Last winter, when it became abundantly clear that ice skating is not one of my talents, I gave my almost-new skates to my sister in Vermont. My sister and her daughter have tiny, dainty Cinderella-feet, whereas my own feet bear a closer resemblance to Herman Munster's. And I wasn't expecting any of my nephews to think it would be neato to wear a pair of Aunt Lisa's white ice skates with pompons. (Don't even go there.) No, I sent the skates, not for my sister's personal use, but so she could take them to her local "swapping center" and get credit toward merchandise she might actually be able to use.

If the last thing you traded was baseball cards, you may be missing out on some terrific opportunities. Bartering offers all kinds of benefits, both warm and fuzzy ones and practical ones. Bartering allows us to meet and share with our neighbors, enhance community relations, profit from our under-used talents and possessions, and generally enjoy a more holistic, humanistic lifestyle. Also, we can reduce our taxes and free up more actual cash money for things that can be paid for only with actual cash money: bills, mortgage payments, investments.

You may think you have nothing worth bartering for, but you would probably be wrong. You can trade goods (fresh-baked bread, farm equipment, bunk beds, a week at your timeshare in St. Maarten); professional services (taxidermy, dentistry, grant-writing, physical therapy, auto detailing, graphic design); information (tai-chi instruction, investment advice, math tutoring, clarinet lessons, legal consultation); and skills (flower arranging, costume design, calligraphy, photo developing, massage, typing). Be creative1x

How can you start? Consider offering to perform some universally disagreeable chore--tax preparation, standing in line at the bank--and don't forget about your quirky skills and passions. Do you read astrological charts, analyze handwriting, tell spine-chilling horror stories, juggle?

Next, make a list of all the goods, services, information, and skills you have to share, and the things you would like to acquire. Then refer to your checkbook, written budget, and shopping, Christmas, and "wish" lists to compile the second record. Also, consider your New Year's resolutions. If you resolved to lose weight, for instance (didn't we all?), you might add nutritional counseling or a personal trainer to the list of items you'd like to obtain through barter.

If you don't want to pay the customary $80-$600 annual fee to join a bartering organization, or if you want to establish a bartering network at the community level, there are other ways of finding people who are willing to enter into trade arrangements.