Barter items

[Straight Shooter]

I am starting to put together some barter items ........tobacco , Cics , rolling papers and filters , flints , lighter fluid , gas , over the counter meds , vape liquid , and coils , toilet rolls , personal hygiene products , batteries , gas canisters , candles , blankets , hand tools , petrol , diesel, paraffin, dried foods , seeds , composts , fruit seedlings , rope , cable ties , para cord , tarps , wicks for oil lamps , nails , screws , bolts , clue , motor oils , grease , saw files , two stroke oil , chains , sharpening stones , tape measures , ........spare hinges , locks , most of which I already have , so what am I missing from my listings above ? .....what are you keeping for barter items ? .

[MaryN]

We keep everything that could have a use, and that includes electric tapes and wires, old fence panels, pallets etc.. but the biggest barter thing for us is help for others. We regularly swap assistance with neighbours - we help them, they help us. In season I will pass over surplus fruit and veg in return for help with fencing, or anything that needs extra hands. Works well, and is how things should operate.

[bigpaul]

I keep nothing for barter, I wont be bartering with anyone post SHTF, not safe and most will only have what they stand up in.

[Pete Grey]

I tend to agree with BP on this one, what’s mine is mine and has taken a long time to accumulate.

We have gone without to get to where we are now, so we intend to keep what we have. We will probably help our immediate neighbours if they are desperate but that’s it.

What’s happening to OPSEC if you start trading and show everyone what you’ve got ?.

[bigpaul]

exactly Pete, the trouble with barter items is they take up space "just in case" which could be used to store items that we DO need rather than MIGHT barter.
we would like to help SOME of our neighbours but that would destroy OPSEC so probably wont.

[Straight Shooter]

What about fellow preppers ? Close family members ? Let me be clear , I do not intend to wheel around a handcart showing off my wares or personal visits to my home ( to show anything I have ) are you f..king crazy ! Dear me !

Mary has the right idea , I very much agree and inline with my own outlook but all to their own .

[Pete Grey]

We’ve no family within 90 miles, two pairs of friends 5 minutes away (one a prepper), either couple would do anything for us and even give us the food off their table. Our immediate neighbours (both sides) no more.

We’ve worked all hours, sometimes two jobs each, and gone without holidays and expensive new cars to get what we have.

[bigpaul]

I have no immediate family, one female cousin in Devon who I dont see much, my other cousin her brother lives in Australia, half sister lives in Berkshire.
wife's family live in Hampshire near Southampton.
in SHTF we will never see these people again.
nearest prepper I know is either down on The Lizard in Cornwall or in Taunton in Somerset, both too far for contact post SHTF and meetings once or two a year before the pandemic.

[Straight Shooter]

So why do I think barter items are important ! Be it my labour , tools to carry out the work , a few screws or nails , a couple of fags or worst case some food........let’s say we are a 12 to 18 months into tshtf ....by then there would be shortages everywhere .....someone will always want and need something I have and I would need something they have ......NEED .......the simple fact is if what you need you can trade something the other party needs as much as you a barter can be made.....it’s not a question of anyone living a hundred miles away ! It’s having the ability to make a trade and having something to trade with , that is what this thread is about preparing for just such a trade or barter! If you are not going to (give anything) of yours to service your NEED ...fine .....Good Luck with that one .

[CharlesHarris]

At my age, like MB, there are some tasks I find difficult, which I would prefer to hire someone younger and stronger to do.

In those situations I would barter for their labour, whilst getting to know them better and determining who is reliable and trustworthy.

Always be careful of OPSEC and don't reveal too much. I would barter food, firewood and common items which don't reveal valuable preps. Avoid reveal things which could target you for theft or mischief, you are better off.

Canned grocery items would go out for barter before freeze dried, batteries or bullets....