I've been in a LOT of third-world countries. NEVER have I seen people trading shiny metal bars or coins for stuff. In fact, they attract FAR too much attention.

Name ONE thing that YOU plan to use for currency in the SHTF coming:

Mine? Socks! When COVID hit, I needed a half-dozen good socks. COULD NOT get them for less than $50 and an 8-week wait. Besides TP and water, ammo, etc., I have some stock of socks. Easily transportable. Practical for trade OR personal use. Doesn't attract attention. Lightweight and can be easily carried. EVERYONE needs them.

What's your idea?

Anything of value has....value. But the best thing you can trade is skills, because when you give skills, you aren't actually losing capital. Skills don't have to be special. In a lot of third world countries, a skill can be 'hauling rocks'. Not a lot of training required, but lots of people feed their families by hauling rocks. The more specialized and necessary your skill, the more you can expect in trade for it. Interestingly, when you look at what a 'doomsday economy' is, it turns out...it's just an economy...but probably with more stealing. Stealing instead of taxes I guess. You know what? Let's just say it's an economy, period. Anyhow, I'd get skills. They're cheap, don't take up any room, and can't be stolen. If you want a skill that will turn into things you can barter, learn how to make alcohol.

Daniel, I REALLY appreciate that insight! I also like your last comment. I might amend your statement to harmonize the two? Any skill is actually trading the one, true, finite commodity: Time. We each only get the same number of minutes in a day. So, I also need to consider how I leverage my skills across time. This is the skill of "investing". That's a whole other thread! To give someone in a third-world country a refrigerator is to give them "time"; not plucking fresh chickens for dinner every day. But it only works if there are other things, like electricity, present to amplify those things. And understanding that is a skill, too? I think we agree?

Yes. Skills. Well said.

Also, gotta have something to barter; because I can only be present in one place at one time. So, yes. Making good alcohol is a great skill.

I love your point. Thanks for adding your voice to the discussion.

It always amazes me that “dollars” are just tokens signifying work done.

Currency is cultural, and even in a bad situation, those cultural norms will prevail to a certain extent, at least for a time.

While third world folks rarely swap silver rounds, that may be because…they never had them to swap. Americans, especially prepper types, still put stock in silver and gold, culturally speaking. That is based on experience, what people we trust tell us, and, honestly, a belief that the system will re-assemble itself in time and that “wartime gold” will be worth lots if whatever the next fiat currency is.

I remember a tale an old WW2 vet told about after they took Berlin. Things had calmed down and him and his boys took a much needed leave. German money was useless, but they had a funny-money called GI script, or sonething like that. They took it to a German inn keeper and he wouldn’t take their script. There was no value behind it. Finally, one of the GI’s remembered he had a roll of buffalo nickles in his pack.

That was all it took. Currency is cultural. If you can understand the culture, you can understand what they value.

Maybe make flip-books of popular TicTok videos lol

Daniel, if you watch TikTok, your brain will rot! Although, making a flip-book of a TikTok video would be hilarious! We'll need comedy in the New Economy, right?

I agree with everything you have said. It is observable that when one surveys economics over time, no form of asset holding outperforms shares in a PRODUCING asset (i.e. stock shares) over any reasonable time frame. I think this is because of what you've said, which is that stocks are a way to multiply and leverage skills. They're also far more transferrable than shiny bricks.

Stock shares are not readily transferrable, but in an SHTF, nothing will be for quite some time. What other things are you gathering? I do think John's suggestion of guns and ammo is apt. The only caveat is that...once you trade a gun or ammo to someone, they can turn around and point it at you to complete the transaction. So there is some risk using guns and ammo for currency. I have had many socks thrown at my head and only a few have caused permanent damage.

Happy thanksgiving. Thanks for the cordial convo and thoughts!

Oh I don’t do the Toc, but I’ll bet I could trade some flip books to some itching Toc junkies after the fall of western civilization. You know there’s gonna be some desperate folks once the iPhone batteries go out :)

In all honesty, I don’t stockpile much for SHTF currency. But I live out in the sticks and the culture out here is “horse trading”. You can trade whatever for whatever here. Eggs for chicken feed, cords of split wood for ammo, etc. Much is based around resourcefulness and the ability to repair, refurbish, or just plain make-do. If I were more urban, I’d think about currency more. But where I am, it’s more about WHO you know, not WHAT you have. Which offers another set of challenges.

I could be wrong about all that though. I’m not too worried about what time I might spend on things in a SHTF scenario, because I’m not planning on working a 9 to 5 if there’s no bank to pay my mortgage to. In the end, really, I and my family am at the mercy of the Lord, and I trust that mercy. I’ve taken practical steps that probably put me in the upper 1% pf being ready in this nation. I could invest another 100% in putting myself in the upper 0.1%, but a well placed Sierra Match King could put an end to all of that in a millisecond. So I took some of that prep money and bought an old ski boat. I take the family out on it, we have fun, we laugh. We create memories that we can hold on to and fight for, because who knows what the next 5 years could bring. I have an idea, but I could be wrong. I hope I’m wrong. But if I’m right, we’ll remember those summers on the boat, those times of laughter, and on the really dark nights, those memories might be just enough to give us hope to fight for happier times in days to come. Where I am, right now, that’s probably my biggest investment.

That and US made molle gear

fantastic conversation here. Bullets and guns are more and more a 'currency' to me. Holding value, utilitarian, barter, protection, freedom preserving... no one is surprised in my saying this.

Daniel, your statements are incredibly wise. Thanks for sharing. I agree.

John Lovell, don't sell yourself short. We watch your stuff. I AM surprised that you choose bullets and guns as currency. I had you pegged for scented candle warmers. Probably secretly traded with Paul.

I am thinking barter also such as Sugar, and other staples. I like the knowledge aspect mentioned above as well. As a "Jack of all trades master at none" canning, preserving storage methods, Farming hunting as a nice start.

I'd say whatever you're good at. Skills don't have to be physical. If your good at drawing, maybe you can start making comics. If you have books maybe you can take time to copy them and give them as barter.

I'd say now is the time to think about what might be around and what you could learn to do NOW that might be useful in the future. What will be in short supply? Clothes probably, so if you know to sew that's a good skill that will be needed. Stock up on Sawyer water filters, just buy a bunch of them, then offer to purify water for people in the community.

Going off Johns comment on bullets and guns. Bullets and guns are definitely going to be wanted resources. But their only good until they run out. I'd say learn how to make gunpowder or how to take any kind of brass and turn them into casings for reloads. Perhaps there might be an alternative to gunpowder that can be used for when it is in short supply. I've done neither of these things, and I'm told making gunpowder isn't just something you can whip up. But these are the things that go through my head when I'm wondering what will be needed.

Broadly speaking, everything has been covered. In a SHTF scenario bullion will be useless unless you're good at metallurgy and have the time to do so.

Short answer: batteries. I have more of those in excess, at the moment and they're rechargeable.

Long answer:

Both hard and soft skills would be far more valuable, as would networking.

We can't do it all alone so if we can fill in gaps and provide value then that's far more valuable than the often-touted gold and silver. Don't forget leisure as well, which would be great for mental health and respite.

Where you live will make valuable skills more obvious (e.g. if you live near a wooded area then knowing local plants, animals water sources, etc.).

Keep in mind that such as water, batteries, generators, fuel (and fuel preserver), coffee, alcohol, tobacco, medicine, medical supplies, food, etc. can all be highly valuable in a Doomsday scenario.

I've already mentioned it but networking is highly undervalued. No man is an island.