A chiropractor, a mechanic, and a barber walk into a club It’s not the beginning of a joke. It’s what members of a bartering club in Pueblo, CO do at their monthly meetings.
The Southern Colorado Bartering Club was recently started by chiropractor Bob Hunter, a Colorado native who returned in 2007 after living in California for several years. Hunter, now retired from his chiropractic practice, wanted to live in his native land, but he wasn’t willing to give up some of the luxuries that California offered. A bartering club was one of those luxuries.
While living in Northern California, Hunter and his wife belonged to a bartering club that allowed them to trade chiropractic treatments for a wide range of products and services from other business owners. The concept hearkens back to a time before government-printed money held economic supremacy. Instead of paying for goods and services, members of the club simply trade them. An auto mechanic with a bad back might, therefore, provide his expertise to a chiropractor who needs an oil change.
Two people could always make such an arrangement on their own, but bartering clubs make it easier for them to connect with each other. Hunter’s club offers an additional advantage. By using credits, it allows business owners to trade indirectly. Hunter has pointed out that the auto mechanic might need spinal manipulation at a time when the chiropractor does not need an oil change. Bartering clubs issue credits to members, making it possible for them to “buy” goods and services when needed. This also makes it possible for members to use the services of other business owners without directly giving them anything in return. The chiropractor might, for instance, choose to his credits from the mechanic to get a haircut rather than an oil change.
The bartering club creates its own micro-economy that allows business owners within Southern Colorado to save money. The club currently has 60 members, but Hunter hopes to add nearly 1000 members to the group in upcoming years. The club hosts a monthly mixer for members to meet each other.
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