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Comment by greggarious | Hacker News Reader

So, when stocking my bunker, what should I put in there that will have high barter potential?

Laundry detergent might be good to stock.

> Law enforcement officials across the country are puzzled over a crime wave targeting an unlikely item: Tide laundry detergent.

> The obvious question — why? — has a pretty simple answer. Tide is recognizable, easy to steal, hard to track, and can be re-sold for $5 to $10 a bottle.

Besides, its shelf-stable.

http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2012/03/12/148448368/peopl...

Traditionally? Alcohol and Cigarettes. Although I think if you put an alchohol still in your bunker then you'd basically be able to print (pour?) your own currency over the long haul.

Yep, one of my friends is learning to brew beer, distil spirits, and farm his own food, so he'll be set for when the zombie apocalypse occurs.

  - bottled water     - canned foods      - baby formula
  - diapers           - toilet paper      - ethanol
  - tobacco           - opiates           - matches
  - lighters          - tampons           - candles
  - bar chocolate     - coffee, tea       - toothpaste
  - batteries

  - water filters     - freeze-dried food - multivitamins
  - porn magazines    - antipyretics      - disinfectants
  - analgesics        - antibiotics       - charcoal
  - suture kits       - bar soap          - knives

  - Ca(ClO)2          - ammunition        - seeds
  - salt              - tube socks        - gloves
  - lye               - iodine            - baking soda
  - lamp oil          - playing cards     - dice
  - rat snap traps

Depends what you're preparing for.

If you're preparing just for a few days/weeks without "the grid", then obviously the most useful items are everyday consumables:

- toiletries: toilet paper, tampons, razors, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste (although hard soap works as well), lenses & glasses

- medicine: antibiotics, plasters, vitamin C (and other vitamins), water filters or water purification tablets, first aid & trauma kit

- heat & light: lighters, matches, candles, flashlights (including headlamps and wind-up flashlights), batteries, solar chargers, clothing, gasoline, portable generators

- entertainment: radios, books, board games, alcohol, cigarettes

- food (obviously): rice, flour, pasta, honey, canned meat, canned & pickled (or otherwise preserved) food

Especially noteworthy are cigarettes (or cigarette boxes); IIRC, there were historical examples of societies using cigarettes as money - cigarettes are rather small and light, last for a long time, are hard to falsify, easy to verify, and have real-world utility.

For long-term "lawless" society, other things would be useful as well, such as seeds, guns & ammunition, communication equipment (walkie-talkies), books that explain how to do stuff ([1], [2]), all kinds of tools, instruments and equipment.

WARNING: all of the above is purely theoretical.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_There_Is_No_Doctor

[2] http://www.amazon.com/Where-Women-Have-No-Doctor/dp/09423642...

Firearms and ammunition should be first or your stuff won't be your stuff for long ;)

Otherwise clean water and Soylent.

Tampons would have a high barter utility in a doomsday scenario. Alcohol and cigarettes would be in high demand too, I would imagine. Just think of household items people use on a daily/weekly/monthly basis that they couldnt live without.

Tampons would eventually be phased out with reusable fabric or a diva cup like device (silicone reservoir).

Not only that, but if the body weight of a woman (particularly her fat reserves) drops too low, her periods become sporadic. So if women are starving, periods become less of an issue. Something about evolution designing for not getting women pregnant when they don't have the resources to feed themselves, much less nurture an infant. Mother Nature is weird like that.

.22 caliber bullets--they are used for small game hunting and last forever.

Alcohol. Both disinfecting-strength and recreating-strength.

The thing that makes this question interesting is that the answer is "Whatever other people didn't think of stocking that they'll need".

Something with high utility. Tools are the first thing that come to mind. Storage containers like water jugs and backpacks? Warm clothing? Weapons for sure.

Nail clippers, useful materials and quality consumables.

Phoenix Downs, and Cups of Lifenoodles.

Alcohol. Definitely alcohol.

shoes

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