February 8, 2010
- Pasco, Washington
Craigslist Barter: Desperate Measures for Desperate Times
By Lena Vargas
Desperate times may call for desperate measures and people are using Craigslist to barter their way to a job, a home, or even just a small project.
For example, Randy Harvey is an insurance company owner by trade. But on the side, he's Craigslist barterer looking for trades. Right now he’s looking for a motorcycle and will trade a boat for it. "This was I can trade and I don't have to spend a lot of money and if I don't like it, I'll trade it”, said Harvey Trade he does, including some really big stuff. "I traded a bulldozer for a boat, and the boat for a tractor, the tractor for another boat, boat for a jeep”, said Harvey. Beverly Darrah also barters from Benton City. She hopes her old rusty van will get her a riding lawnmower, or a used travel trailer. "It's a running van, but people are really hanging on to their money, so I'm having to find other ways to sell my stuff than I normally do." Back at the insurance company, Randy agrees, he says he's not seeing more trading necessarily but listings that tell the story of the recession. "Especially in Seattle where economy is a lot worst than here, lots and lots of property” said Harvey. Property and services; that's how Randy got his rental property painted. "It was easier to get a painter for a car I wasn't using than coming up with a couple of thousand dollars” said Harvey. Beverly Darrah agrees. "It works in this kind of economy because people need money to pay the bills. You can't go down to Safeway and say, 'hey for this hamburger, will you trade me a pair of shoes” said Darrah. And though it may work, it can be a gamble and you may need something more valuable than goods or money: patience. Randy Harvey says it may take him months to get that motorcycle he wants. It's not just talking cars, boats, and bulldozers. We checked Craigslist barter items for the Tri- cities, Yakima and Seattle and here's some of what you can get if you have a trade: home baked bread for raw goats milk, a man says he will "marry" you for a trade (he means he'll perform the wedding service), and a tattoo artist will give you some ink for an Xbox 360. |
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