If you dye your own hair, you know how hard it is to do it yourself. If you’re a mom, your window of opportunity to do the deed is often only when your baby is asleep.

What if your friend came over to dye your hair for you, and you repaid her by giving her a massage or clothes for her baby? It’s a question I’ve wondered myself.

More stay-at-home moms are finding that bartering among themselves allows them to ride through a rough recession and still afford the basic things their families need, like clothing, games and backpacks for their kids.

In Johnston County, Tammy Bunn runs Barter4Kids, a service where parents can donate used children's clothing, baby slings, nursing pillows, book bags, sporting equipment, toys, bedding, strollers and more, and earn bartering credits toward other items they need that are donated by other parents, WRAL reports. Bunn runs the service out of her garage. She and her husband, William, have seven children, and their happy family photos give their site a personal touch that moms can relate to. The shots capture their daughter Sarah with Dad before her junior prom, their son Jason playing guitar with his band, and their young Jesse smiling widely as she plays outdoors dressed in her Easter best, complete with a flower tucked behind her ear.

On Barter4Kids, the couple say they know that times are hard right now so they wanted to give parents a simple and affordable solution to “buying" clothing for their kids. The group’s members include moms who live in Raleigh, Garner, Clayton, Zebulon and Knightdale.

 Do you have any services that you think you could barter with other moms? If you do, tell us about them. Do you already barter for goods in the Triangle? Let us know what you think of bartering. — Written by Odile Fredericks, Carolina Parent Web Editor

Is the recession hitting your family hard? Find out how to Teach Kids Wise Money Habits for Tough Economic Times.