The Barter System... an experiment.

Kryshade · Post by **Kryshade** » October 12, 2004, 5:00 pm

Ok, this post may seem alittle strange to some, but I was in the shower thinking about the random things that I ponder, when I started wondering why more people don't barter in this day and age. I was thinking, what do I have that someone would want, and what might they have that I'd be willing to trade for? I wonder why it is that more people don't try to swap things in exhange for services and items...

For instance, why can't I offer my dentist some yardwork and a tweak to his computer in exchange for him knocking off $100 off my bill, or why can't I go to a restaurant and trade the manager a couple tickets to the movie theater for a free meal or something along those lines... I'm sure you get my drift.

Anyway, onward...

I'm curious to see if it's possible to actually make a good trade for something that doesn't include any money, where both parties feel like they came out ahead. Soooo, I'm offering this...

My wife is a pretty accomplished artist, and I'm going to offer up one of her hand-painted children's tables. You can see a link to some samples here -- http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... :B:LC:US:1

Don't worry, I talked to her about this first!!

If you think this is something you'd want/need or you know a friend that would like it, it's obviously worth something to you... it may be worth absolutely nothing to you as well... that's the beauty of bartering.

Anyway, do any of you have something to offer in trade? If you do, either post it here, or PM me and we'll see what we can work out. I'm very curious to see if this works at all.

Who knows, maybe we'll end up with OMGIAMRETARDEDCAUSEALOTISTWOWORDS of people swapping some really cool stuff, or I'll get laughed at and flamed... either way, it's a cool experiment.

Avryce · Post by **Avryce** » October 12, 2004, 5:07 pm

I offer you 10 minutes alone with a dolphin of your choice in Sea World's feeding pool. Don't worry they're cool with it.

Ransure · Post by **Ransure** » October 12, 2004, 5:07 pm

I barter for things whenever I can..... works out pretty well for me

Laliana · Post by **Laliana** » October 12, 2004, 5:23 pm

Kry...check your pms! Christmas is around the corner.

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » October 12, 2004, 6:33 pm

lots of people barter. it's called the underground economy, and tons of people participate in it.

Silvarel Mistmoon · Post by **Silvarel Mistmoon** » October 12, 2004, 8:25 pm

I am getting new mirrows, ceiling to floor, in my Salon. Also getting some plumbing changed and two bathrooms made in to one huge bathroom in my Salon. AND I get free business cards!
All for free haircuts and products.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » October 13, 2004, 9:24 am

I grew up doing this. My family was a blue collar family. We had skills to offer, and used that to allow ourselves to attain things we normally would not be able to afford.

Of course, this practice is frowned upon by all the business owners, because we aren't lining their pockets, on either side of the exchange.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » October 13, 2004, 9:32 am

Don't think I have anything I could offer in trade, but I am definitely interested in a table for my niece's room. It looks like your wife put a lot of work into those.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » October 13, 2004, 11:55 am

I regard dating as bartering for pussy

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » October 13, 2004, 2:40 pm

On a lower scale, I barter with friends on things like computers and car repairs. I'm not mechanically inclined so I have my friend work on my car and in return help him with computer related things.

That's more along the lines of friends helping each other out than going to an autorepair center and offering to clean their computer up etc. I wouldn't do that.

Money was invented because people may have skills and products that the other person doesn't need. If a farmer came up to me and offered me a dozen chickens to fix his computer...wtf am I going to do with a dozen chickens? How's that farmer supposed to know I need a 250GB HD?

Bartering is very limited but nice is it happens to work out.

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » October 13, 2004, 2:50 pm

pay it forward

Homercles · Post by **Homercles** » October 13, 2004, 4:30 pm

We barter for stuff all the time. We've gotten free golf, Reds tickets, Bengals tickets, meals at Fridays and Applebees, airtime on the local radio stations, landscape work, etc etc. We've even gotten a free deck and a reduced cost on remodeling a basment.

One of the benefits of running a business is being able to barter for stuff.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » October 13, 2004, 4:33 pm

I think that's one reason that most people don't barter...too many of us deal in intangibles now to really HAVE anything that is ours to barter off. When I used to work in construction with my dad, it was a lot easier to barter some services for someone else's goods/services. Now that I work for a large auto insurance company, there really isn't anything that is mine that I can trade off.

On the table subject though, what are the dimensions when assembled? My mom saw the link and is interested in a set if it will fit in the kid's bedroom.

icknay · Post by **icknay** » October 16, 2004, 12:23 am

I buy/sell collectibles, mostly old coins and currency. I barter whenever I can but sadly that's not often.