Exchange students
Want to get something new without spending a penny? Well, first learn to control your excitable bladder, and then learn how to swap. Across the UK, swapping websites and free trading events are popping up that allow the yoof of today to exchange more than just bodily fluids. Whether it’s a skill, service or item you require, swapping for it instead of paying is the hottest way to feed your need. So why is it such a good idea to scratch your consumerist itch with a switch?
Why swap?
First up, swapping is a great way to nurse your aching purse. Trading a skill you have for one you want saves a shedload of cash. Good at cooking? Then you could get have your computer cleansed of viruses for free.
Swapping things like clothes (check out whatweusedtowear.com) or books (try readitswapit.co.uk) also helps save the environment. Recycling through switching stops the great economic Dyson of doom sucking away at the earth’s resources harder than a fat kid on a milkshake straw. Or a grandmother on an egg. If your grandmother is one of the rare few who can’t suck eggs, then you could swap one of your talents to get someone to teach her.
You might even gain some of that mystical ‘community spirit’ your nan bangs on about. Trade your done-with Dunlops for a pair of Docs at a swapping party, and you could well make some new mates to boot. (NB – actually booting your newfound friends with those hefty hobnails might not endear them to you for too long, unless they happen to be into sadomasochism. In which case, let them know about bdsmswapshop.com and usedfetish.com where they can exchange second-hand toys and clothing. Itchy advises thorough washing and generous application of insecticide before use).
So where can I swap?
If the last thing you swapped was seven assorted Paul Inces and a holographic Andy Cole for a shiny Ryan Giggs plus a packet of Skips, then an exchange event is a good way to get back into the swing. Not that swinging will be involved; you don’t need an open-minded wife to swap at parties like London’s Swap-a-rama Razzmatazz (monthly Wednesdays@Favela Chic, 91–93 Great Eastern Street, EC2). Come dressed in clobber you’re happy to lose, switch an item every time the music stops, and head home when you’ve bagged a swap that twiddles your fashion nipples. Similar events are emerging in cities outside the capital; check posting sites like gumtree.com for swapping news, or throw your own swap bop. In the US, ‘switch ‘n’ stitch’ events provide materials and skill swap sessions to help you customise your freshly traded threads too – Itchy predicts this trend will cross the pond faster than a flatulent toad.
The website swapaskill.com was one of the best we found for arranging skill trades online. It’s well organised, offering a large bank of talents that you can search locally, with helpful guidelines to prevent swap rip-offs or scams. For our 45-a-year membership fee, Itchy is already proofreading essays in exchange for guitar lessons and has swapped instructions in sushi-making for a photography session.
We’ve also had luck using café noticeboards, and asking in independent music shops or gig venues about record swap nights. University boards and internet shops are good places to find foreign students who want to practice their English in exchange for language lessons. And who knows? Maybe a few cosy nights sharing your passion for correct apostrophe use will see you swapping saliva with your exchange student friend too.
Or if you’re really struggling, you could always try hitting this charity shop:
Scarman Trust, Community Base, Queens Road
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