99ers Barter Exchange
Hats off to Toni for this Idea.
Have you got some skills that aren’t paying the bills but still valuable in this cash strapped environment we’re in? And how ’bout a trade for something you could use?
We're in this together!
Here’s how Toni couched the idea to me:
“Have you considered exchanging services with other 99ers? I can write resumes or do
other writing services for someone who could help me with my SEO. My husband
(although legally can’t give legal advise) can help someone develop their business,
or start one. There are so many people out there in the same position we are,
perhaps a coop of some kind could work? Although, we could use some of that bailout
money to keep us with a roof over our heads, if we just were able to get by day by
day and help others we would be good.”
Start leaving what you’ve got and what your looking for here. Be sure to leave a way for folks to contact you via the post with an email contained therein. Please don’t forget that I wont publish your email from the sign in form so it needs to be in the body of your pitch.
Good Luck
Dan “the99erman”
That’s what this page is for
DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE CONTACT INFO, (EMAIL), INSIDE YOUR POST SO FOLKS CAN REACH YOU!!
Thanks Dan,
I hope this will help some other 99ers. I am really in need of SEO help to attract customers to my two websites – http://www.shadowwingsconsulting.com and http://www.celebrate-milestones.com. In exchange my husband and I can provide help on a business plan, consulting on business development, or I can write content for a website or send out a newsletter.
If you are interested in any of our services, please contact me at tonilaw51@comcast.net.
what is SEO help?
Hi Pet,
SEO stands for “search engine optimization”. It’s the umbrella term for all the things you can do to tweak your web-site in a way that will be viewed in good standing with the search engines, (like Google, Bing, & Yahoo)
Dan “the99erman”
XURA.net is a great national employment website with hundreds of thousands of available jobs.
Take a look.
http://red-coral.net/UXA_Article.html – Living in the UXA, which was a large-scale labor/barter exchange that flourished around Oakland, CA during the 1930′s Great Depression.
Thanks for that link on the UXA article. I was enthralled by the simplicity of the structure that actually worked to help the survival of so many. Times like those and these make us realize that we do need to get away from the mentality of working for somebody else, because we all know in the end we are the ones who will suffer. We have to use our skills, or acquire skills to barter, and sell for our own destiny.
I am a computer nerd, I can do websites, and I can help over email or phone with almost any computer application.. I suck with printer problems, but just about everything else I can help with. I am certainly not the best out in the world, but I am good at what I do and am willing to help anyone. I really cant think of anything I need in return… a job would be nice… LOL.
as depressing as that sounds…lol
not sure if I am allowed to post my email so I will not.. and I have a website that I also will not post… let me know if I can help any of you out there. I have all the time in the world at the moment
I’m a photograher in the Spokane area, ready to go to work….Peace
Clint at least we are sorta close I am in Everett Wa. Don’t need a photographer but thought I would say hi!
I need a place to stay like a garage out of the cold.
I AM 99NER and I live in Portland Oregon
I work but the job does not pay for a place to rent.
or I could use some help fixing my transmission.
Work for assistance.
My benefits ran out in April of 2010.
Michael
I have a room for one person or one person with a small child. If you still get U.I. or are receiving welfare assistance, or nothing at all. This may be perfect for you. We have no small children at home (two grown and gone). Near Chattanooga Tn up on a mountain in a well secluded area and very quiet within a mile of the grade school in our commuinty. I can help with getting you on assistance, job hunting, warm bed, food, etc. Our church may be able to offer some assistance too. No inside smoking, no animals, no drugs, partying, or rude unruly people or children will be tolerated. It’s fully furnished, cable, internet/computer in the spare room, etc. Just want to help someone out of a rut. Who knows, it could quite possibly become permanent. How does one get in contact with me? I suppose leave your email address at this site in a message and I will contact you. Or can I leave my email here? Please someone if this is for bartering etc… how do we contact each other?
BTW my email is pammywhammypammywhammy@yahoo.com I set it up just for this reason. Please contact me if your near Chattanooga Tn. Or looking to relocate near there. I would love to help someone even if only for a little while.
Hi Leanna
Thanks for your kind offer to help
Dan “the99erman”
Hi all – I am a 99er in CO; my UI ran out in May. I am a business analyst, B.S. in finance and worked for years in the fin’l svcs industry and as an operations/business analyst for 3 years in my last job (laid off in July, 2008). I’m trying to obtain certification in SQL Server database development. I live at my mom’s or else I would be living on the streets.
The responses on this site are incredible – very refreshing and constructive…thanks so much to all of you for finding ways to connect and help each other. I don’t know what I can offer, but can tell you that I started writing articles as the ‘Denver Unemployment Examiner’ about 6 months ago after getting really p’d off at the lame, misleading reporting about the economic and unemployment conditions in CO. This is a lame ‘gig’ – it’s almost volunteer work as I make about $60/mo -0 but it helps me to buy t.p. and dog food – something I couldn’t do otherwise. I can help have a voice or sometimes to answer questions you might have about UI benefits…
2 reporters have contacted me as a result of the article I published “Reports Aerotek and other staffing firms discriminating against the unemployed” – if you know of someone or personally had trouble with a staffing firm – and Aerotek in particular, please let me know at co_unemployment@live.com…
In CO the 99ers issue is finally starting to get the attention of some local media outlets – not much, but we are making progess…I keep telling everyone to contact the media – it’s gong to take immese public pressure to get Congress to do anything meaningful to help millions of 99ers…
It’s nice to meet you all.
Kelly
here is the article about Aerotek which spawned requests from both reporters..
http://www.examiner.com/unemployment-in-denver/reports-of-aerotek-and-other-staffing-firms-discriminate-against-the-unemployed
There are elements of this society working hard to turn unemployed people into a kind of criminal sub class. We are being scapegoated it’s that simple.
Not here Glenn
This is a great, site…Thank You Dan. I have been Cleaning Houses in the St.Louis Area, after 20 plus years in manufacturing, and not being able to land another manufacturing job, It gets tougher each day, and the number of desperate people just grow, but with sites like this we will get stronger. Thanks again
I get my last check Tuesday…I am officially a 99′er now. My electric was turned off last week. I will be homeless in 2 weeks. I am a 48 year old single woman. I went from making 55k two years ago…to homeless. I don’t know how to be homeless. Scared to death and praying for a miracle!
Brenda,
My partner was living in my motorhome until he took an over the road truck driving job, you are welcome to stay in it. Before he left he winterized it. You will have heat, food and electricity and will learn some useful skills that are recession proof. In the spring you can help build our factory raft and a houseboat for yourself. We live in a farmhouse near Osco Illinois.
Jerry.
Perhaps we the 99ers are taking the wrong approach. We are being ignored by the president, congress and the American press because they do not want the rest of the world to know how bad things are here in the USA. They feel if they institute a Tier 5 it will admit to the rest of the world that the “#1 Super Power” is in even deeper trouble, so they just ignore our plight.
So perhaps we should be sending our submissions about how 11 million Americans are out of work (number growing daily) and getting limited to no help from the American Government and how the government is letting millions lose their homes and fall into poverty to save face on the international scene, to the Foreign Press.
Perhaps the Foreign Press would be more willing to print the truth about what is going on in America. About how the once great super power is now reduced to a 3rd world nation through the greed and avarice of the once national corporations, national banks and Wall Street now all operating under the “globalization banner” and totally focused on the bottom line. The bottom line, which is the primary focus of these globalized organizations, is based on low pay and no benefits for their global workers, and I do not mean us here is the USA. When they begin to think they are paying us too much here at home they move the jobs to someplace where they can pay very, very low, thus enhancing corporate profits. All of these “wonderful” quarter profits are being made on the backs for the American workers or should I say “former” American workers!!!
Want to see some illuminating information on what is going on here in the American Workplace go to this web site http://www.workingamerica.org/jobtracker/ put in your zip code and it will tell you all of the companies shipping jobs out of the country, companies getting ready to institute massive layoffs and companies operating with hazardous conditions for workers in your own area.
SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO FLOOD THE FOREIGN PRESS OUTLETS WITH STORIES OF WHAT IS “REALLY” GOING ON HERE IN AMERICA!!! If they get 1 or 2 letters they will ignore but if they get thousands they will report on the issues and our plight will become part of the international press platform and the president and congress will be shamed into doing what is right…
Jace,
I watch the BBC and Aljazeera news programs, the world is aware of what is going on here. The problem with the 99ers is that I offered room and board to a 99er that is about to be homeless for 10 hours of work per week and was ignored. Fortunately a young local carpenter took the deal because he lost his home. I offered the use of my tools to 99ers on this and other groups so that they can make their own jobs, no takers. My girlfriend and I lived in a VW camper from 1970 to 1976. We lived in a 17′ Traveleze trailer from 1976 to 1986 then we paid cash for our home. The most that I have earned in cash in any year was $7,200, I have traded for what I have. In 1983 I was driving around on the Coconino plateau in northern Arizona, 60 miles from the road. I came across a doctor from Ohio whose radiator had boiled over. I stopped to help and could see that his bottom radiator hose had fallen off. I always carry extra water and clamps and was about to fix his car when he went into a rant about how he was not going to pay some ‘desert rat’ a fortune to fix his car. I had not intended to charge him for a .99 cent clamp and a few gallons of water but I put away my tools and told him that I would take him to the nearest gas station for free. I later found out that he had paid $1,600 to get his Mercedes towed in and repaired. I guess that you just cannot help some people.
Jerry, I appreciate your offer…I am in Ohio, I am in the process of clearing out my apartment, as I have to be out by the 31st. I have no funds to get to IL. Blessings to you for offering.
Brenda,
Perhaps now that we know that you are in Ohio we can find someone in the group there to help you. If you can have a sale to sell your stuff you might make enough to buy a camper to live in. I bought my 1973 Dodge motor home for $700 because prices for campers are low in the winter.
Brenda,
If you have marketing skills I have a job for you. I have been selling antiques for years on caraigslist (local, no shipping) and have done well with it. Recently I started a website to use a free Yahoo group as a sales tool.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stagecoachfarmsantiques/
I will give you 10% (half of the profit) of the price for everything that you can sell. Look in the photo section of the group for sale items, I will be adding more items as soon as I can get pictures and prices. Beware of scam artists, selling online is a tricky business. I do not ship anything until I have the cash in my hand. Customer pays all shipping costs.
Jerry.
We are all in the same boat, fortunately some of us still have oars. I would like to join with the other 99ers that still have resources to form a new UXA http://red-coral.net/UXA_Article.html Since the problem is nationwide the solution must also be nationwide. Dan has created an ideal platform to get the 99ers together now it is up to us to make sure that his effort was not in vain. For those of you without resources I would like you to let us know where you are, what your skills are and ask for your help to find others that can benefit from this program.
“Security is mostly a superstition, it does not exist in nature. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Helen Keller.
I have a plot of land outside of Lancaster, CA and I could let people stay for a few years there for free in exchange for making it habitable.
It would take people with some technical skills and knowledge as there is nothing there now but civilization is only blocks away.
No bad habits please! Drinking and smoking inmoderation. This is Southern Califronia area. Desert.
I also have plot outside of Holbrock CA
I am serious about developing them and these areas have few zoning laws.
Oh the second plot was Holbrock, AZ not Holbrook CA
Itis in the middle of nowhere
I also have a house to rent or rent to own outside of Kingman, AZ if anyone is on some kind of assistance it would be very cheap—less than 500.00 a month.
Right now that is my promary residence but I can not find work so I travel seeking it.
Jerry, if you have any ideas –or anyone else has ideas I am open to it and I like the fact
that you have skills—-I had thought that my Lancaster lot would be a good place for a communal sitution where we grow food and it is fairly close to transportation and work if you have a vehicle –there is no bus there.
It is in a town called Redman -sleepy and safe but oyu should have ability to defend yourself as policeare not right there to defend you . So you do have to be a bit of a maverick and there is security in numbers.
I would like to make an Artist comunity ideally
If you are going to use it as a commune you might want to get a set of Foxfire books (12 in all). These books are an excellent source of information on rural living.
I have been blessed.I also have been a corrections
Officer kinda skeptical.I have 3 acres in K.C.Mo.
it has 2 wells and 2 septic tanks.and that is about all I have tools but my skills are minimal other than
conventional construction I know little.It has southern exposure.I would like to live there sometime in the future.If you like drugs God bless but stay away from me
Your welcome. I am hopeful I can help someone. But very surprised that almost 20 days later and no one needs my help. I’ll keep praying for everyone.
What a great idea…it is heartwarming to see people offering housing, services, etc. It proves there are still good people out there!
I agree Jay there are good people out there. Thanks for your kind comment.
Hi Leanna,
And we do really appreciate your kindness. Maybe you could add your possible arrangement to the 99ers Face-Book page…if your so inclined. This page is only recently started to pick-up more traffic. I’m not sure how much exposure it’s really getting at this point.
Dan “the99erman”
When I first moved to Illinois I joined the local volunteer fire department. It turned out to be very profitable as I was able to get many odd jobs from other firemen as well as exposure to the people at the annual firemans breakfast. Although very few of you could become firefighters there are other ways to volunteer that will get you recognition in the community.
Barter has some rules if you are to be successful at it.
1. Always be fair. It is your good name that keeps you in business.
2. Avoid cash. Trade for goods and services rather than money, money is taxable.
3. Arrive early for swap meets, camp out with the other dealers and trade. Sometimes I would trade all that had brought with me and not even need to waste the weekend.
4. Know what things are worth. Read books and magazines on antiques, jewelry, collectables et cetera, this will help you see a good deal that others miss.
5. Never be in a hurry to trade, bad judgment comes from haste. Profit comes when you acquire an object, not when you sell or trade it.
6. Gold and silver jewelry are best used for trade, that is how you get full market value for it.
7. Camp out rather than use motels, you save money and can protect your investment.
8. When you get good at it go to “high end” swap meets like Kane county, Roundtop, First Monday and the Dog and gun show in Rutledge Mo. Have your own ‘invitation’ swap meets for dealers only.
It is the ideal time of the year to buy a self contained camper. A self contained camper will keep you from becoming homeless, keep you warm and dry, and when you look for work you will be clean and refreshed. My girlfriend and I lived in a VW camper for years until we could afford a 17′ Traveleze trailer. We lived in the northwoods of Wisconsin in winter as well as the desert in summer without any real trouble.
A few years ago we bought a 1973 Dodge Midas 190 self contained motor home for $700 that will be our home when we retire. I see ads all the time through the winter for self contained trailers and truck campers for less than $500. After April 15th the price for campers will rise dramatically.
Life in a camper is not as easy as living in a house but it costs very little money and no one can throw you out if you lose a job. A camper allows you to travel to areas that are booming (yes, they do exist). Right now North Dakota and Iowa are good places to find work.
After a major storm there is always work for people that can travel and live near the disaster. Roofers, carpenters, drywall installers et cetera are always in high demand after hurricanes and floods. Although living conditions are not great the $25 an hour that you can earn softens the hardship.
The best thing that you can learn from this depression is to be flexible, roll with the punches. The big money may be in computers, phones and other electronics but like the NFL only a tiny percentage of the people ever make that big money.
You rarely see a plumber, carpenter, roofer, electrician, mechanic or other skilled tradesman that cannot find work. In ‘hard times’ these jobs are even better than they are during ‘good times’ because people have to repair what they have instead of just throwing it away and buying a new unit.
I have skills in areas of computer technology and writing. I can repair computers, build networks and work on websites. Lost my benefits in December, losing home, cars and selling off as much as I can to be able to find a place to live. I have a vinyl cutter, T-Shirt press and other items that other folks might be able to use to start their own business. Unfortunately, I could not keep it floating enough to make it work at this time. Contact mail: jdgalvin1@gmail.com Thanks.
Hello Everyone,
I stumbled upon this website while learning more about the 99ers, a group that my husband now belongs to. I have not had a job in years, I have been providing child care for my Daughter’s children. My husband is a very skilled Carpenter, more than 20yrs experience and own tools. We are about to become homeless, I started selling Avon in the hopes that I could at least contribute in some way. It is not working, I am going to have to find a job as well. Unfortunately there is not many in my home state of Oregon. We have looked High and Low for work, with no luck. If anyone out there needs a Carpenter please contact Sheldon Barrett at justiceformom@hotmail.com if you or someone you know would like to purchase some Avon products please contact Cindy Barrett at http://www.youravon.com/cindybarrett
Prayers to everyone out there looking for work, I hope we find relief soon.
Sincerely,
Cindy
Cindy,
One of my many revenue streams over the years has been making saleable items out of wood. Your husband has the skill and the tools and wood items (toys, bookshelves, coat racks et cetera) sell very well. I would use pine and burn the wood lightly with a propane torch and coat it with varnish. Old mirrors, clocks, window panes are just a few of the things that you can use to make unusual pieces. All it takes is a little imagination. Oddly enough the last time I went to a swap meet there was a man selling tie dyed T shirts at $20 a pop, he sold out by noon.
Out of the past 9 yrs., my husband has been unemployed for 2.5 yrs. Now, again I am spending hours and hours into the early morning searching for some kind of unemp. in his field or at least close to it. With his being older, the chances are very slim.
But,I would like to share some of the websights that I have used, in hopes that something might be of help to someone else!
retirementjobs.com workforce50.com jobs4.0
indeed.com retiredbrains.com coolworks.com
primecb.com simplyhired.com hcareers.com
beyond.com jobing.com asphaltjobs.com
ajaxpaving.com flipdog.com jobmonkey.com
usajobs.gov sysco foods service pfg (performance food group) Continental Research Corp. (sales for industrial chemicals) boiseoffice.com
ajb.org nationjob.com regionalhelpwanted.com
I also pull up the Chamber of Commerce nearby and look at the membership lists. I target corporations or companies that I know of and look at the websights under “careers”. A lot of companies will not list openings. Food sales-look at the websights. Sysco Foods has huge distribution centers w/phone jobs to sales and into warehouse and drivers, etc.
Ck out any kind of business that you can think of and put into search engines and then look at the companies listed. Sales for auto dealers are a quick way to get back into employment, also.
If, you are a plumber you know how to sell parts. If, you like people working in a hotel is an idea.
Care.com…..places women into positions for caring for children…sometimes offering living quarters. Farms look for caretakers offering quarters.
Campgrounds offer opportunities too for on-site quarters.
Hope this helps someone.
Thank You for sharing all that good info Sherm
Dear Sherm,
Good information, I will spend days doing the same. Thank you. And Jerry thank you as well for your thoughts, I will run the idea past my husband. The unemployment rate here in Oregon is 10% everyone here is having a hard time. The swap meets here do not start until next month, I doubt we can hold on that long.
Yard sales work well if you advertise them. He can use scrap lumber from construction sites as most of the pieces needed are not too large. I used to make a dozen pieces a day with an average price of $20. One trick is to make a dozen of each but only display one at a time. If he has a router he can personalize the pieces right in front of the customer.
There is a group that wishes to make machine tools from used car engines http://groups.yahoo.com/group/multimachine/ and I believe that we could mass produce them. The floating island factories are ideal as they produce their own energy to cut costs. Not only would we produce machine tools for the third world but we would build them for ourselves. Since energy is a major concern in the third world we would also create a market for the floating water wheels. If you visit their site and believe that this is something that you would like to try contact me at stcfarms@geneseo.net
I have mentioned getting a camper and finding work in disaster areas. Oddly enough there is such an opportunity coming to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Missouri in the next few months. The US weather service yesterday announced that they expect record floods on the Red, the Mississippi, the Rock and Wisconsin rivers. Late march and early april the record snowfall will melt and create what is expected to be the largest flood ever recorded in the area.
Unskilled labor will be able to make $25 an hour, skilled labor can more than double that. I suggest that you form crews of at least 5 people so you can have someone to go for needed materials. You will need a generator to run tools and lights as the power is the last thing restored. Camp in the yard of the house that you are working on, thieves are common in disaster areas.
There will be heat, moisture, mosquitos and 16 hour days but you will spend very little to live. I had a policy of cash only, paid daily as insurance companies cannot be trusted.
Dear Cindy Barrett,
Have your husband consider renovation projects-commercial or residential. Always make sure there is money in an escrow account before he begins.
Call Habitat and see if they know of any open jobs w/salary. Go where the money is….look for businesses that are busy and get on the phone and just call them. Ask if they need repairs done. A small business of repairing and cleaning works in many areas, too. If, you could both do the work.
Some apartment management companies easily hire repairman and the spouses. One does maintenance and the other person works in the office.
Take down the names of apartment complexes in your area….and find out the management company’s contact info. Call the largest churches in the area and see if they need repair work done.
Get your husband to pull up his references, so you will be ready to hand them out. Think-out-of-the-box and take a 360 degree look around you. A couple of jobs add up to a business. How about increasing the babysitting for working mothers at the hospitals…nurses need reliable caretakers for their children. Just make sure you take a course at the Red Cross to ensure your abilities.
The areas that are doing well are relying on businesses in that local to provide the jobs to those that are spending the money. That is when you look at the market and make the calls. Go to the websights for the biggest companies….and check out employment. Not all companies will advertise, as they don’t want to be slammed by large responses.
My hope is that you will find an answer quickly.
http://www.asphaltjobs.com lists jobs all over the country. Scroll down as the jobs are not listed by current dates.
Dear Sherm,
Thank you for so much information and good ideas. I have been submitting Resumes to Property Management Companys, not much luck. I don’t know if it is his age or the fact that he does not have a valid DL. You have given very good ideas to me and I thank you very much.
Dear Cindy,
Try http://www.coolworks.com
I know a man that used to do road work. He was seriously ill and moved to another area. As he was at the hospital for tests, he got a job in cleaning. He did not drive. He ended up working in the ER in charge of setting up instruments!!!! So very bizarre…right time….quirky idea as to put “this” man in such a position “inside”, as he had always been an outside worker and loved it.
Think about properties around you that your husband could just “get to” & not be involved w/having to use a vehicle for the job. Look on the bus routes..or however he would get back and forth…see what large companies are in your area.
Look at websights for jobs with companies. The companies will not always advertise as so many people need work. Does he have a buddy that works for a large comp. that might be hiring and he could ride to work w/him?
I wish you the best of luck.
Hi there,
We are at the WI-IL state line, about 1.5 hrs north of Chicago. If we can be of any assistance to you, contact us! My husband Jim has been unemployed since 4/09 and is a trained auto mechanic. [ask if you need a repair!]
Keep on,
Jim and Brenda