Bartering is downright hip right now. Last February I wrote an article about a traditional Belgian waffle house, where the owners have accepted acupuncture, massage, plumbing, a trumpet, art, and yard rakes in lieu of cash. They also erected a giant bulletin board next to their counter, where customers can make exchanges with each other….
Local currency, also called community or complementary currency, is money that’s not backed by a national government and is traded only in a small geographic area. Over 2,500 local currency systems currently operate in the world, including in American communities like: Ithaca, New York (Ithaca Hours) Portland, Maine (Hour Exchange Portland) The Berkshires, Massachusetts (Berkshares)…