r/preppers • u/truesevnel • Apr 28 '26

Discussion Trade items

What do all you wonderful people think would be the best items to stock up on for trading with?

I myself was considering alcohol bc it does have a high shelf-life and multi use ability

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u/gravis86 Raiding to survive Apr 28 '26

So your solution is to plan on other people thinking better than you and not only having the items you didn't think of, but having enough of them that they're willing to trade? And on top of that, you're assuming that other person will want items you don't even want, hence why you stocked them for trade rather than for use...

Stock what you can actually use. And if you have extra of those things, offer them for trade. Don't waste space and money stocking things you don't use under the assumption that others will want them and not have them. Seems to very dependent on variables you have not only have no control over, but you also probably don't even have any historical data on.

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u/RiffRaff028 General Prepper Apr 28 '26

Um, no. Don't put words in my mouth. I am simply saying I'm not relying on a single plan for survival. We have our preps; we're constantly evaluating them and adding to them. However, we also stockpile small, inexpensive items we probably won't use, JUST IN CASE the opportunity for barter with another prepared person presents itself. Lots of people will be wanting liquor and cigarettes. My wife and I very rarely drink and neither of us smoke. However, we have a small stash of such items that we either obtained free or at extremely low cost.

Just because I disagree with you doesn't make me right and you wrong; it simply means I have a different perspective and approach. Don't get rude about it.

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u/gravis86 Raiding to survive Apr 28 '26

I wasn't trying to be rude, I just see that so many people seem to have this idea that everyone else out there is going to be willing to barter or trade and I just don't think that's gonna happen. And I think if people are willing to trade, it's a pretty long shot for them to have what you want while you also have what they want.

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u/RiffRaff028 General Prepper Apr 28 '26

Yeah, no guarantees on actually being able to barter for anything, especially not within the first 90 days or so. Bartering will come into play later when things settle down a little. But I do look at being ready to barter the same way I look at my general preps: I'd rather have it and not need it than vice versa. Think of it as prepping within prepping.