Smart Barter Blog
Tips, updates, and stories from the Smart Barter community.
Editor's Picks
What's in the October Giveaway: Five Prizes, One Winner
What's in the October Giveaway: Five Prizes, One Winner We're kicking off the Smart Barter monthly giveaway with a bundle worth over $1,100, and it al...
Why Bartering Is Making a Comeback in 2026
The narrative for a long time has been that bartering is something people used to do before money was invented. Something quaint and premodern. Intere...
The Real Value of Skills Trading: What Your Time Is Worth
Most people undervalue their skills in trade. Not because they lack confidence, but because they never actually think about what an hour of their time...
Ten Things You Have Right Now That Someone Nearby Wants to Trade For
The biggest mental block people have with bartering is not the process. It is the belief that they have nothing to offer. We hear this constantly. "I ...
What's in the October Giveaway: Five Prizes, One Winner
What's in the October Giveaway: Five Prizes, One Winner We're kicking off the Smart Barter monthly giveaway with a bundle worth over $1,100, and it al...
Why Bartering Is Making a Comeback in 2026
The narrative for a long time has been that bartering is something people used to do before money was invented. Something quaint and premodern. Intere...
Equipment Rental as a Side Hustle: Turning Idle Tools Into Value
The average American garage has thousands of dollars in tools that get used less than ten hours a year. Pressure washers, chainsaws, log splitters, ti...
Building a Local Trade Network When You Feel Like You Have Nothing to Offer
The people who benefit most from a local trade network are the ones who feel like they have the least to offer. That sounds backwards, but it is exact...
The Real Value of Skills Trading: What Your Time Is Worth
Most people undervalue their skills in trade. Not because they lack confidence, but because they never actually think about what an hour of their time...
How to Vet a Trading Partner Before You Meet
Most trades go smoothly. That has been our experience running Smart Barter and it lines up with what we hear from people who have been bartering for d...
Ten Things You Have Right Now That Someone Nearby Wants to Trade For
The biggest mental block people have with bartering is not the process. It is the belief that they have nothing to offer. We hear this constantly. "I ...
Local Bartering vs Facebook Marketplace: Which Is Right for You?
If you have anything to get rid of, Facebook Marketplace is probably the first place you think of. It is free, it is where everyone already is, and it...
How to Barter Legally: What the IRS Actually Says About Trading in 2026
Bartering is completely legal in the United States. It has been for as long as the country has existed. What surprises most people is that the IRS con...