Already bartered my coffee press as of writing. After 45 days of enhanced community quarantine, the City of Love emerged, albeit, rejuvenated. Although some may be facing financial problems, some are resorting to resourceful methods. A Facebook group called ‘Iloilo Barter Community’ is making waves in the Ilonggo circuit as more and more individuals start to trade items at home for essentials.
We see some bartering expensive yet non-essential items for something really needed – like infant formula, baby diapers, baby clothes, even adult diapers. We also see some trading furniture for plants. And the list goes on.
“No money? No problem! This is a cashless community! Everyone is allowed to barter anything but cash is not allowed for any transaction! Got some homemade bread? Barter them here with anything you need! This can be incredibly simple, useful, and it will help us build our communities again. Happy trading, Ilonggos!’ – an excerpt from the Iloilo Barter Community.
Words from the Admins
“Charity and I started this online barter group roughly 4 days ago. Pure cashless transactions, just product exchanges. The value doesn’t even that matter much, the first deal done was even a usb thumb drive exchanged to a few kilos of mangoes. Some even are bartering grilled fish and prawns! Of course, the idea ain’t an original, the barter trade started way back in 6000 BC, the swapping corners in olx and fb marketplaces are there online. We don’t earn from this, (we dont expect to) but seeing the community growing to at least 3,000+ today (in just 4 days) feels great! They barter and get to have new friends along the way! Isn’t that awesome? What I’ve seen here is trust, honesty and pure, raw excitement! Faith in humanity is restored! Special thanks to our friend – admin Ms Ces, who equally enjoys the busy-ness of this community,” states Hec Angeles.
“We keep so many unused things in our homes that other families have a need for. We are quick to amass things during a sale because we want to enjoy the discount without knowing when to use them. We end up crowding our storage spaces with these unused items and they end up gathering dust. We can spark joy and let them go in exchange for something we can actually use frequently.Online shoppers are up beyond midnight looking for a good deal. During this pandemic, parents easily let go of their personal items in exchange for their children’s needs – milk, diapers, and educational materials. Plants relieve us of our anxiety. Cashless transactions can be magnetizing! This is the new normal!” states Gerthrode Charlotte Tan-Mabilog.
Barter Highlights
Yes, we did shed tears on some items up for trade. Unfortunately, it was a done deal by the time we discovered them – or just don’t have the item they were looking for to barter their items with. Here are trade-worthy items that are simply to die for.
- Chivas Regal Blended Scotch Whiskey for Starbucks Coffee Beans. I am no alcohol fan, but many cried when this item became a ‘done deal’. Some who were coffee lovers but do not have the specified Starbuck Coffee Beans started posting varied coffee beads just to have the notably expensive alcohol.
- Fujifilm X-A3 Mirrorless for Plants. If I had a backyard, I would uproot every plant and make an offer. If I have a neighbor with a backyard, I would beg on my knees for a potted plant. The owner of the Fujifilm is also interested in calligraphy and watercolor materials.
To start trading, simply join Iloilo Barter Community on Facebook. Post the item you want to barter with a brief explanation or description. You can also post an estimated worth. Other members can offer an item and you can choose which one you like from the ones offered. The offers can go on in the thread until the one who posted selects from the thread by replying to the choice. Once the choice has been made the barter is now deemed complete. Both parties must agree by saying deal.
