Blueprint of a First Year

Bartering for an iPhone

by NAILS Magazine | May 18, 2011 | Bookmark +

I recently have been debating over what company I want to go with to start taking credit cards again. I haven’t taken credit or debit cards in about four years due to the high cost on my end. I do however understand that few people carry cash anymore and less and less people are writing checks. People are happy to go paperless whenever they can. The two options that I've narrowed it down to are the application on the iPhone that allows you to take credit cards and punch them in manually or The Square, which actually allows you to scan a credit card.

Both options are perfect for my business and income; however, both options require me to upgrade my current phone, which is in perfectly good working order. I decided to start squirreling away my tip money, which is what I usually do when I would like to make a larger purchase that is outside of my monthly work or personal budgets. But of course as soon as I start doing this other expenses come up. My car registration is due (which seems to go up every year, instead of down like the value of my car) and I have to get my car smog-checked this year in addition to the regular fee. Then, I had to pay for my massage and esthetic insurance. The easy part of that is both of these types of insurance get paid together and I thank God that ABMP/ASCP is a great value for my money year after year. The downfall is these necessary expenses keep leaving me with nothing leftover to purchase a new phone.

Enter: a very wonderful and thoughtful friend/client.

“Karyn, I decided to upgrade my old iPhone 3 and buy the new iPhone 4. I know that you want an iPhone. Do you think we can work out a trade or something?”

“That would be lovely. Is $100 reasonable?”

“Yes, can I trade for services like brow waxes and pedicures?”

“Absolutely!”

Conclusion: I get a new phone and can start taking credit cards and debit cards again, widening up my clientele base, and Lauren gets to save some money this summer on services she already likes to get. Everyone wins.

—Karyn, Body Skin and Nails by Karyn, Roseville, Calif.

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