Successful Swaps

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In short, our family has found swapping to be a great way to see the world . . . and we plan to continue trading wherever we go!

M.W.
Wellington, New Zealand

The fine art of swapping isn't by any means new to my family . . . in fact, it's been part of our way of life for years!

Back during the lean times of the Great Depression, my grandfather (who was a dentist in the Big Sky country of Montana) fixed dentures, filled cavities, and pulled teeth in exchange for a myriad of commodities: firewood, fresh garden produce, an occasional dinner of farm victuals, and — most commonly — the helping hands provided by his patients.

In fact, I remember Grandpa's telling me (back in the days when I was a mere whippersnapper snuggling up in his lap) about the summer when he was building his first log cabin . . . and a man with a team of draft horses (plus a whole passel of youngsters) hauled a load of pine timber down from the mountain forest in return for dental care for his entire brood. Then — the tale went on — until the dwelling was actually completed, other folks skinned and notched those logs as payment for my granddaddy's skills.

So I guess I'm just following the tradition of our clan, now that I'm bartering my way out of a city existence and into a country lifestyle! The land that my husband and I are building our log home on has no access to a powerline, so — before the long-planned-for move could begin — all of our watt-consuming appliances had to go. Instead of hosting the usual garage sale, however, we opted for a barter day.

At first we were a trifle apprehensive about the response we'd receive to our idea . . . but when our neighbors learned of the scheme, they were only too glad to trade their "old-fashioned", dust-collecting goods for our power tools and appliances. Our "booty" from the swapping sale included a handcranked cider press, a wheelbarrow, some good double-paned windows, a chain saw, garden tools . . . and even a do-it-yourself sound system consisting of a hammered dulcimer, a clarinet, and conga drums!

These items, bought new, would have been much too expensive for us to purchase, but since our treasures came out of the attics and basements of friends' homes, it wasn't difficult at all to decide upon a reasonable bargain. In short, we feel that business by barter is better for everyone involved!

A.S.
California

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