Storing Items for future bartering
 

Can anyone here give me some tips on storing some different types of bartering items? I think food and ammo has been covered a bit, but what about things like cigarettes, other tobacco products, alcohol, and other type products that people will want to enjoy? Heck, condoms, (viagra-lol!) Seems like the tobacco products would be the hardest to keep fresh for long periods. I would think a carton of Marlboros would fetch a tidy sum when the time comes. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! TIA

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Cases of motor oil. Hand tools. Rechargeable batteries. Gasoline/Kerosene, firewood, candles, boxes of matches, butane fire starter wands, small propane fuel tanks.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Tampons, homemade wine, eggs, fruit, sugar, flour, spices. People might not need as much motor oil as you'd think, gotta has gas.

sb

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

I guess I should have worded my question a little better. I'm mainly concerned with the proper storage of said items, to keep them as fresh and preserved as possible, for as long as possible. My bad. I do appreciate the barter ideas as well though. Thanks.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

You can keep pipe tobacco fresh easily. Seal it in mason jars. That's what I do.

It'll last for years, and it just keeps getting better the older it gets. 10 to 20 years at the minimum, could last 30 or more.

Boil the small 1/2 pint mason jars, sanitize the lids and bands in 170 degree hot (not boiling) water. Pull out the jars from the boiled water a couple at a time, turn upside down on a rack. They'll dry in less than a minute. When dry and still hot, cram 4 ounces of tobacco in, dry a lid and place on top, screw on a band, invert and dip it down past the band into melted hot wax a couple of times to seal, and let cool.

McClelland #5100 Red Cake is an economical Virginia that is great after a couple of years of aging. Buy it by the pound from Gene at Outwest Tobacco.

Note: I don't see why this wouldn't work just as well for cigarette tobacco, if you can find it in bulk.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Good idea. I did pick up some mason jars at Wal Mart. They have pallets of them starting around this time of year. Need to get some parafin wax as well. Thanks.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

You can buy huge slabs of white parafin wax quite cheaply at places like Hobby Lobby and Michael's or similar hobby/crafts stores, if you have any in your area. Break some off, melt in a small pot. I have a small cheap dollar store teflon coated aluminum pot that I heat wax in. I just let any leftover cool, then cover it with tin foil and stick it in my garage between uses.

You can put about a pound of tobacco in a quart sized mason jar. It is more economical to store that way since you use fewer jars, but once you open it, you'll have to use it or barter with it in smaller quantities fairly quickly, within about three months.

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Vice items might get more expensive , however methinks Phillip Morris will make sure you have the widest possible selection. Especially if the prices go up.

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I know this might sound a little bit crazy, but salt would be a good idea to keep a surplus in. It'll last forever w/ little to no storage requirements, it's cheap (now at least), and when TSHTF not only will people want it, they'll need it!

Taken from this website: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/B...t?OpenDocument

"Salt loss is rare but can be dangerous
The body loses salt through urine, perspiration, vomiting and diarrhoea. If too much salt is lost, the level of fluid in the blood will drop. Hyponatremia is a condition that occurs when the sodium in your blood falls below the normal range of 135�145 milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L). In severe cases, low sodium levels in the body can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Eventually lack of salt can lead to shock, coma and death."

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No offense, but I'd skip ammo, or anything else that could be used against you.

Nobody mentioned chocolate. We store alot of the same things others have mentioned, anything that plays to peoples vices like tobacco, booze in all size containers (different 'denominations').

One thing though I don't think I'd store for barter is food. I figure that if people see you have a little you're bartering, you may have a lot more stashed. Could be bad juju.

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Have you ever thought about growing your own tobacco? I recently found out the Indians here in Northern Illinois used to grow their own. I had always kind of assumed it could only be grown down South. Guess I'd have to figure out how to role cigars!!

sb

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One thing ... be damn careful with melted paraffin and open flame.

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Aluminum foil and plastic wrap (big restaurant sizes from Costco) are energy intensive products that could become luxury items.

Green coffee beans keep for years...some varieties properly aged sell for a premium, and I consider coffee to be one of the top luxury items and one of the best barter products.

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I've been getting 26 oz "cardboard jars" of salt for 33 cents at Wal-Mart. Highly trade-able, lasts forever if kept dry. Very useful for making soups made out of things you wouldn't eat today, palatable in a bleak future famine

Coffee, I'm torn between beans/grounds/instant - maybe have some of each.
8 oz instant coffee jars (glass) at WM $3.56 should last decades

Aluminum foil - the 75 square foot rolls at WM are not the cheapest anymore at $2.24 - Weis markets has them on sale at $2 even, and with 10% off coupons they mail out for big purchases I've stocked up at $1.80

Spices - get a big variety now and get duplicates of the ones you use most like pepper.

Ramen noodles and spaghetti (pasta in general) can still be found under 4 cents/ounce, but not in many places. Rice under 50 cents per pound is getting hard to find too - keep it all dry and sealed up tight - hard plastic is harder for rodents to get into than their plastic bags, but metal or glass beat rodent teeth much better. But I wouldn't barter food - it's just too valuable and irresistible to a starving person. They won't kill you for your stash of paprika, but they might for basic foodstuffs.

If you're getting booze, my thoughts are - avoid things like beer that will spoil, and go for high proof vodka. When fruit is in season you can add some to fruit juice and make "wine" in seconds. Lot's of bang for the buck, and can also be used as fuel or disinfectant. Not the best thing to trade either though. Like food and ammo - just too desirable, you don't want word out that you're stocked up on it.

In general, make sure stuff isn't contaminated when packed, then keep everything cool and dry

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

My god, decades old instant coffee? I rather drink reconstituted mud pie's. :D

I say store fresh green coffee beans roast them as needed. Just be ready to fend off the angry mobs once you grind them up. :tongue_ma:

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No. I don't live in tobacco-growing country, and I have a postage-stamp sized lot. Growing something I could eat would seem more practical.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Tobacco juice (tobacco boiled in water) can be sprayed on food crops as an insecticide, of which there will be precious little available.

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Perhaps something that will get lost in the shuffle is multi-vitamins or other similar supplements. Many won't care, but you might find a few people out there that would love to get their hands on these type of items.

Fish oil, CoenzymeQ10, and vitamin E are all natural blood thinners that could be in high demand when the prescription meds run out.

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My only thought is if things ever get as bad as many fear, ( I particullary dont feel we will regress to that point) there are many that will roam that will have firearms, how will you protect yourself and what your storing?

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Oh, I only meant for bartering. Hell, I'm up to my armpits in weapons and ammo. :D

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I would not trade ANYTHING for like the first 6 months or so after TSHTF because I will first let mother nature "purge" the unprepared and the dum sheep from the population.... the first winter in a grid down situation is all it going to take to do the deed.

Those that are around after that first cold cycle wil be a much sharper set and will know by default that you are sharp as well.


just my crazy thinking


T

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Thanks for the tobacco storing lore. I think I'll add that to our preps. We might need the insecticide function.

Also, I got cases of vodka and bourbon for barter earlier, but next I'm going for several cases of pints of everclear since it has many medicinal purposes besides that you can make kick ass punch. It can be used to make herbal remedies, plus as a rough pain killer or disinfectant. Though sugar may be the best cheap disinfectant.

We keep extra peroxide and stuff like that too.

Salt and sugar you mostly just need to keep dry. We love our vacuum sealer. No sugar turned into a rock by humidity. :D

I also hope it never comes to barter and we just have things we bought at lower prices as inflation soars as the dollar swoons.

That is what makes preps win-win. If you never need them in a crisis you still have stuff you bought at 05 or 08 prices. They can see you through a tough month or a really bad disaster, or pad your budget at any time.

Therefore our policy is if we use it, get extra every month if it keeps. Rotate what keeps a shorter time, like canned goods. But everything from razors to TP we get extra along.

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Hardware - nails, screws, bolts, nuts.

I'm amazed at how much those things have gone up in the last year or two. I've been making a point of buying one extra carton of either screws or nails every time I buy some for a project.

Even if they aren't all that useful for barter, they sure are a hedge on inflation because they will be more expensive next year.

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Paper plates and plastic utensils may have some value to those that are low on soap.

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Paper plates and such would be more useful in terms of a shortage of washing water rather than soap. Living in the country, I occasionally have run low on water because of lack of electricity or drought. So I practice conservation all the time. I have a large pantry filled with the staples I use.
With inflation hitting food harder now it only makes sense to store as much food as I need for a year or so. You can eat for less, while storing up for tommorrow. Personally I think freeze dried food is a poor deal. I have rice, beans, flour, wheat and other whole grains, a flour mill and bread mixer, a pressure canner, jars,amd lids lots of canned fruit, Lots of olive, canola and sunflower oil as well as palm oil shortning that keeps very well. Sugar, honey, maple syrup, nuts, seeds, pasta, tomato sauce. I grow several hundred pounds of potatoes each year as well as many types of greens. I have a collection of homemade wine worth thousands and a stash of wacky tobbacky that would make great barter items. Hard to say how well plans to barter any surplus would go in reality. Will I really have a surplus? Will we have organized public markets? What will I want to trade for? On the energy side I have firewood and wood stove, gasoline, batteries, a gas lantern for short term lighting. It is said that generators will be in demand in a panic. A generator that is a bargain right now at $400 might be worth a fortune at the right time. A good alternative that I already own is an inverter. I have a small inverter that can be hooked up to my car or pickup battery and will provide 120volt power to run a computer, stereo, and TV or a few compact flourescent lights at night. I want to get a 1200-1800 watt inverter. I could run most power tools and appliances using my car alternator. Eventually I could build a renewable energy system by adding a RV battery or two, a solar cell and maybe even a windpower generator. Generators and vehicles are only going to be as good as your fuel supply. Limited use would likely be wise. I have empty sandbags that are valuable during flooding or to build emergency bunkers. Plastic sheeting and tarps could be valued.

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A few years ago, a family bought a castle in England. At least I THINK it was in England. Might have been Scotland or Ireland.

Anyway, while they were cleaning it up, they came across a sub-basement closet that had stacks of wooden boxes. IN these wooden boxes were CIGARS. They were AT LEAST 150 years old.

Now, some of them were not able to be 'brought back' as it were. But due to the humidity in the castle sub-basement, most of the cigars were in very good shape.

THIS WAS 150 YEAR OLD (or older) CIGARS. They went for like $1000 EACH (or more).

So, you can properly store cigars for a LONG time. I keep two humidors full of cigars. One humidor is full of really cheap, fairly short cigars that I intend to sell as cigarette or chewing tobacco. Two or possible three cigars, plus one pack of rolling paper will be X. Whatever X will be.

I have two boxes of rolling papers, double sealed in vacuum packed plastic bags. So that's ONE type of trading material.

Then there's the other humidor. It has some fairly expensive cigars. The nice part about cigars is, if they dry out, all you have to do is rehumidify your humidor (soak it with water), then put the cigars back in, within about 24 hours, the cigars are back to normal. THESE will be for trading as well, but only for my 'well healed' clients.

SO, forget pipe tobacco. Forget cigarettes. Buy CIGARS. You can get them fairly cheaply at Thompsons Cigars on the web. Stock up now and you can lay in a large supply fairly cheaply. That's what I did.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

i would imagine even the sheeple that willingly go to a camp for food/water and shelter
would still be thinned out considerably over an average winter

survival of the fittest (and the prepared)

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

why are you dipping mason jars in wax?

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Hey, ever know of anybody that grew there own tobacco and roled their own cigars. You probably don't have the growing season out there but I know the Indians here in N. IL used to grow it.

sb

Re: Storing Items for future bartering/Tobacco
 

I should have added this: http://www.seedman.com/Tobacco.htm

sb

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

I will tobacco as I wish, sirs, thank you very much.

Otherwise....
CONDIMENT PACKETS! (but nobody ever seems to listen to me on that one) OR...you may enjoy that warm clear mayo as you see fit. MMMMMMM good with tuna!

Been getting through 4 year old canned coffee with no complaint. Don't expect J6P to take a sip of fresh roasted, look at you (with THAT certain look) and say, "BOY! That's a fine cup of shade grown Honduran!"

And if you're just joining us from the Ladies Only forum, Welcome! I'm hard to offend, and like you just fine. You can look at ALL of my posts any time you want! NO secrets here!:tongue_ma:

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Want a cheap useful prep? Packets of instant oatmeal.


1) Its easy food
2) No real temp control in storage
3) Easily divisible
4) Demand is from people with families
5) You aren't gonna get shot by gangs of young men with brown sugar cravings.

I have some can's of oatmeal, but the packets are more practical.

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

dogs. big mean dogs. couple fertile bitches and a good stud, you pick whatever breed suits your fancy. There is almost no limit to the utility of a large well trained dog that loves your family.
If times become unpleasant, you will sleep much easier with a couple dogs on night guard duty. As for MY homestead? put it thus:
I am NOT sneaked-upon.......... ever.

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FYI took out 3 dogs w/ subsonic .22 last December. They run loose in packs here. Not raining on your idea...just a politely made point. And they eat a lot, too...the non-dead ones that is.
Nothing stopping BG's from canvassing area w/ quiet firepower one night and hitting you a little later...

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Because test results indicate better preservation that way. See the jarring guide on this site: http://agingfaq.nocturne.org/

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Hey Hyper, talk to me about the condiment packets..Any idea how long they will last? I haven't heard this one yet.

sb

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Don't think anyone has mentioned this yet on this thread:

Don't forget the over-the-counter medicines!

Tylenol, Bayer, Neosporin, Motrin, Advil, Alleve, Nyquil, etc., etc. , etc. Buy it by the case. Name brands, generics, all of it. You'll want it for yourself and family if it is unavailable, and that stuff will even top cans of tuna as currency in a true SHTF scenario. Huge demand, easy to store, easy to carry and conceal, extremely divisible. You could get a meal for a few tylenol. Most of them don't expire for a few years.

Whenever I am in the aisles of the pharmacy or at the supermarket, I think of how fast those shelves would be bare if the news reported spreading bird flu or other pandemic, and I grab a few more.

Dymaxion

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Given the iffiness of some survival and scrounged food, Imodium will be a lifesaver. Electrolye replacement won't hurt either--I prefer one called Gookinade.

Along with the pill idea, go to the health food store and buy vegetable capsules--the clear capsules that many herbs are conveniently sold in. There are a few different sizes, but kept cool and dry they should last forever. There's also a little plastic loading tray that lets you fill 50 at a time. So much better than trying to choke down bitter herb teas.

Some other items we tend to overlook:

• Needles and thread
• Pencils
• Eyeglass repair kits (and reading glasses)
• Insecticides
• Q Tips
• Glue
• Shoe care products

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I have made preps my business although it is too soon for the customers to realize what it is yet. I have a warehouse full of stuff for sale cheaper than you can get it anywhere else. Hardware is a wise choice. We get ours by cruising storage auctions. I have almost a hardware store worth of items now for fractions of a penny on the dollar and we pass the savings along.

Some day maybe we will be the black market and hang a pirate flag and be protected by mr ak47 and do business by barter only. I hope it does not have to come to that, but its hard not to think about it.

Personally I would say, get anything you can while you can. Beyond that, it takes actual real world practice to be able to see things in front of your face. Some of our best sales are made by pulling our neighbors junk from the garbage can out front.

People still throw away money every day.

Lesson #1. Leave your pride at home.

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Fuels........

Re: Storing Items for future bartering
 

Seasoned firewood--especially that first year. The chainsaw you use now will save you many axe swings later.

And stacked correctly it can work as a barricade.