Any thing of value that can be exchanged if needs be?

Starting to think about not keeping all my money in cash or bank in case there is major catastrophe, but also I don't to put myself in a position where that money is now stuck UNLESS a catastrophe happens.

If say I needed to get that "value" back into cash, what are my options?

 

Well, if a major catastrophe occurred, if you were diligent in preparing for such an emergency by having foot-producing gardens, a huge supply of bottled water and other provisions, your supplies will become much more valuable than cash within a short period of time. Just as $100,000 is useless if you are stranded in the Sahara 50-60 miles from any human habitation but a backpack of supplies and three canteens of water is worth its weight in gold, your excess supplies will be very valuable for bartering after a major catastrophe has occurred and you will get value-plus back for them.

 

The real value of money is backed with assets: gold ingots, properties, stock market etc. Not so hard to figure it out which valuable stuff you should have if currency is not a thing anymore, like food, chemicals, weapons or tools designed for a specific job. Anything that someone besides you would find useful, is valuable.

 

What I mean though is something that I can store in my emergency provisions but also exchange back for cash if the catastrophe does not happen and I need to use cash for some other reason?

Like gold I guess, I looked at some gold coins but looks like you lose money if you want to sell them back at short notice.

Is there anything useful in a catastrophe but also easily exchanged for cash while economy is till as it is?

 

You shouldn't prep with bartering in mind. There's no need to buy and store things that will be of no use to you post event. Better instead to save that space and instead buy more food or anything else that will be just for you. Something you won't need to trade in order to get anything else.

In place of stuff I'd barter, I'd stockpile seeds. These would be more valuable than anything else in a post-apocalyptic world.

 

If you're worried about exchanging items for their value start investing in gold, it's never going to lose its value and you'll have a lot of success selling it because everyone wants it. I personally keep a part of my economies at home, some cash in my pocket and the rest I keep on my debit account/PayPal, that way if there's something wrong and I can't access my money I still have a part that I can use to survive.

 

Everything will have it's own audience. Booze and cigarettes are definitely a novelty, particularly the cigs since it's a bit harder to grow and roll tobacco than it is to brew some generic alcohol like 'moonshine' or ethanol.

 

In a catastrophe, I don't believe there will be that great need for money as a trading tool. It's more likely that people will be trading goods and services. Exchanging of food, water, and labour will be the most likely way of existence.

 

Maybe you make sure that you always buy enough food and clothes so that when disaster strikes you can sell some to your neighbours and make some cash. Other things that people can buy during a disaster include medicines, radios and mobile phones. You can also work for others so that you can earn from your work.

 

A valuable skill would be one of the best things anyone could possess. If you know how to build things, plumbing, electrical, maybe setting up drip irrigation, so that you would be able to do it for someone else or even advise someone who is going to do it themselves. That would have definate value that could be turned into cash or other trade.

 

Well for what you are describing, gold or other precious metals would probably be your best bet. Yes there will be a commission paid (one way or another) both when purchasing and selling the gold, so assuming the price stays more or less the same then you will lose a little. But it still fits what you are looking for, just keep in mind that the value of gold and other similar metals fluctuates.

I really can't think of anything else that you could quickly turn into cash in a normal situation. Stocks/bonds/mutual funds could be an alternative to keeping money in the bank but I guess in this case you are worried about the banks failing or you not having access to one, so these would be just as useless in that case.

 

I think that literal financial profit is completely useless during a SHTF moment. There would be an economy, but it wouldn't be about money. It would be about consumables, novelties, things that you can't just procure when war starts or industry slides to a halt.

 

True but this thread, if you read the first post (and his second one) carefully, is about items that could easily be converted back to cash in case nothing happens and the person in question suddenly needs the money. In this case, while you are probably not aiming for profit, not losing half of your money would be a good thing.

 

What I mean though is something that I can store in my emergency provisions but also exchange back for cash if the catastrophe does not happen and I need to use cash for some other reason?

Like gold I guess, I looked at some gold coins but looks like you lose money if you want to sell them back at short notice.

Is there anything useful in a catastrophe but also easily exchanged for cash while economy is till as it is?