Badda Bing!

I found this article on bartering, swapping and trading interesting. So, here it is:

Bartering and Swapping – A new way to get what you want

Mary Ellen Sanderson for UZAP.com

Looking for new ways to stretch your budget? Bartering and swapping has become new and innovative way for consumers to get what they want, as fuel and food prices have been increasing this year. Bartering is all about giving something up in order to get something in return. You may be able to give up a skill or trade, for perhaps a weekly rental at your favorite vacation spot.

How to Start?

Start by taking inventory in your home, office or garage. Make a list of items you are willing to part with. Next, start searching online for web sites that offer bartering and may have goods and services you are interested in.

There are a number of popular websites available that offer bartering. People are looking to get rid of books, baseball cards, unused gift cards and even homes and automobiles for something of value in return. Craigslist™ has been around for years, and now offers bartering. In fact, bartering on craigslist.com has increased to over 130,000 barter posts in May, up significantly from a year ago. Other barter sites include barterbee.com, barterbucks.com and swapthing.com. You may also want to try UZAP™, which is a newer up-and-coming website that offers bartering, as well as buy, sell and donate capabilities.

Whatever web site you choose, here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

- Be sure to shop around. Some web sites offer listings for free, others charge posting, transaction fees and other charges

- Be sure to be specific when you write you your ad

- Don’t forget about taxes

- Use your imagination and get creative

Whether you’re buying, selling, or bartering UZAP.com in particular provides a free, easy to use platform. You can have your free barter ad up and posted in just a few quick minutes.