Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)

Hi and thanks Mneagle for your post #60. Lots of good advice there. I would add that all of these items will vary by condition and desirability, both now and in the future.

For instance, I am a vinyl record collector as you must know by now. If somebody has a load of records for sale at a bargain price, I’m heading there as soon as I can get my pants on. I have been thinking about where the deals may be in the years to come as well as what the records will be worth and who would be buying them.

Quote:
“For LPs, look for things like more obscure Rolling Stones and Beatles records in their original sleeve and un-scratched, says Tucci. You could sell one of these for about $500.”

That is a nice thought but I have learned that rare is rarely found. The high dollar vinyl records are rarely found in my experience. I have yet to find any records valued in the Goldmine catalogs for over $100 and have only two at that price. However, I do have many valued at $40 and $50 each. I especially look for old jazz and early rock and roll. Because they are so old, 50 or 60 years, most are scratched or the jackets are worn badly.

I was in the local thrift store the other day and looked at several hundred records but bought one box set of classical piano music. There were 9 records in the set and all in perfect condition. I paid 98 cents with sales tax, typical of my 10 cents per record average. I didn’t buy for a later profit but for my own pleasure. Maybe I will make a profit someday but just playing them with my sons once will be profit enough for me.

Who owned the rock and roll records and who owned the jazz and classical records ? Easy to conclude which records look like they have been dragged down a gravel road and which have been treated with love and care. I would say that if you can find an older collector who has a large lifetime’s collection, you may well have a bargain there from a condition standpoint. This is critically important since even a rare record which is all scratched up will be worth practically nothing.

As in all things when bartering and horse trading, it requires us to think on the fly. We have to be alert when dealing. Not for the dull witted, drugged out, drunks or lazy. That probably leaves out most of the population which is actually to our advantage.

The season will begin in earnest as the weather warms up. So now is the time to get organized and have maps, cash, newspaper subscriptions, etc ready. And if you are like me, you haven’t even gone through all the goodies you bought last season.

I wrote this yesterday :

“Next deal was for 24 deep cycle Trojan T-105 6 volt batteries. They cost about $170 new with tax. I bargained for them and got them for $40 each. The seller threw in the battery connectors and Zener diode charge balancers, worth about $300. My problem is that I put the cart before the horse; I don’t have a charger to keep them in shape and don’t know what to buy to keep the whole bank up and running until I find the inverter and build a place for them. Maybe a large roll around cart would work for now. The batteries weigh 1,500 pounds total. So I have spent almost $1,000 and now have to get all the other gadgets to make them run my household. I told Ponce about this deal and he said that it was a deal I couldn’t refuse at that price. Oh well, I’ll let you know as I muddle through with this project.

By the way, I may not get an array of solar panels but rather run a diesel generator to recharge the batteries. However, a couple of solar panels may be necessary to keep them topped off. If I am right, a diesel generator run with mostly used engine oil would be very cost efficient.”

So what happened right after that ? A friend came over to pick up a truckload of fruits and vegetables for his church members and I showed him the 24 batteries. He said that he will help me put the home power system together and said that it would be simple. He is giving me rubber mats for the batteries and a book to study on different power systems. He also said that he has a couple of solar panels he would give me to charge the batteries. I know it sounds too good to be true but what have I got to lose ?

See ? Sometimes problems will work themselves out if you will let them. Telling friends and asking often opens doors. You never know until you try.

Best wishes,

agnut

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Answer2me

Ok Agnut,

lots of good deals and interesting finds since the last time i checked in with you! :o

For starters i just had my first kid, born last week. I made a list of everything i think she will need for the next 3 years and went garage sailing this past summer before she was born. My wife and i made a game out of it. I cleaned this lady out of 64 cloth diapers and inserts for $100, didnt even bargain as it was already a good deal. Dont know if you realize these cloth diapers are about $15-$20 a piece. It would cost me over $1200 a year just for disposables. Bought her a nice used crib 3 years old for $40, checked it at babiesrus and they still sell the same model for $250. Also picked up a nice all in one car seat and stroller for $40, sells at cosco for $300. spent about another $50 on cloths that will last her until the age of three. Baby items are so abundant and cheep at garage sales i dont know why more people dont take advantage. My wife made a bunch of washable rags from old shirts, we also make are own spray to clean her ass. My wifes milk came in so i dont have to worry about food for at least a year. Our goal is to spend as little on "things" for her as possible, this will allow us to continue to save 50%-60% of our income.

Here are my thoughts on this. I have noticed a lot of first time parents with brand new everything, this is where pride comes into play. My kid is better than your kid, BS! My child will not remember the gucci she wore at the age of 2 or 3, however she will remember the good times, and good times she will have.

Over the years, i have found the best way to garage sale for the home is to make a list of things you need on a weekly or monthly bases. When the weekend roles around search craigslist for the specific items that you are looking for instead of hitting random sales. Like pellets for the winter, i always try to buy as many as i can in the summer and often get them for $2 a bag, thats half off. At times i have even found food like lentils ect.. If you are determined enough, almost all of ones shopping can be done like this. We live in a convenience based world, take a little convenience out and you can save lots of $$$$

Good to see your around!

Cheers

---

Hi answer2me, congratulations on the new daughter. Sounds like you have got things under control with the baby clothes, diapers, crib and nursing. My 4 children are all grown now but I can remember the early years and you know the secret of what is important to the child. And what will be remembered through the years. Playing with them.

Might I suggest that you begin to play ball with your daughter from as early an age as possible. It has been shown that simply sitting down on the floor and rolling a ball to a small child and having them roll it back somehow encourages early mental development. I did it with my sons when they were little and continued it through the years into playing soccer and baseball and basketball. I also blew bubbles for them and they delighted in popping them. I firmly believe that these connections we make with our children are the cement which connects them to us for the rest of their and our lives. Have a blast with your children; I did and it is still paying off in ways that nothing else could.

Things given to children are usually forgotten unless we as parents use these things to share ourselves and our time with them. I read to my children and sang them to sleep when they were little.

Sounds like your buying stove pellets out of season saved you a bunch. Reminds me of the 130 bales of hay I bought last summer for $3.50 per. Now they are $14 at the local feed store. Luckily I heard that the hay crop was in trouble and bought as soon as I could. Raising cattle isn’t very profitable in the first place but could have been a big loser for us if we hadn’t stockpiled the hay early.

Answer2me, I especially liked your last line, “We live in a convenience based world, take a little convenience out and you can save lots of $$$$”. It made me chuckle.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Children are what parents watched before there was television.
Agnut

This post needs a bump.

We are currently working with our neighbors on various barter things. We are the eggs for the neighborhood. We are most of the vegetables. They are in charge of hundreds of cows. We are working together on beef = eggs = veggies = coordinating cuttin and splitting wood = fishing = helping with fencing and other property things = livestock and ways to keep it = meat that we who worked it will have a piece of = not having to buy it = not having to pay for it = not having to spend 50% of my time paying some bankster tribute.

It goes on and on. We have fuel. We have guns and ammo. We have food the likes would lay you to waste. We have almost everything but freedom. It is time soon. There is little need for the fake money, other than fuel and the taxes.

$1 that you spend with the beast in terms of your spending in fiat after tax, is $1.75 or $2.00 that you would have to earn. If my neighbor delivers to me a pound of beef and I give him 3 dozen eggs, does there exist a taxing authority?

I say no.

Cut the beast out of your system, and your system will bloom with rewards.

Beautifully said and done mouse. Much of the following I wrote before reading your post. HaHa. Looks like you could have written it from experience before I even could type it. Where we are heading has much to do with how we need to react and that has been my interest for a long time. That is why I began my post here with what I call hyperstagflation. So here goes :


Hyperinflation ? Try Hyperstagflation !

I wrote about hyperstagflation years ago and warned of its insidious nature. It is not like Germany’s hyperinflation primarily because wages do not keep up with rising prices. Rather it is a process which first escapes the masses’ attention until it becomes clear too late to do anything about it. Essentially, prices going up while wages go nowhere or even falling. Gold and silver are the best antidotes for this cancerous disease. Food preps are also wise, especially in view of Japan’s current woes. Remember that Japan controls huge growing areas in southern California and now they will need them more than ever. We in the US get their secondary quality fruits and vegetables but now we may not even get that. So watch for prices to get a further increase as demand accelerates. This is on top of inflation and a growing world demand.

Here is what stillprepping posted from Carver and I wrote back in 6/16/2009 :

“Originally Posted by Carver
Nothing is 100% certain. Yes, there are inflationary forces at work but there are also deflationary forces at work.

obviously there will be both occurring and so the controversy *never* seems to get settled. indeed, it never will as long as nobody is specific about which things will be affected - so let everyone who believes one or the other make a list of exactly what items they believe will inflate/deflate. i'll begin with my short list:

inflate: oil, gas, propane, food, med bills, med insurance, higher education, taxes, gold & silver (?).

deflate: property, autos/trucks, wages, computers and other elect gizmos.
still prepping
================================================== =================
Good post still prepping. Thanks.

Several writers have stated that things you have will go down while things you need will go up. Your inflate/deflate lists are accurate.

However, what are the ramifications to us Joe lunchbuckets at ground level ? I wrote about this scenario a couple of years ago and the best way I could describe it then was to call it hyperstagflation.

The way I see hyperstagflation is a stealthy process of terrible unemployment amidst rising costs of the things we have come to accept as necessities.

Your inflate list includes oil, gas, propane, food, med bills, med insurance, higher education, taxes, and possibly gold & silver. Each item has different values to different people.

For instance, oil, gas and propane are heavily used and relied upon by a multitude living in first world countries. But the third world only uses a per capita fraction of that. The third world uses smaller, more efficient transportation means as well as public transportation , bicycles and walking.

Agnut”

The overview is that through “globalization”, we in the US by having had our manufacturing shipped overseas are in the process of becoming a banana republic without the bananas. Our horrendous foreign trade deficit stands in mute testimony of that fact.

So what can we do other than what we have already done in prepping ?

1. Get rid of all unnecessary things we have. Sell them and invest in further prepping whether food, precious metals, nickels, or whatever floats your boat (think Noah). This is easy to advise but not easy to put into action. I know; I have lots of things I should sell but can’t seem to get it in gear. I just hope you are better than me at this.

2. Make a concerted effort to hold on to what you do have. The funding for the future to protect this is most important. I don’t like dollars any more that you but I consider it a necessity for paying ongoing living expenses, even as the dollar continues to lose purchasing power. This is because it is the only recognized currency at this time. In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Even if some of the eggs are approaching their “use by” date. Hell, I know the dollar will fall in time; every fiat currency has collapsed throughout history. But we all need to get from now to a future when/if the world wakes up to the truth of real money.

3. Finish your prepping since time is becoming short and you may not be able to get some of the things you will need later. I’m looking at inverters for my 24 batteries right now. It would be nice to have at least some electricity when either the power fails or becomes prohibitively expensive. I’m even considering a steam engine to power a generator for my batteries since it can run on wood or anything that will burn. Maybe a bit extreme but we are facing extreme times.

Be aware and open to possibilities you may have missed. Water storage, caches of hidden preps, neighbors, etc.

4. Ponce said that meats will become expensive in the future but he will always be able to get some with his silver. Sounds like the movie “Soylent Green”. As long as we have over 6 billion population with a couple of billion living on less than $2 a day we will have incredible food demand pressure. This is why I expect a massive die off in the coming years. It could happen rapidly as in worldwide crop failures or slowly as demand outstrips supply. It is and has been happening to the poorest marginal survivors for many years now but we don’t hear about it much because those starving are at the lowest poverty levels and don’t get much press. It is ridiculous that we in the US have been turning corn into fuel rather than food. Fuelish ? You betcha.

Whey protein is about $30 for 6 pounds at Costco. A major protein supplement in hard times. It may be a good item for long term storage too; I’ll have to look into it.

5. Make connections now for what you will need in the future. Maybe a local farmer or rancher. Neighbors, family and friends.

6. Develop some skills that will be in demand after the shit hits the fan. Bartering and horse trading are the mental skills for transacting deals wisely but they are not the items being traded themselves. The advantage is that these skills are renewable and ever present at your beck and call.

I have been an automotive mechanic for 40 years and believe this will be of some use. A stick welder, MIG welder and an acetylene torch may come in handy. Also a vertical mill and lathe. Valve refacing and grinding equipment. Drills and saws. But always be mindful of the need for the materials you will need in order to complete the job at hand. A shoe smith needs leather and other materials; where will he get them in the years ahead unless he has a source or a big stockpile ? Think renewable resources. That’s why I am thinking about a steam engine; it can run with wood fuel which is renewable and easily available all around me. Your situation may be very different. You may live in the desert where a solar system would be appropriate. See, we all have to think for ourselves. Fun, ain’t it ?

7. Through all the above, remember Ponce’s sage advice, “Prepare today for how you want to live tomorrow”.

Yogi Berra said “The future ain’t what it used to be”.

Hyperstagflation decimates the middle class so that we end up like so many dictator countries. The elite and the poor with few remaining in the middle class.

Don’t compare the future with the last depression in the 1930s; it will be far different in many ways. We who are prepared will have to think on our feet as well as in a compassionate manner. Either we take care of each other or war against each other. I have my mental list of people I will be looking after. How about you ? It is a responsibility which we should joyfully carry; not a burden but rather a badge of courage and humanity. It gives one a sense great purpose in life. As I have written long ago, we are our brothers’ keepers.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Had to get that off my chest first.

The only deal lately has come to me. A family member showed me a govt. surplus metal storage container that is about 4’x4’x6’ with doors at either end for $67 each. I will use one for my battery pack and inverter and another container for my diesel or steam generator. We’ll see; so many things are fluid right now so I have to go with the flow.

By the way, I spoke with someone who has repaired many inverters through the years and he said that what usually goes out is the diode and is cheap and easy to repair. Since a good inverter can run up to $1,500, I have been looking for a 3,000 to 5,000 watt inverter that doesn’t work. There were some on Ebay a while back for about $50 plus shipping but nothing lately. I had hoped to buy a few and have them repaired and have a primary one and a backup and sell the rest to pay for the inverters I kept for my own use. Oh well, maybe only a dream. See ? My mind is always working, looking for a better way to get what I want or need. And yours should be too !

Spring is here and the coming months should offer a wide and huge amount of potential deals. I predict one of the best ever buying and selling seasons.

Local garage sales are already springing up around here; this is earlier than in past years. People are moving away, selling for needed cash or passing on. Remember to look for and attend estate sales, moving sales and garage sales in that order.

Bulletin boards, local papers and Craigslist. Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find.

The secret of man’s being is not only to live but to have something to live for. -Dostoyevsky

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. -Helen Keller

My finds for this weekend:

Flexible Flyer 55J sled that looks like it was in somebody's garage for the last 40 years- barely used. $10.

A box of kitchen utencils which had a 2 oz Sterling cake server. $5.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spectrism

My finds for this weekend:

Flexible Flyer 55J sled that looks like it was in somebody's garage for the last 40 years- barely used. $10.

A box of kitchen utencils which had a 2 oz Sterling cake server. $5.

---

Hi Spectrism, nice deals. Did the sled have rosebud printed on it ?

That 2 ounce sterling cake server is probably worth about $60; a 12 bagger there. Congrats. I personally haven’t seen any sterling silver for sale. I asked a couple of times if they had any sterling silver and they said that it was not around any more; meaning that they were wistfully remembering when sterling silver was part of our American lives.

Apparently, it’s getting vacuumed up by the gold and silver buyers and coin shops. Every weekend we have these huge signs advertising buyers for gold and silver; they are at several of the major crossroads. It gives me an eerie feeling; I’m beginning to suspect that there may not be ANY precious metals left in private hands if this tight economy continues for too long. And we all know that things sure ain’t gonna get better for a loooong time.

Makes me wonder if someday a one ounce silver round will be so valuable that the sellers may not have change for goods purchased. That is why I have some 90% Mercury dimes; for change. Who knows how much it will cost for a roll of toilet paper ? A roll of toilet paper is currently about 25 cents while a 90% silver dime is worth about $2.60. So a dime would buy about 10 rolls of toilet paper.

However, I wouldn’t ask Ponce. I believe that he will be selling by the sheet !

Best wishes,

Agnut

Hello all. I apologize for having taken so long to write. Life has been hectic for far too long. Business has fallen off the cliff but at least I had anticipated that possibility and prepared for it. Not as well as I had found necessary but I managed through it without too much discomfort. And that’s the name of the game, isn’t it ? To be prepared for what comes our way.

Lately I’ve been hitting the garage, moving and estate sales and there are some great bargains out there. Here are a few items I found with their final prices paid :

An electric salmon smoker (used twice) for $30

A Craftsman floor model band saw for $25

Two truck tires (almost new) with 8 lug rims for $5 each

5 American Racing mag 8 lug truck wheels for free

DVDs for 50 cents

A large Stress Ease chair and ottoman for $200 (about $1400 new)

An upright freezer for $25

A Pasta Express machine for $5

A tomato sauce machine for $2

Lots of early 33 1/3 vinyl records for 25 and 50 cents.

A complete Black and Decker valve seat grinding center for $25

A 3 burner barbecue with 2 propane bottles for $5

An Arrow nail gun (new) for $25

A pair of solid wood swivel bar stools for $25.

Loads of kitchen items for a few pennies on the dollar.


We are still picking up about a ton of fruits and vegetables from the local market every week. We are eating better than we ever have in the past. Mainly because we hate to see all of this great stuff going to waste. By the waist, I have lost 25 pounds in the last couple of months. Probably due to the change of diet and more activity. So this isn’t just about the money saved (I’d guess at least a couple thousand bucks per year), our health has been greatly improved.

Some gets canned, some dehydrated, some gets frozen (our freezers are stuffed full), some goes to our beefalo, some donated for free, some goes to friends. And lots gets eaten by my family. Now this fruit and veggie pickup must be going on all over the US; why hadn’t I heard about it before last year ? Because I hadn’t run across anyone doing it, that’s why.

Is anyone reading this also picking up from their local market ? Am I the only one ? Hey, somebody has to get the ripe fruit and veggies out the back door; it might as well be you !

The summer lies ahead like a banquet for those who know where to seek and find. In the next few months there will be deals made throughout the US; millions and millions of deals. For goodness sake, get out there and claim your share.

Best wishes,

agnut

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by agnut

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spectrism

My finds for this weekend:

Flexible Flyer 55J sled that looks like it was in somebody's garage for the last 40 years- barely used. $10.

A box of kitchen utencils which had a 2 oz Sterling cake server. $5.

---

Hi Spectrism, nice deals. Did the sled have rosebud printed on it ?

That 2 ounce sterling cake server is probably worth about $60; a 12 bagger there. Congrats. I personally haven’t seen any sterling silver for sale. I asked a couple of times if they had any sterling silver and they said that it was not around any more; meaning that they were wistfully remembering when sterling silver was part of our American lives.

Apparently, it’s getting vacuumed up by the gold and silver buyers and coin shops. Every weekend we have these huge signs advertising buyers for gold and silver; they are at several of the major crossroads. It gives me an eerie feeling; I’m beginning to suspect that there may not be ANY precious metals left in private hands if this tight economy continues for too long. And we all know that things sure ain’t gonna get better for a loooong time.

Makes me wonder if someday a one ounce silver round will be so valuable that the sellers may not have change for goods purchased. That is why I have some 90% Mercury dimes; for change. Who knows how much it will cost for a roll of toilet paper ? A roll of toilet paper is currently about 25 cents while a 90% silver dime is worth about $2.60. So a dime would buy about 10 rolls of toilet paper.

However, I wouldn’t ask Ponce. I believe that he will be selling by the sheet !

Best wishes,

Agnut

---

I ask exactly this: "Do you have any old coins or silverware that you would like to sell?"

I don't say "Sterling"... but they sometimes ask that. I have had more success when they bring out junk forks & spoons and there among the junk is the treasure. I play it very low key. If they start to look anxious, I quickly divert off to another topic, before honing in. I will ask if they have any pots for sale. Or maybe yard tools. And after they settled, any old forks and spoons.

But I ask 50 times and get one good answer. It is like sales... you must be able to let the "rejection" flow off your back. If they don't have what you want, quickly move on. And if your area is dry, try another. My best success has been with the moderately wealthy and average families. Very poor never had it and the very rich never give it up.

On the sled...no "Rosebud". She died.


btw- I did pick up a second food dehydrator a couple months back for $5. I expect to use it as you described- when the fruits & veggies are cheap and plentiful.

Great show tonight Agnut!! Kudos to you, well done!

Good advice there Spectrism. I used your advice the other day at a garage sale. The lady replied with “Do you mean sterling silver ?” She had a funny look on her face like if she had any sterling silver or 90% coins, she would not be selling them. It was just a feeling but I think I read her correctly. People are wising up and as things become tighter financially, they will begin to search for ways to make up their income shortfalls.

Already we have been seeing folks pulling back on discretionary spending (since it fell off a cliff). Next, they focused on food and paying their bills. Then came selling what they didn’t need. Now some are forced by circumstances of their own making to sell things they so need. This last situation drives down the prices of just about everything folks have to sell. In other words, a buyers’ market.

But we who have prepared, it is a two edged sword. While bargains are out there in the context of the present, what will those same items be selling for in the future ? Should we keep our powder dry and hold off buying in anticipation of future further price drops ? I am thinking about this all the time as I buy items.

That valve seat grinding center I got for $25 a while back would cost perhaps $600 if new. Did I need it ? No, I already have two other valve grinding centers. The first I paid $500 for and the second I paid $300 for. So why did I buy it if I don’t need it ?

In the first place, it was dirt cheap. What is $25 now in the scheme of things ? I could even sell it for a profit right now.

In the second place, it is a tool set which can make money rebuilding cylinder heads. And the way things are going, any new work abilities I can add may make the difference in future income between swimming and slowly drowning. It may make only $100 now and then but that $100 may well be key to financial survival.

In the third place, this particular valve seat grinding center is set up for small engine cylinder head rebuilding. Something my other ones don’t have. So I am now more diverse than before. I believe that in time, folks will be repairing small engines (and car engines too) rather than throwing them away. Our throwaway society will in time resemble places like Cuba where everything that can be of use is in high demand. Ponce says that the trash heaps of today will be the “gold mines” of tomorrow.

In the fourth place, I follow Ponce’s saying “have a plan behind the plan behind the plan”. In other words, backups. The other day our wide 4 slice toaster went on the fritz so I pulled out one I had earlier gotten for a dollar at a garage sale. Now I will be looking for another used toaster at garage sales in order to maintain my backup inventory. The toaster we are now using would cost at least $40; it is a deluxe model not normally seen except by the upper crust.

Where do I find the best merchandise ? In the best neighborhoods of course. I have maps of the local area and know exactly where these neighborhoods are. In fact, there are wealthy areas about an hour away that I have had great success. Problem is, I’m so busy that I have to really plan for such a venture.

It is important to know that the items we now take for granted will likely be very expensive, or worse unavailable, in the future. So the solution to the conflict of spending money now for backup items later is simply to find items at garage, moving and estate sales. For pennies on the dollar of course.

I tell ya Spectrism, this economy’s devolution is like having a vise tightening on your private parts. Or more politely, your wallet. I always like to exaggerate effects/consequences in order to hammer my point home. HaHa

Even physical gold and silver sometimes have a higher and better use than holding them as insurance for the future. This statement may seem anathema to this website but let me explain before y’all get out the ropes and thumbscrews.

Say silver is at $35 per ounce and the economy is on shaky ground. Hey, it is right now, isn’t it ? So an opportunity to buy a used car comes up and you don’t have the cash. You put down a deposit to hold the car and sell some silver. For instance, if the car is $1,000, 30 ounces of silver would cover the deal. And say it takes two months to fix and sell the car for about $2,000, thus making a net profit of $1,000; doubling your money. Lots of variables here, all of which must be considered beforehand.

Will silver cost $70 in the next two months ? If so, you have worked for no profit.

Will the car be finished and sold in the time allocated ? If not, the risk increases.

Is 30 ounces all of your silver holdings or only 1% of your holdings. The percent of your silver you are willing to risk is important; the lower, the better.

The car example is what we call a one bagger; doubling your money. But I have done 10 and 20 baggers. It goes without saying that the higher the return percentage, the better the deal as well as providing a higher safety margin in case final results are not as good as originally calculated.

Making fiat money from which you sold physical silver or gold in order to later accumulate real wealth (gold and silver) is a calculated risk. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really know what you are doing. Those who can accurately figure their risk/reward ratios can make some good money. I know, I have done it. My problem when I was much younger was that I did not know how to keep the money or even know that only gold and silver are money as J.P. Morgan said.

Well, enough running on at the mouth. The bottom line here is that we are sort of flying by the seat of our pants with much of this bartering and horse trading. Personally, I can not find anything that gives me so much pleasure and challenges while in the process of saving and making money.

Best wishes,

agnut