Looked, but did not find one... Suggestions? Looking for what people think is their best ( according to location/etc.) bet for future bartering, and the storage and longevity ( such as foods and meds).
Some "preppers" I know, have stored vast quantities of alcohol based items and yet others have stored a lot of tobacco and related items...I can see where they are heading! VICES! Hmmmm....That will work, but I worry about that sort of transaction...Kind of like guns and bullets...That may be a bad thing!. But I am thinking of is a more practical application: Other than the standard fares of food and medicines, I'm apt to look at things such as bedding, blankets, pillows, towels, soaps of all kinds, and personal items such as combs, razors, mirrors, scissors...that sort of thing...Pots pans, small stoves, anything that provides comfort...?
In addition to the above, I'd consider repair items such as sewing needles, thread, patches (iron on or cloth swatches), epoxy glue, JB Weld, beeswax, Gorilla glue, shoe goo, fiberglass and resin, pop rivets and a couple pop rivet guns, roofing tar, caulk, screws, nails, heavy plastic sheeting. Screws and nails are a good idea, but folks could scavenge many of those from existing items if needed. I would also consider 1/8 inch welding rods. I saw a good video on youtube where a guy connected 3 automotive batteries in series with improvised cables and an improvised stinger to effectively weld 1/4 inch mild steel. If one had an ability to recharge a few automotive batteries, that would be a good SHTF capability. This would make one the guy to go to when peoples stuff needed repair. Plus repairing items involves some skill, so folks would be less inclined to take one's repair items by force if they didn't know how to use it all.
There will be enough dead people in a SHTF situation where trade will not be needed. Just take from the dead.
I see no value in trying to aquire goods for later barter. It makes far more sense to buy things you actually need. If there is any barter it should be with surplus things above and beyond what you can use yourself - like if you happen to have a bumper crop of squash.... You'd feel silly starving to death with a bunker full of gold, silver, booze, and tobacco.
Some comfort thins go a long way in raising spirits. But i wouldn't worry about barter until you have all your food and other supplies ready first. One thing we have that is a luxury item is one of those soda stream things and plenty of co2 and soda mix.
I agree, just trade what you have in surpluss or skillset. Say you are prepping for 4 people and only 2 of you make it through the initial SHTF situation....lots to trade at that point.
I like the idea of discussing barter and trade because it gives people an idea of what to keep an eye out for. Not that I would necessarily buy a trade or barter item over preps but many different people on here have access to many different things. A neighbor of mine works for a company that makes yogurt. They give each employee a case a week. She is the only one who likes yogurt in her family but she only eats a few a week. She does however, use a lot of eggs. Well we make a lot of eggs. My kids LOVE yogurt. So we swap eggs for yogurt. I have a crapload of expired bandages. Almost all of it is still in the original shipping box. It went past exparation date so it cant be used or sold. I cant imagine someone complaining their 6x6 pad and 4" Kling expired a couple years ago while tending to a wound post SHTF. I also have KED's, short boards, longboards, portable suction, C-collars, assorted airways, splints, and on, and on. All of it was going to the trash. Concidered garbage now, gold after the crap has hit the fan. Never discourage trade or barter talk. The whole reason to prepare is to survive. Survival means more than making through a crisis or whatever, it means being able to rebuild afterwards. It will take time before things can be produced again. Well, if you happen to have extra of something someone else needs and they have something they can spare that you want........... Trade and barter is how young and rebuilding societies operate.
When my family was young, and we were poor, we and another family would fish for Halibut, during our summers in Alaska. We would freeze he fillets, and ship them south on the barge, and pick them up in Seattle, and put them in our Freezer. The kids would get tired of halibut after a while, day in and Day out. Then we figured out that our local Neighbors, would trade us, STRAIGHT Across, Pound for Pound, for Beef, in any Cut, or Quantity, we liked. We ate very good, during the winters, after that. Trades like that are what Barter is all about. ..... YMMV.....
I had a trade going with some guys that worked offshore on oil rigs. They liked shooting, and fished off the platforms on their off time. They gave me coolers full of fish fillets, and boxes of empty brass. I gave them back boxes of ammo loaded with cast bullets and empty coolers. A few weeks later, I got full coolers and boxes of empty brass again. ,
If you live near water, nets, fishing line, and the means to repair the same could be important for your own food gathering and to barter with.
Nearly everything "we"take for granted today will be in short supply IF and WHEN TSHTF scenario...I used to trade veggies from my garden to peoplefor eggs and chickens....years ago ( Pueblo, Colo. 1960's My aunt and uncle had a farm and traded a lot of chickens, eggs and rabbits for other things....) Made a good deal on rabbit hides as well....ahhhh the "good ole days"! Not!