SHTF Currency Question

[ClassicBlue]

I have some friends in the Rome area that think hard liquor would be a wise investment. One buddy has a couple cases of Jack Daniels for bartering. I think I'm gonna go with some silver in bullion and coin - at least it should hold some value if the dollar becomes worthless and I have my bases covered. Ammo is great, but I don't think its gonna get to the point where we're in an all out war between neighbors and others for survival. I think plenty of food and water and some cash reserves with get us through whatever comes our way.

 

[83rdrecon]

buy food and ammo...will be the best money

+1!

 

[Bear44]

Precious metals will be the first currency used after direct barter is no longer needed. You still have the problem of transporting items for barter so this will happen quickly. The reason silver coins are recommended is simply because they are easily identified and have a known weight. The reason age of the coin is important is because before a certain date they really were silver, now they're not. Bullion would be fine, but you would need to be prepared to make smaller pieces and show they are a specific weight. True silver coins are a known commodity, bullion is not.

 

[Bear44]

I have some friends in the Rome area that think hard liquor would be a wise investment. One buddy has a couple cases of Jack Daniels for bartering. I think I'm gonna go with some silver in bullion and coin - at least it should hold some value if the dollar becomes worthless and I have my bases covered. Ammo is great, but I don't think its gonna get to the point where we're in an all out war between neighbors and others for survival. I think plenty of food and water and some cash reserves with get us through whatever comes our way.

In SHTF situation I would want to avoid people that would want to trade necessities for survival for booze.

 

[fattboyzz]

Ammo, food, and toilet paper.

yepp ...

some folks in this thread will be cleaning their butt with gold an silver and wishing they had some food .....

come knockin on my door with gold ,silver and coins for food will be an epic fail ....

 

[Bioshock]

According to the Fallout games, Nuka-Cola bottlecaps will be the currency of choice after SHTF.

+1^..I have the day off and thanks to this I think I will revisit Fallout

---
As for shtf money: gov. ration tickets, food, salt, medicine, ammo, lead for reloading, tolietries, clothing, anything to
barter with that you use daily now.
I think precious metals will be cheap and what brings people future fortunes if they are able to procure them when people
are desperate.

 

[83rdrecon]

silver and gold are a good hedge if you want to pay off your mortgage before shtf.
my rule of thumb: if you cant shoot it, eat it, or wipe your ass with it you probably dont need it....

id be willing to bet that ammo and lead will be a higher valued commodity than junk silver coins after shtf...

 

[Chris Mac]

yepp ...

some folks in this thread will be cleaning their butt with gold an silver and wishing they had some food .....

come knockin on my door with gold ,silver and coins for food will be an epic fail ....

Send them to my door. Part of prepping is having enough extra put aside for barter and trade. I'll take their gold and silver.

 

[Chris Mac]

Prepping is about getting ready for multiple scenarios, so you need to have a deep store of tradable items that can be used in a barter economy. Preferably items that keep up with inflation today and will still hold value tomorrow.

That said, here's my partial list of barter items that can be traded even today:

1. IN DEMAND SKILLS - list is longer than I have time to write here

2. Food stores - separate from what you've stored for your family. Meets people's most immediate needs and 98% of the population isn't prepping so food will be a high value item. Include bulk basic supplies like grains, sugar, honey, etc.

3. Baby items - formula, diapers, clothing. ointments (this stuff will fly of fhte shelves in an emergency)

4. Medicines and medical supplies.

5. PMs, including easily exchangable 90% silver coins - easy to store and transport

6. Tobacco products - by the carton and case. High value item even if your trading contacts don't smoke.

7. Alchohol (high quality name brand whiskey is always of value) - stores very long term

8. Firearms, ammo, reloading supplies, repair items for common firearm types (always makes sense to stock extra hunting rifles even if just .22)

9. Feminine products

10. Gasoline

11. Kerosene

12. Lamp Oil and Lamps

13. Dual Fuel stoves/Lanterns

14. Communications equipment - SW radios, etc.

15. Batteries

16. Water purification kits

17. Seeds (in a bad SHTF situation, you won't get deliveries to your local garden centers) - buy in sealed cans/vaults

18. Canning supplies

19. Field dental kits

20. Men's shaving kits - handles, blades, cake soap, brushes

21. Extra sets of high quality footwear in different sizes

22. High quality casual clothing (jeans, shirts, undergarments, coats)

23. Fishing gear

24. Hunting Supplies including processing knives, clothing, etc.

24. Reading glasses

25. Well pumps

26. Wood stove or two - (buy used small stoves and restore)

27. Portable camp stoves - wood or briquet fueled (i.e., rocket stove)

28. Field/Camping Equipment

29. Spices/Seasonings

30. Hand tools and saw/blade sharpening supplies

40. Tires - common car sizes, bicycles too.

41. Old vehicles in good mechanical condition, especially pickup trucks.

42. Small tractors in good mechanical condition

43. Metal stock supplies including well piping, sheet metal, rods, etc.

44. Butchering kits - knives, etc.

45. Hygiene items

46. Food prep - pots and pans, bread pans, cooking supplies - ever wonder how those people that eat out 100% of the time are gonna make it?

47. Coffee - vacuum sealed bricks


The list is endless. The four top items everyone needs is water, food, shelter and heat. But don't think everyone will be in a bad spot - some will trade for high dollar items.

 

[83rdrecon]

chris if you have to bug out you just lost that cache. while it is good to have extra in an extended shtf scenario i would not trade anything i could not replace....