Tom McDowell’s Barter Blog

Babysitting co-ops. It’s not the first thing that comes to mind when someone says barter. But, if you say barter to a group of Moms, you’d think twice about what comes to mind. Babysitters are expensive. The going rate is $10.00 an hour for a teenager to come to your home, watch the kids and your TV. It costs even more if you have more than one child. Especially in today’s economy, families are looking for ways to have date night without the kids. Stay at home Moms and/or Dads need a break but they might not have the extra 50 bucks for a sitter.

Here’s where babysitting co-ops come in. A group of families will form a co-op and trade babysitting hours. Some co-ops even have their own currency since there are different size families. It’s basic bartering at it’s finest. You belong to a group and you trade services. It’s a win-win. Some families even barter babysitting/child care for winter snow plowing and summer landscaping.

That’s the beauty of barter. It can be done in any circumstance. Keep your mind open to the possibilities. You’ll be amazed at what you can barter for in your everyday life.