instead of buying a new one. And mending jeans, etc is always a good thing to know.
> I also do sewing machine repair. I used to even have my own repair business to fix machines here in the states. Long story short I now do it for myself and a few friends. But that is also something you might want to check into is fixing the machines. They do have courses that you can do through the mail even or at least they used to.
> And good luck in whatever you do choose.


I am a guy, and sewing is very important. Survival kits must have sewing supplies. Say you are on a trek, and tear clothes, lose an important button? I cannot stress enough how important sewing supplies are.

Tools to build fortifications will be in demand. Hinges, latches, etc... will be in high demand. It will be like in the old days, and defendable positions will be a necessity. Our entire world history has defendable fortifications scattered throughout. Finding new ones every day. They are from a time of lawlessness, which will be exactly the time we will be going back to if certain things happen. Weapon making will be a demanded skill.

Learn how to make gunpowder. It is not that hard to do. Learn how to make a Flintlock Rifle or a match light rifle, which is simpler. Put some good steel aside to use to make things. I have piles of wrenches and tools that are good to use for knives, axes, hammers, weapons, etc... all are things I don't use now.

Filing saws sharp, be a sawyer. Square wood will be hand made in the future, until things get back up and running.

Many, many things a person can do, but the best asset of all is to not be lazy or hesitant to do something. Even if you don't know what you are doing, just try to stay in the way, that is what my dad said when I was little, because you will learn by doing. Every group will need people that have plenty of "reach and get it" and don't let things get in the way.


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

I'm afraid my skills might be obsolete when SHTF. Well, some of them. 

I am becoming a pharmacist. I doubt people will be manufacturing pharmaceuticals when everything is down  I do have a vast knowledge of plant medications that if I can find the right ingredients and tools, I could manufacture and compound pills and medications naturally. 

I am also training in phlebotomy. Again this skill might be obsolete when SHTF. I could do blood transfusions and the like. However, I'm sure not everyone knows their blood type! I will ask someone "what blood type are you?" and the answer I get is "A" or "B". Then I ask " positive or negative? You know, rH factor, are you a money or not?" and laugh. People look at me like I'm nuts. Then I have to explain "rH is found in Rhesus monkeys and same with humans. You either have it or you don't. Whether you have a + or - is very important to know." 
People don't get it!


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

IrritatedWithUS said:


> I'm afraid my skills might be obsolete when SHTF. Well, some of them.
> 
> I am becoming a pharmacist. I doubt people will be manufacturing pharmaceuticals when everything is down  I do have a vast knowledge of plant medications that if I can find the right ingredients and tools, I could manufacture and compound pills and medications naturally.
> 
> ...


learn how to discern which antigen corresponds to which blood group










The International Society of Blood Transfusion currently recognizes 30 blood-group systems (including the ABO and Rh systems). Thus, in addition to the ABO antigens and Rh antigens, many other antigens are expressed on the RBC surface membrane. For example, an individual can be AB, D positive, and at the same time M and N positive (MNS system), K positive (Kell system), Lea or Leb negative (Lewis system), and so on, being positive or negative for each blood group system antigen. Many of the blood group systems were named after the patients in whom the corresponding antibodies were initially encountered.


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## gwolfer (Nov 26, 2011)

dentorian said:


> most rabbits have built up an immunity and when you butcher them you can check their livers to see if they have been effected by myxomatosis. When an economic collapse happens, the government wont care, as long as thier citizens are well fed.


When I was a kid we used to shoot and skin cotton tail rabbits. If they had spots on their liver we did not eat them.


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## rwlandrum (Oct 9, 2011)

Where are you taking thesae classes>
Ricky


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## dataman19 (Dec 4, 2011)

We have an aquaponics facility. We grow 2 1/2 acres of produce on 1/2 acre, and a ton of fish.
...
An associate's wife told me they are stocking up on precious metals. Because they believe that no one will be taking cash.... Dah - they probably won't take precious metals either....
...
Food will be trade able and "in demand". But be prepared to defend your self. There are always those radicals who think a gun in a crisis situation is the key to wealth and gain. Don't give it - stand your ground....
..
Dave
Phoenix, AZ


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## The_Exorcist (Dec 4, 2011)

dataman19 said:


> Food will be trade able and "in demand". But be prepared to defend your self. There are always those radicals who think a gun in a crisis situation is the key to wealth and gain.


Radicals, Raiders, Gangers, all the same thing.
They have to be discouraged the same way looters will be; shoot on sight, shoot to kill.

...and yes, food will be in demand, but what kind?
I'm between two mountain ranges, on one side are the fishermen on the coast and over the other way are Ranchers and their herds. I'm brain-storming these days for a way to ensure trade and transport for them to where I am, which is where the produce is grown. Vineyards and orchards here too.

Trade needs transport, and we are very isolated from any sources of oil here, with no Railroad tracks to link those areas.
Its a tough problem, but the guy to solve it deserves to 'profit'.


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## survivalist72 (Jan 4, 2012)

if you can provide food and water when others don't have it then you will be a rich man.


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## gough (Jan 6, 2012)

have taught my dh to sew as well. And replacing zippers is a really big thing with people when things get bad. They decide to get an older coat fixed instead of buying a new one. And mending jeans, etc is always a good thing to know.


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