2009 Is The Year Bartering Went Hot Hot Hot!

by Missy on Friday, August 21st, 2009

It’s hard to pick up a magazine or newspaper and not read an article depicting the enormous popularity of bartering.

With the economy wavering back and forth people are looking to get the most bang for their buck, not to mention get creative with financing, savings, and income. If you go to the bartering section of Craigslist, you will find over 100 listings posted just for today. (note today is Friday August 21, 2009)

bartering in 2009

image via A1 Luxury Limo Service

Make no mistake about it, 2009 is the year of bartering. What does it mean to barter? In simple terms, it’s a trade. “I give you my 8gb iPod I received for Christmas, you give me your Kodak digi-cam your sister gave you for your birthday”. Usually trades are done with items of equal or similar value and can be done with either a product or a service.

For example, a carpenter/electrician can trade his skills for the professional services of a dentist. This barter can be done in a formal fashion with lots of documents and signatures, or it can be an informal hand shake type deal.

Most people have something they can trade for something they need, but don’t want any cash to exchange hands. This is what bartering is all about.

If you’re interested in trading up your skills or services for a needed product or a needed service, try the following free barter sites.

Free Barter Sites:

Some barter sites are free, while others charge a membership fee. Always keep in mind that depending on the value of the trade, you will either want to meet in person with the other party, and treat it as you would any other valuable type transaction. Be vigilant and be smart. But if it’s a low value type trade, such as a CD DVD or book feel free to ship out with just a wink of caution.

For more heavy duty bartering and a more formal relationship, try the following fee-based sites. Fees vary by site and membership type.

Fee-Based Barter Sites: