PayingTradingAndBartering.pdf
When the lights go out for a long time, your cash will be worthless to most people.
Just three weeks into a crisis, Bill Gates could stroll into anybody’s home with a wheelbarrow of cash and nobody would sell him a thing — not water, not canned goods, not even a few tomatoes growing in their garden.
Cash would no longer have a value. Which is why you will need a store of items that people NEED in order to survive, which you can pay, trade and barter with.
That could mean more tangible forms of payment such as water, gasoline, alcohol, food and more.
So in order to help prepare you for this type of emergency, I’ve put together this report. Read on for my list of valuable items that you should stock up on in the event your cash will no longer be any good…
Basic Communication and Negotiation
First and foremost, you need to figure out what you want and what you currently have in stock.
Value in a cashless world is typically determined by utility, usefulness and rarity (or difficulty to obtain/make), so keep that in mind.
When determining what you can trade for the item you want, find out what the other person needs — the more in need of something they are, the more it is worth to them, and the more easily they will make the trade. However, the item you are trading with must not exceed the value of the item you’re getting in return
It would be inconceivable to assume society as a whole would throw off its sense of justice in a cashless world. Fairly quickly in this situation, some kind of either improvised or variation of an existing justice system would emerge, probably with qualified overseers to settle disputes.
For this reason, it would be foolish to make any transaction without proof of that transaction. All transactions — no matter how small — should be set in writing and dated, with three copies (for you, the person you’re trading with and some kind of authority that keeps records). You should also have a neutral third party witness the transaction and sign the agreements with you (not much different than a notary).
The Most Valuable Items to Stock
Bullets: Ammo is easy to stock up on as long as you choose the calibers that are most common, such as the .22, .22lr, .223, .308, 9mm and 12 gauge shells.
Since the government is making it tougher and tougher to buy guns and ammo, get it while you can. It’s likely you will be able to sell it to people who have run out.
Bonus if you can make ammo yourself with a press!
Metals: Metals like copper, steel, iron, rebar, etc., are used in multitudes of things, like electronics, appliances, infrastructure and buildings. They are easy to find and will be useful for barter.
Tools and building supplies: Items like wood, nails, hammers, saws and other general fix-it tools will be in high demand after a collapse. You could even use your tools and barter simply with your skills to build shelters or for repairs, etc.
Flashlights: When the lights go out, people are going to be looking for a way to see. And after the sun sets, there will be complete darkness without an artificial light source. Flashlights and lanterns will be a necessity for anyone who doesn’t have light.
Batteries: A no-brainer. If you have devices like radios, flashlights and walkie-talkies, you will want to have batteries on hand. And if others have those devices on hand, chances are they will need batteries at some point as well.
Rechargeable batteries: While batteries are a great item to have on hand, rechargeable batteries should have a higher value, because you get more use out of them. I like the Panasonic eneloop rechargeable batteries. These batteries come pre-charged from the factory, so you can immediately put them to use. Also, they can be recharged up to 2,100 times. You could keep these charged and easily sell them for goods and services, even recharging them every so often at a cost.
Water: You need to prepare for the thing that will kill you first. You need water for staying hydrated as well as cooking food to stay nourished and healthy. This will be a high-value item to anyone who has run out, as you can only survive without water for a few days.
Sugar: Stockpiling sugar is wise because it can be used in a variety of different foods and can help you keep your energy up. It will also help you to make comfort foods during hard times, which people might be desperate for in a desperate time.
Rice: Rice is a great source of carbohydrates, is high in calories and protein and has essential vitamins and minerals. Specifically, whole grain rice, as it has a longer shelf life. It’s easy to make and makes an easy item to barter.
Clothing: If you’re smart, instead of throwing away old clothes (or giving them to charity, which isn’t a bad idea, but that’s not the point), you can recondition and keep them for after the collapse. With so many preppers focused on food and water, few of them think that that old pair of jeans will ever be useful. It’s very likely that clothing factories from China are going to ship them to the U.S. anymore.
Alcohol: This is good to have on hand because it has multiple uses. You can drink it, use it for cooking and even use it for hygienic purposes such as cleaning a cut or wound. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, it could be a crucial item in bartering. Knowing how to make it is even better.
Cigarettes (and other tobacco products): Vices are vices. And this one happens to be addictive. Although rather expensive, you can buy these in bulk and be sure that they will be a hot commodity for barter with any nearby smokers.
Medical supplies: This is something you want to put a high price on. Getting meds will be hard if not impossible, so you don’t want to just give them away, though that may be the right thing to do. Consider stockpiling the following:
• Ibuprofen
• Benadryl
• Bandages of all shapes and sizes
• Gauze and surgical tape
• Vinyl gloves
• Cotton balls
• Rubbing alcohol
• Aspirin
• Antibiotic cream, etc.
Tip: If you stock up on first-aid supplies to barter with (or simply to hand out freely to people in need), consider the generic name brands as a way to save money. For the most part, many generics do just as well as the more expensive brand names (unless, that is, we’re talking about survival gear –— a good piece of gear that has a lifetime of use is worth the price paid, specifically if it doesn’t break or rip on you).
With the increase in both natural and manmade disasters, improving your first-aid skills should be a priority. To be clear, first-aid preparedness should go beyond just having a first-aid kit. You should have some basic training along with the proper medical supplies. Many local colleges offer first-aid courses that will teach you CPR along with other basic first-aid skills — skills that are essential in any survival situation.
Food: Food, like water, is a necessity for survival. In a survival situation, anyone who runs out of food risks starvation. Food is a great item to store in a barter economy, specifically canned and freeze-dried foods, because they have a long shelf life (especially foods like eggs, which can easily be dipped in wax and kept for years)
Seeds: Gardening is another great skill to hone. You can grow your own food and trade the fresh-grown food. I would recommend planting heirloom or non-GMO seeds — since those seeds can be saved and replanted from year to year. This is the type of skill you should practice now, even if you don’t need the food to survive. You never know when that will change, and the experience will be invaluable.
Salt/pepper/other spices: These items, while great for seasoning food, are also very important for preserving perishable food items like meat. Salt is particularly versatile, as it can be used for cleaning and medicinally.
Copper wiring: This is an extremely useful item, as it is used in power generation, transmission and distribution, telecommunication, electronics and electricity. Because of its range of uses, it’s a good item to have in place of money
Oil and gasoline: Fuel is a great item to have for barter because it powers essential items such as generators and vehicles. If someone needs power or is trying to get from Point A to Point B, they will likely put a high value on both gasoline and oil.
Finally, use your skills. Whether it be cooking, home defense, fixing things, medical skills and more… these could always be useful in a crisis for not only you but others. Why not use them to your advantage?
Any of the items listed above will be as good as gold.
Most people think in terms of preparing for what they need… they don’t think about what happens when they need to go “shopping” in a society that doesn’t trust the value of cash.
That’s why I’ve provided you with the Paying, Trading and Bartering in a Cashless World. So you are fully prepared to survive in an environment where cash no longer has a value.
Stay safe,
Jason Hanson
