Bartering: it's the new old way of making purchases.

Our finances are a bit skim at the moment, but we happen to have an excess of a few household and yard items. So we decided to participate in the age old tradition or bartering. The items of which we had the most excess of all things was an excess of trucks. We have one car, mine, Mr. T's giant diesel, and then my old '79 pick up, Lou, that I loved and was my first car, as well as a junky 4x4 pick up that we bought for $500 in September for a quick turn over, yet we still have... We realized that no one has money to purchase the two extra trucks so we put it out there that we would barter for them.

Last week we got an email from a gentleman who really needed a truck and had a 32inch flat panel and a new very nice laptop to trade for Lou. I was very apprehensive. He was my baby and I love that truck. However, he has not been driven since we bought the diesel, and he wasn't really the one to keep, being that he was rear wheel drive AND did not have 4 wheel drive, and we live in the snow capitol of the state. After some thought I decided it was a really good deal. We do not need the tv, we already have 3 working sets, I know eventually I would give in and buy one anyway. And the laptop we didn't really need either, we have a desk top that works just dandy. But with me going back to school it was really a good idea. The swap was for two things we didn't need but COULD use in exchange for a sentimental item we didn't need nor did we use.

So I said good by to Lou, dropped, him off, and brought home our new tv and laptop last week. I miss Lou, but our new computer and tv are very nice, and we use them both. So it was really the best move for us.

Plus we kept his bed topper and are going to use it as a shelter for the ducks in the summer after our pasture fence is finished. This way we can use the barn stall and night pen for the turkeys and chickens we are going to get. Ha!

Godzilla and the girls are checking out the new digs above.

And today Mr. T is off to Michigan to barter the other tuck for 3 cords of firewood (this is alot of wood mind you) and a wood burner for the barn.

Next week our wood bed frame for our king size bed, that we love but doesn't fit well or at all in our new bedroom, is going to go to a nice family in South Bend for a new wood chipper/shredder. The bed is just taking up space in the basement and we have a whole lot of apple wood to chip from our fall pruning, so this is another practical and good for us deal. Now if we can just barter something else in exchange for a smokehouse and some lumber and plywood things would be just great. If you have alot of junk, or stuff that isn't junk, that you don't really need, chances are someone else does. Put it out there that you are willing to barter, you never know what you might get in return.