Local newspapers carry advertisements for washing machines, cars, and apartments, all available on a barter basis. Several barter clubs have also set up their own Web sites, so that members can promote their wares electronically, instead of having to rely on printed flyers and word of mouth. Even small businesses are getting into the act. A hotel chain based in Buenos Aires offers lodging in exchange for cleaning supplies and bedsheets, while one commuter bus company gives out tickets in exchange for having its vehicles painted. Barter is already popular and is going to become more so.
Officials are well aware that barter provides some sort of cushion for the jobless.
And they are also eager to nurture citizens' entrepreneurial drive. That's certainly true of Floreal Medina, a former businessman who travels the country helping extend the barter network. Medina says he has journeyed 12,000 km in the past year without spending a centavo. And in Argentina these days, people need all the help they can get. The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.