Article from the Providence Business News
April 13, 2009
Our Members Spoke and We Listened
Our members have used the site. They conducted barters with other members and now they are letting us know what they think. The overall consensus is they love the site. They love how easy it is to barter with others. However, with every gem, you have to keep it polished. We have received feedback and suggestions from many of our members. They want new functionality and features. Well, we listened. Read more...
March 1, 2009
Beat the Taxman
It's no secret that we are facing hard times. Everyone is trying to find ways of cutting back and saving every penny they can. Here's a great example; Take the super bowl. Have you ever seen a time when an event like this cut back? Not in my time. In years past you could have never call a restaurant in the city that was hosting this mammoth event the day before the game and got a table for two. Read more...
December 12, 2008
Your Government is Not Going to Help
You in These Tough Economic Times.
Here is How You Can Help Yourself Make it.
Dear Reader:
Where is Our Government?
The mortgage payment is due and it is bigger than last month’s payment. Food prices have gone through the roof. Prescription drugs and health care costs have all but sucked the last drop out of our paychecks. Oh yes, have you checked you heating bill lately? So, where is your government in all of this? I’ll tell you where they are. They are working “hard” to bail out all of the big guys, the financial sector, the auto makers, etc… You see where I’m going with this. Banks are failing, the auto industry is in a downspin, and the housing market is at a near all-time low. The funny thing is (if you call it funny), these industries are managed by people from Harvard, Yale, and all of the other Ivy League colleges. These people are supposed to run their businesses the right way. It seems like they’re only concerned with how big their pockets are and how much of your cash they can put in them.
Here is how big their pockets actually are:
1. Rick Wagoner, General Motors: Wagoner received $14.4 million in compensation in 2007, including a salary of $1.56 million.
2. Alan Mulally, Ford: His compensation in 2007 was $21.7 million, with a salary of $2 million.
3. Wendelin Wiedeking, Porsche: He is thought to have earned more than $60 million ($89 million) last year.
4. Carlos Ghosn, Renault-Nissan: In 2006, he took home $45.5 million.
5. Dieter Zetsche, Daimler: Forbes calculates his total compensation to be €8,550,000.
When these millionaires make a huge blunder, like they already have, they go whining to the government, our government, to get them to bail them out of what they created. And let’s face it; the government WILL bail them out too.
What they should do is let them fall on their faces and let them deal with the consequences. Take the auto industry for instance. For years this business sector has been out of control. Management has no control of the unions. If the unions don’t get their way, they strike. The UAW is the highest salary-earning group among all other auto workers in the world. The benefits they receive are ridiculous. Who pays for that? We do.
What should be done is to force the auto makers into bankruptcy. This will make all union contracts null and void and they can then be restructured to be more inline with the rest of the world auto industry wages.
With all of this said, the US government will still bail them out, and we foot the bill in the form of higher taxes.
On the flip side of the coin is the little guy. You and I. The homeowner. The renter. People who actually have to work to make a living. Where is our government when we need help? I’ll tell you where they are. They are knocking at your door, in the form of the IRS, when you don't pay your taxes. They're not going to lend a hand when we need help. We have to take matters into our own hands. One really good way to help your self is to barter. Bartering has been around since man began to walk on two feet.
How can bartering help me, you say? Bartering is the exchange of goods and services for other goods and services. When you barter, little to no money changes hands. This is where it gets really good. Say for instance, you own a house that needs some repairs to the outside. Maybe the siding is rotting away. You can’t fix it because you don’t have a clue where to start. You might be great at bookkeeping or you have a timeshare in Aruba that you won’t be using this year. You find a carpenter that is in dire need of a vacation. You two get together and exchange carpentry services for the timeshare. This is bartering. Where do I find a carpenter what wants to barter with me? The best place to find that Carpenter or a Plumber or a Lawyer or anything else for that matter is, Barterthing.com. In fact, there are over 700 bartertgories to choose from. More and more people are finding the benefits of bartering to be just what is needed to help them through tough times. Bartering is great through prosperous times too.
Another true life example; I happen to be very good at Architectural drafting and home designs. I wanted to finish my basement so I could have a family room and play room for my daughter. I found just the right guy that does sheet rocking. He had just purchased some land and wanted to build a house on it. I drew all of the working blueprints for him and he finished my basement. This was done cash free, person-to-person. And both jobs came out beautifully.
Why Barter, Instead of Auctions or Selling
The difference between buying and bartering is that, with bartering, little to no money exchanges hands. The money you save can be put towards the other necessities in life. Your life is better because now you have more money in your pockets.
As I stated earlier, bartering has been around since man began to inhabit the earth. With Barterthing.com we just put a new twist on an age-old practice. Don’t get me wrong - auctioning and selling are good ways of getting what you want. However, people are more apt to barter because of the cash they save. You get what you want in exchange for something or a service you have to offer. Little to no money exchanges hands. Auctioning costs money. Usually the auctioneer will get a cut of the proceeds, and, more often than not, the cut is substantial. Selling is also good. But with selling comes buying. And that means cash. How will you save money by auctioning at a loss or buying with cash?
How Can This Save Money
If you make a comparison of what it would cost you to have a carpenter come to your house to do some work, you will find that the cost would probably be $1000 or more. Now consider this same scenario using BarterThing.com. You need the same work done on your house but this time you find your carpenter through BarterThing.com. Say that you are a computer expert or a housekeeper or you even have a timeshare in Aruba. You contact the carpenter to see if he’s interested. It turns out the carpenter would love to use your timeshare. The pictures and detailed description you posted on BarterThing.com helped show what a great place it was. Our simple 1, 2, 3 step process helps you to contact each other and complete the barter. It’s that simple. The difference is you AND the carpenter saved a $1000 or more. You’ve got your house fixed, and the carpenter has a sweet timeshare in Aruba. That $1000 EACH of you saved can now be used to pay bills, by gas, food and more…
How Much Does This Really Cost
At BarterThing.com the membership is free. During these hard economic times, we decided to give back to our members and make all transactions absolutely free as well. This means you can make as many barter as you want at no cost. This is our version of the “Economic Stimulus Package”. I think you’ll agree that’s a lot less than the $1000 carpentry job scenario we just went through.
Bartering is for Everyone
Some people might say that bartering might not be for them. We tend to disagree with that type of thinking. In building our site, we kept this exact thought in mind. Our thought was this: “If our members knew nothing of bartering or how to run a computer, how could we build this site where they would totally understand how to use it?” So, we sat down in many late night meetings and drudged through countless stacks of conceptual designs to come up with what we have today. We found our answer in BarterThing.com. Our simple 3 step process makes it so easy to barter, even a (you know) can do it.
Peace of Mind
It’s no secret that everyone is cutting back on the luxuries. When people start cutting back on necessities, there is a problem. Using BarterThing.com gives you peace of mind in knowing that you are doing something for someone in need, helping your family by saving money for the thing you need and creating a relationship with the members of BarterThing. Who knows, the neighbor down the street, for whom you have never met, might be that computer expert the plumber is looking for. A new friendship is born.
Begin to See the Benefits of BarerThing.com Today!
The proof is in the Barter! Go to BarterThing.com and browse through all of the listings. You will be amazed at what our members have to offer. Click on the “Sign up for FREE!” link and simply complete the online form and become a member of one of the fastest growing online bartering websites. Remember, it’s free to join. What have you got to lose?
Invest in your future
The money you save when you barter will be money that stays in your pocket. Use that money to invest in your family. BarterThing.com is here to help you. See it! Use it! Enjoy it! Be part of a fast growing community of smart, savvy investors.
Are you doing the Barter Thing?
Sincerely,
Robert Johnson
President
MBM Investment Group, Corp.
April 7,2008
Web site brings technology to ancient business form
By David Ortiz
PBN Staff Writer
An online bartering Web site launched by three Rhode Island entrepreneurs aims to bring an ancient form of business transaction into the 21st century. Barterthing.com offers a twist on popular [..]
Jan 3, 2008
The next project is considered a "Green Project". MBM Investment Group, Corp. is working in R&D on a renewable source of energy that promises to have many applications. Investor information is available. Click the Investor Information link for more information.
Said Robert Johnson, President, "This new project is "very" green. The applications for this could be endless. We are excited to begin this new development".
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