Life in a war zone: How people in Ukraine adapt to Survive

Interesting article about how people are surviving in war racked
Ukraine. Note that for many, having enough money is a priority. Also,
when entrepreneurs smuggle in food, they distribute it in the center
of town. Not once is barter mentioned, and only once is a garden
mentioned.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/soviet-era-survival-kicks-in-for-ukrainians-in-rebel-wasteland/ar-AAav7j0?ocid=mailsignout
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Thanks for the email and link.
It is very interesting indeed. These are the real-world experiences I always try to learn from. Sometimes its new ideas, sometimes its the revalidation of old ones, happening and being used yet again.

A burnt out shop in the Kievsky district of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on April 2, 2015. Notice the pack of stray dogs. This brings back memories of Argentina. When people cant even afford to feed themselves, they get rid of their pets. This is bad, but it could be worse. The next stage is when you stop seeing stray dogs any more (that's when people are desperate enough to eat them.)

Lets recap on some of the lessons learned:
1)Cash is still king, as it usually is. Never underestimate how useful a roll of USD can be, anywhere in the world, from New York to Ukraine.
2)Financial mobility is a great asset. Whenever possible, take the time to open an off shore bank account. This can be one of your best assets.
3)During desperate times, food becomes a priority. Stock up on food, grow your own in your garden to supplement you supplies.
4)Cash, medicine and diapers are on high demand.
5)You need your “papers” to move around. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Spanish civil war, Argentina’s dirty war during the 70s or current eastern Ukraine, you’ll still be expected to present your “papers”. Make sure you have your passport and other important documents.
6) Usd1.000 still makes for a great bribe. Again, cash is king.
7)Living far from town and isolated is still a bad idea, even in occupied easter Ukraine. “Aid is distributed in the center and people living on the outskirts just don’t get to it in time because city transport isn’t working,” said Filimonov, 32. “We brought 130 packages of food to Debaltseve and a long line appeared near our bus in minutes. Those people were really hungry.”
8)Curriers are on high demand. They will travel to other cities where banks and ATMs still work so as to get cash for their clients. ”Mariupol, under government control, is a hotspot where couriers show up clutching stacks of bank cards to withdraw cash. Donetsk coal mines often select one employee to make the journey and collect wages for his colleagues.”… “You see lines of 50 to 100 people at ATMs and there are can be scuffles.”
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.