Okay so "barter" doesn't exactly sound like "butter" to most of you, but it does to me - I'm from the south. ...well, at least I thought it was funny.

Anyways, I've been on this barter kick lately. With the global economy as it is right now, it's no surprise money is in short supply. However, you might have something solid someone else wants, and you might want something not so solid that someone else can provide.

For simple trades, sites like U-Exchange will work just fine. It's free, it's simple - but what about business? You can't be bothered to finagle this and that just to ensure everyone is happy.

Enter Bartercard. You get a regular plastic credit card, and fund it with your own goods and services. If you want to purchase something but nobody has purchased your products yet, don't worry - you also have an interest free credit line.

The only downside is Bartercard is only available in 13 countries, and that doesn't include the United States (gasp). However, it is available in many african countries. Do I smell a bit of hope?