With the potential of a market collapse or economic collapse, it's not a question of IF anymore, but a question of WHEN. With valuable information crossing the news these days about Billionaires (Buffet, Soros, and the like) dumping millions upon millions of shares in stock in American companies like Kraft, JP Morgan, Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, and so forth; the aspect of a looming crash is nearly eminent. When folks like that start dumping massive amounts of shares, it is the proverbial Canary in a Coalmine scenario. Many financial consultants and forecasters have already surmised that the dollar is dead, and when it goes epidemic, the weight of the burden on the stock markets will cause a collapse. When it happens, our currency will turn Keynesian. I've seen Kenya bank notes with a value of $100,000,000,000,000 (yes, Trillion) for public use. We may be headed that way, but when it happens, how will you survive and provide?

Here's a list of 45 items that will make for a healthy bartering interaction:

1- Canned Food (soups, veggies, chili, and even pet foods)

2- Coffee and Tea

3- Flashlights (pocket flashlights and spotlights will be of more use, especially hi intensity ones)

4- Batteries

5- Tobacco and smoking supplies (rollers, tobacco tubes, papers, tobacco, pipes, screens, etc)

6- Sugar, Flour, and baking soda

7- Tarps and plastic sheeting

8- Gardening tools and equipment (as self sufficiency will be much more prevalent)

9- Seeds (fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, etc)

10- Plastic bags and zip seal bags (as well as bread ties and bag ties)

11- Toilet paper, Feminine products, Tissues, Napkins

12- Razors and shaving supplies

13- Soap, Shampoo, Lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, (travel size will be just fine)

14- Liquor (Whiskey, Burbon, Gin, Vodka, Rum, and Wine)

15- Tape and bailing wire

16- Hard candy, Gum, and associated items

17- 1st Aid supplies (bandages, ointments, salves, asprin, gauze, latex gloves, OTC medicines, etc)

18- Fuel (gas, kerosene, diesel, propane, etc, as well as containers)

19- Lighters, Matches, Flints, Fire tablets, etc.

20- Vitamins and supplements

21- Fishing supplies (hooks, sinkers, line, rod/reel combos, lures, nets, etc)

22- Herbs, spices, and condiments (sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic, etc)

23- Grains (wheat, oats, rice, etc)

24- Knives (even box cutters)

25- Rope, string, paracord, chain, etc.

26- Paper, pens, pencils, crayons (also for keeping the kids entertained)

27- Emergency blankets (the mylar type)

28- Tents and portable shelters

29- Solar battery chargers and batteries

30- Sewing kits

31- Playing cards, books, and magazines

32- Reading glasses

33- Water treatment tablets, and water filter systems (including water purifying straws)

34- Nails, screws, nuts and bolts, hasps, locks, etc. (hardware will become quite important)

35- Portable liquid hand pumps

36- Pepper spray and mace

37- Prescription drugs (painkillers, antibiotics, sedatives, etc) as well as stocking up for yourself

38- Hand tools (hammers, pliers, socket sets, saws and saw blades, screwdrivers, wire cutters, etc)

39- Candles and candlemaking supplies (light sticks will have a good value too)

40- portable radios (AM/FM, CD players, MP3 players, etc)

41- MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) and long term foods/ration bars

42- Bows, crossbows, arrows, and supplies (fletches, nocks, heads, shafts, strings, etc)

43- Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead (gold is nice but silver, copper and lead will have more uses)

44- Firearms and ammo (as well as reloading supplies, and gun parts)

45- Personal/physical labor and services


With that list being as it is, the last 4 are delicate areas. When informing others that you have firearms, ammunition, drugs, gold, silver, or other high valued commodities, word may spread which could make your home a target for thieves and rogue groups. Only discuss those items with trusted contacts whom you know will not go blabbing your business. The last thing you want is strangers kicking your door in at 3am because they heard your house has gold and guns. As with #45, this could range anywhere from changing a tire or various to-do lists, to 'personal' services. In a post collapse environment, you do what you must to stay healthy, survive, and acquire your needs. I don't condone all of these activities, but when it's dog-eat-dog, you need to be an alpha. Bartering is a mutual agreement for exchange of goods/services acknowledged and consented by both parties. This makes for a smoother, satisfying barter. And under no circumstances, discuss your inventories with strangers or untrusted community members. You may get more unwanted attention than you desire.
This is not an all inclusive list as there may be folks looking for bird seed, twinkies, or lipstick. You shouldn't have a Noah's ark of bartering supplies though as it can become a frequented trading spot and it may entice looters, pirate gangs, and shysters. This is just a primary list of goods that many will be seeking in a economically deficient environment. In addition, if you have a professional service to offer (medical, dentistry, mechanical, et al), your services may bring you the supplies you may need. Bartering can also be an exchange of services (exchanging a medical service for a mechanical service), so creating a post collapse economy will derive goods as a goods/service currency instead of a cash based system. Remember, when the dollar collapses, Billionaires become Millionaires. That's why some are dumping the dollar, selling stocks, and buying liquid assets.
As noted in #43, precious metals will gain trade value. But on this note, gold is highly overvalued. Let's face it, gold is shiny and all that, but you cannot eat it, farm with it, clothe with it, shoot it, drink it, stay warm, or much of anything else. It's just small high priced shiny stuff like gemstones and jewelry. If you have gold, it will be best spent in grams, not ounces. If you have a 1 ounce gold bullion, you would have to cut it into pieces just so you don't get ripped off., and most of the trades for gold would be measured in grams, so you'd have to partition that gold bullion into just over 28 sections. Silver is much more liquidatable, while lead and copper can be used for casting ammunition. And Platinum? I can't think of anyone who's looking for that. Factories and investors maybe, but those won't necessarily apply in a collapse scenario.
In addition to these listed items, there will also be needs in niche areas such as car and machine parts, tires, jobs that require heavy equipment, firearms parts and repair, pet food, livestock needs, gloves, cooking supplies, and so forth. So if you are in a time where you would be in need of something, but the dollar is practically useless, it's always good to have something for trade.