Reality tells us that we may soon be coming to a point in which cash is no longer king. The economy has been drying up for years. Over one million Americans filed their initial unemployment claim over the last month. The dollars we bring home are buying less on every trip to the grocery store.
Few of us are completely self-sufficient. There are always going to be a few things that we cannot make for ourselves. If your personal preps are in order, consider investing your prep dollars in a new way: purchase barter items!
A lot of things that are inexpensive now will be invaluable later. As the economy collapses even further, people will be focused on survival and the barter system will reignite [1]. Barter items will be far better than cash – you can’t eat a dollar!
What kind of items will be worth their weight in gold? Check out this list for a few suggestions:
- Matches and lighters
- Seeds [2]
- Canning jars, lids and rings
- First aid items
- Tools
- Water Filtration Supplies
- Sewing supplies
- Vitamins
- Salt [3]
- Feminine Hygiene Supplies [4]
- Vitamins
- Fishing Supplies
- Fuel [5](gasoline, propane, kerosene, etc)
- Sweeteners such as honey, sugar and syrup [6]
- Coffee/Tea
- Carbonated beverages
- Liquor
- Cigarettes/tobacco [7]
- Small packages of food (baggies of beans/rice, etc)
- Livestock
- Cooking oil
- Firewood
- Farm supplies (pesticides, fertilizer, etc.)
- Weapons, Ammo *
- Batteries [8]
- Warm clothing
- Hats/Gloves (think about those little dollar store stretchy items)
- Soap/shampoo
- Hand sanitizer
- Dental care items (toothbrushes/toothpaste/floss)
*Caution: Exercise great discretion when bartering with weapons and ammunition. It is entirely possible that those items could be used against you to take your supplies. These are items to be bartered only with someone you trust implicitly or as an absolute last resort.
Barter items can be purchased at the dollar store, the flea market or at liquidation houses. Don’t forget yard sales – even though you already possess a meat grinder, someone who has ammo that you need might not have one. Items that you can acquire and store inexpensively may one day be more valuable than gold.
Don’t forget about the items that you can produce yourself. This goes hand-in-hand with the barter of skills. Stock up on the supplies you need to create the following items for a long-term flow of “income”.
- Fresh produce
- Ammunition (see *caution above)
- Home canned items
- Preserved meats (jerky, ham, etc)
- Warm knitted or crocheted items (mittens, hats, scarves)
- Yarn spun from animal fibers
- Homemade candy
- Homemade soap
- Homemade candles
- Wooden or clay bowls and plates
- Herbal remedies
Use this list to get your creative juices flowing. What items do you possess the ability to make? Which of these items will be particularly useful if the grid goes down or if the economy crumbles?
What items are you stocking up on for life in a potential barter-based economy? Please share your ideas below!