Pros and cons

Most of the rest of this book is about the pros of barter. So here we will get right to facts concerning the downsides of barter. After all, if we're going to make a barter plan, we aught to be realistic.

CBS News Business and Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis brought barter to the attention of millions on "The Early Show". One of her well phrased pointers reminds us of a cost balance trade off when bartering. "It doesn't take a lot of money," she said, "but it does take a lot of time."

2. There is a bit of extra accounting/forms to comply with barter income taxes.

3. Most barter exchanges have a carrying cost and various types of cash dues in order to pay the salaries of the barter brokers, recruiters, office staff, etc. Commercial barter usually requires some cash. The barter exchanges who've tried to make it without charging cash fees ended up spending too much time selling their bartered goods in order to pay the electricity and gas bills, and ended up unable to focus properly on serving their trade exchange membership.