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How to barter
Imagine that the economy collapsed. You’d be able to barter for food and other supplies instead of using currency.
Or better yet, money is really tight in a lot of homes right now! Imagine being able to barter with your neighbors to trade goods and services for items that your family needs right now!
How to Barter
If you’ve never bartered, here are some steps to get you started:
Figure out what you want. In an emergency situation, assess your needs. What things do you need and what things do you want?
Figure out what you can give. Think about what things you would sell if you had a garage sale tomorrow? Is any of it valuable? What skills or hobbies do you have that you can teach someone? What chores do you enjoy doing?
Identify a trading partner. Try to find someone that you know is in need of one of the skills or goods that you have. If you can’t readily find someone, make a list of those you know that might need a skill or good that you have.
Negotiate and ask. Come with an idea of what you want. For example, “I would like to exchange my first born child for your flock of geese.” Don’t go to the trade without an idea of what you want.
Tips to bartering like a professional
We’ve collected a few tips that you can use while bartering. Let us know your bartering techniques too. What do you find helpful in a bartering situation. Comment below!
Assess a dollar value. Try and research the price of the item that you’d like to barter. That might give you a better idea of other items that you can barter for. Remember though that many times a value depends on the person’s needs, wants and preferences.
Set a time frame. Come into an agreement with your trading partner when the services will be exchanged. If there is a deadline, you need to decide that. If the good or service is on an ongoing basis, consider meeting again to re-evaluate and make sure everyone is still OK with the deal.
Taxes with bartering. Some bartering items require that you report the transaction on your tax return. Obviously, you won’t have to report things like mowing your neighbors lawn in exchange for his homemade beef jerky. However, a barter between two businesses is considered taxable income and should be reported.
Get it in writing. If at all possible, get the deal in writing so that you and your trading partner are in agreeance. This will come in handy too if someone tries to alter the agreement later down the road.
Triangular bartering. Bartering doesn’t always have to be between two individuals. If you have three people who all want each other’s goods or services, you can still strike a deal. You can mow a person’s lawn, in exchange they will give eggs to a neighbor and the neighbor will give you milk from their cow.
Be skeptical if you need to be. If someone is trying to trade an item that you’re not as familiar with, don’t feel bad asking questions. It’s not wrong to ask questions about the item or to ask more details about the person’s skill set.
Your tips and ideas
What tips do you have to become a professional barterer? Comment below and spread the wealth!
And try not to go into a bartering situation really needing something because it will show and you will give up more than you should have!
June 15th, 2012 at 7:14 pmGood general tips. One thing I’d like to add, that many of my friends seem to miss, is have things that people want during a CRISIS, not things people want now.
June 18th, 2012 at 6:59 amI have friends who’ve hoarded, for example, silver, have it buried on their property. Can you eat silver? Will silver fix a headache? Nope. Barter goods are immediate. Stock simple medicines (aspirin really is a miracle drug), luxuries (I have a lot of wine). Your barter goods need to be valuable in a total breakdown, not in the context of todays’ world.
Wine. Spices. Ammunition. Long shelf life medicine. Paper books. Tools. These are the things that you will be able to trade for what you need. Double or triple your own requirements for these items to be the person that people go to for a trade.
A single bottle of wine will fetch you a deer haunch that you can live off of for a week.
–alx
Good Stuff.
Consider building your barter goals into your food and resource stockpiling.
We all know that dollars will be worthless after a “bad storm”. Think about things you can’t do without. Odds are that other families will feel similarly and then you’ll have whet they need, when they need it.
Beyond that, you’ll begin the crisis with “more of what you need” in the first place. Every barter exposes you to risk. Personal Peril, impersonal profit at the hands of others, etc. Think about things that you KNOW will be valuable, and then insure they have a special place in your larder. By doing this now, week to week, when the hard times come, you’ll already be prepared.
June 18th, 2012 at 7:45 amSemper Fi.
Barter “with goods in hand”. You can’t trust people who say they will bring something to you later for something of yours today. Ten months later, you will still be waiting, and listening to their excuses, why they can’t live up to their part of the barter. Lesson learned.
June 18th, 2012 at 4:44 pmIn this uncertain world it’s wise to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
June 18th, 2012 at 11:36 amAccumulating every day food items and other necessities is prudent.
Bartering for supplies may be in the cards but with the current easy money policies going on all over the world, it’s only a matter of time until that ‘money’ in our pockets won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on.
Then it would be wise to have some silver and gold on hand which historically have been able to preserve the wealth of those fortunate enough to have some.
I am a carpenter by trade just starting to build up a gun collection. The guy down the street Jimmy is a licensed gun dealer.In conversation with Jimmy I find that he needs his front door replaced with a reinforced one. Jimmy has the door but doesn’t have the knowledge to put it in, but I do. I have the know how and tools to do the job and tell Jimmy that I normally get $450 to do such a job. What I suggest to Jimmy is that I install the door in exchange for 1,000 round of ammo I know goes for about $400. What about the $50 on my part? I bartering with Jimmy, this is a give and take deal were Jimmy is getting what he wants and I have what I want… AMMO. A DEAL HAS BEEN MADE!
June 18th, 2012 at 2:30 pmI’ve had a lot of luck (and fun) bartering on Craigslist over the years. I traded a 96 Ford F150 for a 99 Yamaha VStar… which I traded for a 98 Dodge 1500… which I traded for a 2003 Chevy S10 – each time using the item until I tired of it and then trading up without having to take cash out of pocket because the other party wanted my item more than I wanted theirs. While Craigslist may not be up and running (or accessible) in the event of a meltdown, it’s currently a great resource. I post all of my ‘for sale’ items in the barter section and regularly get some interesting offers. In fact, I’m trading some collectible gemstones from a shipwreck tomorrow for a beautifully maintained sailboat. Don’t be afraid to ask people if they’ll trade you – just make sure the trade is agreeable to all parties. Ask questions, do research, and certainly look a gift horse in the mouth. Be smart and cautious and don’t be afraid to be creative, and have fun with it!
June 18th, 2012 at 8:46 pmAlex memtioned ammo for barter. If you are the one with the ammo know with whom you are bartering and make sure you trust that person. Do you really want that stranger coming back to take more stuff using the ammo you gave him?
June 20th, 2012 at 12:29 amGreat tips! Bartering is also better for the environment… less sent to the landfill!
July 4th, 2012 at 4:18 amWhen money isn’t worth what it is written on and you have food items, ammo, toiletries, meds you need to think about money replacement. Yes, gold and silver are good if you can afford to purchase them. What I stocked up on are semi-precious and precious gems. Emeralds, citrine, amethyst. Every little bit helps.
July 10th, 2012 at 4:57 pmI am glad so many Americans are now starting to understand the NEED for preparedness of any type of emergency situation. However, the majority wouldn’t be able to survive for more than a few days because they maintain the “denial mindset”. This amazes me considering how many natural disasters our country is now experiencing on a regular basis. Whether a disaster is created by Mother Nature or is Man-made, I believe it is imperative to be as conscientious as you can be and take this very seriously. The weather will continue to get worse, causing more damage and power outages, forest fires and floods, hurricanes & tornados, draught and blight. Our World reflects the negligence and damage we humans have sown and sadly, it seems there is no political will to do anything about it. Additionally, with the worldwide economic crisis we have been experiencing, this too will continue to worsen and make our everyday lives that much more susceptible to conflict and trauma. I am NOT a pessimist, so please don’t think that! I am simply well studied in what is happening and can only base my assumptions on our past history. Human beings have yet to learn the important lessons that history has tried to teach us. It is our greatest flaw as a species and because of this, some kind of socio-economic breakdown is inevitable unless major changes take place soon. Unfortunately, there are very powerful people and entities that seem driven to create this outcome, regardless the conseques. As someone commented before: “Hope for the best, but PLAN for the worst”. Whether we experience Natural Disasters or Manmade ones, it is in everyone’s best interest to be prepared.
July 11th, 2012 at 5:58 pmI always had good experiences with bartering. I am a member of barterquest.com and I trade for goods, services and real estate. It depends on you, how far you will trade for what you can get. Remember the story about the guy, who traded from a red paperclip to a house… It’s a true story and you can be the next one!
August 15th, 2012 at 8:44 amI am putting up a stock of Cheap Whiskey, Rum and Vodka . And am looking into putting up some Tobacco seeds. If I can find a way to store it I may even put back some prepared tobacco. Tobacco and whiskey were trade staples on the frontier . And I believe will become very valuable again in hard times. Also coffee in small vacuum packed cans . OTC meds such as Aspirin , Tylenol and other pain relievers will be in short supply and valuable.
April 1st, 2013 at 3:41 amMajor magazine I believe the economist now admits the idea of global warming is not panning out. yes droughts hurricanes etc but this is not new or caused by manmade just normal cycles.read this today and not the only group just saying this. that said, still need to prepare for natural disasters and economic crisis.I have small amts of all above hoping to get more I also have stockpiled food oils and fats thinking this may be valuable.
April 1st, 2013 at 4:57 amWhether it’s a natural disaster, or loss of employment…being prepared will be your salvation. Just a quick thought: if you are stock piling alcohol & tobacco, do not to forget to stock up on the goods you will actually need. Others will not always have anything you want.
April 1st, 2013 at 5:51 amI am with “milleniumfly”, whom was close to the top of the posts. You cannot continue “OPSEC”, aka “Operational Security” if others, ANY others know that you have enough of any item in surplus to trade it away!!! Asking for BIG trouble. Try to have enough and sustainably so you won’t HAVE to trade. Get a LOT of salt, sugar, leavenings, etc, and anything else you can’t produce on your own. Not a couple boxes, but several hundred pounds. Look at and write down EVERY SINGLE THING you eat, drink, or use in 1 week. Multiply that by 52, and that’s what one person of your group will need for a year. Then move out from there. DO NOT TRUST ANYONE!!!! Even friends and neighbors will turn on you if they have hungry kids, etc. Bartering is an absolute LAST RESORT.
April 1st, 2013 at 6:40 amI feel a barter activity exposes one to more danger than the activity is worth. Self reliance based on training and planning are the actions I depend on for my family survival.
April 1st, 2013 at 10:55 amOthers need not know what I have and I can “do without” everything but Faith, Food and Water. Your most potent survival equipment is between your ears.
I do not plan to profit from disaster at the expense of others.
Yours in Liberty,
Stargazer
Oath Keeper
Good points, Stargazer! Also, I’ve read all the comments and notice something missing. PAPER PRODUCTS!! Water in short supply is not helpful in doing laundry. Paper towels, napkins, paper plates & cups & bowls, tissues, and TOILET PAPER!! Who wants to go without toilet paper!! Not me!! If you could afford to stockpile lots of it, it could be used for barter, too. Back in the “old days” people would sit in the outhouse and crinkle up pages of an old Sears catalog to wipe. If I have a choice, I’ll take the TP. However, old catalogs/magazines are great entertainment for young kids, or starting fires, etc. If there is no power, there are no TVs or computers and batteries only last a short time. Stock up on games, puzzles, playing cards, etc. They would be great for barter, as well. You can’t store too much water! Sit down and think about what you would need if there was no power behind that wall outlet or water gushing out when you turn that faucet on. Another thing to stock up on are batteries of all sizes. Great for personal use and barter. Try to think of your home as a “country store” and what you would find there. For the novice who wants to be prepared, I would be happy to share the info that I have. Just email me at ladybug42@wichitaonline.net. As was said above: Plan for the worst, but hope (and pray) for the best! People who deny that the worst could happen now, won’t live to survive then.
April 1st, 2013 at 1:16 pmAlso, Yours in Liberty (& FREEDOM!!)
I live in a small mountain resort town which will be forgotten come a large disaster. Our neighbors around here in the forest already have a farmer’s type market where things are bartered and even sold for currency. That’s what you do. Establish a table and “sell” what you have. Don’t forget that relief organizations may seek and seize for the greater good all your stored foodstuffs. Just remember that your Mum taught you to share, and help others. After you have prepared yourself and family then act as the Savior said we must and all will be well with you.
April 1st, 2013 at 2:36 pmtry making sure you own them first is important
and any exchange of items for older needs agreeing
otherwise it is illegal conversion
dont do it with other peoples property without their consent
and detail in writing isnt a bad judge and idea
but bear in mind forgetful heads come back to things later and dont know how they lost something…especialy after flood and wartimes
and may think you have their item and in fact you just bought the thing yourself too somewhere and
actually cant necessarily prove it..tax man says in the uk 6 years of archived records
BUT dont have a family history of chasing people for evryitem of so called deceipt
sometimes things were very difficult to deal with and they hardly survived either
but aany doing time and time over for doing it wrong in someones eyes actually may have done the time for the same thing twice or more over just because they wanted you to let them get on with their lives…and they may stroke deficitly forget the time as well as any supposed crim and remind themselves of it later
or they are memebers of the same family doing likewise.
flooded to 20 feet…never mind fathoms says not much was saved
supposed deaths sometimes werent mind and people recovered somewhere from comatose states
these people forgot and some of you were not upto giving back what had been bartered or sold
continueing on with that thought
if you gained inferitance by way of goods obtained that you did give back dont expect that person to buy you a replacement any day
when they really die there may be no inheritance at all
they may just have been broke and the item broken and never replaced.
be thank ful for the living and any standard a benefit or income give you but its tighter year by year
April 2nd, 2013 at 6:08 ami will off load it here…cos the younger generation need to live without fear !
From the LA Times- “40% of all workers in Los Angeles County (Los Angeles County has 10.2 million people) are working for cash and not paying taxes. This is because they are predominantly illegal aliens working without a green card.”
- and these folks are CODDLED and CATERED to. Ergo, I think it’s a safe bet that when it comes to barter, we’d be better off omitting the “taxes” part.
April 2nd, 2013 at 2:06 pm