Top 5 Swap and Save Services
There's a new Internet trend "swappng" the country. Thanks to the green movement and a soured economy, it's become cool to swap, trade and barter for products, services and even real estate.
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There's a new Internet trend "swappng" the country. Thanks to the green movement and a soured economy, it's become cool to swap, trade and barter for products, services and even real estate. Many websites avoid cash exchanges entirely, preferring a system in which members sell an item for points, which they then can use to make purchases.
An extensive examination of available services turned up the top 5 worthy of your attention. Most are non or minimal-profit and all are G-rated. That means alcohol, tobacco and other adult products are prohibited from swapping sites.
1. BookMooch
Swap: Books
BookMooch has to be the cutest site with its illustrations of gowned bookworms and jogging books. The free service works on a non-monetary system in an endless cycle of earning and spending points. The process is perfect for voracious readers who simply can't throw away a book, whether they liked it or not. BookMooch pays its bills by tapping into the Amazon.com book database, allowing them to receive a commission for every book bought via these links.
2. Couponless
Swap: Coupons
This is a great service if you're a coupon addict. Members simply swap those they don't need for those they want. Claiming to be the largest exchange club, Couponless deals in everything from grocery to furniture coupons.
3. Goozex
Swap: Games and Movies
The most active video-game-trading community offers games and movies for all platforms and formats. The easily searched site is run on a point system, but you'll pay Goozex $1.99 per swap. Lots of extras are included, like seller ratings, chat rooms, and pre-release buying opportunities. The community page includes information on gaming nights and something they call the Goozex Olympics.
4. Home Exchange
Swap: Vacation Homes
Sick of staycations? Want to live like a local, rather than a tourist? Home Exchange may be the best frugal way to see the world. Members can swap homes, RVs, yachts or any other living space. The site boasts more than 40,000 listings in 143 countries. Your first three-months of membership are free so you can test out the service. After that, you'll pay $9.95 per month for unlimited inquiries and access to such member-only features as instant notification of desired swap offers.
5. Zwaggle
Swap: Baby stuff
Zwaggle is a "sharing" service connecting parents who want to exchange gently used baby gear. The system is based on points (or Zoints) and member information remains confidential, unless the user prefers to go public. You also can create a Zwaggle Group, which allows you to advertise swaps only to family and friends, instead of the website's entire population. If your baby no longer needs infant supplies, the service helps you donate unused Zoints to nonprofits for a tax deduction.
—Andrea Woroch
Andrea is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. and is available for in-studio, satellite and/or Skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
An extensive examination of available services turned up the top 5 worthy of your attention. Most are non or minimal-profit and all are G-rated. That means alcohol, tobacco and other adult products are prohibited from swapping sites.
1. BookMooch
Swap: Books
BookMooch has to be the cutest site with its illustrations of gowned bookworms and jogging books. The free service works on a non-monetary system in an endless cycle of earning and spending points. The process is perfect for voracious readers who simply can't throw away a book, whether they liked it or not. BookMooch pays its bills by tapping into the Amazon.com book database, allowing them to receive a commission for every book bought via these links.
2. Couponless
Swap: Coupons
This is a great service if you're a coupon addict. Members simply swap those they don't need for those they want. Claiming to be the largest exchange club, Couponless deals in everything from grocery to furniture coupons.
3. Goozex
Swap: Games and Movies
The most active video-game-trading community offers games and movies for all platforms and formats. The easily searched site is run on a point system, but you'll pay Goozex $1.99 per swap. Lots of extras are included, like seller ratings, chat rooms, and pre-release buying opportunities. The community page includes information on gaming nights and something they call the Goozex Olympics.
4. Home Exchange
Swap: Vacation Homes
Sick of staycations? Want to live like a local, rather than a tourist? Home Exchange may be the best frugal way to see the world. Members can swap homes, RVs, yachts or any other living space. The site boasts more than 40,000 listings in 143 countries. Your first three-months of membership are free so you can test out the service. After that, you'll pay $9.95 per month for unlimited inquiries and access to such member-only features as instant notification of desired swap offers.
5. Zwaggle
Swap: Baby stuff
Zwaggle is a "sharing" service connecting parents who want to exchange gently used baby gear. The system is based on points (or Zoints) and member information remains confidential, unless the user prefers to go public. You also can create a Zwaggle Group, which allows you to advertise swaps only to family and friends, instead of the website's entire population. If your baby no longer needs infant supplies, the service helps you donate unused Zoints to nonprofits for a tax deduction.
—Andrea Woroch
Andrea is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. and is available for in-studio, satellite and/or Skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
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