Bartering could be a way to do business, especially with so many people out of work. Bartering is the mutual exchange of goods or services without using money. You have a book I want, and I have a sweater you want; we trade. That’s bartering; simple.
Years ago, before currency, people bartered. These exchanges sustained their way of living. Now, with so many people out of work, and many people turning to entrepreneurship, bartering should be considered. People are becoming self-employed using the skills they have. People no longer want to be told what and how to do something. They want to have control over the money that they make. You have to appreciate the talents that have come out of this pandemic. There are some people that didn’t realize their own abilities until they had to come up with a way to earn money. People realized that they could make money leveraging what they have, with no overhead and no employees, unless they wanted to add a family member. Entrepreneurship is born this way. One person in a neighborhood starts a business and people in the neighborhood see his/her success. This makes them think, ‘I can do that,’ and before you know it, there’s a chain reaction of people trying to either come up with their own business or improve on someone else’s. Self-employment used to be something you did on the side, or when retiring. These days, a lot of people don’t have primary jobs, so self-employment offers a viable way to make money.
Bartering could help solve the issue of having the ability to get what you need without money. If you wash my dog, then I’ll make lunch for your family. We will both get what we want or need without money. The two people involved in bartering have to decide if the value of what they are bartering for is equal. There must be a meeting of the minds for a barter to be fulfilled, much like a contract. Bartering shouldn’t be hard, as long as the people involved agree on the value, as no one would barter a bike for a car. Bartering can help people at this time of widespread unemployment.
We all have some kind of talent; it just has to be identified. More and more people are starting businesses and bartering could be away to get what they need without having to worry about getting a government check. This could take the pressure off of so many people. Bartering may not work for all the needs you have, but it could help a lot.
Starting a business at this time is stressful as it is. We are afraid to spend money unnecessarily because, for many, it is unknown when the next check will come. If there was a bartering system available people may not have to sit in a car for hours to feed their family.
I don’t see the downside of bartering. As long as you have something that you can exchange for something that you want, there shouldn’t be an issue.
If you are facing the problem of not having enough money for items that you need, then consider bartering. There is no shame in exchanging an item you need for something you want. Take what you know and turn it into a business and try bartering in addition to money. In the times in which we are living, there are many people without the means to feed their families. There are families not knowing how they will get the necessities they need. If there was a bartering system, you could get those necessities by exchanging items or services. Bartering could start with family exchanges between one another and then inviting friends and coworkers. Share your skills and barter. It could also be fun!
Retirement and Dogs 