In very simple terms, a Time Trade is a community system where you help someone, earn time credits and then use the credits to get the help you need from someone else.

For example, if you spend 3 hours gardening for someone else, you earn 3 time credits. You can then use those 3 time credits to receive help from someone else in the community. 

If you don't want to use the time credits right away, you can save them in the "bank" until you have more to spend. But you don't want to save them for too long, because the Time Trade is healthiest when people are earning and spending frequently.

Everyone's time is equal no matter what each hour is spent doing!

Examples are limitless, but some ideas of what you can GIVE or RECEIVE include piano lessons, painting, help with moving house, childcare, snow shovelling, yoga lessons, a ride to the grocery store or appointments, photography, learning how to do canning, computer work, haircutting, manicures/pedicures/facials, handiwork or small home repairs, gardening, learning to play chess, preparing meals for someone with ingredients that were already purchased, bicycle repairs, pet care, etc etc etc.

When you sign up as a member, you'll complete a checklist to tell us what things you are willing to do for other people, and you will also tell us when you are most available to do those things (weekdays, evenings, weekends). All this information will go into a "database" that helps match time givers with time receivers.

Then you can browse the "ads" of people looking for help and you can respond to those ads, or you can post an ad yourself to tell others what you need help with. It is all self-managed on a website, but if you ever need help or if you don't have a computer, you can call the Time Trade Coordinator for assistance.