When it doesn’t make sense in your budget to buy new clothes, books or DVDs, you may think you’re stuck with what you already have. But a number of Web sites allow you to swap items with other people for free.

The concept is considered part of “sustainable living,” meaning that you’re using items that already exist rather than consuming additional resources. That makes swapping stuff environmentally friendly as well as economical. As an added bonus, you get to clear out your closets and shelves of items you’re not using – making room for more newly swapped stuff!

A few of the swapping sites out there include:
Paperbackswap.com – a book trading site. Members can keep any book they receive. Anytime they mail a book to someone else, they can request a book for themselves. Despite the name, the site does not just trade in paperbacks. It also offers hardback books, audio books, textbooks and more.


Swapadvd.com – a DVD exchange site. Post DVDs that you own but no longer want to keep, and you can swap with other members for their DVDs.

All of these sites offer free registration. The only cost for most swap sites is the cost of mailing items you are swapping to the recipient who has requested those items. There is usually no cost to shop for, request or receive items.