Barter... Do you do it now?

[texican]

The other barter thread got me to wondering... we can talk about barter economies post shtf or teotwawki... but, would you know how to do it? Do you do it now?

Rose said that she and her family prefer bartering now...

I do quite a bit of bartering. I trade work for goods and services. I can do any kind of construction work, from rough to finish, and in most of the 'trades'. I pretty much Always charge for materials. The wages are negotiable... some folks that are neat freaks (and wouldn't dream of having 'treasure' lying about the place) pay straight wages. Locals, with 'treasure' are usually amenable to trading for some extra stuff that they don't need anymore, and "I do".

Sometimes the barter is ok, sometimes it's gorgeous. A few years back I built a bookcase, used some wood out of the barn, and two hours labor. In trade, I got an entire barn with all the goods in it. The barn got me a trailer load of roofing, cypress siding, beams, boards, etc. Gates, trailerload of t-posts, a trailerload of rebar, trailerload of irrigation pipe, misc. loads of chains, tools, and other treasure.

Sometimes the barter is for no cash or physical goods... it's amazing what having some goodwill stored 'up' with someone will do. Reckon you could call it neighborliness. There's no spoken words saying to the effect... you owe me in the future for the deeds I'm doing today... it's just understood on some subliminal level. I've had people drop what they're doing to come help me out in a jam. You can get 'burned' on the future bartering 'chits'... but I figure any losses are a plus in the cosmic karma bank account.

These are the people that I actually would barter with in the future, be it ammo, or goods, or services.

[Ernie]

I barter when I can, pay cash when I can't.

[DYngbld]

I fix computers for beer. I offer most of my services for return work. My plumber gets computer service and questions answered 24/7, and I haven't had to pay a plumber in years.

[tyusclan]

Yep, do it all the time.

Like y'all, find some folks that will and some that won't. Just have to deal in cash with the ones that won't.

[NoClue]

I barter electrical work, manual labor, and occasionally computer work for various stuff - what depends on who I'm doing the work for. I only rarely do outside work for cash. The only reason I do it at all is to build good relations with my neighbors and acquaintances.

[FrontPorch]

I traded a dozen eggs for a bag of water softener salt the other day. Other than that I'm pretty sure the only other service I could offer is illegal here.

Seriously though I would barter more if the opportunity presented itself.

[manygoatsnmore]

There's a fellow at work that trades me meat for eggs from my chickens. I think I get the better end of the deal, but he seems to think it's fair, so I just keep asking him if he needs eggs yet.

[stranger]

some welfare recipients have been trading food stamps for ciggs,crack and booze for yrs.
I trade honey for eggs,firewood and rabbits or rabbit meat for many things to people who don't have cash, I plow a few people driveways all winter and they repay by helping me split wood for a couple days in the summer.

[soulsurvivor]

We trade garden and fruit tree produce, child care services, sometimes sugar cured country ham, frozen fresh fish & game, take care of animals for owners that have to be gone a few days, and help with getting cut wood hauled in and ricked. We do this in return for everything from help with small home projects, putting on a metal roof, rebuilding a chimney, car repairs, and small engine repairs to housepainting.

We haven't yet bartered much outside of our small neighborhood and family structure, but do plan on being prepared to do that if needed.

[partndn]

I do. Kinda like Texican, only with those I feel comfortable/trusty with.
It usually involves food preparation on my end, baking, whole meals, preserves, etc.
I get help with my mower, furniture moving, and even gasoline sometimes.

Occasionally, I sew home decor stuff in exchange for (depends on what the person I'm sewing for has that I need).

I also used to cut hair, so I trade that skill for some things with family and friends.

[Wisconsin Ann]

We quite often barter goods for services or goods for other goods. Honey is good for a lot of things. Artificer can make almost anything out of metal, so he often gets asked to build something for someone, and he often gets computer parts/camera stuff/generators/etc. in exchange.

We also have a large backhoe, and that has gotten us 40#venison, bottle of MacCallan 30year old scotch, 1/2 a hog, and cash. (gotta love cash)

I'll often take goods for my jewelry and candles. Homemade jams, ham, soaps, animals...make me an offer Once traded a nice silver necklace for a pair of handmade boots. That was good. Loved those boots....not sure where they are now tho...must go look....

[mosepijo]

I have an Upholstery Shop and get asked all the time to Barter and every time I do... I always get the short end of the stick. Maybe just me... they are better at it than I am.

[StephanieH]

We gave a treadmill & I did a photoshoot for a pig & a small generator. It was a very nice treadmill that I was using as a clothes hanger, lol. Boths sides were very happy! And the pig tasted good!

[hillbillygal]

Dh bartered a little of his time for 3 loads of firewood last week. He was buying wood from a man and the man was trying to move a septic tank. Dh volunteered to help and the man was so grateful for the help, he let him have all three loads he had gotten that day for free.

A few months ago we did trade a four wheeler for a pickup. The truck has needed a lot of work but we didn't use the four wheeler.

[Batt]

Traded 100 lbs of dog food, 2 qts of honey, 1 pt. of Apple butter and 2 dz. setting eggs for a registered Nubian buck. Kept one of the young bucks from the offspring, and just traded the 7 mo. old buck for 30 gallons of fresh Guernsey milk (3 gal./wk for 10 wks). Yeah, I like to barter.

[newfieannie]

Texican's post takes me back to when i lived in newfoundland .nobody paid for anything much.we bartered for everything. those were the good old days! i live in the city most of the time now and people on this street dont even put in a few veggies. they just go to the store every day.and they pay a fortune to get things done. i live next door to a professor at the university.why is it all the professors i have known haven't got a bit of practical sense?

i swear he has been trying to get a stump out of the ground for 2 years. i see he was using a rake yesterday he was pounding on it. drives me nuts!but i can't tear myself away from watching what else he's going to do with that poor stump. i'm going to have to give in and go over and take it out for him.

yes, i'll be in a poor pickle around here if times get hard and i can't fend for myself. anybody want to adopt me?~Georgia.

[beaglebiz]

I have a friend who trades us handyman work for home made pierogies. Potato, cheese and sauerkraut. DH fixed her bathtub faucet and we got 7 dozen. Please dont tell her I think she is being swindled

[firegirl969]

DH and I trade my homemade strawberry jam for haircuts.

[AngieM2]

I take care of my neighbor's mending (her extended family also), and she mows the little bit of front yard I have. She likes yard working and I like sewing. It works for us. We do other things also... just neighborly stuff.

[Palmetto1]

Originally Posted by StephanieH

We gave a treadmill & I did a photoshoot for a pig & a small generator. It was a very nice treadmill that I was using as a clothes hanger, lol. Boths sides were very happy! And the pig tasted good!

I read this one too fast. I was trying to figure out why you would want a photoshoot of a pig and generator!!!