I wanted to post this in BTS, as it is a topic I find intriguing and I wanted to aska a fairly simple question.

What Would You Do? Money is Now Worthless. You have to Barter for any form of trade. What will your provide? what would be the MAIN item you would be trading for?


I will go first. Logically if the dollar crashes the police aren't going to be enforcing a lot of old school laws. I would immediately craft a functioning still and trade in my vehicle for supplies to create moonshine. Then I trade the moonshine for a faster better vehicle. (since it could POSSIBLY Still be illegal :w

Now that I have a ride I will begin my next production of the 'shine

After I have a good 20 liter bottles I run to town, trade what I've got for survival supplies and a small amount of production supplies.

Slowly I would begin to have an excess of the shine. I could just live off of the trade value of good liqour... and maybe some bootleg stuff to.

eventually I would switch to growing tobacco and try and get back to the legal route. hrmmmm.... what would I do with all my stuff?

k... I guess no one is interested.

nice.

I would go and trade sex to every woman to get what I need, well if it works. Cool I see your also from tennesse aye? Which part? Im from Franklin.

[edit on 23-10-2007 by jca2005]

I didn't think about that route... My wife would probably kill me. but there would definitely be money to be made off all of the Mingers.

I live in Hermitage.

I grew up in Franklin though.... Interesting to meet another franklinite here.

You should of put this is in ATS survival forums. Its a pretty good concept I'm not sure has been talked about much.

Originally posted by Techsnow
You should of put this is in ATS survival forums. Its a pretty good concept I'm not sure has been talked about much.

Thats probably why nobody hasn't replied yet lol, its not in survival.

P.s. JCA... your not a Jason are you? and if so your not in your mid 20's are you?

and lastly if so does the last name Hooten mean anything to you?


or maybe Eaton?



Just a thought based off yo' pic.

Thank you Spacedoubt!

well since this thread is now a little more serious lets see some survivalist answers!

What would you do if the market crashed?

What would be your main item of barter?

what are you trading for mainly?


Come on guys I know your in here...

I intend to be on the coast WTSHT so i guess the item id trade is probably fresh seafood.

I have a buddy that believes that that is exacly what is going to happen. The dollar will suddenly be devalued, and then food will be scarce for many people.

He has saved up various things to be bartered for in that time. Hand tools, small arms ammo, cigarettes, just things people will be needing. He always did strike me as a smart guy. Wish I was more like that myself lol.

Food and clothing are going to be the 2 most important things anybody will have to trade. So start planning now - fresh fruit and vegetables will be like golddust in the cities.

I'm assuming if money was useless, it would be a situation similar to having the whole country getting messed up, somehow the leaders of the country would be gone, thus leaving no rules left such as money. possibly something like a war or a nuclear bomb would cause that? Anyway.

People with certain important skills, like engineering, electricians, builders, building experts, survival techniques skills, those guys will probably be the richest guys around.

Haha if you watch prison break, you will know Micheal Schofield, somebody like him would be very useful, and would become very rich haha.



[edit on 24-10-2007 by _Phoenix_]

[edit on 24-10-2007 by _Phoenix_]

Excellent question indeed...

I'm sure that this an abundant thought with most of those that are survival minded in one way or another, seemingly taboo but yet utterly important. This is a very difficult subject to approach.... and I would really like to see ths topic expanded upon here on ATS.

To get the ball rolling,
It would entirely depend on the scenario as there are alot of variables that could cause such said event, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here and take a moment to open up a possible catastrophe and how I myself would react in this circumstance. Following on the old saying "it is going to a h..l of alot worse before it gets better" thing.
(hypothetically broad assumption situation following)

The current predicament of the world...... and all monetary exchanges have left the physical realm, the peoples no longer rely on the posession of paper currency or coinage.. instead they place their trust in financial institutions "in some form" to watch over their net worth. They do it out of comvenience, it become easier to swipe a plastic card or wave a keychain sized magnetic strip at point of sale, than to first go to the bank... withdraw some cash, fumble through the wallet.... "oh wait.... remember how to count here...." Nobody wants pockets full of worthless coinage going through the washing machine 'eh? In the process of sacrificing our valued money in the sake of convenience we have also succombed (sp) to technology. And "what if" techonology fails? Then what? No longer do you own what you think you owned. Scary thought to say the least. What about all those people who are on the Forbes 500? How will they fair?

Something happens... possibly from a large scale man-made disaster or even something as simple as a natural event, maybe even something we had prior warning to. In the panic, people rush to banks.. ditch stocks, pack up their bags and grab a clean pair of socks... plastic up their windows and board the doors shut, and you now only have what you have near you.
That is all and you have, desperate times call for desperate measures right?

Me?
Well bartering would be the best option. If it was a total TEOTWAWKI situation most of us would be lucky to escape with whatever we had in person at the time, and in all honesty if I was lucky enough to have my crap together before the fit hits the shan, I might have a kit with some basic essentials, (the usual) add a few pieces of silver and gold... and some clothing. I would take stock of the situation, and try to remain rational while seeking advantages for betterment... call me a realist but my mind is alot sharper than my knife

I'm unsure, I will admit..... and that sort of situation would surely take it's toll on sanity very fast, so in closing... I would look for likeminded people to trade knowledge and whatever goods I could muster. Great post! Would like to see where it leads



/T\

Anyone who thinks this may happen should invest in stuff now while your money will still get you what you need. Anything you can buy now and sit on has to be good, but you could keep a stockpile of things you use and just rotate them out as you use them and replace them with fresh supplies.

Cigarettes - People will kill for a smoke in the days and weeks after their own personal stock runs out. You just have to hope you can persuade them to trade you something instead.

Petrol/Fuel - How many people would want to go places in their vehicles or want to run a generator, fuel will be worth much more than it is now when they’re is none left at the station.

Ammo - If you live in USA it might do you good to be able to trade ammo, but im not sure on this as I come from the UK (don’t know if i would want to go their though because your giving people bullets that could quite easily be turned against you)

Food - Canned food keeps forever and even then you can eat it yourself as it comes to it sell by date and just buy more for your SHTF currency.

In the short term, many things/anything will trade. But in the long term, it will be a skill that is needed.A good cobbler will always have customers when there are no more PayLess Shoe Stores.

And because a skill is learned, and if you're thoughtful about it you will know how to acquire/make the tools of your chosen trade, then you'll always have something to trade that won't run out. (No matter how many cigs you have, someday you'll trade the last pack.)

I think it will be the basics that will be the most profitable. The things people need day to day, and yet are little known trades today. Candle makers, seamstresses,blacksmiths,horse trainers,hunters,canners,glass blowers, etc. And naturally, farmers.

Farming green tobacco... and selling my great genes (in small doses) to any ladies in need for young, virile working children ;p

Then i'll write more music to entertain the community each evening while they sort the days events around a fire.

Oh, and I can setup computer networks, oh wait... EMP =/

Your labor is never worthless.

Sri Oracle

That I believe is the smartest one line post I have seen in my life.

grats.

enjoy a star!

=)

anyone else care to contribute?

How would you survive in a barter system?

if this happened the country would probably fall to anarchy,

in that case me and my friends would start a mercenary group (weve already planned this out [plus we already have all supplies since we cell the "stuff" any way])
then people would trade us food and clothing and shelter for our protection and we would constantly recruit more people.