Trade, Barter and Choose your friends wisely

Since we are approaching tax time; I should mention that a true "barter" system may have tax implications.

Here are some examples of ways that you can save money, and help others save money too, just by being friendly. Let me first say that I am always available to help others out, I give away the items I don't need, and I do a lot of favors, not because I expect anything in return, but because I just think it's the right thing to do. Also, if someone offers us something for free, we always say yes, knowing that even if we don't need that particular item, we can pass it on and the giver will know that we are grateful for anything they have to offer. This way of living has made it so that everyone knows we are happy to take things they no longer want, and that we find good homes for things we don't need, so people are happy to help us when they can.

1) After being evicted, a renter left our house full of trash. We expected to pay $140 for a dumpster, but then a friend showed up and offered to take care of it. We had to bag it all up and separate the metal for recycling. We did spend about $20 on garbage bags. In the process, a neighbor found out we had someone hauling metal to the recycling center and offered him some old appliances to take also.

2) When our car kept overheating and Don wanted to try some minor repairs (hoses and such) before taking it in, we called a friend who has been working on cars as a hobby for most of his life. He is even in the process of setting up his personal garage with all the fixin's for automotive repair. He & Don worked together to make the repairs on our van. A major benefit of this arrangement is that these are two men who both love God and working on the van is an excuse to hang out all day talking about their faith. Later on, we were remodeling a garage at our rental and offered this same friend the cabinets for use in his garage. That's just what friends do!

3) One summer, we had a friend who was working maintenance at a local Christian camp and needed a camper to stay in since they provided hookups, but not actual housing. We loaned him our travel trailer (he lived in it full time for the next two years). Later that first year, he was over and noticed our garage roof leaking (not just leaking, it actually had several large holes in it), and so he spent his next few days off repairing and putting new shingles on it.

4) There is a man who we have hired to do a few household projects for us over the past ten years. He always goes above and beyond and never over charges us (this is particularly impressive since we have had some experience who unscrupulous contractors - you know who you are). This man has become a dear friend and we often keep in touch with him. When our car battery needed replacing, he gave us one that had only been used a few months. We just had to go visit him to get it. It was well worth the trip.

5) Last January, my friend and I both had new babies, about ten days apart. We had both spent the summer scouring yard sales for cute clothes. Now, since neither of us knew what we would have, we ended up with a collection of boy and girl outfits. I had a boy and she had a girl; so I'm sure you can guess what we traded. This is a great example of friends helping friends. We didn't shop the same sales, and so I found deals she wouldn't have and she found deals I wouldn't have. I had no intention of putting pink dresses on my son, and so no use for those items, but I was immensely blessed by an abundance of adorable little blue suits that I would use.
We each gave up something that had no useful value to the giver, but did for the recipient. That is a great trade!

There are some things that are helpful when trading.
1) Be generous when you are able, without expecting anything in return. We have a man on our street who owns a snowblower; and when he blows his own property, he does the entire block, just because he can. I bet that people often think of him, when they want to do something nice for someone.
2) Don't be too proud to accept help, even if you don't necessarily NEED it. We could have paid for a dumpster, or bought a battery, but when help was offered, we graciously accepted. We have a friend who is always offering to help people, but because he works a lot of hours and spends most of his free time working on things for others, some think he is too busy and don't accept his help. He spends all his free time helping others because it is what he loves to do, and he is disappointed if he offers and is turned down.
If you have ever done something nice for someone without them asking, you know the wonderful feeling that comes from serving others. (If you've never experienced this, then it is high time that you get involved in a service project or mission trip, because you don't know what you are missing.) I used to be too proud to accept help; "I can handle it all by myself" was my attitude. I was happy to help others, but never to accept any help, because I didn't think I 'needed' it. Then, it was pointed out to me that by denying someone the opportunity to serve, I was denying them that wonderful feeling that comes when you know that you have helped someone else. Taking that away from them is just plain mean. So, I have learned to swallow my pride and step back and say yes when someone offers to help me. It has brought us many blessings.

This blog is all about ways to live without spending money, and is written to encourage those who are trying to.

The author: Corinne Johnson is a Christian homeschooling mother of six, help meet to her husband and the author of Vacation Education Books; travel guides for families who love to learn, unit studies for families who love to travel.
www.vacationeducationbooks.net