How to do it:

It’s basically a formalized co-op for labor. Members “bank” time for the things they’re good at or enjoy doing, from chores to tutoring or help with errands. They can “spend” those hours on things other people like to do, scheduled as is convenient for everyone involved. Of course there are complications. What if someone never “pays back” their time? Or does poor work? You’ll need some rules and infrastructure, and that’s where TimeBanking.org comes in.

They provide infrastructure, already worked out. It includes guidance on activities that should NOT be timebanked, advice about insurance for larger groups, and even a handbook with rules to protect members and insure fairness. They even commissioned software to help track time! If you want to start a large neighborhood group, we strongly recommend spending some time with their site. While they are UK based, the ideas can easily enough be adapted.

Keep it simple!

You don’t have to launch an entire organization, though! This is SIMPLE resistance, so start small. If you have a friend group that lives close to each other, ask if folks are interested. Choose people who would already trade favors. Tracking can be as simple as a Google doc where everyone tracks tasks and times. Start with who gave and who received (no need to track the task—all time is equal) and try to keep things in balance.