As economy worsens consumers turn to bartering for goods, services

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jfxnQtZ1MWPnLNRgtQBgKX35lf9w
As economy worsens consumers turn to bartering for goods, services
9 hours ago

NEW YORK — As the economy slows, a growing number of consumers are trying to find a wider market for their goods and services by offering to barter them.

Local newspapers and Internet sites such as Craigslist are seeing a sharp rise in postings by people willing to swap their used cameras or babysitting services for other people's electric drills or guitar lessons, rather than taking cash.

Some of the ads reflect financial distress, such as one from a suburban San Francisco man who "will paint for groceries." Many others are from people trying to get rid of things they no longer want or need, or offering services such as lawn care, massages or riding lessons in their own neighbourhoods.

Jim Buckmaster, chief executive officer of Craigslist, which is headquartered in San Francisco, said there were more than 120,000 barter posts on the site in April - double the total from a year earlier. He estimated that the number increased in May to more than 140,000.

[Arctic Dave]

1. I can't tell if this is a good sign as well as a bad sign.

[izzie]

2. And the IRS will be after them. I know lots of artist that use this

type of thing to get along. In fact a good deal of how I now live is done that way. Makes us sound like Russia after the change is the govt. in some sorry times they had.

[hobbit709]

3. Both, depending on how you look at it.

Good in that people are finding ways to get by with less money. Bad in realizing that it's being done because people don't have money. The tax people hate it because they're not getting a cut but I'm not losing any sleep over that. I just traded my computer skills for a washer repair and plumbing fix. My appliance repair guy had a screwed up computer and I had a couple of leaks. I've traded for carpentry work, fresh range eggs and veggies, and other stuff.

[DCKit]

4. It's not our fault.

If HRH Dipshit wants to drag us back to the 12th century, that's the economic model we're going to have to follow.