Most people living in the United States and many other industrialized countries consider bartering as an antiquated method for exchanging goods and services. We have all become very accustomed to fiat currency, credits cards and digital transactions, so bartering just seems strange. But it wasn’t so long ago that bartering was commonly used and worked very effectively.

If a major disaster or economic collapse immobilizes the existing banking system, ATMs will run out of cash very quickly, and your credit cards may stop working. Communities will definitely go on, but the way society functions may be quite different. People that have useful skills and items with which they can barter or trade are likely to benefit, perhaps even thrive.

Below are some ideas of which valuable skills to develop to increase your ability to survive and have something to trade if you find yourself in a barter-friendly world. Being able to share your skills and knowledge with other people also carries a high barter value.

1. Growing Food

Knowing how to grow your own food is essential for survival. In case of a short-term disaster, a few buckets of emergency storable food may be sufficient, but if you find yourself in a situation where food is limited over a longer term, knowing how to garden is a must.

The best way to start gardening is to begin with small projects, like an indoor herb garden, few containers or a couple raised beds. You may be surprised just how many low cost are free resources are available to help you along the way. Some of my favorites have been Easy Container Gardening and Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide.

Just get your feet wet and start learning. Over time, your garden will expand as does your skill-set, and you may become interested in learning other gardening skills, such as building a low-cost greenhouse or permaculture design, which will make your knowledge even more trade worthy.

2. Harvesting and Storing Seeds

Knowing how to properly harvest, store and sow seeds is one of the fundamentals of successful gardening. Seeds (and of course the food you can grow) can become excellent items for barter. Check out the video below to get you thinking about how to harvest and save the seeds from your garden.

3. Food Processing and Preservation

Food is a necessity with a very short life span, so during any disaster or societal disruption, the majority of people will need food. Learning specific skills involving food processing and preservation can help you take advantage of seasonal abundance so you can enjoy/sell/barter food products during off seasons and winter months. Furthermore, knowledge about food preservation methods that use minimal to no electricity, such as smoking, salt curing, pickling and dehydration, are likely to hold high value in a post economic collapse economy. Even without societal disruption, creating preserved food products can become a great way to earn an income.

4. Cooking and Food Preparation

Knowing how to prepare food without abundant electricity, such as on a wood-burning stove or fire, is an important skill if faced with a natural disaster. We are so accustomed to using electricity driven appliances, we forget that there are methods for cooking food in sun ovens or in outdoor fire pits, which can be just as effective.

5. Plant Gathering

Knowledge about edible plants is not only a great hobby for avid hikers and backpackers but can be a valuable survival skill. You may be surprised by just how many plants around your neighborhood can be eaten or have beneficial medicinal properties. Learning how to identify these plants is a skill that you can perfect with a detailed guide book. Such a book is also a good resource to add to your survival library.