In previous articles, I have mentioned that where I grew up, trading and bartering are a big part of life. I knew someone who never paid for a car, they would just trade someone else outright, and they were able to avoid a lot of the costs involved with purchasing a car, simply by trading outright. Cash will be low, if any at all, many will not have gotten gold or silver, to use for purchasing power, so trading will be the next best option.

Being a survivalist means so much more than having  the latest gadgets or a really nifty gun. After all, the best weapon  you can have is a sharp brain and an edge for creativity. With a little  bit of ingenuity, even the simplest of household items can make the  difference between life and death. While such opportunities are undoubtedly  plentiful, below are some examples of how everyday things we take for  granted can be transformed to perform a whole new set of tasks that  can help you survive the next time you’re lost in the woods, confronting  a natural disaster or even stranded in your car during a snow storm.

Glasses

While you may have cursed your poor eyesight for years,  you’ll find that glasses can prove to be useful in a survival situation.  They can be held up to reflect the sun and send a distress signal in  the hopes of rescue personnel looking for stranded parties.

Glasses that are made of actual glass, and not plastic,  can be used to help start a fire in an emergency. Hold one of the lenses  up to a small gathering of dried leaves, pine tree needles, or dry grass  and the sun will help to set the kindling on fire. It’s best to do  this from about a foot away, but since you can’t see anymore, you’ll  just have to gauge it.

To get the fire started faster, dig out any lint  from the pockets of jeans or other clothing and use that as well. To  increase the magnifying power of your glasses, add a droplet of water  to the lens to increasingly focus the sun’s heat in one particular  focal point.

Keep in mind that not every type of lens will work for  this; only eyewear designed for individuals who are farsighted and need  help seeing materials up close will have the necessary shape. Reading  Glasses sells lighted reading glasses that will carry  the correctly curved lenses and come equip with LED lights that will  be infinitely helpful for those times you’re jammed up in the dark.   Plus, for those who wear metal framed glasses, the lenses can be popped  out and the wires used for makeshift tools.

Dental Floss

Dental floss can be used in a variety of ways. If  you find yourself in the woods near a stream, the floss can be used  as temporary fishing line. Part of the wire glasses mentioned above  could be used as a hook and add a long stick and some worms. With a  little luck and a lot of patience, you could be eating fish for dinner.  If you plan ahead, make sure you have strong material like Oral B’s Deep Cleaning Floss.

Dental floss can also be used as thread, in the event  you have no real thread nearby, and if you’re in a survival situation,  it’s likely no one will notice the color doesn’t match the fabric.

Shoestrings

Shoestrings are sturdy and you can use them in lieu  of a rope when you don’t have one. You can also tie them together  and tie each end to two close trees, throwing something over the shoelaces  for a temporary shelter from the rain. Rain ponchos or even large trash  bags work great as a cover for a temporary shelter.

Shoestrings can also be used for tying sticks together  to help build a make-shift raft or even tie larger sticks together for  a more permanent shelter, which with any luck you won’t need.

Feminine Pads and Tampons

If you’re lucky enough to be stranded with a woman,  you’ve got a variety of survival tools in her purse alone. Almost  every woman has a pad or tampon in there on any given day, and these  can really come in handy. Pads can be used as a bandage in an emergency  situation and tampons can be used to help stop a serious nose bleed,  when the cotton part is gently pushed up the nostril.

Tampons can also filter water. This can be done by  filling a plastic water bottle almost full and inserting the tampon  in the top of the bottle. As you turn the bottle upside down, the water  will filter out, leaving behind the silt and dirt in the bottle. This  should only be used in a true emergency since water can carry harmful  bacteria which can cause vomiting and diarrhea when not filtered or  purified properly.

Tampons that come in plastic or cardboard tubes can  be removed and the tubes used for makeshift splints for small bones,  such as those in the fingers. You can also use the plastic wrapper as  a place to store matches to keep them from getting wet.

So with a little thinking outside of the box, you’ll find that many  everyday, common items can come in handy. When faced with life  threatening situations, using your imagination may just keep you alive.