I’m always on the lookout for a good deal. Always. This includes when visiting with friends, or at the various clubs, meetings, and activities my children attend. All of these people are potential bartering partners. It can take pushing aside your shyness or natural privacy instinct to get bartering going, but it’s well worth it! We have an informal group that looks out for each other. Nothing in writing, no rules like the barter exchanges that are businesses. Instead we are friends who realize that everyone has something to offer.
One of my friends sells honey as a side business. They have bees in their living room! My 12 year old is terrified of them, but the honey sure does taste good. I know that she is always up for an exchange, and she’s very generous with the amounts. Last week I was at Office Depot. They have the best clearance sales! The manager had just marked everything down again (here they remark them every week until the item is sold), and was offering a weekend special of 50% off clearance. Large #10 cans of decaffeinated coffee were marked at $2.04 each. We don’t drink decaf, but I knew my friend does! Into the cart they went. At 50% off $2.04, I knew I could unload them to someone! I fired off an email when I got home offering her first dibs. Yesterday she brought over three big bottles of honey, including a delicious Fireweed flavor. If I bought them, they’d have cost me $15 or more. On a barter, they were $3.06 ($1.02 x 3). She said the coffee would’ve been about $25. We don’t worry about exchanging like amounts. It all evens out. In my mind, I got $15 for $3. In hers, she got $25 for $9. We’re both happy!
On Tuesday nights at Boy Scouts, I trade whatever bargain I picked up that week for two dozen organic eggs. She likes the excitement of not knowing the surprise, and I love the taste of her eggs! Last time, I traded a case of instant oatmeal that I’d bought on sale plus a coupon for 40 cents apiece. My cost: $3.60, right about the cost for one dozen Eggland’s Best. Hers taste better and are farm fresh. Again, we each think we got the better end of the deal.
We are just an informal group of friends. My husband was concerned about possible tax considerations. No worry. Here’s what the IRS says about bartering (emphasis mine):
A barter exchange is any person or organization with members or clients that contract with each other (or with the barter exchange) to jointly trade or barter property or services. The term does not include arrangements that provide solely for the informal exchange of similar services on a noncommercial basis.
So check your stash, mentally go over your friends, and start saving more through bartering. It’s one of the best “deals” you can make.
Related Blogs:
The Basics of Bartering