As you know, you can buy or sell just about anything on Ebay or Craigslist. Now there's a way to get what you want and get rid of what you don't without spending any money! It's a new trend Consumer Reporter Michelle Buckman has been checking, she says, don't buy it, barter it!

Checkout a website called www.barterquest.com it helps match people who want something with the people who may have what you want. You can barter just about anything from antiques to Ipods, cars and clothes. Michelle met up with a local jersey guy who uses the site.

He says once he started bartering, he was hooked. Robert Sweetnam said, "I do think Barterquest is a great, easy site to navigate. You post what you have, meaning the things that you're willing to trade and then you go onto another category which is called your wants, what you want and you list and describe what you want.

I've gotten a CD for a CD, a CD for a book, a DVD for a CD, I've also traded for board games." There are high-end trades going on too. Robert's wife had a Ferragamo scarf she received as a gift years ago but never wore, so she put it up on Barterquest. Sweetman added, "she was able to go on and post that she had this designer scarf and she was looking for a designer handbag and lo and behold the trade came up and she was able to get a Prada bag for her Ferragamo scarf." A Prada bag! If that doesn't get your attention, nothing will!

The site is free, you are just responsible for shipping your item. You can also trade services, you'll find lawyers and laborers, chefs and dogwalkers. Robert offered his services as an interior designer, helping someone redecorate an office in exchange for webdesign work on his website. There are similar websites out there check out www.swaptree.com where you can trade books, music, dvds and video games. or www.paperbackswap.com where, as the name explains you can trade paperback books.

The only thing you have to pay for is shipping and the site allows you to print the postage right from your computer! Not only is this cheaper and less complicated than Ebay or Craigslist, it's a great way to reuse, repurpose and recycle!

Last updated on October 24, 2010 by getavision admin