The Auditor (Director, EMEA) (@eurolandian)

If Bosnian survival experience is any teacher during a prolonged siege situation: 1) Lighters 2) Antibiotics 3) Soap Why? 1) People die of hypothermia during winter without a means to start a fire. Lighters are small, cheap and easy to stockpile and everyone wants them when its freezing cold. Matches are a substitute but are vulnerable to humidity. 2) Gun shot wounds either kill you on the spot or by quick infection within a day. Can't do much for the former but antibiotics (and some alcohol) can save you from the latter. People will be looking for these just in case or in desperation. 3) Poor hygiene invites death by disease. Soap keeps this at bay and a good bath does wonders for war depression. Also small, cheap and easy to stockpile. Also: Food and seeds are too important and finite to allow leaving the stockpile in a prolonged survival situation, unless you need 1) or 2), or you manage to produce these somehow (impossible in city apartments, possible in garden blessed suburbs or the countryside). Weapons and ammo are even more finite as you can't grow them in the garden. Gasoline burns out quickly no matter how much you stockpile at home. Get a bike. Gold, silver, and other "precious" metals become worthless in a survival situation. If you don't have anything to offer, ensure you have valuable survival skills. First Aid & Bushcraft people will always have something to eat. Software Engineers will starve.