A tCashe account provides for a unique trading form of barter. While two persons may get together and use their account to track a swap, the account also has a 3-way or "round robin" capability. The trade dollar credits in an account may be applied to a completely different member than the member from whom they were earned. In this sense, the trade balance in a tCashe account behaves like money. We refer to this activity as "exchange trading" and actually prefer to reserve the word "barter" for direct two party swaps. However, most persons use the word "barter" to describe both exchange trading and two party swaps, so we have used it in the heading and description here. Beginning in 1977, the Exchange has done millions of dollars of these transactions and made millions of dollars in profits and cash savings and earnings for our members.

Since the tCashe card also represents cash sales for businesses, it is necessary to define a set of rules about when pure cash, pure trade or a mixture will be done. This is done by the Exchange to keep the activity fair and balanced. Limits are applied to pure trade activity to keep it manageable.

The first step for a member is to offer an item "for trade". See Free Ad Listings. Businesses normally offer their normal goods and services they sell within certain limits set by the Exchange procedures. Businesses may also offer miscellaneous goods just as individuals do below.

Individuals are not "on call" for items the way a business is. Individuals offer miscellaneous goods and services as they are available. An individual may have a used bicycle, an antique, or a baby bed. An individual might offer baby sitting, tutoring, programming or any skill they have. The procedure is to call, Email or FAX the Exchange so that it may be put in the newsletter. Offers are normally to be for trade. The Exchange will assist in judging what is fair, that is whether a portion should be in cash. For example, an individual member might offer to do contract employment for inventory work. The Exchange feels such labor should be paid at least minimum wage amounts in cash and amounts exceeding this may be trade. Thus an $9.25 an hour job is: $5.15 cash and $4.10 trade times the number of hours.

A self employed business person could offer a given number of hours (say 1 day/week as a limit) for all trade if he or she has this time and wishes to earn more. This business might offer some of its employees time to keep them busy when idle hours occur. The business takes care of the normal pay check for these employees and is paid through the tCashe account. A business with rental property vacancies can fill one or more with trade tenants and use the income in trade to save cash outlay. For example, a vacant apartment can be offered through the tCashe account and the trade income used for painting and repairs of the apartment complex. The possibilities are endless. A little creativity translates into nice profits. Keep in mind this represents added business, that which otherwise likely would not occur. The one more apartment would sit empty. One more restaurant table would be empty. One less service call that day.