If you’re looking for ways to keep yourself occupied during lockdown, then it might be time to learn a new skill. With Christmas around the corner money may be tight, but with skill swapping, you can stay busy and learn new things for free.
What is skill swapping?
Skill swapping is giving an hour of your time, teaching someone something you can do, and receiving an hour of someone else’s in exchange. Bartering and skill swapping is having a resurgence during lockdown; you can do a huge amount of skill swapping remotely, and there’s no money exchanged.
How do you get started?
First of all, you have to think about what you have to offer other skills swappers. Playing an instrument, speaking a language, coding, web development, copywriting, photography, tutoring, marketing, gardening - almost any hobby or work experience can be turned into a skill you can swap with someone.
Then have a think about something you’d like to learn. The sky really is the limit here; dancing, singing, Excel, chess, CV consultation, illustration - if you can dream it, it’s pretty likely you’ll be able to do it. Then all you need to do is sign up to a website, and get searching.
Skill swapping websites
Barter and Be is a unique website for female entrepreneurs to trade skills and services with each other. As a business-to-business swapping website, you are required to apply for membership, and pay a monthly fee when you’re accepted. However, Barter and Be only accept memberships from individuals with specific qualifications in their chosen area, so you know you’re always working with one of their 600+ professionals. They also offer a 7 day free trial.
Our top find: Brand design
Letswap is a sleek social platform, designed to help match people who are looking for skills. It’s currently in Beta, which means you can get access for free at the moment. Download their mobile application, make an account and select the skills you have from a list, as well as the skills that you’re looking to pick up. Just like a dating app, Letswap then gives you a list of matches to swipe through. You can then start a conversation, and set up a meeting remotely.
Our top find: 3D Design
Swaprs launched in August of this year, and is a great little website if you’re looking for services and items. You can upload different things that you’re looking for, as well as offering, and then browse through their marketplace to find items and services you’d like. When you find a listing you like, you just click ‘Request Swap’ and fill in the form. You can also use their instant messaging service to negotiate the swap.
Our top find: Basketball Techniques
Skill Harbour is a unique skill swapping website as it doesn’t require direct swapping; instead when you donate your time you accrue ‘skillhours’, which you can then spend on different skills. It’s free to become a member, just make an account and post the skill you’re offering. You also receive 3 skillhours for signing up, so you can get straight to searching through their website to find what you’d like to learn.
Our top find: Unicycling
Skillbound is a well established skill swapping website, which is unique in that it does allow you to pay for skills as well as swap a skill for them. To get started just make an account, and select your skill from an extensive drop down menu. You also have to identify your skill level; basic, good or expert. After that, you can browse Skillbound for the skills that you want to swap for.
Our top find: Solving the Rubiks Cube
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