Today, this talk will be on The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading, which are not used often these days, but that can get you critical supplies in emergency situations or long-term disruptions.
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Bartering and trading is the act of trading goods or skills. It can be very useful in survival situations due to the fact that both parties involved will get a supply or service that they need. Without the luxury of being able to go to a store or order something online, bartering would be something many people would resort to when they are in a bind.
The first thing to consider with The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading is the psychological aspect. Yes, there is a lot of mental bargaining going on.
A. Psychological Bartering Tactics
Even though bartering may seem simple, there’s a lot of psychology behind it, especially in high-stress situations where you or others could be facing dire situations and events.
Knowing how to read bartering situations and having the ability to negotiate with people can help you get good deals when you might need them most. Even if you have supplies to spare, this is a skill that can help you keep more of your belongings for the future.
1. Stay Self-Aware
One important aspect of bartering successfully is to make sure you’re aware of how you’re behaving in these situations. Letting your mindset slip and acting panicked can squash opportunities for trades you could’ve made to your benefit otherwise.
Something you need to do in bartering situations is to make sure you’re portraying yourself as confident and calm. If you seem irrational, people may be hesitant to work with you and may see you as a threat or easily swayed.
If you act unsure of yourself and the value of what you have to offer, people may see you as a doormat and try to manipulate you into getting what they want. Make sure you’re always being reasonable in your trades.
Check yourself to see if you are being overly stingy, but don’t be too generous, either, because you are in a survival situation. It is easy to get overly attached to items, especially in a survival scenario.
But remember that giving up some items will get you something you need in return. If you’ve made the smart decision to stock up on products you’ve set aside to barter with, or you have skills to give in return, you will be in a better position to negotiate without hesitating.
2. Work on Reading People
Being able to read people can be extremely helpful in bartering situations; it can give you an idea of what someone is thinking without having to ask them. This can help you act accordingly when offering or asking for supplies.
Small things we would usually overlook, like posture and slight changes in facial expressions, can tell you a lot about how a person is feeling. For example, someone avoiding eye contact could tell you that they are feeling nervous or unsure about your offer.
This can help you tweak your negotiation with them as much as you would like to try to secure the trade if it is important enough to you. There are many sources online where you can read about body language cues and even see them being practiced.
You can even find content from former government workers who have been involved in agencies such as the FBI, where they discuss reading body language. People give away a lot of information about their mindset and emotions with clues they don’t even know they are expressing.
If you want a really good study in reading expressions and body language, you should try out a Tv series called “Lie to Me”. If you like to pick things apart and figure out the “Who-done-it” with out murder and mayhem, you might like this series. It may not be your thing normally but it is a great way to pick up on some of the things that a “human lie detector” reads from peoples actions and movements.
Spoiler alert if you love it: there are only three seasons.
3. Using Psychological Negotiation Tactics
There are certain tactics you can use to make your bartering interactions go smoother. Using these tips can be especially helpful when dealing with someone stubborn or stingy who wants to give you a bad deal.
a. Framing
The first tactic you can use is framing. Framing is where you give someone information in a way that changes their opinion on something, usually in a good light. This can be used to help others see the importance in some of the items you offer them and make them more likely to accept your offer.
For example, something like hard candy may initially seem useless to most people, but if you were to present it as something that can provide comfort through trying times and something that can quickly raise low blood sugar in times of food scarcity, the other party’s opinion may be shaped by that information.
b. Anchoring
The second negotiation tactic you can use is anchoring. Anchoring is where you focus the negotiation around the first offer. This can make the other party think they are getting a better deal, when in reality, the final offer was the goal of the barterer the whole time.
For example, you might have a surplus of firewood. You need food or water. You make the initial offer by asking for a lot in return for very little, like a week’s worth of food for a small bundle of firewood.
They are going to balk, at which time they make a counteroffer to give you 3 days’ worth of food. Before your offer, they may not have even thought they would give that much, but now they are working down from your extremely high “price point.”
c. Mirroring
Another negotiation tactic you can use is mirroring. Mirroring is when you use similar body language or speak similarly to your bartering partner to build trust, as people feel comfortable around those they can relate to.
Building trust is good for bartering as the other person will trust that they are getting a good offer and good quality items from you. When mirroring, it is important to find the balance between acting similar to someone and copying them completely.
Do not do their exact movements at the same time as them, for example, if someone tucks their hair behind their ear, don’t do the same thing right away as this may come off as creepy and robot-like.
d. Empathy
You can combine this method with using empathy. Many people, especially in such high stress situations like survival events, may completely shut down their empathetic nature in order to avoid emotions getting involved when making important decisions.
Share stories and have real conversations with those you are trading with to build trust and relatability. Be careful not to share any sensitive information about other supplies you have or how much stock you have, as this could make you a target for stealing.
Using these psychological tactics when bartering can certainly get you better deals, but make sure you use these tips ethically.
Do not manipulate people into accepting horribly one-sided bad deals, especially when others’ survival might depend on it.
Your aim should be for this to have a mutually beneficial ending. You want both parties to walk away feeling satisfied that they got something they wanted or needed. Remember, you might be bartering with this same individual in the future, so now is not the time to burn bridges.
The next part of The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading to think about is what skills do you have to trade with? It is not only “stuff” that has value.
B. Barter Your Skills
When you are bartering, don’t forget any skills you might have that someone else may need. It is not just about supplies. For example, part of your negotiation tactic might be to layer on the offer.
You might start out with a supply exchange, but you learn, in the discussion, that their car has broken down and there is no one available now to fix it. If you have that skill, you can tack it on as an additional part of the offer to look at it and make any repair you can do to get it working again.
To really get good and comfortable with The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading you will want to practice and figure out the style that works best for you.
C. Practice Bartering and Trading
Bartering is something that is fun to practice during calm times when you are not in a survival situation. You can go to estate sales, garage sales, farmers’ markets and even go online to things like Facebook Marketplace and practice what you know needs to be done in a survival bartering scenario.
This will hone your skills and make you less nervous about truly needing to do it in the future. Don’t forget to teach this skill to your loved one. They may need to negotiate when you are not around, and it is smart to know how it works from an early age.
Bartering and trading can become pivotal in situations where traditional currency systems are disrupted or in scenarios where resources are scarce. Developing effective strategies for bartering and trading ensures that you can obtain necessary supplies or services without relying solely on cash transactions.
The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading can be greatly improved by following some key steps to getting what you want and making a good trade for yourself and your trading partner.
D. Keys for Successful Bartering and Trading
a. Understand the Value of Goods and Services
- Research and Knowledge: Understand the intrinsic value of items and services you have and those you need. Some goods, like food, water purification systems, and medical supplies, may hold more value in emergency situations than luxury items.
- Supply and Demand: Keep in mind that the value of items can fluctuate based on supply and demand dynamics. Items in high demand but low supply will naturally hold more bargaining power.
b. Inventory Management
- Diverse Supplies: Maintain a diverse inventory of goods that are likely to be in high demand during various scenarios. This includes non-perishable foods, medical supplies, tools, and seeds for growing food.
- Skill Sets: Develop and hone skills that will be valuable in a barter economy, such as medical knowledge, mechanical repair, or food preservation. Services can often be traded when goods are not available.
c. Establish Trust and Build Relationships
- Community Networks: Build strong relationships within your community before you need to barter. Trust and reputation can significantly influence your success in trading.
- Fairness and Honesty: Always engage in fair trades and be honest about the condition and value of your goods. Establishing yourself as a reliable and fair trader will open more opportunities for future exchanges.
d. Communication and Negotiation Skills
- Clear Communication: Be clear and precise about what you have and what you need. Misunderstandings can lead to mistrust or unfavorable deals.
- Negotiation: Develop your negotiation skills. Effective bargaining can help you achieve more favorable terms without causing friction between parties.
e. Safety and Security
- Discretion: Be cautious about revealing the extent of your supplies to others. Knowledge of your resources can make you a target for theft or coercion.
- Secure Trading Locations: Conduct trades in safe, neutral locations whenever possible. If trading with strangers, consider bringing a trusted companion for security.
f. Documentation and Records
- Keep Records: While it might seem formal, keeping records of trades can be beneficial, especially for larger or more complex transactions. This can help resolve disputes and keep track of your inventory.
g. Adaptability and Flexibility
- Be Flexible: Be willing to adapt your trading strategies based on changing circumstances and needs. Flexibility can help you make the most of the available trading opportunities.
h. Practice and Preparation
- Mock Trading: Practice bartering with friends or family members to refine your negotiation skills and get a feel for different trading dynamics.
Incorporating these strategies into your preparedness plans can enhance your resilience in times of crisis. By understanding the value of goods and services, managing your inventory wisely, building strong community relationships, and negotiating effectively, you can navigate the complexities of bartering and trading with confidence.
This approach not only ensures that you can secure essential resources when needed but also fosters a sense of community and mutual support that can be invaluable in challenging times.
And of course, the backbone of The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading is the actual supplies you will be working with.
E. Common Bartering Supplies
1. Coffee or Tea
2. Spices (for flavor and medicine)
3. Water and Purification Tools
4. Sugar
5. Solar Gadgets
6. Hard Candy
7. First Aid Supplies
8. Hygiene Supplies
9. Chocolate
10. Clothing
11. Vice Supplies (alcohol, smokes)
12. Self Defense Gear
13. Seeds (fruit, veg, herbs)
14. Sewing Supplies
15. Repair Parts (all kinds)
16. Pet Supplies (all kinds and all kinds of different pets)
17. Extra Canned Goods
18. Shelter Items
19. Fire Starters
20. Navigation Tools
21. Multi Tools
22. Communication Gear
23. Entertainment
24. Skin Protection (chap stick, sun screen)
25. Vision Supplies
26. Writing Supplies
27. Farm Animals
28. Skills (anything you can do that others can not)
29. Knowledge (anything you know that others do not)
30. Blankets, Sleeping Bags
This is not a total list of valuables that can be traded. Pretty much anything that you have or know that someone else does not and wants can be used for bartering and trading.
We have put together a Common Barter Items Checklist to help you. This is a general checklist and tips that you may need to tweak to fit your exact needs. Keep in mind every situation will be different so the needs may be a bit different as well. Feel free to download the PDF, print out, and use these pages for yourself.
This is a -page Common Barter Items Checklist.
We hope this talk has given you some things to think about. Using The Traditional Skills of Bartering and Trading can be invaluable in a crisis or when supplies are short. Learning and practicing now can help you be ready if or when the time comes to use these skills.
Just for fun, try it out on the kids. Next time they want something or you want them to do something, think about the steps above and see if you can work out a trade that will benefit you both and get both of you what you want without an emotional crisis. This method works very well on teens.
If you are interested in some of our other talks, please see the ones below.
Realistic Goals and Budget Planning
Be prepared with a Survival Community
Growing Microgreens and Sprouts for Fresh Food
Thank you for visiting, and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.
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