Wee Birdy: Birdy goes bartering

Wee Birdy is an exploratory field guide to the hidden gems in London and Sydney and sparkling treasures on the (online) horizon. Selected as one of the Top 50 Design Blogs in the World by Times Online, as well as one of the Top 100 Blogs in the World by The Sunday Times, Wee Birdy is edited and written by former magazine editor Top Bird. Top Bird recently spent three years in London, where she was Deputy Shopping & Style Editor at Time Out London, before returning to her Sydney nest. A self-confessed bird nerd, Wee Birdy explores the very best in shopping, style, fashion, beauty, design, interiors, craft and handmade.

March 03, 2009

Birdy goes bartering

Until very recently, I had no idea that so many Londoners were such big swappers.

I had always presumed that I had nothing of value to swap, and that certain bartering schemes like LETS were the exclusive domain for those with allotments and a special interest in Hopi ear candling. In fact, LETS and skills-swap groups are more popular than ever, with record numbers joining up ever since the recession rolled in.

If you want to find out more about bartering, check out my guide to London's freebie economy in this week's Time Out.

3 Mar 2009 22:49:12 | Freebies, Swap shops, Time Out London

4 Comments

Hey excellent - hope i can get a copy down here!

Posted by: jenny wren | March 04, 2009 at 10:47 AM

I'm a big fan of bartering my jewellery in return for other's services or goods. It works a treat!

Posted by: Annette Piper | March 05, 2009 at 08:00 AM

Skill-swops are great, I've done it a few times and had many, many Thai massages, Shiatsu treatments etc... but the best one was when I got a handmade reclaimed oak coffee table in exchange for a website design!!

Posted by: Delicious Industries | March 05, 2009 at 08:34 AM

Well done on getting into Time Out!

Posted by: Fionnuala | March 06, 2009 at 05:27 PM

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