Search Results for: blog get it free when you barter

Five Steps that Will Help You Go on A Spending Break

If you have an unexpected bill, want to take care of a new purchase with cash, build up an emergency fund or just get closer to paying off your overall debt, you might want to consider going on a spending break. How much extra money you accumulate will depend on what you normally spend in any given time period plus how long you decide to stay on your spending break. Saving $500 this month is not unthinkable for most families. Before you get started with a spending break, you’ll need to have a plan to ensure the best success and … Continue reading →

Benefits of Bartering

My 8-year-old cries poor like the Pentagon before commencing a $10 billion nuclear weapon upgrade. Granted, she doesn’t get a regular allowance, but with grandparents like these, she wants for very little. Actually, she wants a lot, but as the only granddaughter, she typically gets it all, which is why I don’t give her an allowance. This, of course, has led to many heated discussions on money, spending habits and budgeting.  However, thanks to a recently covered Social Studies unit on our country’s earliest settlers, we’ve added a new topic to our financial discussions:  bartering. Bartering is the exchange of … Continue reading →

Extend Your Wardrobe Cheaply

Spring is a good time to go through all of your clothing, getting rid of what doesn’t fit and doesn’t work or you. The problem with getting rid of clothing, though, is that you might find your wardrobe looking a little anemic. Still, there is no sense having a closet full of clothes that don’t look right on you. It is better to get rid of that clothing clutter and get new clothes that you can feel good about. Of course, you don’t want to spend a lot of money on clothing right now, especially gas and food prices going … Continue reading →

Paying For Health Care Through Barter

What happens if you need health care, but don’t have health insurance? Typically, you either pay the entire bill all by yourself, or you put off having the treatment that you need. Some hospitals are accepting “time credits” instead of insurance payments. This is a barter system. There is something innovative going on in Portland, Oregon. It is called The Portland Hour Exchange Program. The quickest way to explain it is to say that it works like a barter system. People do certain jobs, (like yard work), for someone else. The hours the person spends doing this work are called … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Your Workouts

Getting in shape does not require a major investment, however, having some items and resources can make it a whole lot easier. I’ve been on a get fit and stay fit mission for a while now, and here are some of the ways that I have been able to save without sacrificing. Just getting through a tough workout is enough sacrifice, don’t you think? Sports Clothing When I first started running, I made use of whatever I had on hand. For me, this meant diving into my standard collection of t-shirts and using some cotton shorts I bought for sleep … Continue reading →

Get Better Cable Rates

I love television. I don’t think I’ve made my TV adoration much of a secret. We’re in a small lull before fall programming starts. The DVR catches only one show on Monday and nothing on Tuesday. It probably wonders why it’s getting a break. We’ve had a lot of different programming providers over the years. Our current house is out in the country. We don’t have a lot of options to be able to watch TV. We originally went with Dish, but after having a big issue we switched to DirecTV. We would love to be able to go back … Continue reading →

Bartering Is Back

The internet is great for many things, and saving money is certainly at the top of the list of things that it is great for. You can research products to make sure that you purchase the one that fits your needs, and just as importantly, you can research prices so that you can be sure that you are getting the best possible deal. There are web sites that offer valuable information about managing your finances, as well as web sites that have budgeting tools. All of these money-saving things and more can be found on the internet. One money-saving tactic … Continue reading →

The History of Money, Part One – Barter

If you think about it, it’s kind of a weird thing we do, trading scraps of colored paper for goods and services. How did money come into being? I thought it would be interesting to look at the history of money and see how it applies to our lives today. This type of study is called “numismatics.” I’m not sure if that makes us “numismaticians” today … it being a new vocabulary word and all. Looking back in history, the barter system was originally used between strangers or enemies. Friends and associates would often just gift each other with needed … Continue reading →

How to Save Money When You Move

The real estate season usually peaks in the summer, which means that many families are either getting ready to move or have just moved to a new home. There is a lot of expense involved with moving. But with these tips, you can save hundreds of dollars. Moving Supplies and Services Moving can be a big expense; from closing costs or deposits to the price of movers, it starts to add up. We, ourselves, are in the middle of the moving chaos. We’ve found our perfect home and are waiting to sell our current one. Check out: The Frugal Move: … Continue reading →

Bartering Resources

Bartering for goods and services, or swapping what you have for what you need is a great way to save money. If you happen to make something or can provide a service, then you have a ready made system that is just ripe for the barter system. First, identify what it is that you have to offer, and then offer it instead of money, the next time you need to purchase something. Where do you start? Well, often you can start with the people you already know: friends, people in your mom’s group or at church, local businesses, etc. Next, … Continue reading →