I’ve decided to start bartering— trading goods and services without the exchange of money. To facilitate this, I set up a new page on my site listing the current things I need and the things I am able to trade for them. Obviously, most of these require that you are in or around the Southern Wisconsin/Northern Illinois area where I live; but there are some items you could do via mail.
So here’s why I’m bartering:
-It’s Good for the Environment: We live in a “throw-it-away” society, where if something stops working, begins to wear-out, or we just don’t like it anymore, we throw it away. We have landfill upon landfill full of our old belongings that could be upcycled or repurposed.
A second issue comes from the environmental impact that the manufacturing of new goods causes. By swapping goods, we can limit the amount of new items that need to be produced, thus limiting the amount of toxins being released into our environment. By bartering goods you no longer want, you keep the items out of the landfill and prevent toxins from being released from new manufacturing.
-It’s Economical: If you’re trying to save money, what better to do it than by not spending money. The classic example: You’re a plumber whose kids need dental work done. Find a dentist who needs plumbing work done and barter. Money saved.
-It Let’s You Try/Have Things You Otherwise Wouldn’t: On my list, I have various lessons included in the section about what I want to trade for. Yes, I could take lessons through a local college or pay someone to privately tutor me, but I don’ t have money in my budget for that right now. The solution? Offer up something I do well in exchange for someone to teach me what they know. One woman got trapeze lessons in exchange for financial advice!
So that’s why I’m bartering: I want to help the environment, save money, and try something new. Are you bartering? Be sure to check out my list and email if you want to swap.
The Homesteading Daughter 