Bartering alcohol
 

I've just started buying alcohol. Other preps are in good shape. I don't drink.

When it comes to bartering alcohol, what would you trade for?

What about toilet paper and the like?

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

whatever you trade for
trade it fast and have your guns/protection at the ready
and then when your trade booze is gone
people won't believe you and may insist on looking in your home

booze and cigarettes may be two excellent barter/trade items
but not for me, i think these two items
may just bring unwanted attention/trouble to where ever you're located

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

If you don't use it, prolly wise to stay out of it. Hitting your own supply is the name of the game.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

I should stock up on both as I rarely if ever really use either.

Vacuum sealed smokes would last a long time....

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

yah I am debating getting a 48 bottle case of 200ml jack daniels.
:RockOn:
Spec's has em for 320$ a case, for 48 bottles... small bottles will be ideal for trading purposes. :beer:

Or you could buy large bottles and some small glass jars.... just a thought.:applause_

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

even if you don't drink, you could always use them as molotov cocktails to throw at the zombie hoards.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

"Some say a comet will fall from the sky.
Followed by meteor showers and tidal waves.
Followed by faultlines that cannot sit still.
Followed by millions of dumbfounded dipshits."

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

I have a "few" 750ml plastic traveler bottles of cheep whiskey. for trade.
For my own stock, I prefer Vodka; Swede, Polish, and Russian.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Just to add thought to this never trades these types of things out of your house. You are just asking for some real trouble down the road if someone gets desperate. Might be ok with a trustworthy neighbor but would be careful beyond that.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

The idea of booze in a plastic bottle makes me gag.

All trade involves an element of risk. In order to be a successful trader, you have to have something other people want/need and people need to know that you have it and therein lies the risk. Be it booze, cigarettes, ammunition, food, or something as simple as fishing line.

If your really worried about people bum rushing your stash I would recommend trading your wares in a public forum away from your bulk storage and/or domicile.

Of course, traveling to and from the public forum with your trade goods opens you up to banditry but thats where caravaning comes into play.

Trading means dealing with people and all that it entails. I don't really think theres a way to shortcut the risks completely.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

If it gets to the point of bartering your liquor for toilet paper, I'm sure you'll be a drinker by then.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Besides bartering, there are other purposes for which alcohol has uses.

I'm thinking in terms of bribes and gifts. As a social lubricant to help grease the wheels and speed along other transactions of one sort or another.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Yes defiately. You should have levels of quality liquor. Maybe a few bottles of some primo scotch or vodka, maybe even some brandy for those "cheiftans" that you might need to negotiate with. The really good stuff is what I am talking about here.

Have some regular scotch or kentucky or tennesee whiskey etc for your regular people. Have a few cases of this stuff.

I don't know what a drunk would have that I would want to trade so am not anticipating helping them get a fix but it might help in a "let me pass" situation where violence is in the offing.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Here I was thinking antiseptic and painkiller.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Bribes and gifts work too. :smile:

But part of the barter transaction is VALUE, especially in a SHTF situation. You won't be bartering with complete strangers (unless you're running the local black market), you'll be trading with friends and neighbors. Alcohol and nicotine are addictive; you may be getting your neighbor something he craves, but not something he particularly needs. If I have a neighbor who I rely on, I don't want him drunk. I want him alert.

That's not to say you can't invite him over for some sippin whiskey after a hard day of work. That can build social bonds. But you don't want to end up as someone's dealer. Most people don't have good feelings towards their dealer, no matter how nice they are to his face.

Tobacco is the same. Until your crop comes in, there isn't going to be any more. Like with the tumbler of whiskey, a few cigars on hand will be useful, or maybe a pouch of pipe tobacco.

You want to have a barterable that takes up little space, stores for years, and will have your nic-distracted neighbor feeling kindly towards you? Get a few boxes of nicotine gum. Wal-Mart has it quite a bit cheaper than the name brands. You'll be helping your neighbor ease out of his habit, and that benefits both of you.

In a cash society, we often lose sight of the differences between COST and VALUE.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Interesting idea about nicotine gum, but I'm not entirely certain of its shelf-life. Anyone know?

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Don't pay the taxes to buy premade booze. You are only supporting the problem as you prepare to endure it. Instead, stock sugar and yeast to make it yourself as you need it. HERE are the instructions.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Better instructions here:


http://homedistiller.org/

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

I say good booze will always be valuable, SHTF or not. Stock up on the good stuff as well as the bargain basement brands.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

thanks Saul Mine. I made a PDF of the book on that website. Here it is for y'all :yippee:

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

I have been actively purchasing wine and liquor recently for just this purpose but also because of the increasing taxes.

I have noticed that prices have been lower lately because of the economy so I decided to take advantage. Mostly wine and 12 year old scotch as well as bottles of Patron.

I believe that more and more taxes will be placed on alcoholic beverages in the coming years and if there is a true shtf scenario then alcohol whether store bought or home made will be a valuable commodity for either barter or for money whether that money be.....well whatever.

Many people of past affluence will abuse their stores of wines and booze and will desperately cling to their past ways as a means to cope with the despair. Call it wrong if you will but I will gladly take advantage of that. I don't care.

If this does not happen then I will have some 20 year old good stuff to enjoy now and then, a luxury many will not have.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Be careful I once started to open a bar, and in reading the laws. I discovered it was illegal for any private citizen to stock alcohol to any degree. As a matter of fact I seen a news story one night on my local news, where they had raided a guy for that very thing. It was a legit collection IMO he had the very first bottle of Jack made and all the years following ( he only had Jack nothing else) Anyway his home was raided & searched over it.

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

ER, not to dispute what your saying, but any chance you can provide me a relevant link to anything that would remotely support what your implying?

Re: Bartering alcohol
 

Agreed. Millions of people house thousands of bottles of wine, for sure.