Lawrence, Kansas just landed on the map with a new model of living through bartering.
Trading goods and services rather than money, called “gift economics,” has spread like wildfire through Lawrence and allows the town to be more self-sustaining. The creative approach has gotten many participants items they need that they may not otherwise have been able to afford.
For example, farmer Brady Karlin of Karlin Family Farms trades his vegetables for other goods, though he has been known to give them away to customers who cannot offer anything in return.
Many of the townspeople utilize Craigslist for trading, by listing what they are looking for and what they have to offer in exchange.
Most have had a fair amount of success with the system, even noting that the bartering based economy provides a sense of fulfillment that does not come with money based economies.
(Photo by Mark Lee)
Swap.com Mobile is a free iPhone is app that lets you scan items into your HAVE and WANT lists, manage your account, see what you can get for your stuff, and participate in swaps.
