ED3,
They have local papers around here called, "The Pennysaver"; and
locals advertise personal items in there. They assign a price
and then finagle it down to bare miniumum. Don't know if your
country does that. But that's what they do 'round here. Good luck ED! What you're going through is difficult, as we all know.
Prayers and blessings,

Thank you. We are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. whew.

This is not bartering, but I got the price of my haircut down from $18 + tip to $7 + tip by telling my haircutter that I lost my job, nothing personal, but I'm going to go to the $7 haircut place now.

She would rather have that money than lose it because it's better than nothing at all since she lost her part-time job (I didn't know that at the time). Being honest and telling her that I will come in when she's not busy worked.

Anne even with the super market bargains, food is still too expensive fore me to buy what I need to cook cheap enough meals for people to barter with me for, plus what could I get in return? The only things I could possibly barter for is yard work and work around the house. I am trying to do as much of that myself as I can.

chatty, you aren't kidding. Food is expensive, especially healthy food. I can't wait for the farmer's market to open.

Saundra, it really pays to be honest!

We don't barter. I believe it's an insult to another (especially at our market) to offer. If I want something badly enough, I buy it. The people are in business to make money and I pay if/when I can afford something I need.

Our business policy does not allow for it either.

It's interesting to read this topic this morning, having just returned from a place where bartering is essential and pretty much the only way most people can afford to live. When tourists give all their stuff away to the Cubans, we give knowing full well that whatever they can't use for themselves, they will use to barter for goods and services that they could never afford otherwise. We've seen over the years how a few scraps of clothing can be bartered for repairs to furniture and then those pieces of furniture can be bartered for appliances or materials to repair their houses.

Since many people lost everything in the hurricane, this year many Cubans bartered with the tourists for clothes. For example, the guy who takes people horseback riding didn't want money, he wanted clothes and shoes, especially children's shoes. And many of the employees preferred clothing or useful things over monetary tips. Even if they have money, they can't buy the things they need. The only way they can start to rebuild their lives is to take the stuff the tourists give them and start bartering their way back up to where they were before the storm.

I was just thinking about how my husband has often bartered with the people who call him to do repairs in their homes. He knows that many of them don't have much money, so he'll either charge them for only the materials and a few dollars for gas, or he'll barter for food...one woman from Bangladesh cooks the most amazing samosas and pakoras...he'll often do the work in exchange for a cookie tin full of pakoras!

Bartering is an essential part of life in most parts of the world. As more immigrants become enmeshed in our society and we all continue to feel the impact of this financial crisis, we'll probably see bartering become more common here (it goes on, we just might not always see it).

WELCOME HOME EAGLE HEART..
Its so good to see you back among your sisters on BWS.

If our government messes with our money anymore and the economy gets much worse, we may all learn what bartering is all about, for real!!!

Well, personally I will take all the worthless money I can get my grubby hands on and worry about it later!!!!!!