Cash, currency and credit problems dominate the local, national and international news. Bank and financial institutions collapse on a daily basis. Some reputable economists have predicted the eventual collapse of the Euro and American Dollar. Amidst this pervasive turmoil I find it comforting to trade with businesses and individuals through the barter exchanges to which I belong. Barter is one segment of the economy that has remained strong during the financial upheaval we have experienced over the last few years. Barter exchanges are actually banks and act as third party repositories for the trade dollars used in barter transactions. I am not aware of one failure in this industry during this current financial crisis. Barter is a great way to gain new clients. Barter also makes it easier to move excess inventories. But beyond all that, barter provides safety.