Favorite Trades

So- What have you gotten for painting?

So far-

Food (cinnamon almonds are my favorite!), Jewelry, Old Fashioned Sepia Photo shoot, Fairy photo shoot, radio promotion, dental work (only $20, but hey, everything helps!), discounted gym membership.

What about the rest of you. What have been your favorite trades?

The only thing I've got for payment aside from good ol' cash is a bunch of free movie passes. This was months ago... and I haven't used any yet! When will some good movies come out...

I don't "trade" services but being fed, being given food to take home, and tips are all good.

Often if I paint other stall holders kids for free at markets etc.. they give my daughter something from their stall as a gift. Happy kids = happy parents!

I've been offered payment for a regular gig in the form of equivalent value in chocolate. Sounded fabulous at first right, but really? What am I going to do with $100 of chocolate truffles every week after I eat so many I cant roll out of bed anymore?

I have had people "tip" me with goodies at the market; I have received a basket of fruit, spring rolls, cups of coffee, samosas, a gorgeous cherry tart... mmmm....

I also painted a birthday party for free for some friends of my in-laws who gave us a lovely crib for our grandson. I was happy to do it as a fair trade but they insisted on giving me $50 too.

I've never really considered painting for a trade, but I would be open to it depending on what was offered to me.

Most of my trading is at shows with other vendors. They have kids, and we are all trying to make money, so trading products is easy- and so much fun. I don't offer it, but when they ask, YES! is almost always the answer. (I have passed on a palm reading)

Palm reading would've been my first...

I've done very well w/ trade.

A full year of free pest control for face painting & balloon twisting for a company picnic.

$100 gift card for Zoe's Restaurant

$100 gift card for a local Mexican Restaurant

The latest... $370 value = 8 tickets to a dinner theatre. We got to see My Fair Lady the day before Thanksgiving for my whole family + my oldest's boyfriend.

I'm in the works on trying to get Wicked tickets, but am not sure if the theater will go for it....

Think outside the box when it comes to trade. If a company has something you want ask if you can work for the value in trade instead of pay(I usually still get $35 supply fee). Also, many Not-For-Profits have gift cards donated to them. Ask for one in trade. Need a new mattress? Maybe a store will trade one for face painting? Car services? There's lots of opportunities to trade services!

So smart!

The no for profit we do in Aug. will bring us all kinds of clown stuff she finds. Dolls, plates, pictures, crazy hats. She says we can sell them there to raise money for them but kids want their face painted not clown stuff so we get to keep the stuff. The alley does a breakfast with Santa and a fancy resort and they give the alley brunch certificates but since I worked for that resort for a month and we didn't part on great terms,I don't do it.( One day I was doing a great job and the next was being let go the minute I came on shift and they told me it was against company policy to tell me why.) I was doing PBX and let me tell you painting is more fun.

Oh I love trading to!
I have gotten swim passes to the pool, food, dvds, toys for lb, clothing for lb, discounted gym member ship, free museum membership, event tickets, and such. I liked it so much I joined a professional bartering system and can trade for about anything. I dont mind it one bit and actually prefer it sometimes.

Taradoodle, Please tell me more about professional bartering systems. Are they online? How do you find them?

Yes Taradoodles we want to know about professional bartering.

http://www.wnybarter.com/

this is the group Im a part of. I love it. If you sing up, tell MARK I sent you!! this group has people all over the US in it, most of them ship though if they arent local. which still works for me. you do gigs for credit (you set the price) then buy goods from their website using your credit. simple. no money exchanges, just bartering records. they have the tax info to.