There's an old saying that relate's one man's trash to another man's treasure. This is the underlying truth of bartering. An item you may have needed in the past but now have no use for may be exactly what a neighbor is looking for. When you swap or trade it, you get something concrete in return. So what if it's another person's trash? Obviously they don't know a treasure when they see one. This kind of transaction is much better than getting boring old cash.
Say for instance that you keep free-range hens and have more eggs than you can use for your family. Selling them would raise cash that you could use for the next sack of chicken feed. However, you may also be able to trade those eggs - worth up to four dollars a dozen - for things you routinely spend money on.
Say you have a neighbor with a thumb so green that people slow down driving by to admire her perennials and bulbs. Go knock on the door and see if you can exchange eggs for root divisions, bulbs, or cuttings. You may get free planting advice and make a new friend as well.
You may get other benefits, too - like free planting advice or a better acquaintance with your neighbor. Once word gets out, other neighbors might be willing to trade garden produce, fruit from their trees, or unwanted items from their garages for your fresh eggs. Pretty soon, the whole community may be into swapping and bartering.
There are designated 'swap meets' where people trade everything from cars and trucks to clothing. These can be really fun, since you never know what you'll find. People also exchange services, like house painting, lawn mowing, or carpentry. The whole idea of getting away from boring old money is intriguing.
You can often find classified ads that offer an item for sale or trade for an item the seller is looking for. Look forfree ad magazines; these make it really easy to offer items and tell people what you're hoping to find. It's a great way to get exposure for items you want to barter without having to pay for the advertising.
Shopping is fun, but those with little ready cash may be shut out of the commercial marketplace. However, almost everyone has more things than they can use. Kids grow up and move away, or people downsize after retirement, and suddenly the attic, closets, and garage are bulging. Sure, you can have a yard sale, but bartering is more challenging and probably will net you a far greater return.
People who live on small incomes, who prefer to get by without a nine-to-five job, or just like the idea of barter rather than money exchange love trading. Canny traders can often get more than retail for items that people want; not everyone knows values well enough to judge correctly. People may not even mind paying a little more to enjoy the down-home atmosphere that goes with face-to-face bargaining.
Say for instance that you keep free-range hens and have more eggs than you can use for your family. Selling them would raise cash that you could use for the next sack of chicken feed. However, you may also be able to trade those eggs - worth up to four dollars a dozen - for things you routinely spend money on.
Say you have a neighbor with a thumb so green that people slow down driving by to admire her perennials and bulbs. Go knock on the door and see if you can exchange eggs for root divisions, bulbs, or cuttings. You may get free planting advice and make a new friend as well.
You may get other benefits, too - like free planting advice or a better acquaintance with your neighbor. Once word gets out, other neighbors might be willing to trade garden produce, fruit from their trees, or unwanted items from their garages for your fresh eggs. Pretty soon, the whole community may be into swapping and bartering.
There are designated 'swap meets' where people trade everything from cars and trucks to clothing. These can be really fun, since you never know what you'll find. People also exchange services, like house painting, lawn mowing, or carpentry. The whole idea of getting away from boring old money is intriguing.
You can often find classified ads that offer an item for sale or trade for an item the seller is looking for. Look forfree ad magazines; these make it really easy to offer items and tell people what you're hoping to find. It's a great way to get exposure for items you want to barter without having to pay for the advertising.
Shopping is fun, but those with little ready cash may be shut out of the commercial marketplace. However, almost everyone has more things than they can use. Kids grow up and move away, or people downsize after retirement, and suddenly the attic, closets, and garage are bulging. Sure, you can have a yard sale, but bartering is more challenging and probably will net you a far greater return.
People who live on small incomes, who prefer to get by without a nine-to-five job, or just like the idea of barter rather than money exchange love trading. Canny traders can often get more than retail for items that people want; not everyone knows values well enough to judge correctly. People may not even mind paying a little more to enjoy the down-home atmosphere that goes with face-to-face bargaining.