Jun252012
Survival Survey: Could you become a purveyor of vice?
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image by Markus Reinhardt
A lot of survival and preparedness minded people stock up on items they intend to use for barter or, possibly, sale. I’ve stocked up on things like extra ibuprofen and toothbrushes, just in case, but for the most part have focused on things our own family needs. (Always prepare for yourself first before spending money acquiring things for barter. I’m not convinced bartering is always that effective anyway.)
An item commonly found on lists of barter-able items is alcohol, the adult beverage. I’m undecided on whether or not this is a good idea, and I’d like to hear your thoughts.
I’m not a tee-teetotaler and enjoy a frozen margarita or glass of sangria every once in a while. (I’m too cheap to pay the extra $6-8 at restaurants for a drink very often.)
However, I get a little queasy thinking of selling or trading a bottle of alcohol to someone who is in dire need in a worst case scenario. One report to come out of Greece, as their economy descends into a near-collapse, is that suicides and abuse have increased. I could not, with a clear conscience, hand a bottle of liquor to someone who may end up getting drunk and beating his/her kids.
I can definitely understand why alcohol would be a very popular item in an economic collapse and why people might want to escape reality for a while, but to get that “escape” from me? I’m not so sure.
How about you? Are you stocking up on alcohol or maybe planning on making it in order to have an item to sell or barter? Why or why not?
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(68) Readers Comments
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If you have a really green thumb, this at-home business concept might work for you
The great thing about California is all of our small farmers. I live i
If you have a really green thumb, this at-home business concept might work for you
This is sort of like CSA. Do they only deliver in Phoenix metro area?
Survival Survey: What does being a Survival Dad mean to you?
I have two daughters, both out of college now. We all know what
Kris
We like to keep on hand items that have multiple uses, especially for a bug-out bag. Liquor has disinfectant, medicinal, and preservative uses as well as barter value. We just have a few of the airplane bottle size in the bag–and I won’t lose any sleep over that amount.
thesurvivalmom
Agreed. What I had in mind was stocking up on this for the purpose of re-sale or barter.
G B
I keep a supply for my own private stash, but I would never trade alcohol or ammo to strangers who could use my own trades against me.
CC
I don’t think I would stock it for sale/barter. I’m thinking that feminine hygiene products, TP and some other basics (like soap!!) are going to be far more barter-able and wanted. However, the being said, someone we know (and may or may not be related to) fancies themselves a “prepper”. Their only, and I do mean only, 2 preps have been to stock up on an amazing amount of alcohol and caning jars. No lids or rings, or food, or anything else. As much as we try to convince them that they should be stocking other things, they insist that the alcohol is going to get them everything they need. I think it’s a fool hardy plan, but there is no telling them otherwise.
koensayr
(Sigh!) Let me guess, they voted for Obama, didn’t they?
GrammaBear
I keep vodka on hand to barter with in case there are other folks out there who would be using it for medicinal purposes, like making tinctures and such. If that is not their intended use for it though, I do not feel it is my place to make the judgment call.
Hugh Davis
I am Mormon. I have stocked up on alcohol (bourbon for the most part). It has many medicinal uses that in a SFTF situation are going to be necessary as higher-tech alternatives won’t be available. Alcohol also has one of the highest concentrations of calories around. It was traditionally used to move surplus grain overland to a market …
LetsPrep
My husband and I don’t really like the taste of alcohol but decided to stock some vodka, mainly for medicinal purposes. It can be used to make cough syrup (thanks Misty Shooter), sterilize, or to dull the pain prior to a minor surgical proceedure. We also have a bottle of Kahlua left over from a cake my husband made. If one of us really needs their nerves settled, we could always add a little vodka and a bit of milk to make a White Russian. If we gave away or bartered any of the vodka, it would be in very small quantities only.
Sean
We have stocked up with a few bottles a cheap rum and vodka for barter items. There may be a situation or person that a cheap bottle ($6 US) would be worth its weight in gold. I could possibly barter several days of food, a can of gas, some ammo, some firewood, can of heirloom seeds, protection, make a friend, etc. with a bottle of alcohol. A bottle of alcohol could be the ticket out of a situation that a truck load of something else would do you no good.
As far as the hypothetical moral dilemma of someone “getting drunk and beating his/her kids”. When considering possible situations and times where people will be willing to beating up and kill for a meal or bottle of water, thinking that bartering a bottle of alcohol will be contributing to the moral depravity of the population is pretty far-fetched.
JK5
Good point.
momengineer
I am with the others…I have gotten a small amount of vodka and whiskey- but that is mostly for herbal tinctures and cough syrup (as I have two children). Honestly, I am not planning on bartering much if any…If you are bartering, I am afraid others would wonder what else you have hidden back??? Plus, I am still prepping for my family…
Lynda
I don’t see the harm. It’s not up to me to decide whether others choose to drink or not. It’s an individual decision and as long as those drinkers abide by the laws(current) and don’t endanger the safety of others(in a worst case scenario) then this is a non-issue. I don’t know the mind set of who I’d barter that alcohol to and the responsibility of his or her actions rest solely with him or her.
I understand your concern but we’ve seen how the federal and state governments have already encroached upon our decision making process. Must we copy them?
Hannibal
You don’t see the harm? Then you do NOT get the point of the original question!!! You give it, they get drunk, inhibitions go out the window, they come back, possibly with others like minded, they want it and will do whatever to take it. There’s a lot of MEAN drunks out there, add guns and a survival situation to the mix, with little to no Law Enforcement and it’s a recipe’ for trouble.
Get your head in the game, it’s called Warrior Mindset.
nancy
would probably barter small quantities (along the airline bottle amount) if absolutely needed to. Mainly would keep for family use though.
ralph kramden
alcohol has a plethora of uses as most readers have acknowledged. medicinal, fuel, barter, use in preparation of other concoctions, etc. if weather permits, i would grow tobacco as well, another highly desirable good for barter, known carcinogen and health destroyer. i think your argument is weak concerning the possible deleterious effects on humanoids. you might as well say you are a proponent of gun control. they proffer the same theories for their agenda. it all concerns personal responsibility and freedom. i could argue that if you trade food to the wife/child beating cretin, he will have more strength to administer more brutality because of your nutritional supplementation. maybe, as a result of being in a drunken stupor from your bartered alcohol, the objects of his rancor are able to escape unnoticed. you have unwittingly helped the victims! god truly works in mysterious ways. kudos to you for your blog/website.
SingleMom
We use a lot of cooking wines and Nyquil at our house, so I’ve stocked up on those for our own use. I’d like to get some vodka, whiskey, and rum for medicines and cooking, but I would probably only ever trade a small amount of any of them to a serious alcoholic in need of a fix (as opposed to a whole bottle to someone who just wants to get drunk). To me, that would be medicinal.
I think trading alcohol in large quantities would lead to the very situations we’d want to avoid.
thesurvivalmom
That reminds me, stock up on Nyquil!
Midge
I have an intense dislike of drunks. They may be having a good time, but they’re a not fun to be around, and frequently unsafe. I have no intention of fostering the habit. Anybody wanting alcohol bad enough will learn to make it. There’s a reason there’s such a thing as “jail house hooch”. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, even in the lockup. If you need disinfectants, buy and store disinfectants. Most substances made for this are MUCH better at the job than booze.
That whole rant aside, I do have several bottles of very fine alcohol. I think the situation could arise where the occasional bribe might become necessary. Americans find it immoral, but it’s the way of the world elsewhere. Dishonest officials may become something we need to work around in a collapse. A bottle of good Scotch, or a fine Brandy could be what’s needed to get a garden license, or an appointment with government assigned doctors.
Pat O'Cat
I realize that my comment is late in coming, and probably nobody will see it, but: “Anybody wanting alcohol bad enough will learn to make it.” Or they will kill you for it if they think you have it, or if they think you have something they can trade for it. I don’t think people verging on DT’s will have the patience to make their own adult beverages. You can “teach a man to fish”, so to speak, Or have him trade/barter for an airline bottle of gin. There has to be give-and-take to maintain a semblance of a civilized society.
Just sayin’…
Jamie
I can’t help but think of the part in One Second After when the doctor points out that with the local liquor supply gone they can expect to see a rash of violence as alcoholics hit withdrawal and lash out against others or try to kill themselves.
I think it’s a good idea to stock alcohol for personal use but, as with anything else, once people know you have it you’re in the position of needing to defend it. While I might be persuaded to barter it in dire straights for medical attention or some other critical need for a loved one, I’d generally stick to a policy of keeping my mouth shut and my door closed.
Generally speaking, though, if you know someone is abusive you shouldn’t deal with them at all. If you don’t know, then it isn’t feasible or good practice to try to make judgement calls about what they may or may not do with something based on conjecture.
CouponCook
One second after. Great book. Everyone should read it.
Granny
I agree. Once someone knows you have it; you will become a target. I’ve stored vodka for tinctures but I find it expensive. I can buy more food items, medicines or something else I need rather than spend that money on booze for barter.
trish
I was going to type up a response but Hugh pretty much covers my perspective on it. I go one step further. I actually have a wine kit, some bottles, corks etc. It helps that my dad has what equates to a small vineyard on his hay farm. Since I’m in the Southeast, I’m still a little hesitant about the ergot risk with grain due to our humidity so I’m not as big on beer. I toy with the idea of learning distillation due to the medicinal and fuel value, but if I ever decide to learn, it’ll be a combination apprenticeship and a state license.
Pam S
First, I would not want to barter … at all. Would not want anyone to know I have “extra” of anything for fear they and others would come crashing through my front door… OPSEC.. If push came to shove..of course. Not against alcohol.
I will barter what I consider extra.. such as salt, sugar, artificial sweetners, tea, and Ramen noodles. I am stocking up on the smaller sizes of personal items-deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, “pool” bleach for water purification, women’s sanitary pads, soap, and lighters.
I also have a small solar panel setup if the Grid should go down, hopefully not, that could be used to charge batteries for flashlights, cars, or cordless tools. In a community of Like Minded People, my husband has talked about bartering his skills in mechanics and electricity.
Pam …
Rob
I wouldn’t feel right keeping a bunch of alcohol for prepping. Maybe a small amount for medicinal purposes, but it doesn’t take much. Plus, it takes up valuable space and here in earthquake country, glass is not a good idea.
Charley
you can buy cheap vodka in plastic bottles.
Karen
We brew beer and mead and plan to brew up some batches to use for barter. I make an awesome spiced mead that I plan to brew again soon. I can also make a very high alcohol mead that would have medicinal value. As for moral dilemma? No, I see no problem with bartering with alcohol. I think alcohol would be the least of our worries.
Herbwifemama
I would stock up on large bottles of cheap vodka. I’m an herbalist, and need LOTS of vodka for making tinctures. (it was amusing walking through the store holding a HUGE bottle of vodka and a newborn baby last time I needed some!
) It can also be used as a disinfectant, and to drink. I do not feel responsible for what someone does with their alcohol after I trade them for something I may be in dire need of. So I wouldn’t hesitate to use it for bartering, either. But primarily, I’d use to to make medicine.
Mari
So why not stock up on vices that don’t alter people’s senses? Like cigarettes, nicotine patches, chewing gum, coffee, chocolate…you get the idea.
JK5
I like the chewing gum, coffee and chocolate idea….. I did not think of chewing gum. But that would be a good one. Tea as well to go with coffee or even the instant non refrig creamers.
Another Karen
I got some bottles of Tequila really cheap with coupons and a rebate. I do not even know what could be done with it. I kind of like the idea for bribes………..never thought of that, but could be a good use for it. Is Tequila good to use like vodka for medicinal uses? In the old Western movies, they gave a bottle of spirits to their patient before performing their primative surgery like digging a bullet out or their leg!~ HA!
Craig L Johnson
Tequila coupons?
Liz Long
I have a dozen or so bottles of wine. Not top quality, but much better than moonshine. I figure that electricians, plumbers and other tradesmen have anniversaries and wives to keep happy too. A bottle of better-than-readily-available wine might make a good partial payment on home repairs – barter, but for services and not goods.
Full on, got a ton of liquor to barter? More risk than it’s worth. And if it isn’t needed in the next few years, I do NOT want it in the house when my kids are teens!
Preppers Anonymous
One comment about everyone who is so against bartering because of OPSEC. Do you actually think you have EVERYTHING you and your family needs to survive indefinitely through some SHTF event? If so you are naïve. Everyone will eventually have to barter. That is how commerce on a local level will get moving again.
About not bartering alcohol because the drunks will come for your booze. Do you think a hungry person who knows you have food or a parent with a sick child who knows you have meds is less likely to try to take those things from you than a drunk who knows you have some booze?
JK5
It is becoming a world where barter is going to become the norm for a while. People barter all the time. Heck they even have a reality tv show about it…… What don’t they have a “reality TV” show aobut???? But, barter is what will rebuild our society. Just like it was in the days of early trade, it will be again. People will have a set skill, or farm said item, or produce said item and that is how we will proceed to carry on. It is up to you personally to know and do what you are most comfortable with. Barter what YOU are willing to stock and barter, based on your choices. There are so many different tiems to barter with. There is no way to have them all or to know which is going to work best. I say do and have what you feel most comfortable having on hand as your tool.
Pam S
No PA..In your reaction to my OPSEC.. I am not naive.. just stating how I feel.. my concerns.. As others did.. regarding using alcohol as barter.
So what are your plans to barter.. what are you storing for your “exchanges”.. what skills can you offer? I listed a few of “ours”. Your ideas might help others with their preps..
Respectfully… Pam ..
Jimmy
Booze of all types will be essential in a world where H2O may not be fit to drink. Also may help the folks that were on anti depression / sedative meds. A nice glass of wine can sure pick up the spirits when things are tough and it’s good for you. I stock it and make it and am planting a vineyard to be able to continue the supply when the grid goes down. Thinking of growing some tobacco for trade as well. I wish coffee grew in our climate.
JK5
I don’t think alcohol is a good idea for barter either. Formula and personal hygene are my items I am focusing on. This also may sound crazy, but I thought of it the other day. This is for adults only, and I feel odd saying this, but contraceptives. The down side of that is I have 2 daughters and I worry about them all the time. So even thinking of something like this feels odd, but I feel as a mom, well, I have to look out for them too one day. And for barter, it could come in as a good tool. Lets face it though, the last thing some couples may want is to become parents again in a time of TEOTWAWKI. I for one don’t. I have had to have all of my children via c-section b/c of complications. I also had to have a tubal due to complications and I chose not to risk my life or a new childs b/c of my bodies way of handling child birth. I was blessed with 3 and did not want to push it. But, that was mine and my husbands personal choice. Off to the next barter item, diapers, underware, and such. Those are going to be bigger than alcohol I personally think. First aid items are as well. Baby wipes have so many uses that they too will be a good barter tool. There are so many families out there, that in a time of need, did not think about how t handle those needs. I would say,Water, food, first aid, personal hygene. Those are my big 4 items. Clothes and shoes for kids of all ages. I have even traded things now with other parents who have kids older than mine. Lets think about it. People are going to go on, what are they going to need that we use now and think, eh we can always run to the store. How many parents / grandparents have had to run to a store in the middle of night for formula and diapers b/c someone did not plan a head? Imagine how it will be if something comes up and someone was pregnant and did not get this yet on hand????
Florida Joe
I don’t think that booze is a good item because it is too easy to make it. Tobacco is harder to produce so it is better. When black markets or smuggling start the first items will be high value density things like cigaretts and drugs. The last thing will be paper products and other low density items.
It is better to have durables that don’t need to be traded but that can be used. In general I stock up on things I will use instead of things to barter. An extra pair of shoes or an extra pair of pants I will wear and not trade.
Liz Long
It’s easy to make booze – but that doesn’t mean it’s GOOD booze. People will still want “the good stuff”.
I’m planting tobacco around my home. Mostly because it’s a good insect repellent, but then I may be able to harvest some. Doesn’t hurt OPSEC either – it’s just a decorative plant / insect barrier that happens to have proven useful!
JSW
If it isn’t something you’d eventually use yourself, don’t bother with it. It’s taking up cupboard space better put to storing what you use. Not to mention a real waste of money. Give one bottle away and the next thing you know, there’re twenty drunks at your door looking for a drink. Or worse- the user could drink a bottle of courage and come raid you for more.
My .02, at lest.
Stealth Spaniel
I stock up on liquor-all kinds that i use. I wouldn’t have any problem using it for barter, if it came to that. As far as angry drunks go-they already beat up their kids, wife, husband, grandparents; whether boozed up or not. If I needed more ammo and the only person who had it was an angry and/or drunk person, I would have no problem barter trading to get what I needed. I would be Very Careful how I handled the situation though. And no one would know that I have cases stored away. OPSEC is the best form of security.
Josh
I stock it for its multi purposes, including potential barter.
The main reason I stock it is for its sedative effects. If I have to pull someones tooth or stitch a wound, especially a child’s, I want them drunk and passed out first instead of screaming in terrible pain.
Linda
This is a topic I’ve been debating for a while. I’ve been in recovery since 4/20/85 and quit smoking 8 months later, so it is a personal issue for me.
During normal times I have no problem being around either, but during high stress???
So my conclusion is:
!. Don’t want to spend money on something I won’t use
2. Don’t want to give precious storage space
3. Don’t want to take the personal risk.
4. IF I get to the point where I can seriously consider buying itmes strictly for barter, I’m thinking more for baby’s needs. I’ve already had desperate mother’s who couldn’t afford diapers or food. That breaks your heart.
Craig L Johnson
I think when SHTF it will stress many out both the prepared and the unprepared. It will be good to have a diversity of items on hand to trade including alcohol, tobacco, etc. However, kinda like the saying about give a man a fish…if you teach that skill to someone in need then they can provide for themselves and their family and not become a burden or security risk to your family or other fellow preppers. As others have posted alcohol has many various uses and we plan to stock up on it…how much and what for etc etc Id rather not say. I have experience with homebrewing and would be happy to show others how to do so. Vice will always be there for the ones who want it to be.
Rastus McGee
It’s easy to make so why not stock up on other things ( although I personally would damn sho treade for a bottle of Makers Mark if I had extra/plenty O’ stuff) !! No excuses, I just like some every once in a while…
John and Esther Uit de Flesch
alcohol has ruined way too many lives for me to touch it, for any reason!! The Bible tells me not to even look at it, so it has decided for me!
Becky
Wine, Nyquil, and other medications can be stablized by placing them in a wine cooling system. I
learned this through a family member who works in the field of medical supplies. We purchased an 8 bottle unit, and we might purchase a larger one depending on what medications we have to protect over a period of time.
Donna
I am not a fan of the idea of trading alcohol in dire circumstances. I think that my opinion comes from the fact that I have several alcolholics in my family. I have no doubt that what they would want most is “something to take the edge off” which for them means that they would like to check out until things get better.
To be honest, I need them coherent and participating in the survival effort, not laying around half comatose needing constant care. I would pray that no one would supply them with alcohol and so I could never supply it to others.
The reality is, we will never need each other more than when the time comes to use all of the preps that we have put together. We can’t afford for anyone to be drunken liabilities.
JillyBean
I have vodka to make vanilla extract. I don’t think most people think about needing that. Very easy to make with a vanilla, a bottle, and vodka. You just have to shake it a lot.
Katie
I would stock up on some booze; however, I would likely consider it too valuable to barter. I would gladly barter with tobacco products, disposable diapers, tampons, sweets, etc. However, the booze is simply to costly, and too useful to make me consider bartering. Not to mention that it’s probably not ideal for the neighbors to loose their inhibitions in a SHTF situation.
Julie
I probably would keep some for barter. One of the many things I saw during and after Katrina were the people standing in line for HOURS to buy beer, wine etc. I was stunned. No electricity, waiting in lines for everything from food to gas, going to the store and seeing empty shelves…and I was there to help. We ran out of cash, I stood in line for two hours at the bank, had to get the money in small bills…they were running out of cash. When I returned home, I found prepping websites and started prepping.
Beth
My take on this is less about alcohol and more about barter – I’d be a terrible retailer now and that won’t get better if life as we know it is gone. I don’t stock things that me and mine can’t or won’t use – and we drink very little. I have some beer, wine, and liquor on hand for our purposes, but I don’t stock extra. I do have a ton of soap, TP, deoderant, canning jars, etc. – if barter isn’t possible or wise, I have nothing that we won’t eventually use.
Roxy
We have some bottles of wine and a few glass pints of various liquor that we will eventually drink one way or the other. Mostly it is for personal use, but I think that once things calm down a bit (and that may be a very long while) I think that a pint of whiskey or a bottle of wine will be a very luxurious bartering item as well as a personal treat for special occasions. Besides, and maybe this is just me not thinking correctly, but would an alcoholic really have anything to barter that I would want (a boozer AND a prepper?) and how long will they last if SHTF?
Ann
Everclear is the only acoholic drink that I have stashed away. It makes a good tincure or infusion for herbak remedies. It will also disinfect and burn as a fuel.
Jack
First, if you read ANY “real world” SHTF situation (e.g. war zones and such) you learn that alcohol is indeed an INSTRUMENTAL and KEY bartering item. It has so many uses, and can be “measured” for transactions. (e.g. ounces, or a whole bottle, etc.) When it comes to barter items, the BEST ones are those that people have an addictive NEED for. (e.g. alcohol, drugs, tobacco, caffeine, etc.) Some of these “bad habits” are easier to shake than others. During hard times, MANY people who never drank before, start doing so!!! Sure, you could also barter in the antidotes, too. (e.g. Tylenol and such.) But, that cuts-off your customer base once they are “healed.”
OPSEC: Again, if you research the “real world” situations, you realize that “barter town” areas (markets) soon pop-up. These are “underground” black-market areas where people can barter for goods/services (outside the defunct currencies and governments.) So, as long as you are careful about your route in & out of the trading places — and ensure that you aren’t followed back to your home/HW/hideout, then carrying alcohol to barter would be no more risky than carrying ANY OTHER item of value (silver, gold, alcohol, medications, food, etc.) e.g. If the “bad guys” know that you have food (and they are hungry,) you are just as much of a target.
Also, you can conceal alcohol fairly well (e.g. in a canteen or coffee cup or flask or whatever.) Onlookers may assume that you are just carrying water (especially if you carry clear alcohols in those designer-brand water bottles.) Sometimes, hiding something in plain sight, is better than any other method.
Reverse/negative impacts: Personally, I think it’s safer to barter in alcohol, than to barter in ammo or spare/extra guns. I also think bartering in ammo creates a more-harmonious transaction vent, than dealing in ammo or such. e.g. YOU are the hand that’s feeding their need. They don’t want to bite it. As a matter of fact, they may offer you protective services? Drunks don’t USUALLY attach the bar tender or supplier. Instead, they attack one another.
Easily made: “Yes.” And, that’s EXACTLY what makes it such a GREAT barter item, too (the fact that you CAN make more, and have SOMETHING to trade next week/month.) It’s a bit more challenging to make home-brewed Tylenol, or Homemade toilet paper, etc. We stockpile LOTS of alcohol — LOTS & LOTS!!! We also have beer brewing gear, and wine-making gear. You do NOT have to stockpile “top shelf” stuff. When I was in the Army, and at times we were prohibited from drinking alcohol/beer — the “needy” turned to drinking cough syrups or WHATEVER they could get their hands on.
Think like a prisoner: Prisoners make homemade hooch, and indeed barter with it. Cigarettes, drugs, medications, etc. They have only the VERY BASIC freedoms and privacy. What THEY value, the rest of us would also value when OUR freedoms/privacy/currencies/governments and such are extinct.
Shelf life: Other than light-colored beers, most alcohols get better with age. As opposed to cigarettes and so many other potential barter items — which spoil/rot over time.
“Invest” in several decent table-top water filter pitchers (and extra filters,) too! As seen on Mythbuster, you can simply pour a bottom-shelf vodka through these filters a few times, to convert it into a product that rivals a top-shelf vodka. (During a taste test, ONLY the “trained experts” could tell the difference between a top-shelf vodka, and a multi-filtered bottom-shelf vodka.
We stockpile almost EVERYTHING. Rums, whiskeys/bourbons/scotches, vodkas, gins, wines, etc. Thankfully, we are social drinkers. So, we don’t see this as any sort of “waste.” When we host parties and such, we regularly tap into our supplies to meet our guests’ needs. Sure, we keep a few top-shelf items. But, we keep even MORE bottom-shelf items. Hint: We LOVE name-brand plastic bottles. We recycle/refill them (with our favorite versions of their bottom-shelf cousins — HEY — at least we aren’t watering the stuff down!!!) (wink) e.g. we refill a Captain Morgan bottle, with non-named or generic spiced rum. We start-off our parties serving the “real deal.” But, once everyone has had a few drinks of the good stuff, their taste buds become looser — so we start substituting the generic products. No one has EVERY said a thing, and no one has EVER stopped tipping their drinks.
Discount alcohols: Yes, there ARE coupons for alcohol, too. In our state, the local grocery store additionally partners with a local gas station chain, to offer discounts on gas for every bottle purchased. (e.g. 5 or 10 cents per gallon for each bottle purchased.) Filling up our truck involves 40 gallons = $4 bucks.) So, we get the alcohol (which normally costs $17 per bottle) on sale for about $12 per bottle, and then save an extra $4 on gas (thus, and effective net price of only $8 per bottle.) One time, they also included TWO little airline-sized “kickers,” too. Or, a free two-liter bottle of Coke.
Uncle Sam: Big Brother KNOWS the value of alcohols. That’s why he taxes it, and regulates it, and controls it. Uncle Sam doesn’t care so much about hair cuts, fishing lures, toilet paper, etc. But, Uncle Sam WANTS a piece of that hooch revenue!!! And, you can look back to the prohibition years to realize how much the general public wants/demands it!
I hope NO ONE heeds my advice. I hope that I’m actually the ONLY person stockpiling alcohol and alcohol-making supplies…
Granted, I’m not as alcohol-focused as the other commenter’s friends who ONLY stockpile alcohol and mason jars to drink from. We also have TONS of medical supplies, seeds, coffee, and yes… even toilet paper. We’re also starting t stockpile solar panels, and a LOT of rechargeable D-sized, AA, AAA, 9-volt batteries (and 12-volet deep-cycle batteries, too.) We learned the value of these with neighbors during recent power outages. These were TEOTWAWKI times. But, it surely helped create instant friendships with our neighbors when we were able to provide them with the batteries they needed, and a fresh new set the next day, too. (In hard times, we could have bartered our recharging services — instead of giving them away for free.)
I think the MAIN thing to remember, is to have SOME sort of bartering plan. Ideally, an item that is exhaustible/consumable, and creates some sort of need/addiction within your end-client. Ideally, an item that can serve multiple uses/needs. Ideally, an item that’s easily made at home, and requires minimal parts/labor. Ideally, an item that’s easy to transport, and sell/barter in small/large quantities — so you don’t have to over-pay for items that YOU need.
Having ZERO barter plan, means that you will only survive for as long as your stockpile holds out. As they say, No Man is an Island. 80%+ of us live in cities/suburbs today. Most of our food/supplies travel thousands of miles to get to our doorsteps. Unless you are living 100% off the land already/now — then you WILL need to be ready/prepared to barter during/after a collapse.
Us: We’d rather host a post-hurricane party, and begin rebuilding a sense of community and brotherhood — than marching through the streets with assault rifles and shotguns to loot our friends/family. We PLAN to be leaders/suppliers/coordinators/trainers of our neighbors — than perceived as shut-in horders (as we learned from Katrina reports.) No, we don’t plan to host these events at OUR home. Instead, we will host them at a nearby community complex (which we will help transform into a neighborhood “safe zone” and HQ. We will establish a community kitchen, community communications, community ride-share, community first aid & health care, etc. And, “yes,” we will provide the alcohol for the first community get-together. (wink)
Just food (and alcohol) for thought…
Peace.
6th Sense
in some states you may purchase Ever Clear – very high alcohol content, could be stove fuel, sanitizer, cleaning solution, and is drinkable. For barter I keep toilet paper, soap (all kinds) paper towels, garbage bags, aspirin, cold meds,, vitamins, Immodium AD, books, etc.. I hope I never see an apocalytic situation. But I have read that within three days people will run out of the basics. For me, a good water purifier, not a filter, is part of my plan (think Big Berkey – Google it – well worth the money). Why purified water as a barter item? Death= 4 minutes without air, 4 days without water. I wish all to survive – my water source is secure and I can purify it, then I can barter it. A person will drink anything after 3 days of thirst. I do mean to help and serve, but panicky people four days into a nationwide problem will likely be dangerous. Use good sense and be merciful.
Ron Jones
I’m in agreement with Jack. There is no way I’m willing to trade away ammuniton, or food that I may need to feed my children, or tools, or other supplies.
But I will keep staking cases of airline bottles filled with vodka and bourbon. They’re light, easily concealable, and when you need to go looking for something you want, that you don’t have… It is as liquid as silver.
And… speaking of silver. THAT is something I will not be in any hurry to barter away either. But I will trade my booze for someone else’s silver.
Chuck
Let’s turn it around. You have booze but have decided to not trade it because you don’t want to sell a “vice”. Now.. The local drunk has the exact antibiotic your child needs to survive the ‘infection’
Are you willing to trade then? If YES then the question is moot since your ethics are now situational. If not then you will not survive or will not want to.
SO I answer it like this.
When booze has ‘currency’ then we have far more problems than worrying if we are contributing to someone’s drinking problem.
It’s not my job to decide what people put in their bodies or anything else. Wanting to regulate this and a thousand other things is exactly how this country got to the crappy state it’s in.
We got HERE one “It’s for their own good” at a time and that has led us to the edge of serfdom, if not over it.
People have used booze and other ‘vices’ as trade items since recorded history. The idea that it is ‘wrong’ is a very recent idea. In the old days, people suffered the consequences of THEIR decisions. Good or Bad.
No one used to blame the bartender for the existence of drunks. It took Liberals and Lawyers for that.
mamaprepper
We have bottles of liquor on hand for it’s many uses not for the idea of supporting a ‘local drunk’. I did bring up the idea of storing up cigarettes for barter to my husband. He thinks there are so many other useful things to put our money to for bartering (matches, water purification, chickens – lol) and doesn’t believe in supporting an industry that promotes addictions. I think alcohol has many many uses and it would be silly not to store up some, but something else that’s a person’s vice like cigarettes – probably not.
Charley
I’d much rather barter otc medicines and personal items. You also need to think what skills you have to barter with. I’m not good at gardening or canning. But I can sew anything, including cloth diapers made from old t-shirts. I have learned about edible wild plants, and I’m pretty handy with tools. Everyone should have some skills that they can barter with. Barter ‘items’ will run out but your skills will last as long as you do.
oregonchick
I would definitely consider setting aside small bottles of alcohol for barter, after other needs were met. I also think there could be some value in having a stash of high-end alcohol on hand as a “hospitality” offering if you have friends/family who visit or you ever need to have something to use for bribery. But I would not ever refer to having a stockpile of them, and would probably try to accumulate bottles of various sizes/types/brands, so it looks like I acquired them along the way via other trade or scavenging vs. someone knowing that I always show up at the market with at least a few pint bottles of Stoli, which would lead the observer to assume that I had a case (or many cases) of it hidden away somewhere.
Although it’s further down on my priority list, I like the idea of having a distillery because you can use inedible corn cobs to run it and the mash by-product can be fed to livestock, plus you can create not only alcohol for human consumption but for fuel and other uses. That said, having a distillery that you could use to also create lots of good, clean drinking water would be a real blessing if something went awry with your water stores AND would also give you something to barter that ISN’T trading in “vice” and probably isn’t likely to inspire people to rob or kill you to get at it.
As far as the morality of alcohol goes… Some people are self-destructive, and will find a way to inflict harm on themselves or others regardless of whether alcohol is available. If they can’t numb themselves, they may act out in other ways. (Also: Imagine how many marijuana growers will be bartering if there’s a situation where people trade without government influence!) The thing with alcohol is, most people who will barter with you for it are people who actually have experience drinking and therefore will have some understanding and expectation of how it will affect them. It’s a known quantity, unlike drugs of varying strength or engaging in reckless behavior. Though far from an ideal coping mechanism, alcohol may be a “safer” and “less disruptive” form of self-abuse than others that will be available post-SHTF.
newyorkcoservative
we just opened a liquor store about a mile from our home. in the event of a colaps our number one priority will be transporting it to our safe house which is some few miles away. our group has also began tending to a small farm that sits far back that literaly no one knows is there… the less people that know about the specifics of your plans the better. on the other hand the more skilled people you have on your side the better. we (our group) have added about 6 people to our plan but they dont know any specifics only what we feel safe wiht them knowing. we have told them what we would like for them to stock and they know of the farm.. nothing else until the time comes for the 20 of us to put the plan into action.
Pat O'Cat
Funny, I had just re-visited this post & the comments last night, and then this morning I see this headline:
“Liquor drought looms in New Jersey after Sandy floods distributor’s warehouse”
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/painful_last_call_XAdaU5EuBCh24HyypGA5pK
Evil von Scarry
I would stock up myself as it can be used in a multitude of ways including medicinally. But on the vice side of things I would also stock up on common cigarette brands. Its a good question and a morale dilemma for some but alcohol and cigarettes were huge as a currency in the former Yugoslavia during the war as well as coffee. If bartering a few bottles of vodka and a carton of smokes means you get parts for a generator or fuel or maybe a bicycle from someone who has all the food they need it only ensures you have something that someone is willing to trade for.
Suzanne
I will be stocking up on alcohol as a must have item in our pantry of supplies. Keep in mind that I have no intention of making this a primary staple for the adults in our family. I enjoy a glass of wine on different occasions and a few years ago my husband and I experimented with a recipe that yielded a great tasting beverage. Some of our favorite quiet times together have been sitting by the fireplace or bonfire and enjoying a glass of wine after the kids have settled down for the night. Although I could not imagine a hangover during a SHTF scenario, I would imagine that once things have settled down I would enjoy that comfort on occasion. I agree that bartering with an abusive alcoholic for items my family needs may not be ideal however, if my family needs something that I could get by bartering alcohol, I won’t think twice about it. For me, the bottom line maitre idling for my family. Wine and chocolate will definitely be a few of my own frivolous items that I will store for personal use and use them for bartering if needed.
Suzanne
That typo above should be “maintaining”. Silly IPad keyboard!
Lynne
Medicinal tinctures (made with herbs, which can be grown in a garden or container) maybe the only medications that we can get if TSHITF. As another person posted, if I could barter for something that my family needs I definetly would, but I am not planning to have a stock strictly for barter.