Bartering – exchanging goods and services without money
What is bartering?
According to Wikipedia. In trade, barter is a system of exchange where participants in a transaction directly exchange goods or services for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money
Bartering has been around for a very long time – since hunters exchanged game for a spear point with a flint knapper and farmers exchanged wheat for fish with a fisherman.
Below is a picture of a man exchanging chickens for a subscription to Harper’s Bazaar, a magazine, in 1874:
Albert Eistein said this about bartering:
“If I had my life to live over again, I would elect to be a trader of goods rather than a student of science. I think barter is a noble thing.”
How can bartering help you save money in college?
- Offer to cook in exchange for tutoring
- Offer to babysit in exchange for a haircut
- Offer to design a web page in exchange for having your car fixed.
- Offer to help with household chores and shopping in exchange for a room
- Organize a clothing swap meet where you can exchange clothes you no longer want for some new (for you) duds. Vintage has made a comeback…
Matina shared how she used bartering:
- Find an item you are okay to part with
- Let people know you have this item to trade and ask if anyone has anything they want to trade to get it – post this on bulletin boards on campus, your college facebook page etc.
- Key: Always trade up for something OTHERS might find more valuable than the item you are holding (for example old text books or an old phone)
- Example: I traded graphic calculator for 2 textbooks, which were traded after completion of the classes for a leather jacket, which was traded for a gaming console with some games, which was exchanged for a down payment on my first apartment after college.
The ultimate barter:
Here you can see first hand how a man traded a red paperclip for a house:
The internet offers some great opportunities to barter:
Simbi.com
How it works:
Choose from over 100,000 services
Offer what you love – this is an opportunity to share your hobbies, skills and talents
Propose an exchange or get paid in simbi and choose another service you want later.
Here is a video that explains it all:
Sign up today at Simbi.com and let the bartering begin!
U-exchange.com
Trade Anything, Pay Nothing. U-Exchange is the Largest Swap Site that specializes in every type of trade. No barter currencies or commissions taken on trades. It is free to contact, post and swap with other members. Available in the US, Canada and UK.
You can barter anything from vehicles, boats, appliances, furniture, collectibles and art, to just about anything else you can think of. Barter services in return for other services or items you need and if the reciprocal barter isn’t equal, you can have the difference paid in cash (the boot). It’s a great way to find what you’re looking for.This includes baby sitting, tutoring, cleaning and much more.
House swaps are also offered on this site and are great for traveling.
Talking about house swaps. There are numerous sites on the web that offer house swaps. How it works is very simple:
List your own house on the site. Check out all the listings on the site and check out properties you are interested in.
Contact the owners and if they agree: swap!
The cost is usually a nominal fee for the listing and the transportation to the destination. You will have the same costs you normally have living in your own home.
Of course it is important to do your due diligence and to make your home unknown visitor friendly – avoid leaving valuables readily accessible and use common sense.
Here is an example of a site that is available:
HomeExchange.com
Timebanks.org
Time banking is an alternative, time-based currency that lets you contribute a skill or talent in exchange for free services from other members of your community. The premise is that every hour is equal and members exchange 1 hour of work for 1 hour of work.
Here is a video that explains all:
More bartering sites will be added – suggestions are welcome.
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