I believe in the event of total collapse money and even precious metals will become fairly worthless for quite a while. However, total collapse is unlikely. While you may be in a regional emergency the rest of the world still takes cold hard cash.
Thanks to reader Jeff for the reminder to always carry cash. Also read A Real Emergency Fund
1. Last Minute Shopping
Let’s assume since you read this site you are one of the smart ones who is getting out ahead of the curve. Stores may still be open. You can buy any last minute emergency items you need. (But keep reading this site and hopefully you won’t have to make any stops like that 
2. Machines
More and more things come in vending machines these days. A few bucks might come in real handy for those. Of course, you could always just smash the front glass and take what you need. I guess it depends on the type of emergency and what kind of person you are.
3. Gas
If you are Bugging Out by Car, which many people will be, gas is a hot commodity. Maybe you just buy a 5 gallon container from someone you meet. Perhaps the gas station got hit with an EMP and they don’t take cards. (But if that’s the case the electronic pumps probably don’t worth either…take your own pump/ciphen)
4. Skilled Labor
You may find yourself in a situation where you need skills you simply don’t have. Wouldn’t it be nice to say “Here is several hundred bucks would please take this bullet out of my leg Doctor?” or the more likely: “Here’s $500 to replace my fuel pump in the next hour”
5. Get A Ride
Maybe you don’t have a good But Out Vehicle, or you lost yours for whatever reason. Someone offering to pay cash, especially in an regional emergency, has a much better chance of getting a ride.
6. Bribe
What else do you need to say? That cop or guardsman at the road block might not be a whole lot better off than you are. A few well placed bills may be just enough to get you by that search. (Be Very Careful with this tactic!)
7. Sheeple
Finally, you may know based on the emergency that cash has lost it’s value. However, some of the sheeple might not realize that yet and still be willing to take cash for anything. If you find yourself in this situation buy as many supplies as you can and get out quick. It’s a limited time offer so to speak.
What Else?
What other good reasons can you think of to carry cash with your survival gear? I guess you could always burn paper for fire tinder.
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In the BoV, I keep a ziplock bag of quarters hand for vending machines. And a small crowbar, just in case.
haha, very nice. If you can't get to the stuff the right way just strong arm it. I like it.
If the power is out and you *need* the food, all the quarters in the world won't make the machine vend. Plus a crowbar can make a nice backup weapon.
Well you can always make the quarters in to arrowheads or smelt them in to bullets.
If your group were hit by a larger band of outlaws, you may be able to buy your way out of the situation with a few hundred dollars, as long as you could convince them that you didn't have anything else of value. If possible, stashing your gear before a confrontation would be ideal. No one plans for it, but occasionally the bad guys get the jump on the good guys.
In the case of a pandemic and quarantine situation, a hefty bribe at the right location (minor, less-guarded road) might be able to get you and your family Out of Dodge.
anon,
Good call. Sort of similar to bribing a road block. Your comment made me think of "I am Legend"
Zschell,
To me that all depends on the the event, and how far after SHTF we are.
I firmly believe if it's total collapse money will be basically worthless and the bribe wouldn't work. However, in a regional disaster I think you might have a shot.
Why are you all so limited to paper money? If you really want cash for bribes, or what ever in a REAL SHTF situation why not have 1/10 and ounce of gold? Gold never loses its value, it actually increases in emergencies. Don't forget you can also get silver coins or other percious metals.
Scott,
The reason for paper money is in situations that are not a total collapse. If you were in a regional emergency the rest of the world still uses cash, like Katrina for example. You can't just walk into a store and buy supplies with gold.
My thoughts on precious metals post-SHTF: It's very popular among survivalists/preppers to stock precious metals for trade and barter and everything else when paper money will be useless.
However, gold will not me worth much for a long time. In the immediate aftermath and for quite a while there after, the only stuff worth anything will be food, water, weapons, and gear. Things your absolutely need to survive.
Sure, gold will become valuable again, as a trade-able commodity, but not until well after the initial collapse when things have time to settle down. For me that makes stocking precious metals way way down the list.
Just keep in mind to carry small bills: when the power is out, stores don't make change. If all you have are $50's, that's what things cost. If you have $5's $10's and $20's, you can strike a better deal. (non-violently)
I think that in a serious SHTF situation, you should take into consideration that a good knife will be worth its weight in gold, and if you're trying to barter with someone who isn't a sheeple, you'll wish you had a couple spare knifes. cold steel makes excellent knives and they have some throwing knives that are light and worth keeping just for bartering
I agree with roostercolorado… gear is good bartering material, provided you have extra items to trade. Everyone in a real SHTF scenario will be looking to increase their odds of survival. We never know when it will happen, so you can never have everything just right. Sometimes, you have to shoot first and aim later.
Gas: take your own pump/ciphen (siphon) This should be in BOLD! A hand pump will be incrediably valuable. Won't have to pay anything to get gas from abandoned (or not) vehicles. True story (or so he said): I heard this many years ago when I in the Air Force. One of the aircraft maintance guys took a jet fuel pump that was not working up to spec, mounted it in his trunk and had a water hose attached to the pump input, and a hose dumping into the car's tank. Even with the lowered voltage from his battery and the out-of-spec pump, he could drain someones tank in under a minute.
I think people will just puncture the gas tank of an abandoned car in order to get the gas instead of carrying a hand pump.
Cash is good in small bills but, even during simple blackouts you can't pump fuel. If you have a bunch of gas cans or even if all you have is a pump set up at a closed gas station you can barter for stuff. Don't forget your garden hose.
The link is to a hand pump you can use for many requirements. http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid…
Fire steels for bartering? they are lighter, They have obvious use for non wilderness minded people and fire would be harder to come by for most people.
you can also get them cheap.
As far as a need for one, as Mr. brandon says, you might want to add a cache or a bunker to your cabin list. But I agree with Mr. Andy and I'm glad that some one brought it up, though he wasn't the only one. Cutting timber with my chainsaw I have seen some trees do some weird shit, as Mr. Cain can probably attest to, and I would not want my hands caught in those straps when I am in a hurry to unass the area that the falling tree is trying to occupy. I would opt for falling the tree with my double-bit and then using this saw to cut the flat edged cuts that I might need for construction purposes. And I am with Mr. Cain on his first comment; why can't I just make these out of my own chain saw stock, which I buy in a bulk roll. Scouts Out
im with most of the people here who say that money won't get you out of every situation. maybe you could use it as material to help start a fire if it's that worthless.
How much money do you think should be in a bug out bag?
John,
Driving through northern Louisianan (on I-20) as Katrina was approaching the coast, I saw gas for $20 a gallon, credit cards not accepted (leaves a record of gouging). On a 30 gallon tank that's $600, except that all the stations were empty. Bottled water at $10 per bottle. Depending on the demand, need, and expected duration of TSHTF event, $500 to $1000 is not out of line – just be ready to defend it if need be.
I heard on the news today that congress was going to rename the Dollar as the Peso if it dropped any lower .
Just Kidding !
the sand dollar has passed the US dollar in value :-p
cash is good to after an emergency cause you might need to buy food if your home is destroyed
I'm quite a fan of the barter knife, its been happening for the history of knives, pockets, and barter. on of my faves is the frost mora $10-15. Plus its a great basic knife in SS, carbon, or with a bright colored handle/sheath.
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