Posted on 11/03/2011 9:06:40 PM PDT by Kartographer
If youre fully stocked and prepared to survive anything, you may want to take that next step and start stockpiling popular bartering items.
The exact items you choose to start stockpiling will depend on the situation your planning for, but in general the following items will all probably be in high demand after a total collapse:
Water Purification Most people dont realize how hard finding clean drinkable water will become in a post-collapse situation. When the water treatment plants stop running, people are going to be scrambling to find a way to purify their drinking water. Iodine tablets, bleach, water filters, canteens and even cooking pots will all be needed and in very high demand.
Ammo
1 out of every 3 Americans own a gun, but how many of these gun owners actually stockpile an adequate amount of ammunition?
In a SHTF situation Ammo is going to be a highly sought after item and will quickly become a very popular barter item. I recommend stocking up on calibers that you actually use followed by the most common calibers (.22, .223, 9mm, .45, 30-06, 12ga, & .308)
Guns & Accessories
If the SHTF those 2 out 3 Americans who dont own guns are going to be wishing they did. From people looking for parts to repair broken guns to those who are currently anti-gun, I can almost guarantee that guns will become one of the most wanted items after a collapse. Even pellet guns might be a good items to stock up on. Theyre cheap, easy to find and would be easier to part with.
Alcohol
Lets not beat around the bush here, in an apocalyptic SHTF scenario theres going to be a huge number of people who will want to drink their sorrows away. Hard liquor is going to be the best option because of its shelf life.
Medications
Almost half of all Americans are currently taking at least one prescription medication. In a post-apocalyptic world prescription medications will be another highly sought after item. From people who need to treat life threatening illnesses with antibiotics to those that will just want to forget everything thats happening, medications will be worth their weight in gold.
Food
Check out our list of some of the most important foods to stockpile. These will all be in high demand and are all a good idea to start stocking up on.
With the help of suggestions that have come in from our readers, we have compiled a list of the top food items that you can buy at the grocery store. The list contains foods with long shelf life, items that have multiple uses, and items that can be bartered.
Survival Food that makes life easier: These four foods can be stored for over 10 years and can add some flavor to your cooking. If stored properly they can probably last indefinitely.
Salt
Sugar Brown or White
Honey
Alcohol Whiskey, Vodka, etc
Hard Grains: Stored properly hard grains have a shelf life of around 10 12 years.
Buckwheat
Dry Corn
Kamut
Hard Red Wheat
Soft White Wheat
Millet
Durum wheat
Spelt
Soft grains: These soft grains will last around 8 years at 70 degrees sealed without oxygen.
Barley,
Oat Groats,
Quinoa
Rye
Beans: Sealed and kept away from oxygen the following beans can last for around 8 10 years.
Pinto Beans
Kidney Beans
Lentils
Lima Beans
Adzuki Beans
Garbanzo Beans
Mung Beans
Black Turtle Beans
Blackeye Beans
Flours and Mixes and Pastas: 5 8 years
All Purpose Flour
White Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Cornmeal
Pasta
White Rice ( up to 10 years)
Oils:
Coconut oil Coconut oil has one of the longest shelf lives of any kind of oil. It can last for over 2 years and is a great item to add to your survival food supplies list.
Other good survival foods: 2 5 years of shelf life
Canned Tuna
Canned Meats
Canned Vegetables & Fruits
Peanut Butter
Coffee
Tea
Ramen Noodles not the greatest food in the world but they are very cheap so they made the survival food list.
Hard Candy
Powdered milk
Dried herbs and spices
Items that can be used for more than cooking:
Apple Cider Vinegar Cleaning, cooking, and has antibiotic properties
Baking Soda Cleaning, cooking, etc
Honey Mentioned again for its antibiotic properties and wound healing.
Non Food Items to stock up on at the grocery store:
Bic Lighters
Toilet Paper
Soaps
Bottled Water
Vitamins
Medicines
Bandages
Peroxide
Lighter fluid
Canning Supplies
Charcoal
http://offgridsurvival.com/survivalfood/
Preppers Ping!
Ive got 2 of my neighbors on the road to preparedness. It’s good to have likeminded people around. Strength in numbers.
I would never store alcohol for barter. If people who crave alochol know you have it, you’d have to be on guard all the time.
I’d recommend tea and coffee for barter. In Bracken’s books, coffee was prized like gold.
I wouldn’t completely rule it out. Selco the Bosnia war survivor tells that many of his best deals where made trading alcohol. In fact some of his first extra weapons and ammo where made in trades for alcohol. It will be a very valuable comodity commodity and will go far in trade.
Also in the classic “Alas, Babylon”. Randy was willing to trade almost anything in his possession for some coffee, but everyone was in the same boat.
Mate is a bush that is easy to grow, needs minimal processing and has a major caffeine kick.
I would never store alcohol for barter. If people who crave alochol know you have it, youd have to be on guard all the time.
In the first place, you don’t advertise it. Very few people should even know you are stockpiling anything.
I home brew beer and usually have supplies on hand for nearly 200 gallons. I figure that will be a very sought after commodity.
If not, I will drink it myself ;0) P
Cheers,
Knewshound
Agreed. Wouldn’t want a crazy drunk around.
Cooking skills should be at the top of that list. With fast foods and convenience foods, cooking is becoming a dying art. I bet 95% wouldn’t have a clue what to do with those grains. There’s more than a few who haven’t a clue how to cook a pot of beans. As for making substitutions, forget about it.
I’m not going to store very much alcohol.
I am getting set to be able to MAKE some, though.
Strictly for medicinal and energy purposes....you know.
I’ve been studying this four a couple of years now.
I’ve determined that the only ones who will survive a SHTF situation will be those who clan cluster together in communities of 1000 to 2000 like-minded, survival-determined individuals.
Simply bugging out to a retreat will not be enough. Looters will kill you and steal what you have.
You need enough people situated in an area that can grow its own food, with ample, potable water, and a good defensible geography far away from population clusters (major cities).
Yes, I’m still looking.
Let me know when you find it.
Would you please add me to your list?
I suspect that no matter what, if the SHTF you will have to be on guard all the time. That’s why one of the things he emphasized was that a single person, no matter how well prepared, was in serious trouble.
Gotta sleep sometimes. Gotta take a dump sometimes. No way around human nature.
You will need backups and folks working with you. A good supply of essentials is a given, and non-essentials can help more than anyone might think.
One of the shows that used to be on PBS was about some folks who were taken out to somewhere in the great plains where they had to live like the original settlers. What they soon came to find out was that yes, food and shelter was essential, but the premium items, the luxury items, were the things that could make a person rich.
Bars of soap. Toothpaste. Coffee.
I must have ten pounds of candy in storage. Just candy. tootsie rolls. Butterscotch. Those orange slice thingies.
It takes more than just food and shelter to make us feel human. A clean set of sheets could literally save your life!
“Cooking skills..” Easy recipe for cooking monkey brains.
Slice the top 1/4 off an 8” sugar pumpkin. Clean out the seeds. Fill with pan fried hamburger, small to fine chopped garlic, onion, bell pepper, sun dried tomato, precooked rice. Put the top of the monkey’s head back on & microwave for 20 minutes or so.
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