We’ve all heard the saying “cash is king,” but when real disaster hits, you quickly realize that gold bars won’t fix a leaky roof or fill an empty stomach. I’ve been through enough power outages, supply chain hiccups, and weather emergencies to know that the most valuable things during a crisis are often sitting right there in your pantry or toolshed.
The truth is, when systems break down—whether it’s a week-long blackout, a natural disaster, or something more serious—people don’t scramble for precious metals. They need the basics. And those basics become incredibly valuable, fast. Here are 50 ordinary items that transform into powerful bartering tools when everything else falls apart.
If you’re just getting started with preparedness, this list is gold (pun intended). For those who’ve been at this a while, consider it a reality check on your stockpile.
Before We Dive In
I’m not telling you that you need to go get all of these things in bulk right away. That’s crazy talk. Most of us can’t afford that kind of investment. But adding a few extra bits here and there to your stockpile during your grocery runs or trips to the dollar store is achievable for most of us. Build your supplies slowly and affordably over time.
1. Clean Water
Three days without water and most people are done. Clean water disappears from store shelves within hours of any emergency announcement. Rivers and wells get contaminated, municipal systems fail, and suddenly that case of water bottles you bought for $3 is worth its weight in actual gold.
Store water in food-grade containers if you can. Those blue 55-gallon barrels work great, but honestly, even cleaning out and sanitizing old juice containers and refilling them puts you miles ahead of most people. And remember to rotate your stock regularly, especially if you’re not using those barrels or sealed water bottles.
2. Toilet Paper
Remember March 2020? People weren’t hoarding gold—they were fighting over Charmin. When comfort disappears, dignity becomes incredibly valuable. A single roll of quality toilet paper can buy you a favor, a meal, or goodwill with neighbors. It’s bulky to store, but individual rolls or small packs make perfect trade units.
3. Prescription Medications
This one’s serious. When pharmacies close or supply chains break, people with chronic conditions get desperate fast. Heart medications, insulin, antibiotics—these become more precious than anything. Even basic over-the-counter stuff like ibuprofen or anti-diarrheal meds turn into hot commodities. Stock what you can legally, rotate your supply, and understand this could literally save someone’s life.
4. Canned Food
Tuna, chili, soup, stew—anything with a long shelf life and decent nutrition becomes currency when fresh food disappears. I keep cases of the stuff, not just for my family but because I know it trades well. A can of meat-based soup can fill someone up and costs less than $2 now, but it’s worth ten times that when people are hungry.
5. Fuel (Petrol, Diesel, Propane)
Gas stations run dry within hours when people panic. I learned this during several hurricane evacuations—by the time most folks think to fill up, the stations are bone dry. A few gallons of properly stored fuel can power a generator, run a chainsaw, or get someone to safety. Propane is easier to store long-term and powers camp stoves, heaters, and grills when the electricity’s out.
6. Portable Water Filters
Bottled water runs out. Streams and ponds don’t. A good portable filter like a LifeStraw or Sawyer Mini can turn questionable water into something drinkable. They’re compact, last for thousands of gallons, and absolutely invaluable when clean water sources are compromised. I keep several on hand for every family member, plus extras just in case—they’re cheap insurance and incredible trade items.
7. Feminine Hygiene Products
Half the population needs these monthly, and they’re not exactly optional. Tampons, pads, and menstrual cups disappear fast during emergencies but are lightweight and shelf-stable. They’re also surprisingly useful for first aid—tampons are excellent for plugging wounds, and pads make great bandages. Don’t overlook these if you’re stocking for trade.
8. Batteries
Every flashlight, radio, and electronic device runs on batteries, and they die at the worst possible times. AA and AAA batteries especially—these power most household electronics. During longer outages, people get desperate for working flashlights and radios. Store unopened packages, and rotate your stock so they don’t leak or lose power.
9. Lighters and Matches
Fire equals survival. Warmth, cooking, light, sterilization—you need flame for all of it. Cheap Bic lighters and waterproof matches cost almost nothing now but become incredibly valuable when people can’t heat food or stay warm. They’re small, portable, and perfect for bartering.
10. Salt
Salt preserves food, replaces electrolytes, and seasons the bland rice and beans people survive on during tough times. Historically, it’s been currency, and there’s a reason for that. When refrigeration fails and people need to preserve meat or fish, salt becomes essential. Buy it in bulk—it stores forever and weighs enough to feel valuable in trade.
11. Seeds (Heirloom, Open-Pollinated)
Once the canned food runs out, people need to grow their own. In reality, they should be growing their own food long before the canned food runs out, but that’s a whole ‘nother conversation. And for that, they need seeds. Not just any seeds—heirloom varieties that reproduce true to type. Hybrid seeds from the hardware store don’t breed true, making them worthless for long-term food security. A packet of good tomato or bean seeds can produce hundreds of pounds of food and dozens of future seed packets.
12. Alcohol (Drinking and Medicinal)
Vodka, whiskey, and grain alcohol serve double duty—they calm nerves and sterilize wounds. Plus they preserve food and herbal preparations. Small bottles are perfect for trade and won’t break the bank if you lose them in a deal. High-proof alcohol like Everclear can even fuel alcohol stoves in a pinch. Those little airplane bottles are ideal trade units.
13. Sugar and Honey
Both provide quick energy and preserve food. Sugar’s impossible to produce at home without serious equipment, making stored supplies incredibly valuable. Honey never spoils and has antiseptic properties for wound care. During rationing in WWII, a pound of sugar could buy almost anything. Smart money says that’ll happen again.
14. Coffee and Tea
Caffeine withdrawal is no joke. I’ve seen people pay ridiculous prices for a cup of coffee during power outages. Instant coffee and black tea bags store well and provide that psychological boost people need during stressful times. A small tin of instant coffee might seem trivial now, but it’s pure gold to someone going through withdrawal.
15. Cooking Oil
Calories matter when food is scarce, and oil packs more calories per ounce than almost anything else. Olive oil, coconut oil, even lard—they store well and turn bland staples into actual meals. Small bottles are easier to trade than large containers and won’t devastate your stores if you need to make a deal.
16. Soap and Sanitation Supplies
Disease spreads fast when sanitation breaks down. Bar soap, bleach, hand sanitizer—these aren’t luxuries during a crisis. Cholera, dysentery, and other nasty diseases thrive when people can’t stay clean. Small bars of soap and travel-sized sanitizers make excellent trade goods and keep communities healthy.
17. Manual Tools
Power tools become paperweights when the electricity’s out. Hand tools like can openers, multitools, hammers, and saws become incredibly valuable. I keep extras of the basics—especially manual can openers, because all those canned goods are useless if you can’t open them. Good hand tools last decades and always hold their value.
18. Baby Supplies
Parents will trade almost anything for formula, diapers, or baby wipes. These supplies are bulky and expensive, but families with infants are desperate customers. If you have space and aren’t supporting young children yourself, baby supplies are excellent barter stock—there’s always demand and parents pay premium prices.
19. Painkillers and First Aid
Injuries happen more often when people are doing unfamiliar manual work. Simple cuts become serious without antiseptic. Basic first aid supplies—bandages, antiseptic cream, gauze, even over-the-counter pain relievers—can prevent minor problems from becoming life-threatening. Stock extras, but be careful with prescription medications and legal issues.
20. Vinegar and Baking Soda
These two cheap items clean almost anything, preserve food, and handle basic chemistry needs. Vinegar kills bacteria, removes stains, and preserves vegetables. Baking soda neutralizes odors, cleans surfaces, and works in cooking. Together, they replace dozens of specialized products people can’t find during shortages.
21. Trash Bags
Heavy-duty trash bags collect waste, store water, provide emergency insulation, and even make temporary shelters. They’re cheap, compact, and incredibly versatile. During cleanup after disasters, people realize how essential they are for sanitation and organization. A box of contractor bags might cost $10 now but be worth ten times that later.
22. Flashlights and Headlamps
When the lights go out, flashlights become lifelines. LED models last longer and use batteries more efficiently than old incandescent types. Headlamps are especially valuable because they free up your hands for work. I’ve seen people pay $50 for a basic flashlight during extended blackouts.
23. Duct Tape
If something breaks and you can’t replace it, duct tape might fix it. Torn tarps, leaky pipes, broken equipment—duct tape handles emergency repairs that keep systems running. It’s not pretty, but it works. A few rolls can solve dozens of problems and are always appreciated in trade.
24. Cash (in Small Denominations)
Credit cards don’t work when the power’s out, but local businesses might still take cash. Small bills—$1s, $5s, $10s—work better than large ones because nobody has change. Even during partial economic collapse, cash often works longer than electronic payments. Keep a few hundred in small bills hidden away.
25. Condoms
Beyond the obvious use, they’re surprisingly handy for survival purposes. They hold water, keep things dry, and store small items. They’re lightweight, cheap, and there’s always demand. During shortages, people still have needs, and unplanned pregnancies are the last thing anyone wants during a crisis.
26. Manual Can Openers
All those canned goods become useless if you can’t open them. Electric openers don’t work without power, and cheap manual ones break easily. A sturdy manual can opener is worth more than its weight in food to someone with a pantry full of cans and no way to access them. Keep several—they’re cheap insurance.
27. Blankets
Heat costs money and electricity. When heating systems fail, blankets keep people alive. Wool blankets work even when wet, and heavy thermal blankets provide serious warmth. They’re bulky but essential in cold climates. During winter storms, a warm blanket can literally mean the difference between life and death.
28. Work Gloves
Hands get torn up fast when people do unfamiliar manual labor. Good work gloves prevent cuts, blisters, and infections that can sideline someone when medical care is limited. Leather gloves last longer than fabric ones and protect against thorns, splinters, and rough materials. Always keep several pairs—hands are too important to damage.
29. Zip Ties
These plastic fasteners fix broken equipment, secure loads, and replace missing hardware. They’re incredibly strong for their size and solve problems that would otherwise require specialized tools or parts. An assortment of sizes handles everything from bundling cables to emergency repairs on vehicles and equipment.
30. Super Glue
Quick repairs matter when you can’t replace broken items. Super glue fixes cracked plastic, torn fabric, broken tools, and dozens of other problems. Some people even use it for emergency wound closure, though that’s not officially recommended. Small tubes store well and provide incredible value for their size.
31. Tarps
Heavy-duty tarps become instant shelter, ground cover, or water collection systems. They protect supplies from weather and create living spaces when buildings are damaged. Choose ones with grommets and reinforced edges—they last longer under stress. A good tarp can solve housing problems that would otherwise be life-threatening.
32. Clotheslines and Clips
Clothes washers and dryers need electricity and water pressure. When utilities fail, people need ways to dry clothes and fabrics. Strong clothesline and sturdy clips handle the job without power. They’re cheap now but become essential when people realize their clothes aren’t drying and mold is growing.
33. Dehydrated Meals
Unlike canned food, dehydrated meals are lightweight and space-efficient. Most only need boiling water to prepare, making them convenient when cooking options are limited. Military MREs and camping meals store for years and provide complete nutrition. They cost more than canned goods but offer convenience that becomes valuable during chaos.
34. Reusable Water Bottles
You can’t carry water in your hands, and disposable bottles get consumed quickly. Durable reusable bottles—especially stainless steel ones—transport water safely and can double as cooking vessels over fires. They’re essential for anyone who needs to move water from sources to storage or consumption points.
35. Manual Coffee Grinder
Coffee addicts need their fix, but pre-ground coffee goes stale faster than whole beans. A hand-crank grinder lets people buy whole beans (which store better) and grind fresh coffee without electricity. It might seem like a luxury, but caffeine withdrawal during stressful times is brutal.
36. Cast Iron Pans
Cast iron works on open fires, wood stoves, and gas burners without damage. Unlike modern non-stick pans, cast iron gets better with age and abuse. When people are cooking over fires or basic heat sources, cast iron handles the temperature extremes that destroy other cookware. A well-seasoned pan lasts generations.
I love my cast-iron cookware. High-quality new ones are expensive, but you can often find old ones (usually very neglected) at estate sales and thrift stores. And, with a little elbow grease and know-how, you can restore and reseason those beauties back to their original glory. Do it right and they’ll last for decades more.
37. Bleach
Bleach disinfects water, sterilizes surfaces, and kills dangerous bacteria. It’s one of the most effective and affordable ways to prevent disease when sanitation systems fail. A gallon of bleach can make thousands of gallons of questionable water safe to drink. Store it cool and sealed—it loses potency over time.
38. Twine or Paracord
Strong rope solves hundreds of problems—securing loads, building shelter, making repairs, even crafting tools and traps. Paracord is especially valuable because the inner strands can be separated for finer work like sewing or fishing line. Always keep at least 100 feet per person—you’ll find uses you never imagined.
39. Manual Egg Beaters or Hand Mixers
Cooking from scratch becomes necessary when processed foods disappear, but mixing by hand is exhausting. Old-fashioned rotary beaters and hand mixers make baking and food preparation much easier without electricity. You can find them cheap at thrift stores now, but they’ll be gold later.
40. Hair Clippers or Scissors
Personal grooming isn’t just vanity—it’s sanitation and mental health. Long hair harbors lice and bacteria, and overgrown hair interferes with protective equipment. Good scissors or hand clippers keep people clean and comfortable. Electric clippers are useless without power, making manual ones incredibly valuable.
41. Eyeglasses and Repair Kits
People with vision problems become helpless when glasses break. Spare reading glasses in common prescriptions and mini repair kits with screws and nose pads solve emergency vision problems. You can buy reading glasses in bulk cheaply now and trade them to people who desperately need to see clearly.
42. Hand Crank Radios
Information becomes critical when normal communication fails. Crank-powered radios receive emergency broadcasts, weather alerts, and news without needing batteries or electricity. Models with built-in flashlights and USB charging ports are especially valuable because they serve multiple functions.
43. Notebooks and Pens
Record-keeping matters when computers and phones don’t work. People need to track trades, write messages, plan work, and document events. Paper and pens seem basic, but they become essential communication tools when digital systems fail. Stock up on cheap notebooks and basic pens.
44. Buckets with Lids
Buckets haul water, store food, wash clothes, and even serve as emergency toilets. Food-grade buckets with tight lids keep supplies safe from rodents and moisture. They stack for efficient storage and multiply their usefulness. A few good buckets solve storage and transport problems that would otherwise be serious obstacles.
45. Shoe Inserts and Laces
Feet take a beating during crisis situations, and replacement shoes aren’t always available. Insoles reduce fatigue and prevent injury, while extra laces prevent equipment failures. Foot problems can disable someone when they need to be mobile, making these small comfort items surprisingly important.
46. Mosquito Nets
In warm climates, insect protection prevents disease and improves sleep quality. Mosquitoes carry malaria, dengue, Zika, and other serious diseases that spread faster when medical care is limited. Mosquito nets provide protection without needing electricity or chemical repellents that might not be available.
47. Safety Pins
Safety pins repair clothes, secure bandages, fix equipment, and solve countless small problems. They’re incredibly cheap and compact but endlessly useful for quick fixes. When people can’t replace broken items, being able to repair them becomes incredibly valuable.
48. Cloth Face Masks
Masks protect against dust, smoke, ash, chemical fumes, and airborne diseases. Post-disaster environments often have poor air quality from fires, collapsed buildings, or industrial accidents. Simple cloth masks or bandanas provide basic protection and comfort. They’re easy to make, trade, and distribute.
49. Measuring Cups and Spoons
Cooking from scratch requires accurate measurements, especially for baking and food preservation. When people are working with limited ingredients and can’t afford waste, precise measurements become critical. Basic plastic or metal measuring tools ensure recipes work correctly and food isn’t wasted.
50. Safety Goggles
Eye injuries are common when people do unfamiliar manual work—cutting wood, using chemicals, or working with debris. Safety glasses and goggles prevent damage that could permanently disable someone when medical care is limited. They’re inexpensive now but could save someone’s sight later.