Bartering can be very beneficial to anyone who wishes to use it as it generally involves exchanging something you have an abundance of for something you need. There is no money involved, so you can save this for things that aren’t available to trade.
In more urban areas see more bartering as much more money is available and centralised and people will spend their earnings to get the things they need and want and then trade their business service for others – then improving their business ultimately for a smaller cost as buying the service outright. So how could more rural communities take examples from them?
In the news at the moment we are seeing crises all over the world, specifically South America, where communities have to barter and trade their produce to survive. Many people are unable to get jobs, and must go into larger towns to trade what they have in order to pay the costs of increasing rent bills.
Whilst this is the kind of bartering we are speaking about, this extreme bartering is out of desperation and because there is no other options for these families.
It is not uncommon to see or hear about bartering happening in much more rural locations, especially abroad. For examples farmers may exchange their goods for services or even offer up accommodation and food for a few days’ work.
Whilst this is common in more wealthy countries as an option for low budget travellers to pay their way through a gap year, it really should be incorporated more into modern societies as well as in places where there are no jobs or cash.
What are some things that could be traded?
- Work for Accommodation and Food
- Products for Services
- Services for Services
- Products for Products
- Pretty much anything
If more people in the communities got involved with the trading and bartering, there would be little need for money at all. Everyone works to build their own business that is different from others so that they will make money which has in turn set them up for the perfect bartering community. For example, a painter may offer a painting in return for some pots and pans; the possibilities are endless.