Frugal Friday...

In a word... bartering. Good stuff to know in this economy.

It has been a lost way of life in our consumer, money, spending way of life, until recently.  Trading goods and services for goods and services  without the exchange of money can be great for both parties.  The problem is that not everyone needs the stuff I can trade and I don't always need the stuff that others can trade so it is not always possible.  Sometimes money is necessary but there are opportunities for bartering if you just look for them.

PaperBackSwap and SwapaDVD are barter type systems. The public library has a "goods and services for no money" attitude.  I even had an opportunity recently, because they were doing a special deal, to exchange canned goods for book fines instead of money.  I had cans... I did not have cash... so I took them up on it.  Now I am fine free!  :)

I had a bit of a barter today... I made a cake for a friend and her mom (for her mom's birthday) and in return I got paid some for the cake and I got a vacuum cleaner in the deal.  LOL  My friend had all the carpet taken out of their house and they gave the vacuum cleaner to us.  We broke our other one about 6 weeks ago and we were using the one from the church some.  She cleans the church and noticed it was gone one week before we could get it put back in it's closet.  What a blessing!  I think I got the better end of that deal but the cake was going to be very delicious!  ;)

We are also in the works with a bartering deal for flute lessons.  Trading babysitting for lessons is a great trade.

I have also traded homemade bread for eggs from a friend's chickens before, too.  I miss that deal.

It is a growing trend again...

To think we can live on barter only is a little idealistic but it has it's place.

At this point, I could try to write at length about bartering or I could share some places that have already said it well... better than me.




Trading Out:  The Rise of Bartering

Bartering in the 21st century

Learn to Share and Barter

Bartering for Your Family's Needs

A good list of barter goods to keep on hand if you can

The Barter Economy

Legal Aspects of Bartering

Do you have a bartering story to share?  I would love to hear how this has worked for you!  :)