I am wondering about a possible Barter system post Y2K. I wonder how soon it will come into place. What things will be good to have for bartering. Also will you keep your money in cash or convert it to gold or some other form before Y2K

-- Billi Peters (jspeters@silk.net), October 15, 1998

Answers

I've lived through the destruction of the currency and had to barter. Good itmes are: tea, coffee, cigarettes and in America probably also bullets. When we don't like each other, we like to shoot each other. At least that's what Hollywood taught us that it's the best way to get what you want.

-- bart (bart@havebeenthere.com), October 15, 1998.

My mom told me that during WWII, they were rationed, and besides the items Bart mentioned, sugar was especially hard to get (I grew up in Canada). I don't believe sugar is grown in the U.S., or coffee? Any day to day staples like that which we import %100 of would be a good barter item IMO.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), October 15, 1998.

Here in Montana, lots of farmers grow sugar beets. We have a sugar factory in Billings. However, I don't know if the farmers will be able to get seed! It would probably be good to have a wide variety of things for barter, 'cause you just never know what someone might need !

-- Karen (not@thistime.com), October 15, 1998.

Somewhere in my collection of books there is one that tells how to prepare for sailing the South Seas. Very informative book, and includes a chapter on practical barter and trade. The fellow that wrote the book had real experience with this, and his advice sounded better than any I have ever read. He said people down there were starved for several things we took for granted. Among them were entertainment, simple dental work, and a lot of minor items. (If I run across the book, I will post the title.) He advised the boat owner to get a generator and projector and buy some of the old movies that no longer are considered to be under copyright or are just orphans. He said people on some islands would give their right arms to see an old copy of King Kong. Also he said that simple dentistry such as cleaning and filling teeth could be easily learned and that he had fed himself and his family many times by fixing and cleaning a few islanders teeth. Other things he mentioned as valuable were heavy cloth, hand cranked flashlights and even taking pictures of folks with a polaroid camera and selling them the picture. While not all of this may apply to us if it really hit the fan (which I doubt) his ideas and experience may help us break out of the ordinary mold and think of new things to try. BTW - I heard one suggestion from another book (fictional end of the world sort of thing) that makes sense - if you live in olive tree country - get a small press and charge people to press their oil. I suppose in apple country you might make cider.

-- Paul Davis (davisp1953@yahoo.com), October 16, 1998.

Toilet paper. You always run out at the wrong time. Russians used to stand in line for it (probably still do). If I had none, and couldn't buy any, I sure would want some. Couldn't make it. Once the phone book is used up, what are you going to do? Come to Bill the T.P. man! Store in your attic, you might save a bunch on your heat bill this winter. If y2k is a non-event, you can always use T.P. Should last for years, if kept dry. Worth its weight in gold!

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), October 16, 1998.