The Basics of Bartering

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

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 two, without spending a dime. He has such a large network of friends in his circle that they call him the mayor.

So what is bartering? Well, it is basically trading something for something else. You can barter for goods, that is, tangible items such as a box of oranges, or for services, such as having your lawn mowed.

The first thing you have to do to barter is figure out what you have to offer someone else. If you have a home business, such as making candles or writing resumes, you may already have a ready made good or service to barter. A renewable resource that everyone can use (something you can keep making or doing that appeals to a large group of people) is the best thing to have for bartering.

A good example of this is my sister-in-law. She often barters cleaning someone's house for all sorts of things. Everyone can use a clean house, right? A neighbor of mine barters cutting hair for whatever she needs. I often barter writing and graphic art services.

You can also barter with items you might otherwise throw away, hand down or sell. Look around your house to see what you might have that is worth something to someone. Do you have any clothes or toys that your kids have outgrown? They should be in excellent shape to be barter worthy.

Here are some other ideas for goods and services that can be bartered:

• Fresh homemade meals or meals from the freezer, such as a baked ziti or muffins
• Homemade crafts, such as wreaths, candles, soap, wedding favors, etc.
• Lessons, such as scrap booking, voice or piano lessons, and math tutoring
• Household chores such as cleaning, laundry services, lawn maintenance and house painting
• Errands, such as trips to the dry cleaner, fetching prescriptions, grocery shopping, etc.
• Child care as a babysitter or mother's helper
• Pet walking and pet sitting
• Unique services, such as party planning and job hunting

Look for a future blog where I'll tell you the best ways to find bartering opportunities.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, online content manager, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania in the middle of the woods but close enough to Target and Home Depot.

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