If you’ve got a debt to pay off, yes you’ll need money – no brainer. But otherwise, is it really money you need-or just something that’s worth money?
We trade favors all the time, why not trade services and goods as well? Trade yard mowing for babysitting, or music lessons for haircuts. House cleaning, tutoring, yard cutting, cooking, babysitting, music lessons, sewing, hair cutting and picking a friend’s kids up from school every day are all services that could be traded and would save a bit of mom’s sanity. There are many more I’m sure. I would gladly teach piano lessons for free if someone would cut my grass. Likewise I would be just as happy to cut someone else’s yard if they would take my kids for a few hours.
Trade goods too. Your neighbor may have a garden full of produce but need a birthday gift for their child. That popular toy you picked up at 75% off could make for the perfect trade. So you like Crest and your friend likes Colgate. Pick up the free Colgate for your friend and she can pick up the Crest for you. Getting low on TP- ask another stockpiling friend if she’s got any on hand of the kind you like and offer her some dishwasher gelpacs. I have even known families who traded vehicles- an older suburban for a newer sedan of equal value. Both families got the vehicle that met their needs without the transfer of actual money.
Figure out the value of the services/goods you can provide and ask around your circle of friends. You never know what swaps you may be able to arrange, allowing you to stretch your dollars even further. A friend may even suggest something you hadn’t realized you could provide.
We often think we don’t have enough money. Maybe we just need to be a bit more creative with the money and resources we already have. Has anyone participated in some bartering that you’d share with us?
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