Originally posted by Melissa Preddy on http://businessjournalism.org/2010/06/11/check-into-your-local-barter-economy/comment-page-1/#comment-5710

Check Into Your Local Barter Economy
Bartering – trading goods and services with no exchange of cash – is doubtless the oldest method of commerce on the planet. We don’t think of it much today, but by some estimates it’s a multi-billion angle to our national economy and a huge percentage of global trade.

In addition to companies that trade goods and services, there is a seemingly endless parade of land-based and Internet-based exchanges.

Barter also is a survival tool in tough times, and finding local examples of how your area’s businesses are coping or even thriving by using cashless commerce would make for a fascinating business feature. One approach: Follow the trail of series of barters: Imagine, for example, if a local plumber received a laptop in exchange for an emergency call; then she trades the laptop to an e-commerce firm in exchange for a new website. The site designer uses the laptop to create a new home page for a car dealer, who in turn repairs the designer’s vehicle free of charge.

You get the idea. Imagine the graphics, photo and multimedia possibilities there, too.

Alternatively, make this a consumer or personal finance piece. Contact some local dentists and eye doctors; as more and more laid-off workers lose insurance, it’s a decent bet that some of these practitioners have been approached with barter offers by patients in need. Same goes for attorneys, accountants and other professionals as well as tradespersons and service provides.

One site you should check out is that of the International Reciprocal Trade Association (IRTA); you’ll find background information, statistics and member directory which may point you to local sources.