Barter: Its Not Just for Doctors Anymore

Time was, in the country, the local "doc" was as likely to get paid with a couple of chickens as a couple of dollars. Doctors these days won't stand for that, of course, but while some people have moved completely away from barter and stayed there, others have embraced it wholeheartedly.

Today I worked on a barter deal with a web designer to do search engine optimization on my web site in exchange for some articles. I HATE doing SEO, and I LOVE writing articles. This person needs articles written and is good at SEO. It's a good match.

Later in the day I put together a mailing designed to entice a massage therapist into bartering for my coaching services. I have a lot of pain in my back and shoulders, and a massage would do me good, but I really can't afford monthly massages. If this works out, I will work an extra three hours a month in exchange for massages, hopefully every two weeks.

Barter isn't for everyone or every situation, but it does have some advantages for the home-based business. You can usually get something you need, you can save your cash for other things, which you also need, and you get a "customer" who's willing to give you referrals and testimonials.

How do you know if you should barter? If you have a skill or product people want, if you have the time or extra product to spare, and if you are willing to put in the effort looking for people to barter with, it might be a good idea for you.

Where do you find people to barter with? Check Google for barter directories and barter sites. Many Work at Home Mom sites have barter sections. If you don't find what you're looking for, go find someone who does or has what you need, and offer a barter deal. Sometimes they'll go for it, sometimes not. My SEO deal came through a barter site. My massage therapy plan is strictly my own. But I'm betting out of 60 massage therapists in my city, one will be interested.

If you don't have time or extra product, or if you're uncomfortable trading your products or services for other people's, then barter might not be right for you at this time. Keep it in mind for the future, though.

If you can get it, barter's a good deal. You often get more than you could afford to buy or would put money into, and you expand your business as well.

About The Author

Angie Dixon helps small business owners get their acts together. She is a personal development coach specializing in helping people integrate their home and work lives so they feel less stretched and more balanced. Get her FREE EBOOK on balance at http://www.discoveringtruenorth.com. For questions or to discover how coaching can change your life, contact Angie at mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com.

You are free to use this article in ezines, web sites and print publications. If you do use it, please send a quick email to mailto:angie@discoveringtruenorth.com. Thank you.

MORE RESOURCES:

A negotiator’s take - Albany Times Union

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/11/21/2008-11-21_skelos_silver_smith_and_tedisco_are_to_b.htmlcid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNEi0dsdTbnhBPgYjOKKrwEQFm1T8gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=gqzZQO3VizEJimgurl=assets.nydailynews.com/img/2008/11/21/amd_paterson-meeting.jpg width=80 height=53 alt= border=1brfont size=-2New York Daily News/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/9343cid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNGmLXr_SbfaPkUAh5wmz3bRWx0nrgA negotiator’s take/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fAlbany Times Union,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Given the stunning breakdown in bnegotiations/b on budget cuts this week, I thought it might be interesting to have an expert on bnegotiation/b take a look at b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/11/18/ap5707546.htmlcid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNEMgmFFtC-ZDy73G4_1Do2w11n02ANY governor warns lawmakers about budget inaction/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrForbes/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.larchmontgazette.com/2008/articles/20081120summitopplat.htmlcid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNF8_FLEYWrolFveaZdsRLgRie4FOAOppenheimer amp; Latimer Address Albany Budget Crisis/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrLarchmont Gazette/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://www.newsday.com/news/local/state/ny-stbudg1118,0,2997402.storycid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNGzYykm3LyLHMQ1wr481wDAdbqrrAPaterson petitions Senate to pass deficit plan/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrNewsday/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20081117/NEWS12/81117037cid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNG-HMkWQWuDXp81hj1iODV2L4GrlQnobrPoughkeepsie Journal/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://blogs.timesunion.com/capitol/archives/9303cid=1271667877ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNHrF4cL1OVKLHeBbMFuBdck1Dn8cAnobrAlbany Times Union/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271667877hl=ennobrall 581 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Negotiation with Taliban necessary: Boucher - Hindu

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200811212111.htmcid=1272948171ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNFFyp-oBuqbK7P5KsiUfit7WAwyIQbNegotiation/b with Taliban necessary: Boucher/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHindu,nbsp;Indianbsp;-/font nobr17 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Washington (PTI): Terming reconciliation with Taliban as quot;necessary,quot; a senior State Department official has said that there is nothing quot;evilquot; about b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Price still under negotiation as the Port moves forward with rail ... - KCBY.com 11

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.kcby.com/news/local/34863804.htmlcid=1272644982ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNESv227lGVnWIDr5xHPqRqKPS3bogPrice still under bnegotiation/b as the Port moves forward with rail b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fKCBY.com 11,nbsp;ORnbsp;-/font nobrNov 21, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Erica Rush COOS BAY, Ore. -The Port of Coos Bay agrees to purchase the rail line that runs from Coos Bay to Eugene but not without fighting for a lower b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Houstonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Twilight Negotiation - Houstonist

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://houstonist.com/2008/11/21/houstonist_flickr_photo_of_the_day_134.phpcid=0ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNGPDZ74Sd_vI_99Tey-CYx6GeGJPAHoustonist Flickr Photo of the Day - Twilight bNegotiation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHoustonist,nbsp; USAnbsp;-/font nobr14 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1We can only wonder as to the bnegotiations/b being held on such a beautiful evening. If you have a passion for Houston and photography, consider joining a b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

In Pictures: Nine Winning Negotiation Tactics - Forbes

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2008/11/20/buffett-goldman-harvard-ent-manage-cx_ml_1120negotiatorsplaybook_slide.htmlcid=0ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNGot2fGvxXoL3nXQyImWjIHtFpluAIn Pictures: Nine Winning bNegotiation/b Tactics/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fForbes,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Life is one big bnegotiation/b--be it with your boss, your family or the used-car salesman. Winning every point is not an option, of course, but with a little b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

KKR#39;s Nuttall Resigns From Masonite Board Amid Debt Negotiation - Bloomberg

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601103%26sid%3DaH1JaIxvv3j4%26refer%3Dnewscid=1272135583ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNFx70zthXtnHvp-Ro7c98bh7qtl1QKKR#39;s Nuttall Resigns From Masonite Board Amid Debt bNegotiation/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBloombergnbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Masonite is bnegotiating/b with a lender-group led by Scotia Capital for a reprieve of at least 30 days in exchange for higher interest payment and fees, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

The Negotiator#39;s Playbook - Forbes

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/6-0fd=Rurl=http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2008/11/20/buffett-goldman-harvard-ent-manage-cx_ml_1120negotiatorsplaybook.htmlcid=0ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNE0-i8MOypT-NJBrOrc5DWDjmaPdAThe Negotiator#39;s Playbook/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fForbes,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr21 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Life is one big bnegotiation/b--be it with your boss, spouse, customers or the used-car salesman. Formidable deal makers like Warren Buffett, Bill Clinton and b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

OUR VIEW: Negotiating taxes more than bizarre - Wilmington News Journal, OH

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp%3FSectionID%3D42%26SubSectionID%3D201%26ArticleID%3D171361cid=0ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNF6zyUd9v2EBUnFbw6T98NZBjVqyAOUR VIEW: bNegotiating/b taxes more than bizarre/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWilmington News Journal, OH,nbsp;OHnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1What reportedly followed was a bnegotiation/b which strikes us as nothing short of bizarre. Clinton County Auditor Wanda Armstrong asked the state to b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Earthquakes, city step closer to exclusive negotiation on OSC mgmt - Morgan Hill Times

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://morganhilltimes.com/news/251028-earthquakes-city-step-closer-to-exclusive-negotiation-on-osc-mgmtcid=0ei=5scnSaCiIZjI9ASct-ANusg=AFQjCNG-SWcwiAWXRTYWLx-wkJmo_HrNGwEarthquakes, city step closer to exclusive bnegotiation/b on OSC mgmt/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMorgan Hill Times,nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrNov 20, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Natalie Everett San Jose Earthquakes only has eyes for Morgan Hill - and the feeling may be mutual. The Morgan Hill Parks and Recreation Commission b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A Generation Gap in Tibet#39;s Royal Family - TIME

Negotiation - Google News

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