Bartering system, what you got to trade?

Aijalon said:

In a full apocalypse, nothing but teamwork, grit, secure shelter, and hard farming will save ya. Mass storage (hoarding) can get you by for a time. Prepping seems these days to go hand in hand with hoarding. I don't think anything could be LESS biblical.

However, wars and rumors of wars being as they are, and history being what it is, hard times can hit at any moment! No believer is self sufficient economically, we as a church are to share in all things. What can you keep on hand that will keep its value for trade or bartering in case of emergency?

Here is my top five list of things to have on hand in the case of hard times. Also, you could make a plan to quickly get these things in the early hours of the emergency. But make sure it's something you can fit in one shopping cart

Silver coins (100 ounces)
Ammunition (500 round rifle, 250 rounds pistol)
Cash ($1000-$2000)
Wine (40 bottles, red)
Gasoline (1 barrel)


What are your top five?

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Didaskalos said:

It is possible that after an economic failure that paper money will be worthless (actually it already is.... i/t is just nobody is acting on it.)
Consider these:
1. Toilet paper
2. Soap, all kinds
3. Wine
4. Silver, as in "junk silver" which is coins made with silver prior to 1974(not sure about the year)
5. Eggs and other renewable produce.

Christian preppers are about moving from the economic model to one that might be defined as "self sufficient."

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Now, even state governments are exploring the option. Lawmakers in more than 10 states, including Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Idaho and Tennessee, have been circulating proposals to introduce alternative currencies -- many of which would be issued in the form of gold or silver coins.

The Constitution prohibits individual states from printing and issuing paper money as legal tender, but they are allowed to use coins as currency, said Gatch. Individual communities, however, are able to create their own currencies -- including paper notes. Anyone can do it -- as long as the money is easily distinguishable from U.S. dollars and values are tied to the U.S. dollar so that income remains taxable.

Fear factor: Francis Ayley, the founder of Life Dollars, a currency started in Bellingham, Wash., in 2004, said fear of a shortage of U.S. dollars and frustration with the growing wealth gap in the country are driving more people to his currency. Since a majority of the transactions occur online and funds are directly transferred between members, the supply of Life Dollars is unlimited, he said.

The number of people or businesses signed up to use the currency, or members as Ayley refers to them, had remained relatively stable at 250 to 350 for years. But in the past two years, membership has doubled to more than 700. The currency's use has expanded beyond Bellingham to Seattle, too, where 75 new members have signed on in the past six months. Ayley estimates that more than $1 million worth of transactions have been made so far.

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City in Austria Printed Local Currency

Worgl, like many other European towns and cities, was hit hard by the Great Depression. There was mass unemployment; four of the five local factories had closed, and the people were starving in the streets. Nobody had any money to buy anything. One of the features of an economic depression is that there is not enough money in circulation to ensure that people can meet their basic needs, and in the 1930s, the shortage of currency in many countries of the world became catastrophic.

The mayor of Worgl, together with local businessmen, decided to try to break this economic impasse by creating their own local currency. They printed and issued 60,000 Austrian shillings worth of local currency. These shillings could only be spent in Worgl, so they remained in the local community and were exchanged over and over again.

The positive impact was immediate and surprising to everyone. In only six weeks, unemployment disappeared, all the factories had reopened and everyone had food. For the inhabitants of Worgl, the economic depression was gone. This dramatic transformation became known as the “miracle of Worgl.” Surrounding towns, inspired by the success of Worgl, immediately started printing their own local currencies.

Sadly, the miracle did not last long. When the Austrian Central Bank heard about Worgl’s local currency, they initiated legal proceedings against the mayor and local businessmen. According to Austrian banking law, it was illegal for anyone except the Austrian Central Bank to issue money. The bank won the court case, and the mayor was ordered to shut down the local currency, which he did, under threat of imprisonment. The town then returned to the devastating economic depression of the 1930s, with all the human pain and suffering associated with this catastrophe. Factories closed, and once again, the people starved.

Alternative Currency in the U.S.

Irving Fisher, an American professor of economics at Yale University, visited Worgl before the local currency was suppressed and witnessed the ‘miracle’ firsthand. When he returned to the United States, Fisher spread the word by traveling and lecturing across the country, advocating the use of the Worgl ‘scrip’ everywhere. Inspired by his vision, hundreds of communities began issuing their own currency, and by 1934 there were over 1,000 local communities using ‘scrip’ throughout the U.S.

Every one of these communities experienced a tremendous rejuvenation of their local economies. They thrived while others suffered. Fisher then met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, proposing the implementation of government-sanctioned local ‘scrip’ in every community in America. When FDR consulted with his top financial advisors and bankers, however, he was advised to shut all the ‘scrip’ systems down, which he did. Instead, he borrowed large amounts of money from bankers, at interest, and used it to pay for the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and the other work-creation projects, which collectively came to be known as the ‘New Deal.’ So ended the last widespread use of a local currency within the U.S.

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Goodbook said:

Interesting.

Thats just treating things as commodities just like the world does anyway instead of sharing them or giving them away as christians are meant to do.

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vinsight4u said:

Thank you, Dennis. I never heard those local currency stories before.

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Now, even state governments are exploring the option. Lawmakers in more than 10 states, including Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Idaho and Tennessee, have been circulating proposals to introduce alternative currencies -- many of which would be issued in the form of gold or silver coins.

The Constitution prohibits individual states from printing and issuing paper money as legal tender, but they are allowed to use coins as currency, said Gatch. Individual communities, however, are able to create their own currencies -- including paper notes. Anyone can do it -- as long as the money is easily distinguishable from U.S. dollars and values are tied to the U.S. dollar so that income remains taxable.

Fear factor: Francis Ayley, the founder of Life Dollars, a currency started in Bellingham, Wash., in 2004, said fear of a shortage of U.S. dollars and frustration with the growing wealth gap in the country are driving more people to his currency. Since a majority of the transactions occur online and funds are directly transferred between members, the supply of Life Dollars is unlimited, he said.

The number of people or businesses signed up to use the currency, or members as Ayley refers to them, had remained relatively stable at 250 to 350 for years. But in the past two years, membership has doubled to more than 700. The currency's use has expanded beyond Bellingham to Seattle, too, where 75 new members have signed on in the past six months. Ayley estimates that more than $1 million worth of transactions have been made so far.

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4thWatch said:

It really depends on just how bad the situation is. In reality silver and gold can't be eaten so those are useful but only in a semi functioning world. I'd still have them on the list (silver coins only as gold would be hard to barter).

1. Food, mountain house #10 cans. 30 year or better shelf life, will be invaluable.
2. Firearms, a spare rifle, shotgun and hand gun to barter with.
3. Ammunition, the above is the useless without it.
4. Medication, such as antibiotics will be priceless. You can stock veterinarian anti biotics quite cheaply and they are the same pills that humans use. A chest full of common over the counter meds from anti acids to anti diarrhea meds will save lives and be highly prized.
5. A spare truck, V8, 4 wheel drive, no electronics so EMP has no effect. Set up to run on alcohol which you can make. You wouldn't barter the truck but being able to help others get someplace, pick up and deliver goods, so you would barter the usefulness of what the truck can do.

I have my WWORL truck it's a 1970 Dodge power wagon, set up to run on alchohol I can make in a still. All electronics (not that it had much) have been removed. 440 cubic inch V8, and a heavy duty automatic with 4 wheel drive insure it will go anywhere I point it.

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DennisTate said:

Thank you vinsight4u. Apparently ten USA States are discussing the creation of State currencies and encouraging local communities to begin them. My question is..... why not churches????????

http://money.cnn.com/2012/01/17/pf/l...htm?iid=F_Jump

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MrJim said:

Pint bottles of whiskey and small bottles of honey (both with forever shelf life) will be very valuable in a societal breakdown...really hesitate to trade weapons/ammo that could eventually be used against me.

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