Especially noteworthy are cigarettes (or cigarette boxes); IIRC, there were historical examples of societies using cigarettes as money - cigarettes are rather small and light, last for a long time, are hard to falsify, easy to verify, and have real-world utility.
For long-term "lawless" society, other things would be useful as well, such as seeds, guns & ammunition, communication equipment (walkie-talkies), books that explain how to do stuff ([1], [2]), all kinds of tools, instruments and equipment.
If you're preparing just for a few days/weeks without "the grid", then obviously the most useful items are everyday consumables:
- toiletries: toilet paper, tampons, razors, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste (although hard soap works as well), lenses & glasses
- medicine: antibiotics, plasters, vitamin C (and other vitamins), water filters or water purification tablets, first aid & trauma kit
- heat & light: lighters, matches, candles, flashlights (including headlamps and wind-up flashlights), batteries, solar chargers, clothing, gasoline, portable generators
- entertainment: radios, books, board games, alcohol, cigarettes
- food (obviously): rice, flour, pasta, honey, canned meat, canned & pickled (or otherwise preserved) food
Especially noteworthy are cigarettes (or cigarette boxes); IIRC, there were historical examples of societies using cigarettes as money - cigarettes are rather small and light, last for a long time, are hard to falsify, easy to verify, and have real-world utility.
For long-term "lawless" society, other things would be useful as well, such as seeds, guns & ammunition, communication equipment (walkie-talkies), books that explain how to do stuff ([1], [2]), all kinds of tools, instruments and equipment.
WARNING: all of the above is purely theoretical.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_There_Is_No_Doctor
[2] http://www.amazon.com/Where-Women-Have-No-Doctor/dp/09423642...