Guest article by E.M.

Self-sufficiency – noun: the state of not requiring any aid, support, or interaction, for survival; it is therefore a type of personal or collective independence.

Survival – noun: the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances.

In our day-to-day world, there are varied degrees of survival required of us. This is true simply because there are wide-ranging degrees of threat that we face.

And in today’s economic death spiral of Keynesian Economics, politically corrupt leadership, and a war torn world, many are already beginning to experience the peripheral edge of a “deep survival” state because of those same threats. There are more at that edge than I think we care to admit. Government figures of non-participation in the labor force and welfare rolls alone support this. We can look at the high percentage of millennials still at home and the lack of savings they have. Let’s not forget the fact that one out of five families does not have anyone working in them.

In a world where disasters can strike at any moment, preppers are individuals who believe in being prepared for the worst-case scenarios. They stockpile food, water, medical supplies, and other necessities to ensure their survival in the event of a disaster. One critical aspect of prepping that often gets overlooked is bartering. Having items that can be used for bartering can be just as important as having the essentials to survive. In this article, we will discuss the top ten barter items every prepper should have.

1. Alcohol.
   One of the most valuable items for bartering in a post-disaster world is alcohol. While it may not be essential for survival, it can be a significant commodity for trade. Alcohol has a long shelf life and can be used for medicinal purposes or as a luxury item. It can also be used as a disinfectant and to preserve food.
   Read more: Barter For Survival: Top Ten Barter Items Every Prepper Should Have

In the rush of prepping for your family, don’t forget the canine members (and other pets) of your family! I will be writing about dogs, much of this same information will apply to cats and other pets. I have owned and cared for dogs all my life, owned a boarding kennel, taught obedience classes and trained service dogs, I was a retail sales clerk in a pet department, and was a groomer. I will try to cover things in a practical manner for you.

The first thing to consider is food. There are a couple of ways to approach this. You can buy and save commercial dog food for your dog. Or they can eat what you eat, in which case you want to make sure you buy for “another person”.

When asked for their personal choice for a bug-out vehicle, many arm-chair warriors will select an armoured vehicle. While those armoured vehicles are awesome to look at, and may make great exploration vehicles, they make terrible bug-out vehicles. And you can not live in them any longer than a few days.