Trading without Money

How the Talent Exchange works

• Trading in Talents works via the CES website – an online system that keeps track of your account
• Sign up for a free account, and join a Talent Exchange closest to where you live. www.ces.org.za
• You add a service, skill, or item to sell, as a way of contributing and earning Talents
• When you buy something, you give the seller your TE number and the seller enters the transaction online
• Your account is debited and theirs is credited. No bank and no money required
• The units of exchange, called Talents, are pegged at the local currency, so we all have the idea of value
• When people buy your offering, you debit their account and your account is credited
• This credit can be exchanged for anything offered by other CES members
• The system is completely transparent. You can see if someone is abusing the system

How trading works at Learning Clan

• For an entire week we make this a no-Rands event, that is, to trade only in Talents
• In this way we learn how to trade off-the-money-grid, and about relying on our community for our needs
• You can transact instantly on the CES phone app or record sales on paper and enter when you get home.
• When you want to buy something, give your name and TE number and amount to the seller
• The seller enters the transactions into the Exchange debiting your account.
• You will be notified by email when the transaction is recorded
• If you have accumulated Talents – you can then spend them on the goods and services available on the CES
• If you are in debit, you must offer your skills, services or goods to balance your account back to zero

Important things to know

• When you join the Exchange, you will be asked  to add an offering to the Exchange
• Your offering on the Exchange  is not necessarily the one you offer at the Festival.
• If you buy things for Talents, either on the Exchange or at the Festival, you must also earn Talents, otherwise you are only taking services from the community and not giving
• Everyone should bring something to sell at the Festival. This can be goods or services or a skill, or food – make a little, spend a little, and everything flows
• You can opt not to buy anything, but then what will you learn about living and contributing in community?
• If it is your first time – please do sign up well beforehand on the Exchange. You should at least have familiarized yourself with the Talent Exchange before arriving.
• Anyone currently in the red should attempt to balance their account before attending TLC. 
  a) enter something to sell, or a service, or skill, on the Exchange
  b) attend a local Talent Market and sell something – Email Claudia for details: 
  c) finding someone who may be interested in selling some of their excess Talents for cash
• All accounts are transparent – so it’s easy to see who is abusing the system