I got a kick out of my recent neighborhood yard sale, and I’ve been thinking about bartering. Don’t get me wrong, cash is nice. But it sure would be nice to simply swap our stuff.


Bartering is like recycling your way to abundance: sharing what you have and received what you need.   By definition bartering is a win-win. You’re also likely build some social capital in the process.


I found some green ideas for bartering for all sorts of goods and services. Canada has a sleek online bartering site called SwapSity. I haven’t tried it yet, but U-Exchange barters in several countries!


Interestingly, I found a story about an  eco-barter  project exchanging goods and services for environmental preservation. Before you jump to judgments, let me share a brief perspective. I stayed on a small island in Fiji, and know that locals will simply go hungry without fishing for sustenance, so an exchange is necessary for survival. I find this arrangement quite different than a mitigation scheme that allows polluters “rights” to certain pollution levels.


Even though it doesn’t add to the GDP, bartering sure makes economical sense and has become popular for good reason.


Does your family barter?


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Sustainable Family Finances
The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.