The Times They Are A Changing

You may not be able to “go” totally cashless right off or even at all. Considering we may have some tough times ahead it would behoove you to consider what skills, services and products you could barter for skills, services and products you may need. People have been living off the grid as well as working through a barter (swap, trade) exchange program for most if not all of what they need to get by for some time. No, you don’t really hear about them individually. They aren’t famous nor do they want to be in the public eye. They just want to live their lives with the least amount of government intervention as possible.

I’d heard of the practice of bartering before. Until now I didn’t think it would ever be part of my life. But now I’m revisiting the idea. Long ago I promised myself I would never again make a decision out of desperation. And that’s what Bush, McCain and Obama asked us all to do when they said we needed to pass the bailout bill “now.” Of course, all the power we had over it was to write our legislatures. And so we did - to no real avail. Now, they say they will probably need more money. More money that we as taxpayers will owe. How far can it go. How much can we owe before, before…. I don’t actually know what happens at that end point of the amount of money we can owe.

I just know that I want my power back. I want my country back. I am also wondering how long it has all been out of our hands. And, over the years, I have learned you can never change anyone else, only yourself and how you react to a situation. With that in mind, I choose to be in charge of my situation and how I react to what all those bozos are doing out there. The best way to become in more control of my situation is to be as prepared and as knowledgeable as possible, as I see it. Learning about vegetable gardening, Freedom gardens (community gardens) and growing things in my garden to sell or barter is just a start. I will continue to look into other means of self-sufficiency and share them with you.

Step 1. Make a list of all the skills and talents everyone in your family possesses. If you already have a garden, consider how much you now give away because you have produced too many fruits and vegetables. If you are so inclined, start learning about growing a garden if you don’t know. Sewing and knitting skills will come in handy because a person can unravel an old sweater or rip apart a piece of clothing and rework it to become something else.

Step 2. Look around. Look for what others have that you might have a need for and decide what you could offer in exchange. For instance, if there is any kind of agriculture, could you offer services in exchange for a portion of their crop? Could you do yard work for an elderly person who might have grown something in their garden that you could use or could that person teach you how to can vegetables?

Step 3. Be brave, take the lead. Wouldn’t it be great if someone started a community barter exchange network. That person would keep track of who had what or could do what and who need what. What if that person was you. You could charge a fee (or barter) for each transaction. If you think about it, it’s the perfect home business for times in an economical downturn.

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