Is your shop prepared for the upcoming barter system?

[lvking]

It seems like every day, the tea leaves come up the same; bad times are ahead.

I was hoping to check in and see if anyone else was thinking about how they will effectively run their business on the barter system once the dollar becomes totally worthless in a couple of years. Have you considered how many eggs you will accept for your hand carved signs? Will you have someone trained in appraisals who can determine the value of guitars, batteries and gold teeth, and how big of a "Family starving, will do literally anything for food!" sign it will get them in trade? Do you have a pen or other area where livestock and food animals (such as sheep, goats and dogs) will be kept? Do you have plans to transition your bucket trucks into bucket horse drawn wagons? What will be your policies on installing signs in the irradiated wastelands? Will your designers stick with "The end is nigh", or will you modernize the language to "The end is near"?

Right now, we're just starting this process. We're already instituting a policy that we simply will not accept jobs in sectors where cannibalism has been confirmed, and we plan on providing signage to whatever gang boss or monsterous dictator that rises to power locally in exchange for their protection (and sign permitting). We've already decided to be mutant-tolerant, and to accept all customers as equals, no matter how many eyes and fingers they have. I think our biggest concern is going to be labor costs, so hopefully the warlords will come through with prisoners who we can put to work removing screws and bending sharp metal with their bare hands in the work rooms.

It's going to be an exciting time. Lots of changes on the horizon.

What kinds of plans have you made?

I come here to read the great stuff that you guys put out. While I have a plan and I am well stocked for the upcoming fake election fallout I did have a company approach me on the barter system. While I am not in a position to do that with client's I do help the schools and kids locally. It seems that there are a lot of companies that do barter, and I had no idea it was happening near me. My advice is to barter for the triple A, (ass wipes, ammo and alcohol). Going through the day with an itchy ass is not fun. Exciting times head for sure!

 

[Signarama Jockey]

You're comparing someone's life to a shitty worker. Sounds you don't value other people unless they have something to give you.

Well, I'm not a communist. I don't think that other people have a claim over the things I own. If I buy a can of beans today, it doesn't belong to everyone tomorrow.

In the same way, I don't lay claim to the things other people have. I wouldn't go help myself to other people's things - even if I want them really really badly. That would be stealing.

I do value other people's lives, but I value my own and my family and my immediate circle more than I do someone I don't know and haven't ever met. And the extent to which I would help someone I do not know is a decision that I get to make. I do believe in valuing human life. I do believe in helping people. But just like you do in an airplane when the oxygen masks drop from the ceiling:

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Well, I'm not a communist. I don't think that other people have a claim over the things I own. If I buy a can of beans today, it doesn't belong to everyone tomorrow.

Most preppers that I know, won't help someone because they had poor planning skills.

One thing that coming from a farming family taught one is to set aside, and don't just use up all that "you" have in a short amount of time (this isn't even doomsday prepping, just the way that things are when one is a farmer, even today). That unfortunately got abstracted away with all of the modern conveniences that we have now (or atleast they are when everything is working correctly). That type of self reliance has seems to have left a lot of people ("easy times" and all of that).

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Well, I'm not a communist. I don't think that other people have a claim over the things I own. If I buy a can of beans today, it doesn't belong to everyone tomorrow.

In the same way, I don't lay claim to the things other people have. I wouldn't go help myself to other people's things - even if I want them really really badly. That would be stealing.

I do value other people's lives, but I value my own and my family and my immediate circle more than I do someone I don't know and haven't ever met. And the extent to which I would help someone I do not know is a decision that I get to make. I do believe in valuing human life. I do believe in helping people. But just like you do in an airplane when the oxygen masks drop from the ceiling:

View attachment 171375​

They say to put on your own mask first so that you don't pass out and are unable to help others around you. The message isn't save yourself first because you are more important and someone else might use up all the oxygen.

It's not about someone claiming they own something of yours, it's called compassion. I stay prepared, probably more so than many but am also prepared to help others if called on to do so. That's part of being a society and it's sad to see it breaking down. There's a marked difference with this entitled attitude of this current generation as compared to the Greatest Generation who had to endure WW2, they were everything but selfish. Maybe we are generationally too far removed from that era and those core values they had are not being passed down anymore? That's all I got, shouldn't have even posted in this, it just annoys me.

 

[Signarama Jockey]

Most preppers that I know, won't help someone because they had poor planning skills.

One thing that coming from a farming family taught one is to set aside, and don't just use up all that "you" have in a short amount of time (this isn't even doomsday prepping, just the way that things are when one is a farmer, even today). That unfortunately got abstracted away with all of the modern conveniences that we have now (or atleast they are when everything is working correctly). That type of self reliance has seems to have left a lot of people ("easy times" and all of that).

People go to the store and will actually complain if the flavor of chips they like is not stocked on the shelves. I've seen full on meltdowns occur by grown adults who found out that something they wanted to buy isn't available. Remember the fights that broke out over toilet paper not long ago? We've grown to expect that all we have to do is hold out our hands and whatever we desire will simply fall into them, and that has spoiled a lot of people. This has lulled a lot of people into thinking that their needs will always be met, and because of that, they aren't doing anything to prepare themselves for an interruption.

A whole lot of people are going to starve.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

what the hell are we all preparing for?

humas are resilient and can adapt to change. covid showed a lot of that. you all can complain, but i was surprised how quick our public school district was able to implement remote learning so quick. I think in less than a month our district had something up and running. I don't believe the world is coming to an end... if I'm proven wrong, what the downside? if something so massive takes out our food and money, what the hell you going to expect me to do about? die with the rest of them or go on living in that world?

 

[Signarama Jockey]

It's not about someone claiming they own something of yours, it's called compassion. I stay prepared, probably more so than many but am also prepared to help others if called on to do so. That's part of being a society and it's sad to see it breaking down. There's a marked difference with this entitled attitude of this current generation as compared to the Greatest Generation who had to endure WW2, they were everything but selfish. Maybe we are generationally too far removed from that era and those core values they had are not being passed down anymore? That's all I got, shouldn't have even posted in this, it just annoys me.

I see this more as a "handle your own business" kind of thing. If someone gambles away all of their money, or spends it on drugs, or just lives beyond their means, is anyone else responsible for paying their rent for them? What if someone can't be bothered to get a job, but they need to eat - are we all expected to open our wallets? If so, then we all become the slaves of the least responsible amongst us. We work for those who will not work. We save to provide to those who spend too much. We are responsible to protect those who are not. That's an unnatural paradigm in my opinion.

Your responsibly is primarily to take care of yourself. Don't be the anchor that drags everyone down. Don't be a freeloader or a mooch.

If things get really bad, and I have an opportunity to help someone, I will do what I can. But, I am not going to put my family at risk to help people that couldn't be bothered to help themselves.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

People go to the store and will actually complain if the flavor of chips they like is not stocked on the shelves. I've seen full on meltdowns occur by grown adults who found out that something they wanted to buy isn't available. Remember the fights that broke out over toilet paper not long ago? We've grown to expect that all we have to do is hold out our hands and whatever we desire will simply fall into them, and that has spoiled a lot of people. This has lulled a lot of people into thinking that their needs will always be met, and because of that, they aren't doing anything to prepare themselves for an interruption.

A whole lot of people are going to starve.

There was a McDonald's shooting over a little trifling matter as well just yesterday.

There is going to be a massive freeloader problem (which isn't good for any society). If people are bad about managing things (food, money, whatever), typically they will always be bad about managing things (whatever things may be). Sometimes it takes a hard lesson to learn. We learn more thru failing compared to always being bailed out.

you all can complain, but i was surprised how quick our public school district was able to implement remote learning so quick. I think in less than a month our district had something up and running

The success of that in some areas is lackluster at best. Some areas did better compared to others, but it is also the mentality of the area as well and how they did things. I do not believe that in age group that had the least risk factor (outliers yes, but usually something else is going on there) that shouldn't have been a thing to begin with. I have to wonder what the fallout will be later on down the line. And this takes time to see and by that time with the gnat like attention span of people, the connection probably won't be made.

 

[Boudica]

Seems to me that someone is inventing a hypothetical crisis, just to complain about a number of random and isolated situations to feel intelligent and "right" about their feelings. There have always been good caring humans, as there have always been horrible selfish humans, and everything in between. Nothing has or will change with that.

 

[Signarama Jockey]

Seems to me that someone is inventing a hypothetical crisis, just to complain about a number of random and isolated situations to feel intelligent and "right" about their feelings. There have always been good caring humans, as there have always been horrible selfish humans, and everything in between. Nothing has or will change with that.

I don't think you're totally wrong here.

I did start this thread after my daily "reading the tea leaves", and hearing about the possibility that we might be about to start WW3. I was kind of down over that (because I prefer peace to war), and I thought I might write something humorous to vent and make light of the situation. But, many a truth is told in jest, so it is legitimate to say that I was complaining about a number of things with my humor.

And I also agree that there have always been good and bad people, and that is likely to be the case until we go extinct.

But, I didn't start this thread to feel intelligent or right about my feelings. I started this thread to be funny, and maybe to find some people who aren't in the Signs101 Mean Girls Gang who can laugh at jokes and make them even funnier - because laughter makes things seem less bleak.

 

[Boudica]

I don't think you're totally wrong here.

I did start this thread after my daily "reading the tea leaves", and hearing about the possibility that we might be about to start WW3. I was kind of down over that (because I prefer peace to war), and I thought I might write something humorous to vent and make light of the situation. But, many a truth is told in jest, so it is legitimate to say that I was complaining about a number of things with my humor.

And I also agree that there have always been good and bad people, and that is likely to be the case until we go extinct.

But, I didn't start this thread to feel intelligent or right about my feelings. I started this thread to be funny, and maybe to find some people who aren't in the Signs101 Mean Girls Gang who can laugh at jokes and make them even funnier - because laughter makes things seem less bleak.

you're saying Tex and Gino are girls?

 

[Gino]

Good grief...... you go from one extreme to the other and then start spouting off how things should be. Now, ya have people asking if I'm a girl. I don't give a rat's a$$ if tex is or not [although, I wouldn't be surprised after seeing what he wore to his daughter's prom as a chaperone], but what is your goal on this ?? You've bounced around and seem to be back-pedaling a tad. Are you just trying to rack up posts ??

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

If I was in a mean girls club, I'd be calling for more wine and sleepovers.

 

[Stacey K]

I think there's a lot of people are like me and Signorama (I think). It didn't start as "prepping" but the definition of "prepping" is what we've been doing for so long that now we have that label. I don't need to leave my house for a few months if I don't have to but it's not really because I'm a "prepper" it's more because I just enjoy canning, collecting rain-water, making my own soaps, spices, sauces, etc. I just made a years' worth of laundry soap for a couple bucks 2 weeks ago. Why? Because I'm cheap and because I enjoy it. 20 years ago when I planted my first tomato the word "prepping" wasn't even a thing.

There are a few things I did buy during covid that would set me up for longer term "shut downs". I certainly thought about what I might need. A person would be a fool to think the government is going to save everyone. Case in point - Hurricane Katrina. Superdome. No thanks. The government can't always be there to save or protect you. There have been places in the US the electric has gone out for 2 weeks, are you prepared to cook on a fire outside or will you be the first in line at the Red Cross tent fighting over a hot crappy meal?

It's not just "end of the world" it's every day stuff that happens we should be prepared for. And I'm not sharing with 90% of my neighbors. Most of them are losers who can't even cut their grass. You have something to bring to the table like you are big and strong and can chop wood for the fire I'm going to build to feed you my food? Then you can stay. LOL

 

[Boudica]

I think there's a lot of people are like me and Signorama (I think). It didn't start as "prepping" but the definition of "prepping" is what we've been doing for so long that now we have that label. I don't need to leave my house for a few months if I don't have to but it's not really because I'm a "prepper" it's more because I just enjoy canning, collecting rain-water, making my own soaps, spices, sauces, etc. I just made a years' worth of laundry soap for a couple bucks 2 weeks ago. Why? Because I'm cheap and because I enjoy it. 20 years ago when I planted my first tomato the word "prepping" wasn't even a thing.

There are a few things I did buy during covid that would set me up for longer term "shut downs". I certainly thought about what I might need. A person would be a fool to think the government is going to save everyone. Case in point - Hurricane Katrina. Superdome. No thanks. The government can't always be there to save or protect you. There have been places in the US the electric has gone out for 2 weeks, are you prepared to cook on a fire outside or will you be the first in line at the Red Cross tent fighting over a hot crappy meal?

It's not just "end of the world" it's every day stuff that happens we should be prepared for. And I'm not sharing with 90% of my neighbors. Most of them are losers who can't even cut their grass. You have something to bring to the table like you are big and strong and can chop wood for the fire I'm going to build to feed you my food? Then you can stay. LOL

I'm somewhat of a "prepper", I've got a pantry and freezers stock piled with food. but I don't like to talk about it. No one needs to know - survival basic 101, don't let anyone know what you've got.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Stacy will make me work if I show up to her house... I know the drill, I've been married.

 

[Boudica]

Stacy will make me work if I show up to her house... I know the drill, I've been married.

I will too.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

It seems like the preppers have an overly optimistic view of how things would be for them as long as they have ammo and canned food.
No offense to anyone but do you ever watch the news or look at history and see what actually happens in these situations? Haiti, Palestine, Ukraine. There are a lot of cogs in that wheel. The whole idea involves too much fantasy that's far removed from reality for me. Believing that you'll be fine if you over prepare totally ignores all of the other forces that would be at play in this sort of scenario. Things are easy on paper but add major trauma, stress and a breakdown of order and the dynamic changes to something none of us have likely ever experienced.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Stacy will make me work if I show up to her house... I know the drill, I've been married.

She just swiped left on that one

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

She just swiped left on that one

Good, between you and gnubler my inbox is already overflowing.