Get what you want without using cash 💸

Plus: 🎒 What to pack in an emergency go bag

View this email online Today’s newsletter is brought to you by Life Kit producer Clare Marie Schneider   Do you barter? We posed that question to our audience for a recent episode on the topic, and the answer was a resounding yes.  We heard from a hairdresser who bartered updos for a week of summer camp for her son, friends who traded music marketing advice for songwriting lessons, and neighbors who swapped car rides to appointments for garden vegetables.  These everyday exchanges between friends and community members can help you save money. But it’s not just an economic strategy, says Jessica Gordon-Nembhard, a professor of community justice and social economic development at The City University of New York. It also “brings joy, satisfaction and helps us regain a sense of humanity," she says.  I'm curious about bartering Photographs by Getty, Alannah Hurley, and Cyndi Benitez/Collage by NPR Tips on how to barter, from experienced traders  Decide on what to barter. Think about the things in your wheelhouse you’re willing to trade that others might genuinely want, says Cyndi Benitez, manager of the Okanogan Family Barter Faire in Washington state. Benitez has been bartering for years and shares ideas of what you can trade.  👖 Homemade goods and creative hobbies. If you’re an artist, maybe barter watercolor portraits.  If you’re into sewing, maybe you hem or mend someone’s pants.  🥒 Food. It’s always a popular choice, our experts say. Exchange carrots from your garden or eggs from your chickens. 📱 The skills you use to make a living. For example, if you work in marketing, you might offer to make your hairstylist friend a social media video in exchange for a cool haircut. (Keep in mind: If you barter more than $600 of your business services in the course of a year, you will need to declare that on your taxes, according to the Internal Revenue Service). Find people who are willing to trade with you. Alannah Hurley, who is Yup’ik and grew up with a rich tradition of bartering in Alaska Native communities, suggests a simple line: “Would you ever be open to trading?”In her experience, she says this approach tends to perk up people’s ears.  Of course, their answer could be no. But Hurley says the goal is to open the door to the possibility of bartering.   I’m ready to exchange my tomatoes for music lessons Newsletter continues after sponsor message More money-saving tips from Life Kit rob dobi/Getty Images To save more money, avoid these common financial mistakes. Financial missteps can cost you money. Make better-informed decisions about budgeting, investing and borrowing money. Read the story.  5 money-draining mistakes travelers make when planning a vacation. People get a lot wrong when it comes to paying for vacation, say travel experts, and that can cost serious cash. Here’s how to plan a trip that’s safe, adventurous and under budget. Read the story.  Smart habits to keep you out of credit card debt. Stay on top of your monthly payments and avoid costly fees and interest charges with these smart credit card strategies. Read the story.  Should I buy that thing? A framework to help you decide. Sometimes we buy things that we later regret spending on: a new sweater that's already falling apart, or a thrifted "vintage" vase that turns out to be a mass-produced dupe. In the moment, it's difficult to resist the temptation of making a purchase. But with a few pointed questions, you can make sure you've done your due diligence and buy something guilt-free. Listen to the episode. Support our work & listen sponsor-free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening and even some specially curated playlists of episodes by theme (Master your budget, Organize your life, Move your body, and more).   Check out all the NPR+ benefits available at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ 🏘️ Tell us about your neighbor drama Westend61/Getty Images Send us your questions and quandaries on bad neighbor behavior. How do you coexist and work through conflict with the people around you?  We may feature your conundrum anonymously in an upcoming episode of Dear Life Kit, NPR's advice column.  Submit your query anonymously here Americans wish they were reading more, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds Jerome Tisne/Getty Images When was the last time you read a book? Reading is something a majority of Americans enjoy and want to get better at. But it's nowhere near a top priority, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll.  The online survey, conducted in late February, heard from a representative sample of more than 2,000 American adults. It found that 51% of people read a book in the past month. In comparison, about 80% of people watched streaming services, used social media or watched a short-form video. Learn more about the poll here.  If you want to read more, here are some episodes from Life Kit to help get you into a reading habit.  📖 Practice ‘deep reading’. When was the last time you got lost in a book? These days, the act of 'deep reading,' or reading with intention, can be difficult to practice. Maryanne Wolf, an expert in the science of reading, explains what we lose when we skim — and how to create an environment conducive to deep reading. Listen to the story.  🔍 How to find a book you love. Traci Thomas, host of the hit reading podcast The Stacks, explains how she finds books she can read from start to finish. Some of her ideas may surprise you! Read the story.  📊 How to read more books. Got an intimidating tower of unread books looming on your nightstand? This episode will help you pick up more books and get through them quicker. Read the story. In case you missed it LA Johnson/NPR How to pack a go bag for emergencies. As climate emergencies like wildfires and hurricanes become more prevalent, it's important to have essentials like food and medicine on hand and ready to go in case you need to evacuate. On today's episode, emergency preparedness expert Alyssa Provencio explains what you do and don't need in your go bag, how to create a household emergency plan and why now is a good time to prepare for disasters. Listen to the episode.  How to relieve constipation. Haven't pooped in days? Gastroenterologists explain what to do in this SOS moment — and share tips on how to avoid chronic constipation. Read the story.  DLK: In our relationship, her dog comes first. Now I'm having doubts about us. That uncertainty you might feel in romantic relationships is common — and not always a bad thing, say Haley Nahman, writer of the Maybe Baby newsletter and Danny Nelson, co-host of the Dear Danny podcast series. In this episode of Life Kit, they weigh in on pet jealousy, whether it's OK to make a move on a friend, and questionable future in-laws. Listen to the episode here. Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy