What's the single best barter item?
asked in the TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Q&A Forum
If you were going to store up on one single barter item, what
would it be? I'd think it would have to be something compact,
fairly lightweight, of resonable price at the moment, and likely to
vanish from the shelves in a crisis. I've heard toilet paper is a
good one, but storing it would take too much room. Bullets?
Well, now, you'd then have to deal with the kind of people who
need bullets in a crisis, and I'm not sure I want to. Booze?
Bottles are breakable. What else? I'm thinking soap is a good
one. How about it?
Asked by Erik (linter7173@aol.com) on November 16, 1998.
Answers
I have a few barter items on hand. I feel it is better to have more
than one, so that I can barter with more people. Soap is good,
also deodorant, shampoo (trial size), hand creams, cosmetics,
toothbrushes, toothpaste, rubber gloves, extra cast iron
cookware and extra food. The cookware is good if you find you
need a large item in trading, check out local garage sales and flea
markets for large items like it. For the food items, luxury items
will be even more luxurious post y2k.
Answered by Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net) on November 16,
1998.
Think what do we import that we may not be able to get and
what takes a lot of processing and fuel to make and distribute?
For those reasons I go with paper products (toilet paper and
writing paper) and plastics(plastic storage bags, garbage
bags,containers)as well as all the items already mentioned. In
cold climates add on woolen caps and mittens and socks. Just
about any food item but especially imports like tea and
coffee.Also bleach,dish soap, vinegar and salt.Think also storage
spaces like attics, basements,crawlspaces, garages(especially up
high). You can store more than you think.Just one item? Coffee.
Answered by Sue (deco100@aol.com) on November 16, 1998.
My barter item would be knowledge and skills that will be
needed post Y2K. They don't take up space, we can bring them
where ever we go, they can't be taken away from us, and they
can be traded for tangibles.
Answered by Robert Michaels (sonofdust@net.com) on November 16, 1998.
Sugar, coffee, aspirin (things I don't use, but will have on hand
for barter.)
Answered by Holly Allen (holly3325@juno.com) on November 16, 1998.
Candles, matches, ability to solve problems, ability to create
things from that which grows off the land. Think "Swiss Family
Robinson." There's ingenuity in action. Ability to teach others
how to fish.
Diane
Answered by Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com) on November 16,
1998.
Think addictive luxuries, Alcohol (yes glass but should not be a
problem), brewers yeast, sulfite (camden) tablets for beer,
tobacco (in ANY form), CHOCOLATE(!), etc.
Cuttlerey, Arrows, arrow-heads, essoteric head treatments for
hunting arrows (if you've seen some of the broadheads today you
understand), Fletching. the toiletries have all been mentioned, but
particularly perfume, and men's cologne/aftershave, patent
medicines (aspirin, et al, Bag Balm, creams and lotions,
anti-fungals, topical pain killers and topical itch killers, EXTRA
MONISTAT (!), cough drops and cough & Cold stuff).
Things NOT to barter: bullets ("I'll trade this here 100 pounds of
wheat for 25 rounds of 9mm." "OK Here's your 25 rounds."
"Now, STICK 'EM UP and give back the 100 pounds of
wheat!" , firearms (same scenario).
Answered by Chuck a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com) on November 16,
1998.
Diane
I'm thinking Swiss Family Robinson......
But at the moment I'm right out of coconut bombs. However
rolling logs onto marauding pirates sounds like fun........
Dang, the tiger's missing too!
Answered by Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca) on November 16, 1998.
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