One hour of English lessons in exchange for one hour of crafts, for example. And you can already imagine the range of possibilities: we all have a skill or need a skill…rather than paying for training or getting help, welcome to a world where everyone helps everyone else…
SEL and Accorderies
And there are different ways to take advantage of it, specialized sites on barter for example. But today I want to talk to you in particular about SEL: local exchange systems and accorderies..
The principle is simple: a local association brings together people who will exchange know-how and skills. A virtual currency is created, it generally corresponds to the time spent: one hour giving a guitar lesson = 60 units of the currency which changes name in each association. You can then take advantage of one hour of assistance with the repair of a TV in exchange for these 60 units.
From buying power to acting power
Never, the promoters of these models prefer to replace “purchasing power” by “power to act”…
And as much to tell you that there is plenty to do, here is for example a small part of the service offers offered at the Montpellier accorderie: administrative help, cleaning, help with homework, learning chess games, photoshop, Spanish, but also childcare, small crafts and piano lessons. I will stop here but the list is very very long…
A single currency: time
Exactly, and I want to tell you that it’s quite logical…it’s just that time is no longer money, and we trade it.
We recently told you about it on your France Bleu Lorraine Nord: a SEL (local exchange system) which uses an exchange value: the quetsche. A given minute of time is an earned quetsche that can be spent to benefit from a skill that you don’t have.. and that you will pay for in quetsche…in minutes!
Do you know a way to save money, or earn more money? Contact Valère Corréard.