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.
For example, you may have more eggs from your free-running hens than your family can use. You like selling eggs for money, because chicken feed costs a lot these days. However, you can also trade those eggs - which command up to four dollars a dozen at farmer's markets - for something you would otherwise shell out cash for.
Maybe you admire a neighbor's perennial borders, full of color from early spring to the end of fall. Think about offering to barter eggs for bulbs, root divisions, or bushes from that garden instead of shopping at the garden center. Use the money you would have spent at the nursery to buy chicken feed.
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.
You may be able to find an established 'swap meet' in your area. People come to these informal gatherings to trade everything from cars and trucks to homemade crafts, garden produce, and yes, fresh eggs. The fun here is never knowing what you may find. People also trade services. You may be able to offer that perfectly good dishwasher your wife changed out because of the color in exchange for a set of new snow tires.
Local classified ad magazines, many of which will publish an ad for free, often have entries that say: will trade for (whatever) in good condition. If you have a whatever on hand, you're golden.
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.
For people on fixed incomes, those who prefer retirement to getting a paycheck, or those who just like swapping and trading, this kind of transaction is great. You may even get more than the actual retail value for something you have when you exchange it for something that is valuable to you. This 'down-home' kind of face-to-face bargaining is hard to find in this modern day and age.
For example, you may have more eggs from your free-running hens than your family can use. You like selling eggs for money, because chicken feed costs a lot these days. However, you can also trade those eggs - which command up to four dollars a dozen at farmer's markets - for something you would otherwise shell out cash for.
Maybe you admire a neighbor's perennial borders, full of color from early spring to the end of fall. Think about offering to barter eggs for bulbs, root divisions, or bushes from that garden instead of shopping at the garden center. Use the money you would have spent at the nursery to buy chicken feed.
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.
You may be able to find an established 'swap meet' in your area. People come to these informal gatherings to trade everything from cars and trucks to homemade crafts, garden produce, and yes, fresh eggs. The fun here is never knowing what you may find. People also trade services. You may be able to offer that perfectly good dishwasher your wife changed out because of the color in exchange for a set of new snow tires.
Local classified ad magazines, many of which will publish an ad for free, often have entries that say: will trade for (whatever) in good condition. If you have a whatever on hand, you're golden.
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.
For people on fixed incomes, those who prefer retirement to getting a paycheck, or those who just like swapping and trading, this kind of transaction is great. You may even get more than the actual retail value for something you have when you exchange it for something that is valuable to you. This 'down-home' kind of face-to-face bargaining is hard to find in this modern day and age.
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