Search Results for: blog the basics of bartering

Home Bartering

If you have a home, then you have a valuable asset, even if it is worth less now than what you might have originally paid for it. Now is a great time to use that home of yours to barter for things that you may want or need. You can barter your home in exchange for home improvement services. If you have some extra space, you might be able to barter a room in exchange for professional improvements to your home. Craigslist is full of professional carpenters, electricians, landscapers and contractors who would be willing to offer their services in … Continue reading →

Getting a Good Deal Locally by Bartering with Friends

I’m always on the lookout for a good deal. Always. This includes when visiting with friends, or at the various clubs, meetings, and activities my children attend. All of these people are potential bartering partners. It can take pushing aside your shyness or natural privacy instinct to get bartering going, but it’s well worth it! We have an informal group that looks out for each other. Nothing in writing, no rules like the barter exchanges that are businesses. Instead we are friends who realize that everyone has something to offer. One of my friends sells honey as a side business. … Continue reading →

The Basics of Bartering

Bartering is a great way to conserve your resources and afford things you might not normally fit into your budget. You can get all sorts of things through bartering. In this blog, I’ll tell you what bartering is and give you some ideas on what can be bartered. My father is the king of bartering. He lives in a working class neighborhood in New York City and has grown up bartering. If there is anything we need, from a carburetor to curtains, from a parking space to a fancy dinner, chances are he can get it in a day or … Continue reading →

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 →

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 →

Where to Get Free Food

If you are in a desperate situation with your food budget, there is hope. Here are some ideas that you can use to get free food. Barter your services for food. Rather than work for money, work for food. Someone who may be reluctant to hire you for money might be happy to feed you instead. Babysit, cut hair, mow a lawn, change someone’s oil, tutor a child, help with a resume, clean a house, mend some clothes, pick up someone from the airport, do laundry, etc., all in exchange for home cooked meals or groceries. I have a pantry … Continue reading →

75 Things You Can Do to Save Money

If you need or want to tighten your budget, there are so many things that you can do to save money. Pick a few from the list and get started today, or try them all. It will be nice to have some extra money available. Mow your own lawn and perform lawn care yourself. Drink water instead of flavored drinks. Get rid of the cleaning service. Perform your own minor repairs, such as patching a hole or fixing a leaky faucet. Change your oil in the car. Paint a room yourself. Hand wash clothing instead of taking it to the … Continue reading →

How to Haggle

In an earlier article, I talked about how haggling can save you big bucks. We saved more than $200 on a new refrigerator, for example. Here are some basic guidelines on how to haggle. Be Nice When haggling, I can’t emphasize enough the need to be pleasant and nice. You know the old saying about honey catching more bees than vinegar. It is true. Besides, you should be nice to whomever you interact with as you go about your day. But for haggling, this is especially important. After all, you are asking for something extra. Don’t go up to the … Continue reading →

Craigs List: The Online Tag Sale

I love to shop the tag (or garage or yard) sales in the summer and fall. But come winter here in Pennsylvania, I develop the tag sale itch. That is what is so great about finding a big online tag sale. Are you familiar with Craigslist? If you are a savvy shopper can save a lot by taking advantage of the deals at this site, or even earn some money buy selling your excess items. Craigslist is an online site where people place free ads for all sorts of things. From toys to real estate, a job to a date, … Continue reading →

My Fourth Week in Review

Well, I made it! I am now a Senior Blogger for the Families.com Frugal Living Blog. Isn’t that great? This last week has been fun relating ideas about stockpiling, storage, milk prices, freebies and uses for dryer lint. In case you missed any of the blogs from my fourth week, here they all are listed for you. Stock Up on Freebies for the Outdoorsy Guy/Gal Okay, now that the holidays are almost behind me, I am thinking of birthday and “just because” gifts. For immediate friends and family, I like to sign up for freebies I know they will like. … Continue reading →