Sometimes the best way to hold onto some of your hard-earned dollars is by figuring out any skills and services you can offer and swapping them out with other people.

For instance, maybe you’re a handy person and you have a friend who needs some odd jobs done around their house. And maybe that same friend makes their own wine. You can help out your buddy by doing his work and he can give you some of his wine.

Swapping is an easy and smart way to save money. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Clothing Swap

This is a great option for moms who have children who are roughly the same size. Kids can go through clothes like crazy, so if you can swap items that are no longer working for you and get ones from your mom friends, that’s a great money saver.

But it doesn’t just apply to kids, it can save women a lot of money too. If you have any friends who are close to your size, you can raid each other’s closets. Many items in most people’s closets sit unused because we tend to wear our favorites repeatedly. The items that we’re not as crazy about just sit there being ignored.

But one man’s trash is another person’s treasure. You can grab an armload of items you’d be willing to trade out and have a girls’ night where your friends of similar size meet and swap clothes. It’s like going shopping without receiving a big bill afterward.

Babysitting

Hiring a babysitter is expensive. You might just be looking for a date night out on the town or you might need someone to watch your munchkin while you’re at work. Either way, a friend may be able to help out free of cost. If they have a child too, you can offer to take theirs in return for another night.

Even if you only do this babysitting swap once a month, you can save hundreds of dollars during the course of a year.

Swapping Garden Produce

If you have a small backyard garden and your friend does too, you might want to strike up a bargain. If you have an excess of tomatoes, for instance, and your friend has had a great year with the corn he has planted, you two can exchange crops.

Exercise Gear

Paying for a gym membership can get really pricey. You’ll pay hundreds of dollars per year for a single membership in some cities and even more than that for a family membership. If you don’t have the money for that kind of thing, don’t worry. You can still get your exercise in.

Look at the equipment you do have at your house. Maybe you have some weights, a jump rope, a bicycle, and some exercise DVDs. Put out a notice on Facebook to see if any of your friends would be interested in doing a weekly gear swap.

Your friend might have a tennis racket and difference exercise DVDs. Another friend might have other equipment no one else in your group has. By doing a swap, you’ll get access to more gear that will keep your workout routine fresh, which will keep you more motivated.