RSS
Home
Bartering no longer a relic of the past: swapping saves money, forges friendships
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
On the lookout for ways to save money during this economic downturn, many individuals and families are increasingly resorting to a strategy they remember from elementary school history lessons--the art of bartering. No longer reserved for the pioneers and pilgrims of yesteryear, barter is making a comeback.
In our money-driven, high-tech modern age, it's hard to imagine that we could revert to such simple exchanges where, instead of cash, we fork over an item we no longer want or need in trade for another item we covet--and have another person be as thrilled as we are with the transaction.
The concept starts to seem a lot less quaint and a lot more appealing as the economy falters and we notice gaping spaces in our wallets. Web sites devoted to bartering are springing up everywhere; well-known Craigslist has seen the number of its barter ads double since last year, and relative newbie U-Exchange.com reports that the company has had to upgrade its servers twice in the four years it's been in business to accomodate clients' growing demands.
Despite barter's newfound popularity, the practice is not without its drawbacks. As in any business deal, some people are fair, and others are scam artists determined to get the best deal possible, even if it means resorting to less than scrupulous methods.
Jonathan Hammond, owner of a Denver tree-care service, often trades his work for other goods and services he needs. He says he once encountered a guy who wanted to trade by the hour. "I did probably $1,500 worth of work, and he did probably $300 worth. It's not like I lost money, but it definitely didn't come out in my favor, or even close to fair," Hammond says.
Many practitioners argue that the benefits of barter far outweigh the negatives--and that the human interaction it provides in our often impersonal society make it all worthwhile.
John Marcek, a Denver computer technician, uses Craigslist to advertise his interest in bartering. Once he was looking for someone to help him move, and he came across Jeff O'Holleran's moving-service ad urging people with limited cash to give him a call. The two men not only traded servces--Marcek upgraded O'Holleran's computer--but they also became good friends.
Sometimes, finding a match--someone who has what you want and wants what you have--isn't easy. The ads on Craigslist are often so specific that it's difficult to imagine anyone connecting and being satisfied with the deal. But bartering does work for some, and if you're adventurous you might just save a bundle--and possibly even make some new friends.
Source: The Denver Post
Related Articles:
Comments
