Brattleboro Time Trade — Week of March 8th

by Brattleboro Time Trade | Activism | 1855 Views

This week’s listings, arranged without prejudice:

RECENT OFFERS:
Ubuntu Linux Operating System Help
Kombucha Starter
Carpentry
Legal Writing
Spanish Immersion Weekend
IT Support for Computers and Software

RECENT REQUESTS:
Do You Have Space for Me and My Dog?
Teach Me MS Word and Google Docs!
Need Help Cleaning
Stamps Wanted before April 19th Maple Fest
Camera Repair or Diagnosis Needed
Help with WordPress
Baked Goods Needed for the Time Trade Fundraising Table at CSA / Gardening Event on Sunday

OFFICE HOURS for the Time Trade at our 15 Grove St. location (behind the Stone Church):
Monday 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
or by appointment

(802) 246-1199

The PUBLIC WEBPAGE for the Brattleboro Time Trade:
http://www.brattleborotimetrade.org/

TO JOIN  BTT, see the full listings, or get more information:
http://www.brattleborotimetrade.org/become-a-member/

There are periodic member orientations and a ‘buddy’ system to help new members get acquainted with the system.

A RECENT SUCCESS STORY:
“I was just down at the famers market and saw a woman selling truffles.  ‘Are you the one listing truffles on the Brattleboro Time Trade?’ I asked.  ‘Yes indeed!’ said Lindsay Clark of Coddle & Cosset.  ‘I often have a few left over after the farmers market, and figured — why not get a massage for them?’  ‘I’ll take a box then,’ I said.  As I type this I am nibbling on one with a metallic sheen to it.  The one to its left she called a ‘breakfast truffle.’  Another has pistachios on the outside and white chocolate in.  What a treat!”

Comments | 5

  • Submitted by SK-B on March 10, 2014 at 9:52 am

    Timetrade makes a difference

    I have given medical rides in return for gas money (when the person could afford it) and timebank hours. After the last storm, when my driveway was blocked by a 12 foot swath (no exaggeration, I measured it) of a densely-packed, 3 foot high ice bank from the town plow — way too much for me to shovel — a timetrader came with a snowblower, and got us free. (It was another week before the town was able to remove the snow bank.)

    Timetrade does not totally take the place of monetary exchanges, because there are certain things that you could ask someone to do for time credit on occasion, but which you could not expect someone to do regularly in the manner that a business would do it. Some people with micro businesses are using time trade as a way to introduce themselves and demonstrate the value of what they do to potential new customers. This can work out well for both parties, because it is a low-risk way to begin a potential, longterm business relationship.

    What I find really valuable about timetrade is that the exchanges have a personal dimension, prompting new friendships and creating a real sense of community.

  • Submitted by Holland Mills on March 10, 2014 at 11:29 am

    I would join but the membership fee is freakishly outlandish

    and totally at odds with the original spirit of the moment.

    • Submitted by Tad Montgomery on March 10, 2014 at 11:49 am

      Freakish

      The dues are a sliding scale of $10-100 per year, and at this point folks who can’t even afford that can work a few volunteer hours instead. They really bend over backwards to make the program accessible, but they do have real cash expenses that they have to meet. Luckily Bob Johnson of Omega Optics donates office space to BTT, or, rather, exchanges it for time trade hours for his employees.

      I just heard last night that the founder of Time Banking, Edgar Cahn, will be a featured speaker at this year’s Slow Living Summit. Should be enlightening.

    • Submitted by KAlden on March 10, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      The annual fee is on a

      The annual fee is on a sliding scale basis – starting at $10 up to $100. It sounds like you got some misinformation. It’s very much in the spirit of the original time trade movement.Almost every Time Trade operating now has some kind of annual fee- despite the non currency aspect of it there are actual expenses that occur that can’t be paid for via exchange of services so some type of monetary fee is needed for day to day expenses.

  • Submitted by tomaidh on March 10, 2014 at 11:38 am

    Problem with Time Trade

    I love the Time Trade; it’s a real community-building resource.
    My problem is with me, not the Time Trade system.
    Sometimes, I forget about posting a request, and do a chore myself, even though it would be much better to pay an hour or two to get it done in a timely manner.

    It’s just a matter of adjusting my thinking.
    I’ll have to work on that.

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