Preparedness has a special place in our hearts here at Old Fashioned Families, since we are all about being self-sufficient. While there are a lot of misconceptions about preppers, namely just how intense they are, in reality they’ve got the right idea. Being prepared to survive is not all about the world ending— though preppers would be the most equipped— but rather surviving any kind of adversity that life throws your way. This could mean a natural disaster, losing your job, or even war.
If something were to ever happen and leave us in a situation where we couldn’t use the dollar, what would we do? Barter, of course! Basically, rather than trading money for a good or service, you would swap for a different good or service. You’ll probably want to keep any food and water supply that you’ve stocked up, as will most other people. Other items will disappear pretty instantly, leading only to an increased value.
So, once you’ve got a nice survival stash going, I would recommend focusing on these items as they will have the most value in bartering, if there ever comes a need!
- Alcohol
- Cigarettes
- Coffee and tea
- Basic medicines – antibiotics, ibuprofen
- Water purification supplies
- Fire making supplies – lighters, flint, matches
- Hand tools
- Sanitary supplies- toilet paper, feminine products
- Fuel of all variaties
- Batteries / solar devices
- Ice
Preppers typically start with food and water before working their way to other items that could come in handy, which is a fine strategy if you’re planning on fully stocking up for disasters. If not, though, you might consider supplementing the food and water with these items— other people will need them, which automatically puts them at a high value for trade.
Is there anything you keep a hearty supply of in case of disaster that I missed? Let me know in the comments!
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