(food, shelter and means to protect it as well as water, and barter items such as soaps, spices, matches etc) You listed my reason for gold/silver in your own post "you might be able to buy enough food to feed your family for a week with that ounce of food" .

My natural impression of BP is that its comprised of people who are all professionals, wholesalers, etc...

One factor is that they are using cheap materials to clean, water and soap.

I will also lay out a cutting board with piles of aromatic spices.In the bath, decorate with decorative bottles, pot pourri, aromatic soaps.

Stepping off soap box now.

The Sheriff's Department is not comprised of furniture movers.

If you can do that, you will see that your nest egg for a down payment will grow quickly.I will get off of my soap box now.  

Looking to buy my own place in the summer (hopefully no more than 20mins outside Claymont, DE) and then ultimately build an investment porfolio comprising of rentals.

We routinely clean most of our traps once a year to clear them of toothpaste, soap, hair and gunk.  

For units with dishwashers, I provide a small bucket of dishwasher detergent pods with a warning not to use regular dish soap in the machines.