Have you ever thought about creating a barter system with friends or neighbors for goods and supplies that you need? For example, my neighbor has a huge garden, and he always has surplus. I, on the other hand, catch plenty of fish. While visiting with each other one day, we began discussing his garden. I told him that I didn't have time to tend a garden because I'd rather be fishing. Because of his health, he can't get out on the lake like he used to, so we struck an agreement. I trade him fresh catfish for fresh vegetables. It helps both of us and puts resources we already have to good use without having to rely on money to purchase what we need. In the long run, it saves us money.
And that's technically the foundations of human's community living. Harmony can be achieved when a group people agreed to perform different activities related to their aptitude and talents. A mere human being can't perform well every daily activity because we generally are crappy multitaskers but exceptional when we focus all our energy in one or a few related activities.
Right now I trade vegetables that I grow in my garden. My neighbor has an avocado tree and I trade him for some of my squash and tomatoes. I have another neighbor down the street who has a lemon tree and I am going over today to give her some summer squash in exchange for lemons. I can't wait to make some lemonade and have it with dinner tonight!
Before the world financial institution came about, primitive people use to barter all the time. They payed taxes and tribute in form of goods or food. This system that you talk about is something that is proven to work 1000s of years ago. It's nothing new. If I was a farmer and had lots of vegetables, then I will trade with a local fisherman for some fish. It is not fresh or a breakthrough.
Bartering still exists to some extent. I've heard of people who trade services for something their neighbors might have. For example instead of buying a lawn mower you could offer to mow your neighbors lawn so you could borrow their lawn mower. Had to find people to barter with though . . . Which is why you should look online. There are numerous sites where you could swap a number of things. Bartering it is.
What of trading a service for something? Thing though is after you've been paid someone could still follow you to your hideout to find out if you have something they could steal from you. I suppose trading services for supplies may not be that good an idea either.
I agree with lonewolf: bartering would not work in a collapsed economy. People would fight over the value of each transaction (yes, I know before the crash the value was 5 "rocks", but now the value is 100 "rocks"--and what are you gonna DO about it?!--and if you wait to think it over, the value goes up every minute. Decide now so you can save!)-- so it could get quite ugly. Plus, there's always the chance that the person you bartered with would still change their mind and decide they have been cheated, and try to get satisfaction in very nasty ways. It's best to be as self-sufficient as possible, or only trade with well-trusted partners. Now, if people would just switch over RIGHT NOW to a resource based economy, we could avoid a lot of potentially harmful scenarios of the future--check out TVP (The Venus Project) designed by Jacques Fresco in Florida. A resource based economy is a forward-thinking solution for our economic troubles.
That's actually a very good idea and I would love to do it with someone, however I don't have that many neighbors with that many skills and resources.I'm also too shy to even ask them for a trade of resources. I have to say, that's a very nice strategy and we should all probably do that at some point in your life's. It really just provides with a healthier lifestyle because we don't have to stress with shopping, and it increases our social skills.
yes, but its not going to happen BEFORE the catastrophe is it? when things are going good, nothing changes, and afterwards is too late, so nothing changes.
I am a certified teacher in the state of Texas. I thought one way to survive a serious depression would be to barter teaching reading or perhaps tutoring. The school systems would be in jeopardy as in the Great Depression and I could exchange teaching for food or services. At least, I hope someone would be willing to participate in a bartering system for this. Otherwise, I am probably SOL.
People have become too enamoured with money forgetting its power lies in what it can buy. Barter trade can even be used to exchange goods and services. It all boils down to assessing an items worth in cash and then calculating the equivalent of another item or service. The flip side of it is that some items are indivisible into smaller quantities. In this case, a dual form of trade which is partly cash and partly carter trade should work fine. Barter trade does exist in many places as work for goods.
Bartering is the purest form of currency. I wholly agree with it as a system that provides the direct needs of both parties present. Our current monetary system does nothing more than provide imaginary value to help us negotiate with major companies who act as middle men by providing services that otherwise would be available freely if it weren't for their meddling in ways to block access to those resources. We are the actual currency, and the game is actually played to keep us as cattle. Most of the things that we pay for now we can get free of charge if we choose to acquire the knowledge of producing it.
I've done that, too. I've traded tutoring services for a haircut. My neighbor is a hairstylist, and her son needed help in math. It worked out pretty well (It sort of helps that she's the one who already cuts my hair in the first place). I look for trades anywhere I can, so that I can save money. I have a kid in college with two more about to head that way. I need to save as much as I can.
Bartering has its advantages when it is based on mutual agreement to exchange goods in a fair manner. I think it can be very helpful but I also see the point of it not being possible afte rthe apocalypse. There will be too much competition and everyone would be thinking about themselves pretty much. So I would say enjoy bartering while it is still possible and people are still open-minded about it. But when the apocalypse comes you will not be able to rely on bartering, you will have to find other solutions to survive and that means not relying too much on other people either.
Bartering would strengthen a well knit community. I am not too keen on bartering with strangers. That is literally a gamble at ties when resources are scarce.
This is true, but you know the government looks down on systems like this because they can't make taxes off of it, that's why they have strict laws on what type of farming you can do at your home and how it needs to be reported. I would use a bartering system, but it interrupts the standard code. Paying for everything and then paying taxes on those things you pay for, you can't run an in-home fresh meat business, and just barter for everything you need in life. Sure it would be pretty cool. Plus what about a value system? Fish might be worth more than vegetables too many others who focus on getting value for there bartered item, just depends on personal preference.
This type of thing i think is more common in the country. A lot of trading can happen both in supplies/ food but also jobs /tasks . for example, if i have a tractor i could clear your snow and you could __________ for me. I think that this is important to set up before a disaster occurs because in WROL or in long term survival you will already have made those connections with people and will be able to grow a community that is well rounded and able to thrive in a situation where one person or a small group would not. My only warning for this would be that you have to be a good sense of character as you do not want the wrong people to know what you have when they need it and are desperate in WROL
If nothing else it's a useful tool to get your finances in order. I plan on being as self sufficient as possible, so I am using this and using the income saved on my personal infrastructure.
Bartering has always been done in country areas but there have always been those people who want something for nothing. They will be even worse post SHTF. Be very carefull who you deal with.
get what you want NOW before the SHTF then you wont have to barter afterwards, anyway it wont be safe to do so for months, years after the event. too dangerous.
I agree with lonewolf: bartering would not work in a collapsed economy. People would fight over the value of each transaction (yes, I know before the crash the value was 5 "rocks", but now the value is 100 "rocks"--and what are you gonna DO about it?!--and if you wait to think it over, the value goes up every minute. Decide now so you can save!)-- so it could get quite ugly. Plus, there's always the chance that the person you bartered with would still change their mind and decide they have been cheated, and try to get satisfaction in very nasty ways. It's best to be as self-sufficient as possible, or only trade with well-trusted partners. Now, if people would just switch over RIGHT NOW to a resource based economy, we could avoid a lot of potentially harmful scenarios of the future--check out TVP (The Venus Project) designed by Jacques Fresco in Florida. A resource based economy is a forward-thinking solution for our economic troubles.
In the rural farm community in which I live, we already barter among ourselves and believe that we would should things go south. When assembling various barter items for inclusion in my survival supplies, I included a selection of various types of knives. I have over three dozen barter knives in my survival supplies. I included various types: fixed blade, lock-blade, folding, and Swiss Army type, as well as a manual knife sharpener to sharpen them. I can also barter my ability to sharpen blades. As a former US Navy Corpsman and retired Registered Nurse, I have also bartered my "medic skills" and will continue to do so in our community. I agree though, that starting bartering after things change forever isn't recommended. I would only continue to barter with those in my community whom I know.
Bartering is definitely part of the economic fallout from an apocalyptic scenario. Have you never seen the reality television shows like Barter Kings? Even post-recession, it has become popular again. I believe that what we really need is a communal spirit in our current lives. In Central Texas they said 900,000 empty seats are the main source of gridlock traffic congestion. They engineered a carpooling app. But, people today are overly influenced by the scary side of the media, because bad news sells. They are afraid of strangers and do not act pragmatically. After WWII, chocolate and cigarettes were the medium of choice after the economy collapsed. I think today, gourmet coffee and alcohol would be great mediums of exchange, with people smoking less.
The things I'll have to barter in a emergency situation. The best things to have are silver bars (gold is expensive), coffee and medical supplies. All three are relatively easy to obtain and stock up on. You will need other people if it's an extended emergency. If you start running low on supplies and its a month into the emergency then you will have to branch out look to barter. First stock up on things that are easily accessible and overtime larger items. Its doable and its the best way to go.
Honestly, I never thought of that (but what a nice idea! ). It seems to be a very interesting way to do business in a friendly way - which is something very important - and I think it would work very well.
yeah, but it isn't going to be friendly is it? have a look on the news and see how people behave after a disaster, hands out for anything they can get and violence when they cant. post SHTF it isn't going to be pretty and you'd better realise that very early on and adapt to the situation .
Agreed. This is how trades started as well. Shortly after money came. And it surely is making a lot of problems for most people / countries on the world. Too bad that lot's of people wouldn't agree on stuff like these. We are afraid of each other, everyone seems like an enemy, while in fact, we are our own enemy by closing ourselves. Those who do know how to barter will surely know how to make good deals in possible post-apocalyptic scenarios where people might live in smaller camps and such.
I do trade with some friends locally. Fruit for clothing (some of my friends are talented seamstresses!) or even me watching other friends children in exchange for baked goods, or a meal. It's just a lot easier than dealing with cash, plus I think exchanging cash between friends can be awkward! So it's a lot easier to me when a friend says "hey, can you watch my kids for a few hours next weekend - I'll sew a couple of tops for your kids in exchange!"
most people in the UK will not buy anything second hand, so trying to barter is a waste of time, they only want shiny new stuff.
Such a shame! I love thrifting, repurposing, and just getting a bargain too, of course. Second hand things are so much fun to browse through - and a lot of the time it's amazing what people will get rid of that is perfectly good or just needs a small amount of fixing to make it functional again. Everyone has that throwaway mentality these days or so it seems...I'm glad to find kindred spirits on here that still believe second hand stuff is useful!
