When Bartering is Best

I am a huge believer in using your talents to trade for services. For example, about six years ago we really had to tighten our belts around our house, and analyze the budget. One of the first things to go were going to be both of my girls gymnastics classes.

Regan has a private class every week that we use to stretch her muscles for her cerebral palsy. She has learned how to do a forward roll, and has participated in a cheer competition ( disability category) and done tap and ballet recitals.
Rebecca is a natural athlete, that took to gym like a duck to water. She has been doing Backhandsprings since age Five. They both are complete gym rats.

Now when I was in high school I helped coach gymnastics, and I have a cheerleading background, so when I told the gym, that possibly I could teach classes in exchange for my kids tuition it turned into a dream partnership. Three evenings a week I teach the beginner classes on floor and trampoline, and I teach trampoline to some of the older groups too. For six years my girls have gone to the gym virtually free! The great thing is that I am not the only one who has figured out how to make bartering work for them.

I have one good friend who trades cleaning the gym for her daughter's tuition. My sister has traded her knowledge of child development and child-life skills, into a permanent assistant job at her daughter's private school in return for reduced tuition. She has a good friend who is talented at making children's hair bows and belt buckles, who has traded for manicures and pedicures. This year I traded some of my scrapbooking talents for pool therapy for Regan. The Bartering system is alive and well, just have to figure out how to make it work for you.