Thursday, 30 Oct 2025
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA
logo logo
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
  • đŸ”„
  • Trump
  • VIDEO
  • House
  • White
  • ScienceAlert
  • Trumps
  • Watch
  • man
  • Health
  • Season
Font ResizerAa
American FocusAmerican Focus
Search
  • World
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Tech & Science
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Education
    • Celebrities
    • Culture and Arts
    • Environment
    • Health and Wellness
    • Lifestyle
Follow US
© 2024 americanfocus.online – All Rights Reserved.
American Focus > Blog > World News > Instead of paying with cash, try bartering. How it works : NPR
World News

Instead of paying with cash, try bartering. How it works : NPR

Last updated: April 11, 2025 6:53 am
Share
Instead of paying with cash, try bartering. How it works : NPR
SHARE


From soap to canned smoked salmon to lawn work, bartering can help you get what you need without using cash.

Photographs by Getty, Alannah Hurley, and Cyndi Benitez/Collage by NPR


hide caption

toggle caption

Photographs by Getty, Alannah Hurley, and Cyndi Benitez/Collage by NPR

For many of us, when we see something we want, we pull out our cards and swipe for it.

But for Cyndi Benitez, manager of the Okanogan Family Barter Faire in Washington state, her handmade soap is her currency. She exchanges it for things like tea, honey, earrings and scarves.

She even barters with a family of local hunters. “Around October, when they’re done hunting, they’ll get a hold of me and say, ‘we have deer fat.’ I’ll render it to make soap and trade them back with soap,” she says.

Bartering can be a resourceful way to get what you need without using cash, while also creating community, say experienced traders like Benitez.

“It allows us to get back to those roots as human beings who care about each other, who believe in reciprocity, solidarity and balance,” says Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, a professor of community justice and social economic development at John Jay College, City University of New York.

If you’re interested in trying it out, barterers share real-world tips on how to get a fair deal — and how to bring up the possibility of trading with others.

Come up with something to swap

Think about the things in your wheelhouse you’re willing to trade that others might genuinely desire or need, Benitez says. That includes:

See also  Toy lawnmower To Pearls, Here's What LA Wildfire Survivors Found In Their Now-Destroyed Homes

👖 Homemade goods and creative hobbies. If you’re into sewing, maybe you hem or mend someone’s pants. If you’re an artist, maybe you barter watercolor portraits.

đŸ„’ Food. It’s always a popular choice, our experts say. Exchange surplus carrots from your garden or eggs from your chickens.

đŸ“± Skills you use to make a living. Theo Mendez, who has worked in the business side of the music industry, teaches his friend how to market himself as a musician in exchange for songwriting lessons. “It’s been two years and we enjoy each other’s help,” he says. (Keep in mind: If you barter more than $600 of your business services in the course of a year, you will need to declare that on your taxes, according to the Internal Revenue Service.)

Anything is fair game as long as there’s a market for it. Organizers of the Okanogan Family Barter Faire, which facilitates the exchange of an estimated $250,000 worth of goods and services each year, say their participants trade everything from furs to jewelry to massages to big-ticket items like cars.

Find people who are willing to trade with you

TAGGED:barteringcashNPRpayingWorks
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Ask a Scientist: A Hundred Days of Harm—How the Trump Administration Is Eviscerating Science and What We Can Do About It Ask a Scientist: A Hundred Days of Harm—How the Trump Administration Is Eviscerating Science and What We Can Do About It
Next Article RFK Jr. and vaccines, FDA drug reviews threatened RFK Jr. and vaccines, FDA drug reviews threatened
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Popular Posts

Billionaire Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Citi Field casino bid clears major Albany hurdle

ALBANY – Moving Forward with Casino Plans Steve Cohen, the billionaire owner of the Mets,…

May 27, 2025

Host of ‘Tic-Tac-Dough’ and ‘Gambit’ Was 91

Wink Martindale, a beloved game show host known for his work on "Tic-Tac-Dough," "Gambit," and…

April 15, 2025

7 DIY Greenhouse Ideas That Are True Gardening Gold

Fortunately, you can repurpose them into a greenhouse structure. This is a great way to…

March 27, 2025

Harvard Letter Points to ‘Common Ground’ With Trump Administration

Harvard University has been embroiled in a contentious battle with the Trump administration, with tensions…

May 12, 2025

Students’ mental health imperiled by $1 billion cuts to school funding

“Early intervention is key when it comes to mental health challenges in children,” Arora explains.…

May 29, 2025

You Might Also Like

Denver’s top ICE official says he was reassigned to Virginia
World News

Denver’s top ICE official says he was reassigned to Virginia

October 30, 2025
Trump Administration Finds Money For Troops, Says It’s Too ‘Difficult’ To Pay Food Benefits
World News

Trump Administration Finds Money For Troops, Says It’s Too ‘Difficult’ To Pay Food Benefits

October 30, 2025
Trump greets hundreds of trick-or-treaters at White House Halloween
World News

Trump greets hundreds of trick-or-treaters at White House Halloween

October 30, 2025
Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited : NPR
World News

Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited : NPR

October 30, 2025
logo logo
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


Explore global affairs, political insights, and linguistic origins. Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage of world news, politics, and Lifestyle.

Top Categories
  • Crime
  • Environment
  • Sports
  • Tech and Science
Usefull Links
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • DMCA

© 2024 americanfocus.online –  All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?