An economic collapse rarely comes like a cinematic “big day.” It often feels like a slow deterioration, almost invisible at first: payments that fail, shipments that are delayed, pharmacies that close longer than normal, shelves that are increasingly empty, and services that are no longer reliable. And then, suddenly, you discover the uncomfortable truth: when systems break, value is not defined by a screen or a bank account, but by what solves immediate problems and keeps you running another day.

In such scenarios, people quickly learn that the “real currency” becomes practical, repairable, reusable, and difficult to replace. We are not only talking about food or water, which are obvious, but about everyday items that multiply their value because they allow us to cook, cure, repair, ensure, preserve and maintain hygiene when the modern is no longer sustainable.

Here are 11 products that many people underestimate today, but that become exchange and survival goods when normality disappears.

1) Disposable lighters (the simplest ones)

In prolonged crises, fire is not a luxury: it is cooking, heat, disinfection, signaling and encouragement. A cheap lighter has a key advantage over more “technical” alternatives: it’s immediate. Under stress, cold, tiredness or rain, what works in seconds is worth more than what “should work” in theory.

Why they become currency

• They are small, standardized, and easy for anyone to understand.
• They are distributed, hidden, transported and exchanged without complications.
• Its usefulness is instantly appreciated.

How to store them best

• Avoid flashy models: the basics are easier to swap.
• Store them in several places (backpack, vehicle, first aid kit, drawer).
• Protect them from moisture and bumps when storing them for a long time.

2) Needle and thread (sewing kit)

Clothing and equipment break down faster when worn every day and there is no replacement. A torn jacket is no longer an inconvenience: it can become hypothermia. A backpack that opens at the seam is losing tools or food. And most importantly: permanent repair beats temporary “patching”.

Collapsed Real Value

• Repair clothes, backpacks, tarps, straps and covers.
• It does not depend on electricity.
• It takes up little space and lasts for years.

Extra (judicious)
In emergencies, knowing how to make basic, safe closures can help, but it doesn’t replace medical care. Even so, the knowledge and the kit become valuable.

3) Plastic zip ties

When your hands are cold, wet, or injured, tying knots can be slow or impossible. Flanges solve that: joining, securing, repairing, and organizing in seconds.

Key Uses

• Quick repairs to backpacks, shelters, makeshift structures.
• Secure doors, locks, bags, tools.
• Improvised immobilization (as temporary support) and assembly of simple stretchers.

Why they are gold

• Speed + resistance + ease of use.
• They do not require technical skill.

4) Aluminum foil

When the complex fails, the simple shines. Aluminum looks “domestic,” but in critical scenarios it is an efficiency multiplier.

What it allows to do

• Reflect and concentrate heat (improves the performance of heat sources).
• Moisture barrier: protects medicines, matches, small electronics.
• Signage: visible from a distance if used as a reflector.
• Solar cooking: with cardboard and aluminum you can create a basic solar oven.

Exchange Value
One roll is lightweight, performing, and useful for dozens of situations.

5) Hydrogen peroxide (3% hydrogen peroxide)

When medical infrastructure is weakened, infections become a greater risk. A minor, poorly treated cut can get worse quickly. Hydrogen peroxide is one of those products that doesn’t impress… until they are missing.

Practical uses

• Disinfection of wounds (as indicated and responsible use).
• Cleaning surfaces and utensils.
• Hygiene in contexts of scarcity.

Storage

• Light and heat sensitive: store it in a cool and dark place.
• Best in small, tightly closed containers.

6) Sewing Machine Oil

In a prolonged crisis, big problems are born from small flaws: a hinge, a tool, a mechanism, a lock. Without lubrication, everything wears out and locks up.

Why this particular oil

• It is light, precise, does not thicken easily.
• It works well in delicate mechanisms.
• It yields a lot: small amounts are used for constant maintenance.

Applications

• Hand tools, closures, hinges, precision mechanisms and moving parts in general.

7) Safety pins

They seem insignificant, but they are multipurpose tools.

Uses that justify their value

• Securing bandages, repairing zippers, fastening straps.
• Remove splinters (sterilizing before).
• Improvised connectors, markers, quick fixings.
• Fishing or small traps (with care and basic knowledge).

They are reusable, resistant and easy to exchange in small quantities.

8) Lip balm

In cold, wind, or sun, the lips crack, bleed, and become a gateway for infections. Its real value is preventive, not aesthetic.

Extra Uses

• Reduces chafing and helps prevent blisters.
• Lubricates closures.
• It can help as a fire starter if combined with suitable material (cotton, for example).
• It brings psychological “normality” in hard times (and that also counts).

9) Floss

It’s not just hygiene: it’s a thin, resistant and durable string.

Uses

• Small repairs.
• Fishing, simple traps, moorings.
• Improvised sutures only if you have adequate knowledge and conditions (not ideal, but useful as an extreme resource).

In addition, the case is often used to store small things and keep them dry.

10) Vinegar

In long crises, hygiene saves lives. Vinegar is cheap today, but extremely useful when cleaning products are in short supply.

What is it for?

• Basic cleaning and disinfection.
• Food preservation (pickles).
• Odor neutralization and mold reduction.
• Multiple domestic uses with no real expiration if stored well.

11) Baking Soda

If you had to choose a single “multi-purpose”, this one competes hard.

Uses

• Dental and body hygiene.
• Domestic cleaning.
• Heartburn relief (responsible use).
• Help in the kitchen.
• Support for extinguishing small grease fires (suffocation).
• Neutralization of odors and some substances.

Storage Key

• Keep dry. If it is taken care of, it lasts indefinitely.

Tips and recommendations to prepare without exaggerating

1. Start with what solves everyday problems the most: fire, hygiene, repair, and maintenance. It is not a matter of accumulating out of fear, but of having solutions.
2. Buy in layers: first a minimum kit (a few units), then duplicate, then distribute in different places (house, backpack, vehicle).
3. Avoid depending on a single point: if everything is in a box and that box is lost, it is useless. Divide and protect.
4. Prioritize what is reusable and performing: needle and thread, zip ties, baking soda, vinegar, aluminum. What yields and is used a thousand times is worth more.
5. Learn simple skills: sewing a button, reinforcing a strap, making a basic shelter, organizing a medicine cabinet. The ability multiplies the value of the item.
6. Take care of storage: humidity, heat and light ruin more provisions than time. Use sealed bags, cool places, and basic rotation when applying.
7. Think about exchange: small, easy-to-understand, and fractionable items tend to work best as barter (lighters, safety pins, balm, vinegar in portions, etc.).

When everything works, the value seems to be in the sophisticated. But when systems fail, the simple rules: what heals, repairs, heats, cleanses and keeps moving. Preparing is not paranoia; it is practical clarity. The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is today.

👉 Follow our page, like 👍, and share this post. Every click can make a difference—perhaps saving your own life or that of a loved one.