Who says you need to sell what you have?

While it’s always great to make some cash, did you know that there are many websites out there that allow you to trade what you have?  In some cases, this option could be worth more to you than what that item is worth on a marketplace

From something as big as a house to something small like a book, there may be someone out there who’s willing to trade you something that you want for something you have.  Heck, you don’t even need an item as you can trade your services as well.

Whether you want to put your item out there to accept trading offers or you have something in mind, the following websites can help you find a person who many want to trade with you right now.

21+ Swap, Barter or Trade Websites

NOTE:  I ranked the websites in order from most traffic to least, according to SimilarWeb.com analytic numbers.  I would start at the top as this will bring you the most eyeballs for your items.

Listia

Listia is a pinch different than the other sites I mention here as it kind of works like eBay.  Here, what you do is sell the stuff you don’t want, and instead of earning cash, you will earn what’s known as “Ink.”  This “Ink” is just as good as cash, but it can only be used on the website to buy other items listed.  It’s kind of like trading.  Sell your items and then turn around and purchase something else with your new-found currency.  As long as you have something worth value, you may want to consider using it to see how much you can earn.  Aside from earning “Ink” from selling items, you can also earn it by performing a variety of other tasks, from inviting friends to connecting your social media accounts.

• Website:  Listia

Facebook Groups

There’s a Facebook group that exists for just about anything.  Yes, including swap and trade groups.  I mentioned how Facebook garage sales work in the past, and swap/trade groups will work no differently.  In short, what you will want to do is search for something along the lines of “swap” or “trade” and then narrow it down to the area you live in.  Use the search tool on Facebook, but you will want to make sure you click on the “Groups” tab to ensure you’re only looking at the groups.  Depending on where you live, you could find a ton of groups or nothing at all.  It really depends on where you live.  Click on a group of interest, read the rules, and as long as you abide by the rules, you can make your request.

• Website:  Facebook

FreeCycle

As I write this, FreeCycle has more than eight million members with more than 5,000 groups.  Even though this website focuses on freebies, you can also use the platform to seek trades.  What you will want to do is create a free account and then post a “wanted” ad.  In this ad, let people know what you want and what you may be looking for in return.  Depending on where you live, you could receive an offer or two or nothing at all.  It’s 100% free to join.

• Website:  FreeCycle

HomeExchange (homes)

This is such a great concept and is probably one of my favorite buy and trade websites on the list.  If you own a home, then you could trade your home in exchange for another across the world.  That person you trade with doesn’t even need to stay at yours as you can earn points to use at another home.  Like all of the sites I mention here, it’s up to you to decide what you want to do.  To use the website, you will be asked to create a listing for free.  Then, you can browse the more than 400,000 homes on the platform, essentially messaging any of the homes you’re interested in. The only downfall is that there is a $150 membership fee, but this allows you to send messages, receive property damage insurance as well as top-tiered customer support.  Whether you want to vacation or stay somewhere long-term, it’s one to at least look at.

• Website:  HomeExchange

Craigslist

Craigslist has a “house swap,” and even a “barter” section, but the only thing is that you will have to work off the platform, much like the other transactions you complete on the website.  If going this route, just make sure you always meet in a safe space and know what you’re getting yourself into before meeting in person.  The number of Craigslist postings really depends on the area you live in, but in some areas, there are quite a few.  The only downfall is that you will have to weed through a ton of spam.  Of course, you can always a request to see what others may offer you.

• Website:  Craigslist

PaperBackSwap (books)

PaperBackSwap is one of the largest book swapping marketplaces online.  As I write this, there are more than 1.2 MILLION available books.  To start using it, you just list the books you want to swap with other members.  Then, once a book is requested, you simply mail it out to the member.  In exchange, you can select from more than one million active books.  You just need to pay for the postage when you send out a book.  Once received, you can keep it forever or swap it again; it’s up to you.

• Website:  PaperBackSwap

Trusted House Sitters

This one is a pinch different as you’re trading your services for a place to stay.  If you don’t mind house sitting, usually meaning you just watch over the house for a certain amount of time, then it may be something to consider.  All you need to do is create a profile, letting potential homeowners know what you can offer.  From there, you can then search for homes that are currently looking for someone like you.  This could make for a great situation if you want to explore somewhere new and don’t want to pay for the lodging.

• Website:  Trusted House Sitters

SwapADVD (DVDs)

As the name implies, SwapADVD makes it easy to swap any DVDs you currently own.  To start, list all of the movies you have already watched and are ready to swap out.  Every time a DVD is requested, mail it out to the member, and in return, you can then choose from one of the 90,000+ DVDs listed on the website.  There is a small $0.49 swap fee and you must factor in the postage.  This is a great platform if you’re looking to dump any of the DVDs you no longer need.

• Website:  SwapADVD

LoveHomeSwap.com (homes)

LoveHomeSwap.com works a lot like HomeExchange, wherein you can offer your home up in exchange for another.  To start using it, you will first have to let them know what you’re looking for.  At the moment, the website works in almost every country.  Then, you will let them know what you have as well as provide a brief description as well as a few photos.  Once your profile is up and running, you can then start messaging homes you want to swap with.  In these messages, you can work out the details and confirm the swap on-site.  Aside from a “classic swap,” where you swap for a duration, you can also earn points, which will work like a currency that you can use toward another.  Again, like HomeExchange, there’s a small price to pay, but they do offer a free trial if you want to test it out for the time being.

• Website:  LoveHomeSwap.com

SwapACD (CDs)

SwapACD is your source for swapping CDs online.  It’s operated at the same company that created SwapaDVD, the website I mentioned above.  Yes, people still have them, and yes, people still want to swap and listen to new ones.  If you’re one of the many who want to listen to other CDs, you can create an account to post your inventory.  Every time you ship one of your CDs to another member, you can request one for yourself.  There are no fees, but you will have to pay a small shipping fee when shipping your CDs out.

• Website:  SwapACD

GameTZ (video games)

The GameTZ allows you to buy, sell and yes, even trade your video games with other members.  For more than 20 years, they have completed more than 200,000 transactions.  To start using, create an account then let the community know what you have to offer.  Like a lot of these websites I mention, you can then receive an offer and/or someone may even offer you cash.  It really depends on what you have to offer.  There are no fees to use the platform.

• Website:  GameTZ

BookMooch (books)

BookMooch is another book swapping site, making for yet another great choice if you’re looking to swap books only.  To start, it’s very easy.  All you need to do is type in the books you want to give away and then wait for requests from other members.  If you like what you’re offered, you will ship out your books and receive points in doing so.  With these points, you can then ask for books from others with your points.  It appears to have some action, but it definitely isn’t as big as the PaperBackSwap site I mentioned prior.

• Website:  BookMooch

Simbi (services)

Simbi is unique in that you can offer your services in exchange for another.  From learning how to cook to hiring a travel guide, there are a ton of services you could consider posting. As I write this, the website lets you choose from more than 100,000 services, where you can exchange your skill for another.  Even if you don’t want what someone is offering, you can always accept the website’s currency, where you can then use it to choose another service later.

• Website: Simbi

Rehash (clothes)

If you want to only swap out your clothes, accessories, jewelry, shoes and/or makeup, then Rehash is one to consider.  All you need to do is list what you want to exchange.  Once live, you can then wait for offers to come in, all of which you can either deny or accept.  You can also send out offers to others on the platform as well.  The website is 100% free to use, and best of all, there are no listing or trading fees.  All you need to is pay for shipping when swapping out your goods.

• Website:  Rehash.com

GoSwap.org

GoSwap.org isn’t that active, but it’s an option.  Whether you want to see what other people are offering or you have something you want to get rid of, it works no differently than a classified website.  Create a detailed listing and then let people know what you want in return, even if it’s just cash.  Signing up is 100% free.

• Website:  GoSwap.org

Swappiness

The mission at Swappiness, at least according to the site, is to visualize a “world in which trading, through the internet helps promote peace and social change.”  To start trading, you’re asked to create an account and add items that you’re looking to trade.  For every item added, you can earn points.  It’s then up to you to wait for an offer to come and/or you can create an offer yourself.  Every offer you make is visible to the members, so someone else using the platform may see your items and create their own offer.

• Website:  Swappiness

BarterQuest

BarterQuest allows you to trade anything (legal, of course) and save some money.  Whether you’re offering a service/item or you’re looking for something in particular, you can do so on the site.  To use, just type in what you’re looking for or are looking to trade and see what pops up in the search.  If you see something of interest, you can create a free account and work out a deal with the user.

• Website:  BarterQuest

SharedEarth

If you have some land to spare, then you could consider offering it up to local farmers/gardeners in exchange for the crops grown.  Right now, the website claims that more than 40 million acres are unproductive, so why start letting farmers and gardeners start growing food together?  You won’t get to ask for something in particular, much like the other websites allow you to do, but you could feel good in helping your own community.  Plus, you could get some great crops out of the deal.

• Website:  SharedEarth

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are a ton of websites where you can post something and hopefully receive something of interest in exchange.

Whether it’s a DVD, CD or even your services, there’s a platform to do it.  Best of all, most of these options are 100% free.

As always, if I’m missing any options and/or you want to sound off about a website I mentioned, then you’re more than welcome to do so in the comments below.

For now, if you want to trade something, at least create a listing to see if it garners any interest.  Best of luck!