If you’re moderately familiar with prepping in general you’ve probably heard more than once the need to stock up on alcohol, cigarettes, gold and silver for bartering purposes. While these items are definitely some of the best bartering opportunities, they are also very expensive.
On top of that I’m not sure that having shelves of booze when your morale may be in jeopardy is a good idea. Then add in the fact that I’m a ‘mormon’ and the idea of stocking up on liquor and smokes just doesn’t work for me.
All in all if you have the funds – go for it. Buy all the gold and silver coins you can get your hands on and make your basement look like a wine cellar. But if you’re like me, and the majority of Americans today, consider stocking up on some less expensive bartering opportunities:
- Toilet Paper
- ChapStick
- Eye Drops
- Matches
- Bleach
- Bandages
- Warm Clothing (Purchase used coats for bartering at your local D.I., GoodWill or other thrift store. At D.I. you’ll find tons of coats and other clothing for under $5)
- Tape
- Water
- Sugar
- Flour
- Feminine Supplies
- Condoms (People get bored without electricity…)
- Flu/Cold Medication
- Lotion
- Soap
- Ziploc or Garbage Bags
- Seeds
- Sunscreen
- Fever/Inflammation Reducer
- Pain Relievers
- Pens
- Ramen Noodles (I have my family’s food storage, then a 10 foot tall stack of Ramen Noodles to trade with others.)
- Neosporin
- Toothpaste
- Water Purification Tablets
- Milk Powder (A large percentage of people consume dairy on a daily basis. One can of my favorite powdered milk cost me $20 and makes 20 Quarts. This means I could trade a whole quart of milk and it’d only have cost me a dollar. That’s magnificent bartering value.)
- Rope
- Plastic Wrap
- Sanitizer
Now keep in mind that this is my top bartering items list for those of us on a budget. There are obviously some other great items you can trade that are on the more costly side. Things like fuel, bullets and batteries.
The easiest way to come up with cheap trades is to think of scenarios throughout the day in which you feel discomfort and you use something small/cheap to remedy the situation.
ChapStick for example: If you have chronic chapped lips like myself you understand the annoyance chapped lips can bring. But if left without remedy that little annoyance can turn into injury, bringing problems like cold sores, bleeding cracked lips and so on. We often take for granted the small things that keep us from needing bigger interventions.
What other cheap items do you have stashed for bartering purposes? Share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
Kudos Ms/ Hooley: Outstanding!
Your SnP is indeed “”practical preps for practical people on a practical budget”. It’s a refreshing oasis in a desert of nonsense prepping commercialization.
Right on Ms. Hooley – WRITE ON!
Respectfully, Yoda
http://www.magnifiedview.com
thanks for the list it helps me out very much i was trying to figure out some cheap things for bartering thank you again.
Bleach actually has a rather short shelf life. < 1 year. What I have is a large container of pool Shock. With it I can make many 100s of gallons of bleach, and it will last a long time.
When I see disposible razors on sale I buy a bunch. I think that they`ll be a good barter item.
At the top of my list are cloth diapers and baby formula. I keep the formula on hand in case something happens to me (and my boobs) so that my baby can still eat. I also had family see an “honest” looter during Katrina. The one thing he stole? A pack of diapers.
I’ve always had a box of “trade items” with my supplies. Never know when it’ll come in handy and all of these items are things you’ll eventually use in time (if not, I’d skip them).
I’ll add:
- Toothpaste (you might be surprised what you’d be willing to do for toothpaste after a few days without brushing!)
- Disposable lighters
- Salt
- Vitamins (year’s supply at Wal-mart for $4)
- Deodorant
- Seeds
- Coffee
Most of these items can be purchased at a dollar store (except coffee & vitamins). The seeds, even if not heirloom, could come in handy for at least a season.
Like everything else, rotate it out on occasion.
Good job here!
Bars of soap
Perfume
hair clippers
Babywipes
Hand tools, nails
Duc tape
Foot powder
Calcium Hypochloride & empty bottles for water purification
It might seem silly but what do you think about makeup, like little packages of mascara, lipstick, or eye pencils? They seem like they’d be very small and easy to store but also in demand in all but the absolute worst of SHTF situations. What’s the shelf life of those unopened?
That’s a great idea! It really depends on the product. I know mascara is recommended to not be used after a year of purchasing but eye make up and powdered foundations I’ve held on to for years without any problems.
Great post, having barter goods is a great thing to have, and having a list of affordable items makes it easier
Jessica,
I would stock up on Coconut Oil. You can get 5 gal containers for $75. It can be used as chap stick, skin and hair conditioner, and can (should)also be used in foods as a butter and as a shortening replacement (Makes great pie crusts and tastes great on popcorn). It also has great anti-fungal properties and other health benefits.
I love Coconut Oil! Where did you find it for such a good price? The lowest I’ve found it in my area is $99 per 5 gallons.
I feel like I’m getting this hurricane thing down now and being prepared is coming second hand. Great list you have. One thing I had to scout for that I didn’t have was sinus meds. Storms bring all sorts of nasties with it. Thank goodness for a sweet nurse in our ward. The other thing I keep for bartering is CANDY! It’s comfort food when all heck has broken lose. When the electricity goes out for a long time chocolate melts but tootsie rolls keep their little shapes. What a woman won’t trade for chocolate.
LOL Love it! I truly never thought of candy. But I know several women who would trade a box of matches for a Heath Bar :) Sinus meds are also a very good inexpensive bartering item. Especially when bought in bulk. I think we have enough cough/cold medicine in my basement to medicate the entire state haha
I’m new to this, so I may be way off base, but what about spices? Cheap if you grow your own, Doesn’t take much space to store & I think people will want to liven up their MREs & beans after a while.
Also, if you look into making your own lip balm, hand lotion & laundry soap, it’s fairly cheap.
I think that’s a great idea Dar! Anything to liven up the mundane I’m sure will end up being a valuable barter item.
Up here in Canada it’ll be Timmies! (Tim Horton’s Coffee) The cans are pretty expensive but maybe worth it initially.
I think socks would be huge, anytime you read about soldier in the trenches of WWII they need socks, mits, jackets, shoes, sweets and coffee.
On the home front in WWII (England and France at least) Lipstick was one fo the few petroleum based products still being produced in england to help keep up moral. Milk, stockings and cloths to ‘cut down were also big items.
History’s a pretty good teacher maybe we should be reading WWII and refugee autobiographies to see what they were short of and dreaming of.
I’m not sure about there, but here we can buy combs, wipes, flashlights, those little fm radios and bulk battaries at the dollar store. Not top quality but if it helps someone out… We can sometimes get Detol there too.
Cheers
Definitely chapstick!
Basic socks, hats, gloves, and scarves can be found at Dollar Tree and are certainly better than nothing. To alleviate boredom, notebooks & pens, crosswords/word searches, small toys, and even books.