Norah, 38, has been inspired by the Devon town of Totnes which launched its own currency in 2007.

She believes the new Huddersfield money would encourage shops and customers to buy local produce, reduce their fuel consumption and beat the recession.

The Holmfirth woman said: “Local currency has popped up throughout history and has proved successful in times of need.

“It would need some organisation – there could be collection points for the money and it could be in conjunction with the national currency as well.”

Norah, 38, has been inspired by the Devon town of Totnes which launched its own currency in 2007.
She believes the new Huddersfield money would encourage shops and customers to buy local produce, reduce their fuel consumption and beat the recession.
The Holmfirth woman said: “Local currency has popped up throughout history and has proved successful in times of need.
“It would need some organisation – there could be collection points for the money and it could be in conjunction with the national currency as well.”

See the whole story at http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2010/08/25/holmfirth-woman-norah-hamill-s-idea-for-huddersfield-s-own-currency-86081-27129063/

When the economy takes a nosedive, few businesses have anywhere to go but down. They struggle to sell their products or services, are forced to eliminate staff and, ultimately, may end up closing their doors forever. But one industry remains a force to be reckoned with, even in the worst economic climate: barter exchanges.
“We’re one of the few businesses that actually thrives during an economic downturn,” says Catherine Cohen, CEO and marketing director for BCL Soft, a company that offers barter exchange management software and specializes in helping new exchanges get established. “And we also lend a helping hand to other businesses that are fighting to survive by saving them cash, increasing their profits and decreasing their cost of doing business.”
Entrepreneurs evaluating potential business opportunities face several options: starting from scratch, purchasing an existing business, becoming a franchisee or joining a multi-level marketing (MLM) business. While the safety of an established franchise may be enticing and the promise of residual income that comes with MLMs seems irresistible, Cohen would argue that barter groups have a leg up on the competition.
“With barter, you’re in business for yourself, but not by yourself,” she says. “The start-up cost is low, you don’t answer to a corporation or franchise, and we give you the tools you need to run a successful barter exchange. You’re not forced to get your friends and family to use some ‘miracle’ product. You are working with existing businesses to help them conserve cash and attract more customers.”
As anyone who’s used a barter exchange knows, the software is the tool that makes all the difference. “Our software, Barter21, is a ready-to-deploy barter and trade application,” says Barry Cohen, COO of BCL Soft. “This cutting-edge trading platform, developed by Luther Monson, our chief technical officer, allows clients to easily run their exchange and increase transactions both within and outside their exchange members. It features on-demand bartering with an online trading floor as well as a real-time directory and search information. This easy-to-navigate solution is all you’ll ever need to run and manage your exchange.”
BCL Soft not only provides the Barter21 exchange platform, but also teaches clients how to use the software, how to train their staff, answers questions around the clock, helps with IRS forms, offers tips to gain membership and provides marketing materials.
For more information, visit www.bclsoft.com
Contact Info: Barry Cohen 623.242.2537 info@bclsoft.com
(MORE TO FOLLOW)

Read more: BCL Soft Rolls Out New Software Tool for Barter Exchanges Across the Globe – Investing – Press Release – SmartMoney.com http://www.smartmoney.com/news/pr/?story=pr-20100825-000917#ixzz0xiH5pn5H

According to the Zimbabwean, “The multi-currency system has caused confusion in the Matabeleland area. Samukeliso Ndiweni (60) from Lupane, which is about 120 kilometres north of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city said not many people in the rural areas had access to foreign currency because they were unemployed.
“When I want to sell a goat I know that it exchanges for five buckets of maize but it becomes difficult when someone comes with US dollars, South African rands or even Botswana Pulas because I don’t know what to charge them as I do not understand the currencies. As a result I  resort to barter trade,” said Ndiweni.
“The last time I had US$10 and when I bought mealie-meal I received 40 Rands change but two weeks later I bought the same commodity using the same currency and I received 30 rands change and the reason was that the rate had changed,”said Ndiweni.“All this is confusing because it becomes difficult to know whether one has been cheated or not.”
Thabani Moyo also said he relied on barter trade.
“Nowadays I exchange my produce for what I need and the local schools have made it easier for villagers as they allow us to pay school fees with whatever we have and the school will later sell whatever we have bartered to those with the money,”Moyo said.
Last term he parted with three goats as payment for school fees for his three sons in primary school.
In the area a two litre bottle of fresh milk exchanges for a pumpkin while a bucket of maize exchanges for five litres of cooking oil. A live goat exchanges for a new blanket and two chickens can be exchanged for a trouser.
Tricksters and conman have however taken advantage of the confusion and ignorance among the villagers by using counterfeit currencies to procure goods.
“Two months ago I sold four cows to two people who claimed they were running butcheries in Bulawayo and I later realised that the 8 000 South African Rands they gave to me were fake and I have resolved that I will never use any of the new currencies but I will trade whatever I have with any goods and services that I need,”said Timothy Ncube, a local villager who keeps cattle and goats in his small plot.”

More at http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32972:use-of-multiple-currencies-a-headache-to-rural-people&catid=71:tuesday-issue

“The barter program presents stations the opportunity to use mSnap’s industry-leading technology to boost ratings and increase connectivity with listeners,” Citadel Media President John Rosso said. “Additionally, station sales departments will be able to utilize these capabilities to create a source of new revenue.”

The Denver-based mSnap also includes among its clients Clear Channel, CBS, Entercom, Cumulus, Saga, and Beasley.

mSnap President Martin Kristiseter said, “Our goal has always been to make our mobile solutions available to all local media companies. We currently work with more than 750 broadcasters, and we’ve worked very hard to help grow their brands, audiences, and revenues. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far and believe our relationship with Citadel Media will greatly expand our radio footprint.”

More at http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=1888220&spid=24698

Chandler’s chickens-for-checkup moment took place in a meeting with constituents in November 2009, and was captured on video by someone present at the meeting.
In the exchange, a woman who identifies herself as a farmer objects to health reform, noting that when she was young, her family didn’t have insurance and paid their own way when it came to medical care — and that this is how it should be.

“They didn’t have any kind of health insurance, they went to the doctor, and we paid for the call,” the woman tells Chandler. Whereupon he nodded and replied:

“When you didn’t have money, you gave him a chicken. You could barter if you didn’t have enough money.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/27/bartering-chicken-for-med_n_661041.html

Will a barter exchange in Kentucky please stand up and defend the new barter exchange system in their local area? Thank you…

Off the Waffle in Eugene, Oregon is not your typical waffle house. You won’t find pads of butter, bottles of fake maple syrup, or sides of hash browns and eggs here.

The owners, brothers Omer and Dave Orian, are in their mid-twenties and usually sport matching red afros. They and their seven employees serve traditional Belgian Liège waffles made from yeast-leavened batter. They use pearled sugar imported from Belgium, which caramelizes through the waffles, making them crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside.

And if you’re low on cash, Omer and Dave are happy to make a trade, because they’re big fans of bartering.

“When we were in elementary school, Dave would carry with him a little suitcase full of toys in hopes of trading them for cool stuff that other kids had,” says Omer.

Dave says the brothers have traded all kinds of things for waffles, including “acupuncture, massage, plumbing, a trumpet, and art.” And Omer adds that they received yard rakes from one customer.

“We have bartered for things we never would have gotten were we to have to pay cash for them,” Dave says.

This is one you should read in its entirety. Check it out at http://news.yourolivebranch.org/2010/07/21/how-to-share-a-waffle/

But all this took a lot of time and effort.

“A lot of my friends are jealous,” Ortiz says. “A lot of my friends come up to me and tell me, ‘You want to trade my phone for a car? Try to get me a Ferrari.’ I tell them it’s not that easy. It takes time and patience, definitely.”

Steven just got his driver’s license and says he’s looking forward to enjoying the results of all that work.”

See the full story at http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/bizarre&id=7564150

As you walk into The Tuckshop, a sign greets you saying ‘Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture your heart,’ True to the saying, Raina Sahu, who runs the place manages to capture your heart with the love and cheer she spreads liberally. There is a small children’s corner where the kids are kept busy with art and crafts while mothers shop. Another unique thing about this place is that, you can barter! Yes, you heard it right; you can barter for the things that you buy by probably helping her out at the store or by giving something in return.

Explaining this concept, Raina says “I don’t want people to go back disappointed; they shouldn’t feel that they can’t afford it. So I started bartering, and we’re doing great, though people are a little shocked when I tell them that we barter, we’ve done Rs. 20,000 worth barter last month. This concept is very new but it’s definitely catching up,”

She further adds, “I would like to aim at doing 30% of the business for barter and the rest from the sales of the merchandise which is quite reasonably priced.  I get clothes/accessories from all over the country; people love to shop here because of the wide variety,”

Read the full story at http://www.mybangalore.com/article/0710/venture-tuesday-the-tuckshop-reintroducing-barter-system.html