Do you have a marketable skill or some valuable old junk lying around that you never got around to listing on eBay? If so, you could be looking at your ticket to a free stay at any one of hundreds of accommodations around the globe. And with your stay covered, you’ll have that much more money for adventures. Food, culture, parties… the world is yours.
A new initiative called “Barter Week” aims to connect nearly 500 B&Bs, vacation homes, and hotels in over 60 countries with travelers who need a place to crash. As far as the types of services desired, they widely range from artists and painters to landscaping and handyman work, to anything from masseuses, tattoo artists, and chefs — while goods include antiques, electronics, musical instruments, and furnishings.
The first-ever Barter Week kicks off on November 19th through the 25th. For those excited to get their barter on, a press release about the program explains just how it works.
The site dedicated to the event is uploaded with entries of the B&Bs ready to open their doors for the barter scheme – by country – and each contains a host wish list, in other words what is being requested in exchange for the free hospitality. Once you select the B&B you are interested in and you are able to meet any of the requests posted, just contact the hosts using the appropriate form (sign up for free first), start bargaining and when you have come to an agreement, start packing and conclude the barter when you arrive.
If there is no wish list, the traveler is free to offer a barter of their own, for instance tango lessons or a collector’s item of some sort: just use your imagination, be flexible and, above all, be willing to share.
You can view a list of locations on the Barter Week website, as well as learn more about what kind of stuff hosts are looking for. If anyone is a fan of scooping cat litter I have a choice room in West Philadelphia — just putting it out there!
