Do you ever barter?

[MATTHEW]

Just wondering if anyone barters their services for other company's services or for items. I have a customer who bought a Stihl stick edger 3 years ago and only used it one time. He had a heart attack and hired me to do his lawn work after that. This thing is is spotless. Costed between $350-$400. Anyway, he said he would give it to me for $200. I offered to cut the lawn for free until the $200 credit was used up. He agreed and I left his property today with a great stick edger and did not spend a cent. Just my time. Would you have done that?

[Scotlawncare]

right now i'm bartering for a presser washer. customer has one and haven't used in but 3 times in the 2 years they have had it. i'm doing some washing for them and in return they are giving it to me. not a bad deal

Scot

[LJ lawn]

hey why not? i have an arrangement where i keep up the property in exchange for storing some of my cars/stuff there. works for me.barter on!

[ohiolawnguy]

nothing wrong with baretering at all. we have a mechanic with whom we barter for services. little bit of landscapng, and he repairs something on one of our trucks.

[The Lawn Choupique]

Just don't trade for dounuts, leave that for the cops. They might take offence if you cut into their action.

[gene gls]

I mow an unused horse pasture 4 times a year for storage use of a 1 car garage.

I am trading services for Bridgeport milling machine. Hope to have it in a couple of weeks.

Gene

[Patrick Harvey]

Bartering is a great tax-free way to do business. Think about how much it costs you to perform your services. Then think about what you charge. If you are going to buy something anyway, think about the money youll save If you can barter a service that costs you a little, for something that may cost you cash $$$$!
Patrick Harvey,
Harvey Lawn care
Providence, KY

[cantoo]

Last year we got a boat from a customer whose husband had died. We allowed about $200 worth of lawn work for it, sold it for $1000. She also had a fairly new JD rider but we didn't get it. Just got a discount on a motorcycle for some sweeping and spraying work. This is pretty normal for most small businesses around here.

[GreenQuest Lawn]

I take care of a Fabricating shop and he does all my welding/building. I bartered a dirt bike one year for my son, I also have a computer tech I trade with.

[Chuck Sinclair]

I belong to ITEX barter network, i do lawn service for a few pepole and get ITEX dollars to use at over 3000 places. Resturants, car washes, auto repair, HVAC repair and so on.

[khouse]

If your honest then barter is great. But I have a cabinet shop manager I'm no longer bartering with. I have been doing work for him for 2 years now in trade for some really nice furniture like an entertainment center and dressers. The last 2 times he owed me a piece, I had to remind him dozens of times to do the work. After about 8 monthes he came through. From now on it's cash and carry.

[KirbysLawn]

I have a customer that I did renovations services for last year, he now wants me to mow and has indicated a deal where I get his 2000 Sea Doo GTX-FRI jet ski, I might work this deal out. :)

http://www.seadoo.com/web/html/archives/english/watercraft/archives_2000/model_2000/media/watercraft/studio/gtxdi_st_480.jpg

[GroundKprs]

Hmm, IRS would like this thread, at least the names of those who admit to (tax free) bartering. It's only tax free if it's an exchange of services, business to business, because these would be tax deductible expenses.

To barter landscape maintenance for personal property or services is not tax exempt. You are supposed to claim the cost of the bartered product or services as income. And if you're not doing it that way, don't brag about it in public. ;)

[Phishook]

Never.

If it's worth $200. Pay him $200, then bill him for your services. Your paper and records will stay in better order that way.

[AL Inc]

Remembered this thread from a couple of weeks ago. I just bartered some planting and sod work to a customer who buys and sells cars, mostly classics. I will be getting a 1970 Olds Cutlass with 350 Rocket, 4 barrell, dual exhaust. My customer bought it from the original owner's son, and the car is all original. I figured what the hell, I need a toy, something to do besides work!

[Dennis E.]

No comment!:D ;)
(The IRS may be watching):eek:

[tremor]

No paper trail - No problem.
Motor vehicles require the old slight of hand on the bill of sale. But that's NOT illegal so long as you report something. Anything!

Steve

[kroll]

We work with a local nursery on barter system.
works real well most of the time.
The main thing to remember about the barter system is that some times you get the bear & somtimes the bear gets you. Thats what makes it fun.
I also like craps , Blackjack, & the Lotto.
see what I,m saying?

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by The Lawn Choupique
Just don't trade for dounuts, leave that for the cops. They might take offence if you cut into their action.

I had a doughnut shop, $15 and a dozen for a 30 second job.

[MikeLT1Z28]

Krispy Kreme??

jetski's... been up on the TN river all weekend, i can still hear the jet ski's that were buzzing all around us.

[awm]

in a couple o yrs the place will be paid off and ill probably consider some barter. might be the wave of the future.

[TurfGuyTX]

A couple of extra large pizza's with everything works out pretty good for 5 minutes of work. Soda's too. The guys like it.

[chipk1]

Just bartered for a 36" craftsman mower for 5 hours of cleanup. All the mower needed was a battery:cool:

[Brickman]

As long as EVERY BODY is fair about it and works in a business like manner I don't think it can hurt. If one guy gets to feeling screwed then it will be all over quik.

[roscioli]

I recently got a boat for $150 + 2 free mows ($45 each mow). Sweet deal. Boat is from late 50s - early 60s, motor is 10 HP Johnson Seahorse (1957) with a trailer! Never measured the boat, but has a windsheild and steering wheel and all that (not a row boat). I had been eyeing it a while, (it sat for 10 years in a 3 sided barn since her father died), finally went ahead and asked... Definately doesnt hurt to try.

[MATTHEW]

OK, there is the tax thing. I suppose the issue is are you going to write off the cost of the thing and not count the income? That would be wrong, of course.

Let's say, a guy stops you and asks you to cut the lawn 1 time. He pays $20. Cash. If you spend it on lunch, you spent money that you made and should pay tax on.

But let's say you put that $20 into the gas tank and pitch the receipt. It's a wash, right?

[bob]

I looked into a local bartering service. It really wasn't for me. Theres a lot of stipulations involved.

[Mowingman]

I do the lawn for a guy who owns a welding and machine shop. I bill him monthly, but payment is in credit at his shop. He then does
welding and machine work for me and deducts the cost from what he owes me. We have been swaping out work like this for three years with no problems. This is saving me a bunch of cash right now, as the frame broke on my 1 ton Chevy flatbed,(on both frame rails), and I have plenty of credit to cover the repairs.:D

[Brickman]

Sorry to hear about your frame breaking.
Please allow me to be the first to suggest a brand change to where the truck is built tough the first time. This truck really does sound like it was "built like a rock". :D :D

[Mowingman]

I was really surprised that the frame broke, as it is rated as a
1 1/2 ton truck and I never haul anything very heavy on it.It is a 1994 model, andI think it's first 7 years as a wrecker may have done some damage to the frame. It is a great looking and running truck though, well worth fixing.:)

[LAWNGODFATHER]

Originally posted by Brickman Lawn Care
"built like a rock".

That would be "like a rock" They never said built........:D If it was it might have never broken.

[Brickman]

You rock LGF. :D :D

[thfireman]

I used to have a contract cutting a Gun Shop property. The owner would take my bill and put it towards any gun or supplies I wanted plus 15% off. It was a great setup for me. I got a few nice deals on rifles and shotguns that way.

I also did some landscaping for a body shop and traded that work for some repairs to my wifes car. :cool: