[frankthetank]

Markam~

Your getting starving zombie hordes with vampires. Lead will do just fine.

[rwwff]

Stuff not mentioned so far that could be quite useful and tradeable...

plastic stuff - boxes, waterproof cases, LED 12v lamps, LED flashlights. Good optics (binoculars, spotting scopes). Self tapping screws, particularly good, long exterior wood screws. Epoxy. Zip Ties. Multifuel camp stoves (ie, MSR XGK).

High precision tools, calipers, torque wrenches, scales, digital meters (be gentle with the batteries.)

Domestically, scented candles, perfume, flower seeds, silk sheets or blankets (much hardier than cotton). Unopened jars of dry bread yeast.

First aid: tubes of hydrocortizone goop, zinc oxide, iodine, alchohol, 100ct bottles of 10mg loratidine; imagine how much that stuff could mean to an allergy sufferer; one entire spring season with no allergy. Shelf life's only a couple years, but its probably that first couple years where you're going to want these modern carry over barter items anyway.

[Jellric]

It is preferable to trade items which you have a continuous supply of- that's why when the time comes I will keep bees. Then I can use the following items for myself and barter with the surplus: honey, beeswax candles, and the mead (honey wine). Yeast is available in the wild to those who know. (The powdery white material often seen on the skin of berries is wild yeast).

As for lead-acid batteries and toilet paper, ain't nobody gettin those in a trade with me!

[Doly]

You have got the right idea. No point in stockpiling things for barter, much better to barter things you will have a continuous supply of.

In the ideal scenario, you wouldn't even have to do anything to keep your supply going, because it would grow in the wild. Think it's impossible? What about medicinal herbs? Not many people know the medicinal properties of their local weeds, or even much about medicine at all.

[newhunter-gatherer]

I think a stash of nail clippers would come in very handy

[EnergyUnlimited]

Guns, ammo and some critical medication (antibiotics alike).
It is worth to note, that even if mass scale production of many items ends they will still be produced by local craftsmen (at higer cost).
Weaponery may be quite abundant for a while, if army goes to disarray. That happened in Soviet Union as it fallen into mess.

[mmasters]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', 'Y')ou have got the right idea. No point in stockpiling things for barter, much better to barter things you will have a continuous supply of.

In the ideal scenario, you wouldn't even have to do anything to keep your supply going, because it would grow in the wild. Think it's impossible? What about medicinal herbs? Not many people know the medicinal properties of their local weeds, or even much about medicine at all.

[SoothSayer]

I am tempted to go for low cost (today), high value (tomorrow) items of small size, so you can carry a zilion in a rucksack / car:

- torch (flashlight) bulbs
- LED bulbs
- vitamin pills
- pain killers (aspirin, paracetamol)
- razor blades
- books of matches
- sweetening tablets
- fish hooks
- fishing line

Ideally, many of the items should have a long shelf life so they could be used by YOU in times of financial hardship, even if PO doesn't turn up.

It would be great to have a container load of toilet paper, sanitary towels, dried food etc ... but for most people that won't be a possibility.

Sudden thought: if you started/bought a small general store you would already have all this stuff ... and it would be turning over stock so expiry dates wouldn't be a problem. You would just need to make sure that at least 50% of the stuff is in the back office, VERY securely locked up.

[Grifter]

I like the sound of that. How about an online store selling bug-out bags, first aid kits.

Perhaps I should become a publican

[SoothSayer]

>> As for lead-acid batteries and toilet paper, ain't nobody gettin those in a trade with me

Every motor vehicle has a lead acid battery so no worries there.

[basil_hayden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mmasters', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NeoPeasant', 'T')he liquor will only work until people start to figure out what happens when you sprinkle some yeast into a container of sugary liquid and put it on a shelf for a few weeks.

Which makes me think - good brewing yeast will be worth it's weight in silver, if not gold.

[ironborne]

It seems yall have thought about this in detail. I would just like to add tweezers, needles (especially leather), and thread to the list.

[strider3700]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SoothSayer', '&')gt;> As for lead-acid batteries and toilet paper, ain't nobody gettin those in a trade with me

Every motor vehicle has a lead acid battery so no worries there.

[rushdy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Jellric', 'I')t is preferable to trade items which you have a continuous supply of- that's why when the time comes I will keep bees. Then I can use the following items for myself and barter with the surplus: honey, beeswax candles, and the mead (honey wine). Yeast is available in the wild to those who know. (The powdery white material often seen on the skin of berries is wild yeast).

As for lead-acid batteries and toilet paper, ain't nobody gettin those in a trade with me!

[OneLoneClone]

Portable LEGAL vices are always a good bet (booze, tobacco) for border guards.

people end up paying crazy money for life's little luxuries...

toilet paper, soap, skin lotions, coffeebeans, chocolate... people really miss those little things...

In eastern europe I used to work alongside refugees from former Yugoslavia (this was during around 90-94). When they went home to visit family in the war zone they mostly brought coffee, booze, chocolate, and shampoo - as I recall.

[mmasters]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OneLoneClone', 'P')ortable LEGAL vices are always a good bet (booze, tobacco) for border guards.

people end up paying crazy money for life's little luxuries...

toilet paper, soap, skin lotions, coffeebeans, chocolate... people really miss those little things...

In eastern europe I used to work alongside refugees from former Yugoslavia (this was during around 90-94). When they went home to visit family in the war zone they mostly brought coffee, booze, chocolate, and shampoo - as I recall.

[JPL]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('OneLoneClone', 'P')ortable LEGAL vices are always a good bet (booze, tobacco) for border guards.

people end up paying crazy money for life's little luxuries...

toilet paper, soap, skin lotions, coffeebeans, chocolate... people really miss those little things...

[NeoPeasant]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('JPL', '1'). Salt. Kilos of it. Universal antiseptic & preservative. I buy some every time I see it going cheep, and stick it in the shed.

JPL

[michaelkaer]

Hi Group.

I researched this and wrote a book called " What Money Can't Buy" about Peak oil and the chaos that is going to happen. Some of you have been thinking this through. I like the nailclippers and tweesers. I included needles and thread, toothbrushes, seeds, toilet paper I plan on making myself , mostly from old newsprint,tools, knives, sharping stones,fish hooks and fishing line, worms I am raising myself, razors, soap( also hand made) bee's wax candles I hand-dipped( making a living at it now),salt, sugar ( I want you folks to store that stuff, because that is what I will be buying),candy, feminine pads, condoms,face masks and safety goggles, work gloves, extra boots and shoes, socks and underwear, extra meat ( I plan to raise rabbits), fish I catch, extra fruit and veggies I grow, mason jars with the oldstyle glass lids, matches, flint, bandages, antibiotic cremes, rubbing alcohol, books... The list could go on.
The main things I will will be bartering is my skills and knowledge. I fix bikes, backs and cracks. I am a bicycle mechanic, a certified Reflexologist and Relaxation Therapist and My Dad taught me to work with cement from a young age ( he was a cement contractor). I do seated massage which will come in handy when you folks have to start gardening on a regular basis. That is a lot of sore backs. I will post more later. Michael J. Kaer in Canada

[azreal60]

Hey michael, welcome to the board. From another Michael, any chance I can get you to move to Wisconsin if I start a sustainable community? I was just thinking the other day, one of the only skills I'm really not looking forward to doing without is a chiropractor to crack my back. Are your skills similar? I do indeed think gardening will bring about a need for that skill.

The only thing is, I don't want to store the sugar either =) I think I'll stick to honey for my sweet tooth....