The tricks of trading

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By Natalie Hancock BBC News

With belts tightening, schemes which encourage people to swap babysitting for gardening, or DIY for dance lessons, seem very timely. How do these work?

Laurie Ridgeway, 35, is a professional gardener who is prone to bad backs - something of an occupational hazard. Unable to afford the fees, he instead does odd jobs for a local osteopath in exchange for treatment.Laurie used his gardening skills to earn himself some time abroad

The two paired up through Camden's Local Exchange Trading Scheme, one of many around the UK which allows members to trade goods and services without the need for cash. While some might swap half an hour of DIY for half an hour of language tuition, most earn one "lock" - the scheme's currency - for each 15 minutes of toil. These can then be traded with any other member.

"In real terms I'm quite poor, but this scheme has opened a lot of doors and I can afford things as part of a trade I wouldn't be able to otherwise," says Mr Ridgeway.

"As a gardener I can get a bad back. Through the scheme I saw an osteopath, which really helped, but on the open market would be very expensive.

"I also got to stay in Spain for three months through a member who had a house out there. I looked after the gardens and had a wonderful time."

Esperanto, anyone?

He joined the scheme five years ago after relocating from Brighton, in the hopes of meeting new people.

"At first I just offered gardening because that's what I do. But I soon widened my remit as people told me of other things they needed."

His roster of skills includes repairing sash windows, painting and decorating, cleaning and dog-sitting. And he now has a large network of friends with similar interests, and has gained in confidence.

Keen to try out this for myself, I clean his windows and then head to a trading social to find something to spend my hard-earned locks on. WILL SWAP FOR... AccountingInterior designFire swingingCrochetingMassageHairdressingCateringClutter clearingLanguage lessonsBabysittingCompanionshipCanal boat trip

Those involved range from young men to elderly ladies, offering services such as assembling flat-pack furniture, childcare, belly dancing and Esperanto lessons.

But my interest is piqued by Wild Goose Qi Gong - a martial art similar to Tai Chi. My instructor is Khim Guan, 58, who allows those with locks to attend alongside her usual paying customers.

She regards the scheme as a community of friends who help each other out.

"It is great because it makes people interact with others and there is a real sense of community which is quite rare these days.

"And it's great - people don't feel like they are asking for a favour because everyone gets something in return.

"Things like gym classes can be really expensive - this is a way around it and one of the main reasons I do it because it makes it accessible to all."Natalie earns her locks cleaning windows

The real ethos behind the scheme is that everyone has something to offer.

An older member may trade a spot of gardening work for waiting in for a delivery or to let a workman in - a valuable task, as anyone who has had to rearrange a working day around a five-hour window can attest.

But you can also get things you want as well as things you need. One mother wanted to throw a special birthday party for her daughter and was able to pay a magician, a musician, a baker and a children's entertainer in locks. The only hard currency involved was buying the ingredients needed to bake a cake.

With schemes across the UK and worldwide, organisers are now working on a "bureau de change" so members moving to a different area or abroad can take their credit with them.

Friend-finding

But members agree the main benefit of the barter economy is that it doesn't just make your money go further.

Organiser Sally Kellner is a retired economist who now trades her services as a childminder. "When I retired I was looking for something useful to do with my time.

"Not only does it teach you the value of things in terms other than pounds and pence, but I've met such an amazing cross-section of people from all over the world who have led such interesting lives.

"I get such a lot out of it. It gives you a great sense of fulfilment. It really has given me a new lease of life."

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