This blog post has been edited from its original appearance. The email for Christina has been replaced with the email address for Time Trader. If you have questions please use that email.
A Time Trader has offered to serve as Help Desk personnel as we transition. Please check the FAQs posted here on the blog first. If that doesn't answer your question, you may email it to timetrader@familyservicerochester.org anytime and she will respond as quickly as possible, or you may call her at 398-2143 at the following times:
Tuesday 11/1 2:00pm - 7:30pm
Wednesday 11/2 2:00pm-4:00pm
Thursday 11/3 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Thanks Christina, for helping as we get acclimated to the new system. If she is unavailable you may also contact the Coordinator.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Is Time Trader a barter system?
In a word? No.
Bartering is a system of exchange where no money changes hands, but the goods and services are assigned a value; a monetary equivalent. So if a haircut is worth $5 in the economy, and getting your dog walked is also worth $5, you can barter with someone to exchange those services. Generally, barter is a direct reciprocity kind of exchange, too; you exchange one-on-one with the person receiving your service, or in some cases, a third person's services can be brought into the equation, but it is difficult to broaden the transaction beyond 3 people.
In a time bank, it is the time that is the currency; every person has exactly the same 24 hours in a day and there is no correlation between the monetary value of the service and the time. You simply are compensated for the time it takes you to perform a particular service. And one of the major benefits of a time bank is that direct reciprocity is not a requirement; Time Trader Sharon can earn TD$ for giving guitar lessons to Time Trader Joe. She can then spend her TD$ on yardwork, pet sitting, or massage from any other Time Trader.
Barter transactions are taxable because there is monetary equivalency; timebank transactions have been ruled tax-exempt by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Time Trader is a time bank. It is free and open to anyone who lives in Rochester, Minnesota or the surrounding area. For more information click on the links at right, visit our Facebook page, or our website at www.familyservicerochester.org/timetrader.html.
Bartering is a system of exchange where no money changes hands, but the goods and services are assigned a value; a monetary equivalent. So if a haircut is worth $5 in the economy, and getting your dog walked is also worth $5, you can barter with someone to exchange those services. Generally, barter is a direct reciprocity kind of exchange, too; you exchange one-on-one with the person receiving your service, or in some cases, a third person's services can be brought into the equation, but it is difficult to broaden the transaction beyond 3 people.
In a time bank, it is the time that is the currency; every person has exactly the same 24 hours in a day and there is no correlation between the monetary value of the service and the time. You simply are compensated for the time it takes you to perform a particular service. And one of the major benefits of a time bank is that direct reciprocity is not a requirement; Time Trader Sharon can earn TD$ for giving guitar lessons to Time Trader Joe. She can then spend her TD$ on yardwork, pet sitting, or massage from any other Time Trader.
Barter transactions are taxable because there is monetary equivalency; timebank transactions have been ruled tax-exempt by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Time Trader is a time bank. It is free and open to anyone who lives in Rochester, Minnesota or the surrounding area. For more information click on the links at right, visit our Facebook page, or our website at www.familyservicerochester.org/timetrader.html.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
You are invited
If you're not a member of Time Trader yet, please consider this your invitation.
If you are already a Time Trader, who do you know that you can personally invite to our community? There must be people you know -- in your neighborhood, in your faith community, in your workplace -- who are good at something. Could we use their talents at Time Trader? Can we offer them a benefit as well?
Right now there are many offers: for pet care, for snowblower repair, for jewelry making, for scrapbooking and paper crafts, and many more.
And there are requests: for carpet laying, for painting, for drywall work, for baking, for clerical and computer work, as well as many others.
Do you know someone with "mad skills" as Napoleon Dynamite would say? Invite them! Research tells us that people need to be presented with the concept of Time Trader 7 times before they take action and sign up. Seven times. So keep mentioning it.
Please note that we really need "handyman" type people; people who can do minor repairs, simple home improvement projects, and general home maintenance tasks. Remind them that they need only take on the jobs that fit into their lives and schedules -- we don't want to overwhelm people but we do need more people who can do these tasks in our community. I would like to have at least 3 people with these skills become members of the time bank before the end of 2011. If you know someone who fits the description, please put them in touch with me, and remember, you can earn TD$ for each person you refer who becomes a member!
Issuing an invitation is a form of welcoming, a formal way to introduce someone to our community, and a vital method of growing our community.
So, you are invited. Now who can YOU invite?
You are cordially invited
to become a part of
the Time Trader community.
To share your skills,
to build community,
to make life better for yourself
and the people around you.If you are already a Time Trader, who do you know that you can personally invite to our community? There must be people you know -- in your neighborhood, in your faith community, in your workplace -- who are good at something. Could we use their talents at Time Trader? Can we offer them a benefit as well?
Right now there are many offers: for pet care, for snowblower repair, for jewelry making, for scrapbooking and paper crafts, and many more.
And there are requests: for carpet laying, for painting, for drywall work, for baking, for clerical and computer work, as well as many others.
Do you know someone with "mad skills" as Napoleon Dynamite would say? Invite them! Research tells us that people need to be presented with the concept of Time Trader 7 times before they take action and sign up. Seven times. So keep mentioning it.
Please note that we really need "handyman" type people; people who can do minor repairs, simple home improvement projects, and general home maintenance tasks. Remind them that they need only take on the jobs that fit into their lives and schedules -- we don't want to overwhelm people but we do need more people who can do these tasks in our community. I would like to have at least 3 people with these skills become members of the time bank before the end of 2011. If you know someone who fits the description, please put them in touch with me, and remember, you can earn TD$ for each person you refer who becomes a member!
Issuing an invitation is a form of welcoming, a formal way to introduce someone to our community, and a vital method of growing our community.
So, you are invited. Now who can YOU invite?
Thursday, August 18, 2011
I feel guilty receiving TD$ for this!
Sometimes the "artificial" connections made through Time Trader become friendships. A Time Trader takes on a project for someone and they like each other. They decide to spend time together outside of Time Trader activities; they go out for coffee, they attend social events together, they go shopping.
This is EXACTLY what we want in Time Trader; people making connections and building community.
However, when a friendship develops, I am seeing a trend: people don't want to accept TD$ for things they enjoy doing, or for things they do for someone they consider a friend.
Please rethink this if you are one of those people. Some Time Traders receive services such as companionship or transportation to medical appointments. If you provide those services, even if you consider the recipient a friend, please record the transaction!
Part of the reason is here; the numbers tell our story. But there is more. We need those TD$ moving through our economy.
If you really don't want those TD$ because you feel guilty about accepting TD$ for something you enjoy doing, you can donate them. We have a Community Fund for just that purpose. You also may donate to one of our partner organizations such as the Rochester Area Family Y.
The most important thing is that we WANT you to accept the TD$. We want you to have fun while doing the service you provide for other Time Traders -- that's why we encourage people who love baking to offer baking, and people who love to do crafts to offer to do those crafts or teach them to others.
It's one of Time Banking's Core Values:
So, please record those transactions. the numbers tell our story and if you don't wish to keep the TD$ you earn you can donate them.This adds currency to our TD$ economy and keeps those TD$ circulating through our community.
This is EXACTLY what we want in Time Trader; people making connections and building community.
However, when a friendship develops, I am seeing a trend: people don't want to accept TD$ for things they enjoy doing, or for things they do for someone they consider a friend.
Please rethink this if you are one of those people. Some Time Traders receive services such as companionship or transportation to medical appointments. If you provide those services, even if you consider the recipient a friend, please record the transaction!
Part of the reason is here; the numbers tell our story. But there is more. We need those TD$ moving through our economy.
If you really don't want those TD$ because you feel guilty about accepting TD$ for something you enjoy doing, you can donate them. We have a Community Fund for just that purpose. You also may donate to one of our partner organizations such as the Rochester Area Family Y.
The most important thing is that we WANT you to accept the TD$. We want you to have fun while doing the service you provide for other Time Traders -- that's why we encourage people who love baking to offer baking, and people who love to do crafts to offer to do those crafts or teach them to others.
It's one of Time Banking's Core Values:
Social Networks
We need each other.
Networks are stronger than individuals. People helping each other reweave communities of support, strength & trust. Community is built upon sinking roots, building trust, creating networks. Special relationships are built on commitment.
So, please record those transactions. the numbers tell our story and if you don't wish to keep the TD$ you earn you can donate them.This adds currency to our TD$ economy and keeps those TD$ circulating through our community.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Hello? Hello? Anybody out there?
It's the most common complaint I receive:
People don't respond when I contact them through Community Weaver.
It's like I sent an email into a black hole.
I set up a time to meet them but they never showed up.
Yep. It's a common problem. But it has a simple solution:
Common Courtesy
Which, sadly, is not all that common anymore.
It is really important that, as a Time Trader, you respond quickly to messages you receive through Community Weaver. Really important.
We all want instant gratification. When we decide to do something, we are almost always in a hurry. So when someone contacts you through Community Weaver because you fix widgets and their widget is broken, they want to know right away if you can fix it for them or if they need to look for another widget-fixer.
As a Time Trader, one always has the right to refuse to participate in a transaction. No need to offer a reason, just please respond.
If one cannot participate in a transaction, here are some phrases that could be used in a response:
Your profile in Community Weaver is your responsibility -- check your messages regularly, and be sure your
contact information is correct. If you never check the email address where your Time Trader mail goes, think about changing it to a more convenient account -- or forward it to your primary account. Ask people to contact you via phone if you rarely check email.
It really is the complaint I hear most on a daily basis. Reply to your messages -- it is the most important thing in keeping our community active and healthy.
People don't respond when I contact them through Community Weaver.
It's like I sent an email into a black hole.
I set up a time to meet them but they never showed up.
Yep. It's a common problem. But it has a simple solution:
Common Courtesy
Which, sadly, is not all that common anymore.
It is really important that, as a Time Trader, you respond quickly to messages you receive through Community Weaver. Really important.
We all want instant gratification. When we decide to do something, we are almost always in a hurry. So when someone contacts you through Community Weaver because you fix widgets and their widget is broken, they want to know right away if you can fix it for them or if they need to look for another widget-fixer.
As a Time Trader, one always has the right to refuse to participate in a transaction. No need to offer a reason, just please respond.
If one cannot participate in a transaction, here are some phrases that could be used in a response:
- No.
- I'm sorry, that won't work with my current schedule.
- Actually, I was going to delete that offer because I am very busy right now.
- I can't do it until ______. You can either wait until then or find someone else.
- I am unavailable.
- That is not convenient for me.
- I can't accommodate your request at this time.
Your profile in Community Weaver is your responsibility -- check your messages regularly, and be sure your
contact information is correct. If you never check the email address where your Time Trader mail goes, think about changing it to a more convenient account -- or forward it to your primary account. Ask people to contact you via phone if you rarely check email.
It really is the complaint I hear most on a daily basis. Reply to your messages -- it is the most important thing in keeping our community active and healthy.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Time Trader Testimonial #1: A
Time Trader has been a great part of why I enjoy living in Rochester.
When I first came to Rochester, it was hard to meet people and feel like I belonged. Through Time Trader, I was able to feel more tied to the community. It gave me the opportunity to meet more folks through community events and individual projects. I also had a chance to learn about existing organizations, including the Rochester Area Family YMCA, Family Service Rochester, and the Farmer’s Market. A couple of the folks I’ve met through Time Trader are now friends. I got great project help assembling a swing set, gardening, and with child care among other projects. I was able to assist with event planning, which I knew was an actual skill that I had. I also learned that things I didn’t consider to be especially useful were valuable for others. For example, I was able to help someone out by sprouting seeds. It’s been a great resource. -A.
Thank you for your testimonial, A. It is great to know that one of our main goals, building community, is happening and making life more enjoyable in Rochester!
When I first came to Rochester, it was hard to meet people and feel like I belonged. Through Time Trader, I was able to feel more tied to the community. It gave me the opportunity to meet more folks through community events and individual projects. I also had a chance to learn about existing organizations, including the Rochester Area Family YMCA, Family Service Rochester, and the Farmer’s Market. A couple of the folks I’ve met through Time Trader are now friends. I got great project help assembling a swing set, gardening, and with child care among other projects. I was able to assist with event planning, which I knew was an actual skill that I had. I also learned that things I didn’t consider to be especially useful were valuable for others. For example, I was able to help someone out by sprouting seeds. It’s been a great resource. -A.
Thank you for your testimonial, A. It is great to know that one of our main goals, building community, is happening and making life more enjoyable in Rochester!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Please record ALL transactions. Here's why:
Recently a number of Time Traders have recorded multiple transactions that took place over a month or two in one day.
This doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. Why?
Because Time Trader is dependent on those numbers, and it helps that they are recorded in a timely fashion.
Each month, around the 8th, I sit down and run a report in Community Weaver. The report details the transactions for the previous month. Every TD$ exchanged is recorded, along with the people or groups involved in the transaction. The numbers are then entered into a spreadsheet and provided to my supervisors at Family Service Rochester and, ultimately, the Board of Directors.
The numbers tell the board how many new members have joined Time Trader. Board members can see not only how many TD$ were exchanged in transactions, but how many people participated in a transaction that month. They can see how many transactions involved Family Service Rochester, FSR Meals on Wheels, or FSR Right at Home Solutions. They also can see how Time Trader builds community by bringing together people who need services (like Meals on Wheels) and people who can provide those services.
In the future, we hope to use those reports and the numbers in them to help us demonstrate growth in the program, to show the impact Time Trader has had on programs FSR runs, and possibly in grant applications.
If you have transactions to record, it's ok to record them all at once; just be sure to record each individual transaction (not 8 TD$ for a "miscellaneous" transaction, but 2TD$ for gardening and 6TD$ for home organizing, for example), and try to have them recorded by the 7th of the following month.
And if you have developed a friendship or relationship with someone through Time Trader and you used to record TD$ but now you just watch each other's children or do mending for each other informally, it is still important to record those transactions. While it is wonderful that we have friendships which have grown out of Time Trader, it is ultimately the numbers that tell our story, and the numbers which can help us grow and flourish as a community.
This doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. Why?
Because Time Trader is dependent on those numbers, and it helps that they are recorded in a timely fashion.
Each month, around the 8th, I sit down and run a report in Community Weaver. The report details the transactions for the previous month. Every TD$ exchanged is recorded, along with the people or groups involved in the transaction. The numbers are then entered into a spreadsheet and provided to my supervisors at Family Service Rochester and, ultimately, the Board of Directors.
The numbers tell the board how many new members have joined Time Trader. Board members can see not only how many TD$ were exchanged in transactions, but how many people participated in a transaction that month. They can see how many transactions involved Family Service Rochester, FSR Meals on Wheels, or FSR Right at Home Solutions. They also can see how Time Trader builds community by bringing together people who need services (like Meals on Wheels) and people who can provide those services.
In the future, we hope to use those reports and the numbers in them to help us demonstrate growth in the program, to show the impact Time Trader has had on programs FSR runs, and possibly in grant applications.
If you have transactions to record, it's ok to record them all at once; just be sure to record each individual transaction (not 8 TD$ for a "miscellaneous" transaction, but 2TD$ for gardening and 6TD$ for home organizing, for example), and try to have them recorded by the 7th of the following month.
And if you have developed a friendship or relationship with someone through Time Trader and you used to record TD$ but now you just watch each other's children or do mending for each other informally, it is still important to record those transactions. While it is wonderful that we have friendships which have grown out of Time Trader, it is ultimately the numbers that tell our story, and the numbers which can help us grow and flourish as a community.
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