Using Renewable Resources for Barter

In most survival situations, you will need to conserve as many of your resources as possible. While barter remains one of the best ways to trade what you have for what you need, you can conserve many of your resources which may be limited by using renewable resources for barter.

There are many items that can be used for barter that will not deplete your resources to the point of no return. You can also use your barter skills to trade for items that are renewable. Non-hybrid seeds are one such item that can offer you a renewable resource that makes an excellent barter item.

An example of a great item that serves as a renewable resource for barter is eggs. You don’t trade your chickens but you can trade their eggs without putting a strain on your resources. This will enable you to replenish your resources without using finite or limited resources. Many times using renewable resources for barter can also help you to establish routine trading patterns to keep additional resources available on a regular basis.

Got renewable resources for barter?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Barter Solutions - The Gold Alternative for Merchants After the Dollar Collapses

While precious metals such as gold and silver make an excellent choice as a hedge against inflation or the devaluation of the dollar, they can be extremely hard to spend. Quite often bartering will become the alternative to cash which may have little or no value. There is where the law of supply and demand comes into effect.

There may be a significant supply of cash for which there is no demand because it no longer has value. In a situation such as this, cash money will have little or no value for the purchase of goods which you may be need. Gold or silver may not be the best barter item simply because of its greater value which will far exceed the worth of most items that may be required.

A gold coin that is worth in excess of a thousand dollars will be hard to break down into a smaller quantity for bartering. Unless you intend to significantly pay in excess of an item’s value, you will need something with a smaller denomination that is easily traded and that has significant and easily recognized value. Enter 22LR ammunition as a possible solution to this problem.

One of the most popular calibers of ammunition is 22LR. Even people who are not big fans of firearms will quite often own a 22LR pistol or rifle. This means that the possible demand for 22LR ammunition may well exceed the supply. Now 22LR ammunition can function well in a barter environment of this type. It’s well suited to trade for items with less value but can also work for items with greater value. It’s small in comparison with other calibers and is probably the least expensive ammunition you can purchase but will have a greater and immediate value in a barter situation if the dollar collapses. If and when this happens, and traditional currency is devalued, flagship merchant services and all other varieties of financial based institutions around the globe will need to act fast if they want to survive. 

It’s going to be a lot easier to trade four or five rounds of 22LR ammunition for a bag of flour than a piece of gold or silver.

Got gold alternative?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Gardening - The Ultimate Food Storage Backup

Shallots from the Garden

The importance of gardening is sometimes overlooked when considering a long term food storage plan. The ability to grow your own food will ultimately make your ability to provide a true long term food source for your family a reality.

Gardening does require a lot of more effort on your part and presents challenges that will test your skills in self reliance. The rewards for your efforts are well worth the time and effort it requires. Nothing tastes quite like fresh vegetables from the garden.

While it may seem easier to stack cans of food on a shelf, you will eventually need to acquire gardening skills to be fully self reliant. When the stores in your pantry start to diminish, you will have the knowledge and ability to restore your pantry without a trip to the grocery store.

There are some limitations on gardening depending upon where you live. The different types of soil and weather conditions will play a large part in which direction your gardening efforts should take. You will need to learn what will grow and when according to the conditions in your area. You can then focus your efforts to take advantage of these conditions for your maximum benefit.

One of the easiest ways to get started with gardening is by learning from your friends, neighbors and relatives. Most will readily share their experiences. You will be able to learn quickly what plants are successful and which ones will most likely be doomed to failure before you even start. You can also learn the best times of the year to plant and what can be done to improve or maintain your soil to get the maximum production from your garden. There is no need to re-invent the wheel when it comes to gardening.

Another advantage that comes from developing your garden skills is the barter factor. Fresh garden produce is one of the easiest items to barter. If you get to the point where you start to experience real success in your gardening, the extra foods items that can be traded for other items you may need. You can trade food for just about anything from anybody. If they’re a little hungry at the time, it’s even easier.

Gardening will also allow you the opportunity to “customize” your food storage to fit your family’s needs. You can concentrate your efforts on food items that grow easily in your area that your family enjoys eating and that are easy to preserve for future use.

Got food with dirt on it for backup?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Bartering for Survival - Bartering with Backups

Quite often during a crisis or in a survival situation you will come up short on a needed item. Rather than struggling to make do with what you may have available there is always the option of bartering for that needed item. Sometimes a simple trade with someone else for that item can solve your problem.

When making a trade, you will always want to get the best deal possible. Unfortunately, it has to be a good deal for all parties involved before a trade can be agreed upon. Herein lays a basic problem that is encountered when bartering. You obviously will want to keep your most valuable items while trading those with the least value to you. Items with less value to you will also have less value to others.

This problem can be solved quite easily if you use a proper system of backups for your gear and other items. While beans, bullets and band-aids are basic essentials and should be considered non-barter items in most cases, most people have numerous other gear items and survival supplies that could be used for effective bartering.

A proper system of backups will give you those needed barter items without extra expense and shouldn’t endanger your supply of needed items. While most everyone strives to have the best quality and type of gear possible, in the real world of tight money and limited budgets, this isn’t always possible. In the process of looking for that ultimate piece of gear, many people accumulate extra gear and other items that are capable of getting the job done but may not be the best for their intended purpose. This is where your backup items can serve another purpose.

While backups are generally associated with use when something is lost, stolen or broken, they can serve an additional purpose for use when bartering. One simple example of this is knives. Most people have a lot of knives for use as a backup. Whether it’s a kitchen knife, a utility knife or a cheap pocket folder or an extra fixed blade, it can be of great value to someone else. Even a cheap pocket folder will have a good deal of value to someone who doesn’t have a knife.

As you work to build the best possible inventory of survival gear, remember that those extra gear items that are accumulated in the process can have a great deal of value in a barter situation and may have more value than you thought.

When bartering with backups, keep the best and trade the rest!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Bartering for Survival - Seed Swapping

Being frugal is a part of being a prepper and you should always try to get the most value for your money. When money is tight, bartering can help you enhance and maximize your resources without higher costs if done in the right manner. One of the best and most inexpensive ways to enhance your prepping efforts is by seed swapping. For little more than the price of an envelope and some postage you can add additional variety to your seed stocks while reducing excess seed inventory on hand or swapping seed varieties you aren’t using for others that you may not have or that can be more useful to you.

How do you swap seeds successfully? It’s easier than you may think!

First, check with family and friends to see which types and varieties of seeds they have available and wish to swap. Make sure to specify what types and varieties you are willing to trade for when doing a seed swap.

Second, check your local farmer’s market. Many farmers are quite proud of their produce and may have seed stocks they are willing to swap. You only need to ask!

Third, the National Gardening Institute has a seed swap website available where you can list seeds you wish to swap. You can also view seeds others want to swap. This is a free forum that allows you to post your seed swaps for 30 days at no charge. This is a great way to get into seed swapping, especially if you are an urban prepper and may not have a farmer’s market in your area. Here is the link to their seed swapping forum:

http://www.garden.org/seedswap/

The great thing about seeds is that you can grow a lot of food at a very low cost. It takes a little time and effort to raise a garden but with practice can yield exceptional benefits for you and your family. For little more than the price of an envelope and postage you can enhance your seed inventory stocks.

Survival Seeds anyone?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Books for Barter

We would all like to consider ourselves great teachers because we feel our experience and knowledge can be of benefit to others. Unfortunately, sometimes gaining knowledge has to be accomplished by some very basic skills and one of those basic skills is reading. Reading requires tools and the most basic of those tools are books.

If your memory fails you or you forget some basic point, your attempt to impart your knowledge and wisdom to others may leave you coming up blank. Reading books can be a great way to enhance your knowledge and through practical application of that knowledge you can further develop your survival skills. While many of us would like to think that our memories are infallible, it is perhaps a little more prudent to have a few written texts as a back-up.

Barter is sometimes a risky process and many people wonder what would make a safe and practical item for trade. Why not use books for barter? Books can make an excellent item for trade and barter. They can be used to acquire skills you may be lacking or simply to reinforce your current knowledge and skills. They can also be used for simple entertainment if the power is out and you have a little free time on your hands. They also pose little risk to yourselves or others when actively seeking to trade for something you may need.

So the next time you look at a book, you may want to give it a second glance and see all the possibilities that may be inside.

Got books for barter?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Bartering for Bullets

While many times a bartering agreement may be beneficial for both parties involved in the trade, there are times when you may want to reconsider your options. In a survival situation or a crisis, sometimes you’re better off passing on the deal than risking a shortfall in what may wind up as an item in limited supply virtually overnight. You should always make sure you can maintain a positive position in any type of barter or trade arrangement you may be involved in or seeking to complete.

One such example is bartering for bullets. With limited availability of certain types of ammunition, you would probably want to be on the receiving end of the deal. Getting ammunition in trade for some other item of value should be a positive trade on your behalf. You should consider a couple of factors before finalizing the deal in any type of barter or trade you wish to make.

During a crisis or an emergency situation the value of certain items will increase exponentially at a rapid pace. Water, food, fuel, temporary shelter, just to name a few, can all skyrocket in value literally overnight during a crisis. Thus, you should have a sufficient quantity of an item so that its disappearance in a trade will not leave you with a possible near term shortage. You may be increasing your problems rather than eliminating them.

You should also take care to never reveal that you may have an abundance of an item so as to protect what you do have from someone that may have ill intentions which could arise at a later time when you may be least prepared to deal with the situation.

Always treat any item you are trading as if it’s the best one in the world and you’ve only got one left and that you will never get another one. In many survival situations this will wind up being the rule rather than the exception.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Brass for Barter

While there are quite a few gun enthusiasts who have taken the time to acquire the necessary skills and tools to do reloading, there are probably even more who haven’t. I’m not into reloading but as an option save my brass in order to trade for something else. Even though you may not be a reloader, it would still be a very prudent activity to save your brass. It will make a very useful barter or trade item.

Save your brass for barter!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Tools for Trade

One of the best and handiest items for trade or barter is tools. There is something about a tool that most men can't resist. Any kind of tool has the ability to become quite useful when something breaks or a repair is needed. Let's face reality. Sometimes your hands alone aren't enough and you are going to need some kind of tool to help you get the job done. A person without tools isn't going to get much accomplished. You need the knowledge and skills to make that emergency repair but it most likely won't be accomplished without some basic tools. Tools will always make good items for trade.

In the picture above are just a sample of some of the types of small hand tools that I acquired quite cheap at a yard sale. I recently purchased a dozen hand tools at a yard sale for only $3.00. That's only a quarter for each one. I even got two fairly good quality tools in the mix and have added them to my good tools. The others will go in my junk tool box.

I have my tool box for the farm which has some specialty tools that are necessary for some specialized type of work that is usually only needed at the farm. I have my truck tool boxes and even Mrs. RW has her own tool box for around the house repairs. I also have a junk tool box with an assortment of cheap tools that I've picked up for bargain prices at yard or garage sales. These are often real bargains and sometimes you even find a good quality tool in the mix. An old fishing tackle box or some cheap tool box will make a great place to keep some tools for trade. I've even traded a whole box of junk tools for some really good quality items. The good tool bargains are usually added to my good set of tools and the junk tools go in another old tool box. These I use to trade, sell or barter.

Got tools for trade?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Blades for Barter

Many times people wonder what items would be the best to use for barter. One of the easiest items to trade is knives. Many times the absence of a knife of any type can be a problem. For those times when you need a good knife handy there aren’t very many substitutes that can take their place. Knives will always make good barter items.

A good quality knife is hard to find at an inexpensive price but when choosing knifes for barter purposes even a cheap knife can have significant trade value to someone that lacks a knife. You can easily find cheap knives at garage or yard sales that can be saved for barter purposes, as well as backups for emergency use.

I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive knives that are suitable for use as barter items. Granted, if I come across a good quality knife at a cheap price I will probably keep it for my own use but many times you can come across bargains that will work great for barter purposes.

In the picture above are four inexpensive pocket folders that I bought at a garage sale for $1.00 (25 cents each!); they may not be top quality but with a little cleanup and some decent sharpening they will give me extra items to barter with if necessary. I simply throw one in each of my EDC pouches or in the glove box of my vehicles and they are available if needed.

There is also a new site, http://www.garagesalestracker.com, that allows users to find or list their local garage or yard sale. This is becoming an every more prudent way for families to either raise money or find great bargains, purchase household items, clothes, and other miscellaneous items at what are sometimes a very negotiable price. They have also just implemented a large flea market and consignment store directory.

Cheap but useful to everyone will make these knives very good barter items.

Got blades for barter?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Survival Barter - Good or Bad?

So what can you barter, that you'll never run out of, that you can't lose or have taken from you?

So, what is a good barter item? If you have a few years supply of food stashed, you can trade it for silver or gold, fuel, or whatever items you missed. Assume you have 3 years of food for 4 people stashed and trade off a year’s worth for silver....and SHTF happens and it lasts for 5 years? You’re 3 years short! And if food is worth more than the metal...?

KNOWLEDGE!!!!!


I've been looking over my prep ideas, trying to find where my strengths and weaknesses are. I’m not the Rambo type, too old for it if I was anyway. I have a nice supply of hunting gun' and ammo, no way I'll spend my money for some black ugly gun. Too much $$ for too little use, in my humble opinion (I know that will agitate a few!). I'm currently adding to my food and seed supply, garden and such, canning and other food supplies.

Now we all can't have everything we need, want or desire, whether it is food, tools, or even the knowledge we need. Gardening isn't rocket science. If you can grow something, the person down the road can too. You can stash away silver and gold, but you can't live off it, unless someone will accept it. Sure, someone will someplace...if you can find them or they find you. If your out on junk land, how will you know if the silver is worth 10, 20, or 30 bucks an ounce? Got internet? Got a radio signal? Sure, if you’re starving, you'll give a few ounces for a hunk of deer. But if there are deer around, you can get one yourself! (I'm not advocating poaching).

If you have a skill, you'll never lose it! Whether it be sewing, knitting, welding or auto repairs (assuming the autos have fuel to operate). Learn to make afghan blankets, people will need them! Learn to make quilts! Take one of those "auto repairs for dummies" classes at the community college. You might be the only person for miles that knows how to bleed brakes or change a clutch! “You broke a what? I'll fix it for a bushel from your garden!"

I'm in a pretty good situation for all of this. I went to college for auto mechanics, tool and die making (machinist), learned to weld on the job. I have a few small semi-portable machines, a welder and a pile of tools. Assuming I could get these to a bug out area if need be, and power them, I'd be the only "modern day type of blacksmith" available. Even if they were forcibly taken, I doubt anyone has the skill to use them, if they wanted to go to the trouble to move them. And I'd prefer to trade my skills for something I need, as it will only cost me labor and time. And if they wanted to trade precious metals, assuming I don't need anything else, cool!

I just had to toss in my .02 worth. This time of the year, most colleges are starting adult classes, so check them out. Cheap, only a couple nights a week, and can never be taken away!

I'd like to thank RW for letting me do yet another guest post. He hasn't told me to stop, so he must like them, or he's just too polite to argue!


Thanks RW!

Dean in Arizona

Special Note:

I've had a close family member with some serious medical problems and spent several hours last night at the Emergency Room of the hospital. I will be posting a few guests posts from Dean in AZ as time permits. I will be busy for the next couple of days while they are recovering. Thanks. RW

Survival Barter Items - Part Two

With a weakening dollar, rising unemployment, and businesses going bankrupt and closing their doors in record numbers, barter may become a real part of your everyday life. Skill and knowledge in how to barter during an economic collapse could become a critical skill that everyone will need to survive.

In Part One of Survival Barter Items it was revealed that the best of all possible situations is to be able to barter from a superior position rather than an inferior one. Being able to get the most value possible for those items you trade is essential for your survival and the survival of your family.

Finding yourself in an inferior bargaining position is not a very good place to be. You need something and yet you may not have anything tangible to barter with that will give you the advantage. This is where intangibles assets will come into play as a valuable barter item. Your survival skills and knowledge may prove to be the winning factor. Your skills may be your biggest asset when it comes down to being able to barter successfully during an economic collapse or a breakdown of normal society. The knowledge and skills you have now could become the only truly valuable thing you could trade with if caught in an inferior bargaining position.

Learn the areas where your skills may be lacking. Know where your skills are the strongest. Learn their true value and know when and where they will be needed most. Realize that the ability to make or repair a needed item or provide a needed service may ultimately have the greatest value in a barter situation.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Barter Items for Survival - Part One

In a survival situation where many items may be scarce or in limited supply, you will need to make sure that you place yourself in a superior bargaining position when bartering for needed items for your own survival. The best way to put yourself in a superior position in any type of bartering situation is to take advantage of inherrent human weaknesses and addictions.

Unfortunately, many people are addicted to a great many things. These items to which they are addicted can be great barter items that will place you in a superior position when bartering. Those who lack the necessary willpower to control their addictions will be at a serious disadvantage in any bargaining for needed items to which they are addicted.

The two main items that will be essential to a great many people because of their addictions will be alcohol (the kind you drink) and tobacco products. Wine, beer, and liquor will be in great demand and even more so for those to whom it is an essential part of their life due to a dependence on it. Tobacco products will also be in great demand. Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and other forms of tobacco will make excellent barter items for your survival.

The best way to come out ahead in any trade or barter situation is to place yourself in a position of power. Having an item that a person needs desperately is just one way to do this with a fairly guaranteed rate of success. This may seem a rather harsh manner in which to do business, but remember, we're talking about your survival and the survival of your family.

Got barter items?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preppin',Guns, and Dillos

While all the politicians are busy pumping air into the economic bubble before it deflates completely, the wait and watch mode has been the order of the day for the Riverwalker household. My preppin’ is about to go into Stealth mode big time once the elections are over and the politicians have gotten themselves re-elected. So a little extreme preppin’ is in order for the Riverwalkers. It all started with a Big Gun for the Little Lady.

Not every bartering activity can be labeled a true success story but for once in my life I scored big time when I obtained a like-new Marlin Model 336 Rifle in .30/.30 caliber in exchange for doing some fence work. Since this will make two Marlin 336 rifles in the Riverwalker family arsenal, I decide that the new acquisition would go to Mrs. RW. The most recent addition didn’t come with a sling or a scope but I have since added a sling that I had acquired some time ago. A good scope will be the next item on the list.

One item it did have is a thumb assist on the hammer. This will come in handy for Mrs. RW since she has smaller hands, although they don’t feel smaller when she whacks me up side the head when I do or say something stupid! Ouch! Hopefully this will make it easier for her to cock the rifle.

Of course anytime you get another gun, you always need more ammo and so more .30/.30 rounds were picked up and added to the stash. Common calibers seem like a good direction to go. I’m still trying to find a Marlin rifle in .357 caliber to go along with my Smith&Wesson-Model 65 - .357 caliber revolver. I also picked up a case of 12 gauge shot shells for the Mossberg 500A Shotgun just in case. Can’t ignore my baby! I really love that shotgun! I think I may have told you this already but I like saying it.

Gave Mrs. RW’s Marlin Model 336 Rifle a good cleaning with my Hoppe's Deluxe Gun Cleaning Kit and it will be ready to go as soon as I find a decent scope for it.

Put back some extra cash. This was tough but since the new rifle only cost a little “blood, sweat, and tears” it was possible to put some back.

Some pics are included but my camera skills aren’t that good. So don’t rag on me too hard about the quality of my pictures. They’re about as good as they’re going to get!

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker


BTW, still fighting the dillos!

Disaster Barter Items - Tangibles - Food

Food will be a valuable barter item in any disaster situation. People will need to eat and food supplies will probably be interrupted or non-existent. Having extra food that you can trade or barter with will be more valuable than money, especially to someone who’s hungry.

Durable and long-lasting food items will be in greater demand during a disaster and people will readily change their eating habits when given no other choice than what is currently available. The following is a short list of food items that should be considered as barter items for a disaster or crisis situation.

Barter Food Items in a Disaster Situation

1.) MRE’s – These are generally self-contained meals and most come with flameless heater packets that give people the opportunity for a hot meal. They have a good shelf life.

2.) Canned Food Items – There are quite literally an endless variety of canned meats, vegetables, fruits, and soups that will make excellent barter or trade items during a disaster.

3.) Dried Food Items – Jerky, dehydrated fruits, and pastas make excellent barter items. Dry pastas require water. Make sure to have additional bottled water, canned soups or broth on hand for this purpose.

4.) Canned Soups and Broths – These deserve separate consideration as they also provide additional liquids to battle the effects of dehydration. Dry pastas can be easily mixed with soups and broths to make a good meal.

5.) Comfort Foods – Drink mixes such as Kool-Aid and Gatorade along with powdered milk will have value in maintaining a person’s well being during a disaster. Hard candies and mints will also be excellent choices as comfort foods. One item not usually considered are Twinkies – a favorite of everyone. Twinkies have a shelf life of approximately 3 weeks and because they contain no dairy products they will even appeal to vegetarians.

Having an extra supply of food items above and beyond what is necessary for your own survival will allow you the opportunity to trade or barter for those items which may be missing from your own disaster preparations.

Don’t forget to have a large supply of MANUAL CAN OPENERS to go along with the food items. Cans will be extremely difficult to open, if not downright impossible, without one.

You can read about a great can opener here:

http://stealthsurvival.blogspot.com/2008/07/riverwalkers-gear-miu-cando-safety-can.html .

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Disaster Barter Items - Tangibles - Water

In any disaster there are going to be numerous items that will have value as barter items. Probably the most essential item will be the one item for which there is always a universal need during a disater. That one item is water! No one will survive very long without it!

Water for drinking, cooking, and sanitation purposes will be in demand by everyone. The very fact that one of the first parts of any infrastructure to fail during a disaster or emergency situation is the water supply. Water will be more valuable than cash in type of situation. The probability of adequate supplies of water not being able to reach all the victims of a storm or disater will most assuredly guqrantee a demand for water.

People will need water for almost everything. Too many people take water and its avaiability for granted. During a disaster it will not be there and this is when the panic will start.

Anything related to water and its use will also have barter value. Items that require water to achieve their intended purpose will be needed by most everyone. A partial list of water and its associated use items follows.

1. Water for drinking (bottled, gallon jugs, etc.)
2. Water for food preservation (ICE)
3. Water for cooking and meal preparation
4. Water for sanitation and hygiene
5. Water filters of any type (both homemade and commercial varieties)
6. Water purification chemicals (bleach, calcium hypochlorite, etc.)
7. Water storage containers
8. Portable showers
9. Items that could be used to boil water to create safe drinking water.
10. The necessary ingredients to make electrolyte replacement beverages or ready made commercial re-hydration drinks.

In a disater situation, having water and items for its associated use will give you a strong bartering position which will give you the means to obtain those items you may be lacking in your own preparations.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Disaster Barter Items - Intangibles

In any disaster or emergency situation a number of items will be invaluable as barter items. Nothing will be more valuable than your knowledge. It is always with you. It will be there when you need it most, unlike other tangible items. It is what will get you through the rough spots until you can figure out your alternatives. It is knowledge that will help you overcome any emergency and eventually triumph over any adversity.

The knowledge of how to find water and make it safe to drink can be used to barter for other items you may need. The knowledge of how to forage for food, catch fish, or trap game that is edible can be traded for almost anything you or your family may require. The list of things you can accomplish is limited only by your knowledge and your skill at using that knowledge. Expanding your knowledge to include a variety of skills that can be useful in a crisis or an emergency will give you confidence, strength and the ability to handle any disaster or emergency situation. Your knowledge is your most valuable asset.

Increase your knowledge at every available opportunity. Use it to expand your skills. Learn to think outside the box and develop the skills to use what’s available and you won’t have to rely on what you can carry, which in my particular case isn’t a whole lot. Learning new things and new ways to accomplish them will allow you to prevail in almost any crisis.

Knowledge is power. It will give you the power to deal with any emergency and come out on top. Increase your knowledge in as many areas and skills as possible and you will never be caught without the creative and innovative skills that will enable you and your family to survive.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Preppin', Free Stuff and Other Things

Well I've found another source for plastic storage barrels and got two free 55 gallon plastic drums that I will be using for extra water storage for sanitation purposes and other things. My other source for free barrels is a little slow coming up with more barrels. It seems that there are some other people with friends at the place where I've been getting mine that are "collecting" them also. I still get one every once in a while though which is a good thing. There's also somebody at the same place that is selling them (darn capitalists are everywhere!). Oh well, life goes on and so does my preppin'! Always good to have an alternate source. Backups......this is a good thing.

The wife collected a few dozen eggs to add to the pantry from her neighbor friend that so graciously keeps us stocked in eggs for FREE !. I really do like scrambled eggs and so does my grandson. Plus free is as cheap as I can get them. I might talk to them about home delivery. After all, it would only be a short walk for them. Nah! I need the exercise!

Also picked up a free movie from the local library they were itchin' to give away. Can't turn down free! The movie is Huckleberry Finn with Ron Howard (when he was younger) and will be just right for my grandson.

I also managed to pick up a couple of pounds of seasonings for storage. I got about a pound of taco seasoning and another pound of fajita seasoning by covering for a co-worker. They were running a few minutes late and asked if I'd cover for them. I said "Sure! No problem." Not bad for hanging around an extra ten minutes and watching the clock!

I also found a special on shotgun shells at Wally World and picked up a few boxes at half price for the Mossberg 12 gauge ($3 for a box of 25 shells). I really love that thing! Now I got some extra shells to do a little target practice with out at the farm and they were cheap too. I really love bargains .......this is a good thing!

Found a couple of other great sites for anyone interested that I came across while I was watching the rain out the window the other day. You need to check out Living for End Times which has a really good article Emergency eating: taste matters that you should read. They also mention my site (shameless plug here!). Seriously, it's a really good sight and they even have one of those podcast things on the site.

Another great site is All In Good Health which has a really good article you should check out called Build up your pantry for lean times . They have lots of pics too! People like pics.

I've also included a couple of pics taken back in '06 out at the farm (you can see the feeder in the background). It's great when you have a brother-in-law with one of those fancy cameras with a telescopic lens (all the telescopic lenses I have are mounted on my rifles). Hope you like the pics.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

Bolts, Buttons, and Barter

There are many times when space is at a premium. The ability to store extra items would be nice, especially for apartment dwellers. So it’s time to think small! Small items can be hard or even impossible to make yourself (try making a bolt or a needle!) without the help of modern day technology.

Small items like bolts and nuts (not the kind you eat), buttons and needles, and nails and screws are going to be worth their weight in gold when the shelves are empty at the big box stores. Things like sewing kits will be needed by everyone and the little ones don’t take up much space. The same can be said for other items as well. They can be stored in almost any type container (preferably one with a screw-on lid) and won’t require you to go and rent storage space. They will also make great barter items. Nails and screws will be needed for almost everything when it comes to building anything from a shelter to a chicken coop. There are even packs of small items pre-packaged that you can buy and set aside for use later. Even if you don’t have room in your budget to purchase these items, many people already have large amounts of small items tucked away in drawers throughout their home. So stock up on small useful items that don’t require a lot of space, scrounge through your drawers and gather up some of those small items, and set them aside. They can be stored in almost any type of container and apartment dwellers with limited storage space can still stock up on a few extras when prepping.

Another added benefit will be the ability to use these items to trade and barter with anybody that might need small but essential items. So think small items, think necessary items, think barter and trade and you’ll be on your way to having some extra essentials without needing a lot of space for your preps.

Got any suggestions for other small items that can be stocked and don't require a lot of space? Tell me about them and I'll pass it along!

Stay above the water line!

Riverwalker

Barter Items and Free Stuff Pics

I traded a few cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden for some chili powder and lemon pepper seasoning. Now I can really spice things up. Which reminds me, I need to make some chili! Great tasting home-made chili....accept no substitutes! Yummy for my tummy!!!

I also got a 6 volt solar charger free in a box of junk that was thrown away at a yard sale. I only had to add a couple of alligator clips to the power leads and it was ready to go! It's putting out about 6.24 volts on a sunny day and re-charged my 6 volt re-chargeable battery in a little over 8 hours of normal sunlight. Free energy for free!

Stay above the water line!

Riverwalker

BTW, got any good chili recipes Michael?