Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Local Commerce: Trading Like Your Life Depends on it!


     In think of what to post next, I did a mental shake down of everything I have in my condo; it really is a LOT of stuff. The good thing is that it is all useable by someone, and when TSHTF, my excess stuff could make my life easier, if the price is right, thanks to the power of bartering.

     In the event that social civilization did go to hell in a hand-basket, bartering will become a way of life again. Having items laying around which will be in demand is the trick. But having all this stuff is only the first half of the game. Many people have forgotten the art of negotiation. I cannot count the number of times that I have seen people accept a given price at a yard sale or flea market when I know that the merchant would lower the price if asked. I have been that merchant and profited from that mistake!

So how do you get the goods without going broke?

     If you want an item, you offer the seller a nice low price and see if they bite at it, then you raise it up until you both reach an agreement. It sounds really easy, right? It is, but Americans have been stuck for decades in the sticker trap. We have been so conditioned by the big box stores to sheepishly accept the price on the sticker that we rarely ask for a better deal. The art of negotiation is a skill that preppers must master.

     Start small when learning any new skill – yard sales are great! I hate to admit that I cheat: I never fold my bills together when I go yard sailing, and each pocket has a different denomination of bill. When someone thinks that you only have $3 in your pocket, they will usually meet your $3 offer on a $5 item.

     Once you have this simple form of bargaining mastered, then you can try your skills at the big box stores. And yes, it does work. I recently got an item for $30 off the in-store price because they sent an email to me with the sale price and nowhere on the email did it say “online only.” I pressed my point and walked away with the deal simply because I asked for it.

     With bartering, you should be trading things you don’t really need for things that you can use (or trade again later). I have put together a list of things for consideration since most of this is really cheap and easy to find now. This is not exhaustive, but it will hopefully get you thinking. Keep space in mind as you stock, and buy things you may actually need “at some point” since your shelf space is limited.


Canned food – cheap stuff you stocked but would rather not eat: noodles, potted meat, the great deal you found on tomato soup, etc.

Bullets – all sizes. 22’s are cheap and most people have a .22 for popping squirrels.

Hygiene items – especially soap, toothpaste, and feminine items

Diapers and baby wipes – wipes are worth their weight in gold in a situation without water to bathe in!

Baby formula and bottles

Trauma supplies

OTC medications

Vitamins

Salt and Sugar

Livestock - breeding pairs of animals should be maintained at all costs

Sustainable food: eggs, milk, butter, bread, honey

Bread starters like sourdough

Socks, underwear

Hand tools – handsaws and drills will be in demand

Screws and nails in a variety of sizes. Think about the poor sheepole who try to make a chicken coop without this stuff!

Plastic sheeting

Duct tape

Rechargeable batteries – any batteries really, but get a solar recharger for yourself and then you can offer recharging capacity for a fee.

Used cast iron pots and pans – the plastic handled, thin wall pans we now use will not withstand the abuse of daily open fires. Old cast iron is easy to find and not too difficult to restore and season. And having the knowledge to do so will also be a skill you can market in the future.

Toilet paper – I’d have to be desperate to trade my TP, but I’ve got a bunch just in case.

Pencils and paper

Files and wet stones – dull knives are useless

Jar rings and lids for canning – the lids are single use only so the more the merrier.

Charcoal and small propane bottles – for those sheep that cannot make fire

Lighters / matches – I am the only non-smoker I know who carries a lighter. Easy fire is WAY better than having to use a mag. fire starter.

Magnesium fire starters – I have several, and I have used them on occasion just to see if I can. Yes, they work, but it is more complicated than I want to fool with if I’m cold or hungry.

Books - fiction and non-fiction

When should you barter?

     The best answer is: when you need something in return. 90 days after TSHIF events, once society has had a chance to toughen up, and everyone is on the same level of mercenary mind-set, is a good time to consider starting on a small level. Barter with people you know and expect to have to defend you self and your stuff if you start bartering bowls on a blanket. Although unfortunate, this is the way society will most likely head.

     Please feel free to add to my list, I’m sure I’ve forgotten or simply not thought about a lot. Thanks for reading, and Happy Prepping!

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