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.
Yup.
ORT. Oral Rehydration Therapy.
One liter water, 8 tsp sugar, one tsp salt. Keep administering about a cup every 15 minutes until the person stabilizes. Be prepared to get puked on!
Store up here local in the Seattle area called Top Foods
Would not recommend brewing and drinking that one. :)
BFLR
Kartographer Well if a boy likes a girl he will call her up and.... I get it.
Duke: You don't won't to have mate'. As if the zombies aren't going to be bad enough, if you have mate' you're going to have to beat off the Argentinians too!
Now I gotta press 2 for Spanish?!?
1903 I think its pronounced mah-TAY...its big in South America.
Great. Now I'm on Spanish dating sites....
GeronL and Stonewall Jackson you're actually helping and I don't have to 'press 1 for English'. Heh.
Thanks, Freepers !
You too, Harmless Teddy Bear!
Being left handed, I have a hard time with bolt-action rifles, but I still went out and picked up a couple of surplus Mausers a couple of years ago, just in case, along with ammo and accessories for each.
Why would you be dumb enough to let people know you have a stockpile? I only would have this one last bottle...
Crissakes. You people think you are living in a novel? geez...Count me out. Reality is enough of a challenge.
Pat Franks, who wrote "Alas, Babylon", used his personal experiences in WW1 and WW2 to come up with the list of shortage items for his book. Salt, coffee, alcohol, medical supplies, gasoline, car batteries, tires, clothes, and shoes are just some of the items he mentions.
amen
Do-it-yourself-caffeine bookmark!
You wont have a heart doctor or Lipitor and a lot of those other critical medicines for a lot of you. So, you’re going to lose a lot of the most-loved, most-needed.
And you can’t pack Jesus but you can help Him - He’ll be the one you turn away.
So put your trust in the inherent dignity of man that God endowed us with:
Keep a Consitution and a copy of the state penal code - use it to restart a society so you wont have to stockpile so much because you’ll recreate a God-Loving Republic in short order - of course, drop the anti-Church crap.
Start working on a better set of laws now so it will be ready for a hand vote, family by family, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county.
Yea, those freaks in the next county over are your key to safety in numbers.
Lose the trees, see the forest.
You wont have a heart doctor or Lipitor and a lot of those other critical medicines for a lot of you. So, you’re going to lose a lot of the most-loved, most-needed.
And you can’t pack Jesus but you can help Him - He’ll be the one you turn away.
So put your trust in the inherent dignity of man that God endowed us with:
Keep a Consitution and a copy of the state penal code - use it to restart a society so you wont have to stockpile so much because you’ll recreate a God-Loving Republic in short order - of course, drop the anti-Church crap.
Start working on a better set of laws now so it will be ready for a hand vote, family by family, neighborhood by neighborhood, county by county.
Yea, those freaks in the next county over are your key to safety in numbers.
Lose the trees, see the forest.
Canning Jars and Lids
Stock up for your own use and some to barter.
Preserving food by canning it in jars is simple.
If you don’t know how to can food using both a water bath canner and a pressure canner it is a skill you should have and now is the time to learn.
As they say - when it’s SHTF time it’s probably too late.
You can preserve veggies, fruits, meat, fish, jam, jelly, pickles, gravy, sauces, and even prepared food like chili and stew.
Most of what you see preserved in a can or jar at the grocery store can be preserved at home using simple canning equipment.
You need a canner, jars, lids and a few basic tools.
Canning supplies and equipment are widely available and prices vary considerable so it pays to shop around and keep your eyes open for a deal. Good buys are sometimes found at yard sales, flea markets and on Craigslist. Older relatives are likely to have some jars and canning equipment stored away. I have had people give me jars because they like to see them go to someone who will use them.
Look in Big Lots, Walmart, Ace hardware, country stores, grocery stores, etc. Many stores get rid of their stock each year in the fall and reduce prices to get them off the shelf fast.
If you buy jars new you will find standard canning jars (”Mason jars”) start at about $8 - $10 a dozen. Prices vary for wide mouth and different sizes. New jars usually come with a new two part lid consisting of a reusable screw down “ring” and a non-reusable “lid”. The rings can be used over and over again but a new lid must be used each time you can something.
Rings and lids are also availabl as a set or just the lids.
Replacement canning lids are about $1.50 a dozen at Walmart.
A set of basic canning tools is about $15 almost anywhere canning supplies are sold.
You can get started with just a funnel ($3) and a jar lifter ($5).
A few commercial foods, like Classico pasta sauce, come packaged in real mason jars.
These jars can be saved and reused to can other foods.
When Classico sauce is on BOGO sale a jar costs little more than an empty canning jar. Get your friends and relatves to save these jars for you.
Water bath canners are used for tomatos and a few other foods - usually those with high acids or high sugar content.
Pressure canners are used all other foods, especially for meats sauces, etc. A canning book will tell you which method to use for which food. Used canners in good condition are perfectly good to use.
A new 21-Qt Water-Bath Canner is less than $25 on eBay. This is a good price.
A new Presto pressure canner is available on eBay for $41. This is an excellent price for a new unit.
The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving is the classic how-to for preserving foods. Sells for $5 to $10.
Alot of people don’t think about salt.
Salt is cheaper than dirt right now.
But in the past, alot of people worked their backsides off and sweated and toiled and then got paid. They got paid in SALt. Which was SALine.
That’s where we even get the word SALary.
A guy could put 100 lbs of SALt up for like what, maybe 20 bucks?
^
That sounds a little familiar....can you tell me more?
Batteries, in the age of battery dependance not having a simple AA all the way to a marine, deep cycle or truck battery.
I prefer lithium based batteries such as the Surefire 3 volt ones I use in my flashlights. They have a ten year shelf life of which is entirely true, I bought two boxes from Surefire in 2000 and I am just now starting to use the last ones, and they are still good.
No way you can get that out of any regular battery.
And if you have rechargeable batteries get a solar panel thats big enough to recharge them, your cell phone, laptop etc.
sfl
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