barter town

I often wonder what the results would be if a town were to pool its efforts and dive headfirst into a bartering lifestyle. Granted, not everything could be had by trading. After all, few gas stations that I know take more than cash or credit. but in any community, even a small one, there are people with tons of different experiences and skills, many of which may fetch them a decent wage if it weren't for the crippling effect of income taxes.

So what would happen if a majority of a town's residents were determined to stretch their dollars further, and figured out a way to barter for as many of their goods and services as possible? For one thing, they would save a bundle on taxes, both income and sales tax. In fact, the deals that could be negotiated for everyday goods might even be better than the Wal-Mart deals that so many of us have grown accustomed to. You may not have the infinite choices that you have at superstores, but you get a personal interaction and wealth of knowledge that the vested minimum wage worker can't usually provide.