Bartering is now in vogue

A South Florida newlywed couple would like an almond-colored toilet, please. In exchange, they’ll do some handiwork around your house. A local florist will beautify whatever you choose in trade for teeth bleaching and bonding services. And one not-so-happily married couple from Margate will do your landscaping, Mr. or Ms. Lawyer, if you’ll help them untie the knot.

The new leaner economy, built on a foundation of unemployment, foreclosures and bankruptcies, has unleashed a flurry of bartering – the ancient custom of trading time, talent, goods and services.

And not just on Craigslist, the global mega-site. Websites ranging from barterbee.com to Swapthing.com are buzz with transactions that involve trading this for that, no cash or credit needed. Bartering spikes during every recession, but the proliferation of websites devoted to the practice may be just as significant.

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