Do You Barter?
Barter, verb: to exchange in trade, as one commodity for another.
When we were kids, we all did it without a second thought. We would trade our marbles or pencils or troll dolls. We’d trade our sandwich for his cookies. We’d offer up those things we didn’t want or value as much for those that we did. But then we grew up, got allowances and then jobs, and we started trading our cash for everything we wanted instead of our devalued stuff.
Take a look around your home. Have you accumulated more stuff than you need or want? Wouldn’t you rather trade those extra goods for things that you do want and need rather than add them to the masses in the landfill? Many of the things we throw away today are not worn out, we’ve just grown tired of them.
An internet search on “barter” brings up all kinds of sites like CraigsList and Barter.net. I don’t have any experience with those in particular, but I have been using SwapTree. On it, you can list the books, CDs, DVDs and video games you are willing to trade as well as the items you want. When there’s a match, SwapTree notifies you that you can get something on your want list. If you like what’s offered, you can initiate a trade. One interesting thing with this service: they do three-way trades in which you send your item to one person and receive your trade item from another. The best thing: the service is free. They offer the option for you to print a postage label through their website (which has, of course, a small markup on it) but you don’t have to. When I first signed up for the service, I just used the stockpile of postage stamps I had from previous years that are now the wrong amount due to the post office’s recent rate increases. All those 34-cent stamps have graced packages bearing books, DVDs and CDs to my trade partners and my stamp drawer has been cleaned out.
SwapTree is but one of the websites that offer barter online. If you’ve got a pile of books you’re not going to read again, or a stack of CDs that just don’t interest you any longer, look into one of these services. Postage and envelopes are often cheaper than new stuff, but even when they’re not, you’re helping to keep your unwanted items out of the trash and eliminating unwanted clutter in your home and life.
Another consideration for barter is your own network of friends and family. I think the most wanted service of nearly every parent is babysitting. Maybe you need a date night, or perhaps you’d just like someone to watch the kids long enough for you to go to the grocery store solo. Barter with other parents, swapping off childcare hours and helping both families to save their sanity. Or take turns cooking dinners that feed you and your neighbors. Sometimes, your time is far more valuable than your stuff.
As our economy continues to dance on the edge of insanity, look to simple solutions. Amazingly enough, a quick look on CraigsList revealed that, should we want to, we could trade our extra pickup truck for some much needed professional tree work to take down a couple of dead trees that are threatening our house. Not only would we not have to hassle with the process for advertising our truck, but we could get the trees taken down too?! That’s an answer to a prayer if I ever heard one. Now I’m off to investigate this person/company on CraigsList. (Buyer beware, always!)
One additional note: The IRS may consider a barter transaction income for your business. Consult a tax professional to find out what counts and how it should be reported.
Have you had a good experience wiith bartering? Post a comment and share your own story.
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