Since we've had to start paying for day care, we've become poor. Not to mention the 70 mile one-way commute to work with the ever rising gas prices. Man, I would LOVE to be able to ride to work . . . but that's another thread.

Anyways, we've become buddies with a local sport store owner and we barter. I do graphic design work for in-store credits. And then his wife needed a road bike and we just happened to have one for sale (not that I condone selling old bikes, but we have 9 bikes for just 2 of us) . . . now we have a burley and a kelty back pack.

I know not everyone can barter, but sometimes a little creative thinking can get you over those financial hurdles.