Join the online discussion about bartering

Posted at 10:44 AM on April 21, 2009 by Julia Schrenkler

At first I thought about asking "Do you barter?" but then thought the "what" people barter might be really interesting.

The article that inspired this curiosity comes from our newsroom, Short on cash? Try bartering:

"Getting a handle on the growth of bartering isn't easy. Barter transactions are taxable, but the state Revenue Department doesn't keep statistics on barter deals.

Craigslist.com reportedly said that bartering ads have risen 100 percent in the last year. And there are other indicators that bartering is on the rise."

Some of this is business-based, but what about the work trades many of us do simply by being part of a community? You know the ones, where you help your neighbor build a deck, they come over and help you install a patio. Are those considered barters, or is the structure the key? How much of this is actually reported to the state Revenue Department? Is that necessary in this economic climate?

Join the online discussion to share your experiences and opinions about bartering.