A question about bartering

[Freeman]

I was reading the thread about the best items to store for bartering and i was wondering how you would start bartering with some one if tshtf. What would make you feel safe about bartering with them and where would you do it?
I would be worried that if i offered to trade or accepted someones offer to trade that i would be advertising the fact that i had some kind of supplies worth taking. Im sure i would have to trade at some point in time because even the best things in big quantities break or get used up
So assuming you have the stuff to barter how would you prepare to do the bartering safely and where would you do it?

[Meyou]

I'm figuring if the proverbial poo hits the metaphorical fan big style, Trade would be very dangerous, and probably not worth the risk, for a long time. I figure when life settles down, and some sort of groups start to form and interact with each other using words rather than fists or theiving, then trade might come naturally. Thats just my figuring though.

[Red Doe]

On a small scale, I already barter a fair bit. I trade my work goods (hides, rugs, insoles and rabbit pelts) for groceries or the occasional lift somewhere or other things. It works really well, as, although folks very kindly offer me these things from time to time without expecting anything back, it does make me feel less obliged and that I can give something of value in return.
Wouldn`t work on a larger scale though as I simply wouldn`t have enough.
When it comes to stored stuff, I`d have no problem trading surplus for things I don`t already have, but only with folks I had come to know.
Trouble with here is, folks see the house and location and automatically assume you have stores....of livestock, veg, whatever, so I reckon I`d be a targer for thieves anyway, but, perversely, my location also `saves` me a little, being so remote and hard to get to.

[coulesy]

I think that tradeing is an inevitable factor that will be key for the survial of the human race, this comes into play in many ways, skills can be traded "you thacth my roof" and "ill make you some horse shoes" or even on a basic scale trading for food "10 apples for that loaf of bread" either way as a society we do not as individals hous the neccasary skills to live life day to day. As we once did say 200 years ago and whats scary is that it took thousdands of years to learn those skills and so few to loose them, anyway.

Tradeing is something to will boost diversity and enrich local populations as others have stated it will be a risky bizz just as traders in todays world know lol only after the collapse it may cost you your life.

I tend to think of trading as the new worlds currency(hence why im studying medicine lol) and what better currency than one that does not cost anything(apart from my uni fees). Almost like a reknewable resource that will keep my roof thacthed and bread in my belly. Here is a question tho what do you if you do think will be used as the most common phyiscal currency ie gold/silver coin or jewls or batterys or fuel i know i have rambled and gone a bit off topic but its and intresting thought

Thanks for reading Ric.

[diamond lil]

Trading is old, from pre-history onwards the Romans and Celts and Egyptians and Vikings all had their trade routes, which we know from finding beads from Asia in Viking tombs and jewellery from Egypt in stone age Britain, etc. So these traders must have been allowed to carry on peacefully. Maybe they would be people who had the gift of the gab, could sell fridges to eskimos. No doubt it was dangerous but it went on throughout history. I think if TSHTF then we would just find our way back into the way of it. And gold/silver wouldn't really be of much use, would it ? Probably skills would be the most sought-after item.

[coulesy]

looks like some reseach into traders of old is in order. I wonder if silver and gold would be so useless as there has always been a money system of some kind in place? who knows

[diamond lil]

Yea true. I think things would quickly go back in time, I wouldn't mind some good history books .

[SW_pheonix]

Anything with intrinsic value is good for trade so precious metals are always a must.
For the long term think about something you can produce in excess of your needs. This includes skills.
Historically the doctor was always the richest and most respected man in the village. Followed by skilled craftsmen.
The lowest were the unskilled manual labour and the young and old were considered expendable. So apart from aiming to be self sufficient also have a plan for bartering your skillset.

Just a few examples of very useful skills:
I can make batteries which can power lights continuously for over 1 month using very easy to find materials.
I have a treadle powered lathe and can turn metal or wooden items.
I can fit PV and thermal solar, wind turbines including making them from car parts.

In PAW basic survival items, produce, skills and knowlege will be very valuable and high tech labour saver examples as above will be very sought after. Even being a big dumb tough hard arse is a saleble skill. Dont forget that knowlege will be very valuable especially how to make essentials like water filters or grow/forrage food.

Then you have all the excees cash crops and stuff you could barter. No one needs 30 lbs of tommatoes that will be mushy by the end of the week. If all else fails you can scavenge and barter what you find. Not recomended and should only be done in groups.

A fundamental for successful and safe bartering is a society of small groups with knowledge and familiarity of the people you will deal with. Ideally a central market somewhere. Trying to barter one to one with strangers you meet on the road might get you robbed and dead in a ditch over half a pint of water. So keep your distance unless you have no choice and dont carry anything valuable apart from essentials. At the most have something that can be a bribe that you dont mind loosing. "here have a gold chain/batteries/water etc, dont kill me!" type of thing.

[Carrot Cruncher]

There has been a series of programs on the history of economics on R4 recently and in one episode they were talking about the beginnings of trade and markets. A historian was saying that tribes/villages/groups would take any excess produce on a certain date and meet another tribe/village/group with goods to trade. They wouldn't get close to each other but each side would take it in turns to put their trade items in the "no mans land" between them. Side A would put some trade items in the middle then retreat, side B would then go to the middle and inspect the items and place down what they wanted to trade for them and then retreat. This would continue until each side was happy with the quantities etc and then they would in turn go to the middle and take the traded items.

Not a bad system for starting off trades with people you are unsure of, although you run the risk of one side or the other just taking the goods without leaving anything in return, but then word would get around and no one would attempt to trade with them again.

[diamond lil]

I think that's a great system, it would work.