Even if you’re an advanced prepper, it’s very likely that there’s something you’re forgetting to stockpile. Post SHTF that item you forgot to get could mean life or death… or just cause a lot of misery. The whole purpose of having a stockpile of barter items is that you’ll be able to acquire that missing item through trade post SHTF if need be. Not only will the items below be useful for your own survival, but they’ll be items that will quickly disappear from the shelves of stores everywhere and so people will be in need of them. Some of these items can be expensive so be sure to only purchase these items while they’re on sale or you find a good deal on them.
1. Fuel: Days after a disaster there wont be any fuel in any gas station anywhere! And so for those families/individuals looking to get away from the area, they’ll desperately be looking for fuel anywhere they can. There will be a lot of value in car fuel and people will definitely be looking to trade it for some of their goods. Also consider stockpiling propane (in a safe manner) and other related fuels that could be used for heating, running generators, or cooking.
2. Booze: Stress levels will be incredibly high as society collapses into chaos. Although booze is terrible as a long term solution to stress, it can help in the short term when things really get tough. People will be looking to escape in whatever way they can and they’ll be willing to barter for alcohol. We should also mention that 60+ proof liquors have a wide variety of uses aside from just getting drunk from of it. Do some research and you’ll find that it’s very versatile.
3. Cigarettes: cigarettes don’t really have any urban survival value but they do have barter value in the short term after a disaster. Smokers will be itching for smokes and they’ll definitely be willing to barter something in return. What do you think? Should cigarettes be on this list? If not, what would you replace them with? We’re debating this on our end so we could use your help!
4. Food: This is a no brainer, people gotta eat! I would say if you’re going to stockpile anything, food should be it. Without food, people will eventually resort to killing another human for food, it’s incredibly powerful and holds a lot of barter value. People will give up almost anything once they start to starve.
5. Water Filters: Depending on where you live, there could be plenty of accessible water supplies, but without proper filtration, people will end up with terrible water born diseases and sickness. After hurricane Katrina, the number one most valued item after the disaster was clean drinking water. A simple cheap water filter will be worth it’s weight in gold after a disaster. Stockpile these when you find them on sale and you’ll be well off after SHTF.
Just remember that not everything you stockpile has to be bartered, make room for kind donation to those in need, but set a limit on how much you’re willing to give up. The lives of you and your family/friends should always come first.