Saving money to travel with.  Many people ask me how I am able to do it. It seems that there is a whole economy that people have forgotten about. The bartering economy is the best way I know of to save money. I am about to leave on a three-month travel adventure to Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

And, I knew that I was going to need to have yard work done while I was gone. I usually do my yard work myself, so I just don’t have the money to spend on a gardener while I’m gone. Well, fortunately I came up with a plan!

I knew how much my neighbors love the cinnamon cream cheese rolls that I make.  (I mean, they really, really love them!)  So, I asked them if they would be willing to barter a little. I would make them a basket of cinnamon rolls, if they cut my grass while I am gone. They were absolutely delighted by the idea, and so was I!!

If you are saving money to travel, I recommend that you come up with a skill that you have and offer to trade. Here are some ideas of things you can trade:

1. Cook dinner for someone for a week.

2. Clean their house.  Who wouldn’t say yes to that idea?

3. Trade services.  If you know you will be away for three months and want your neighbor to cut your grass, cut theirs for three months.

4. Babysit.

5. Do their grocery shopping for them.

6. Wash their car.

7. Clean their gutters.

8. Wash their windows.

9. Trade books.  (If you are going on a long trip, and you’ve read all of  yours, don’t buy more.  Take a stack over to your neighbors and see if they would be willing to trade.)

10. Offer to pet sit for someone.

See, I bet you have a lot of skills to offer that you haven’t thought about. Just think of things that you enjoy doing, and offer to trade that skill with someone else. This is a great way to save money, and you will enjoy having that money to spend at your next travel destination.

Want the recipe to my cinnamon rolls?  Share this post on Facebook and Stumble Upon and message me to say that you did, and I will email it to you!