h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Whilst travelling through some of the more rural areas of Tanzania and Kenya I found that Biros are a superb bargaining tool. Normal Bic biros like you get in packs of fifty can be used to great effect haggling the price of anything.

I was also offered a giant giraffe wood carving for my baseball cap.

There must be many things that are cheap and freely available in the West that can be used in this way, any ideas?

Socks - for three pairs of black socks I got a carved Hippo, a henna tattoo and a coconut drink.

Having done this, I did feel incredibly guilty - after all, the socks cost me next to nothing and the stuff I got in return was most probably worth more than my crusty socks...

Porno magazines used to be excellent barter, at least in Communist countries.

Alcohol is also a universal currency. If you're on a sailboat with lots of beer, and you ever come across a ship from a fishing fleet, you can probably get some nice nautical souvenirs in trade.

I would expect that carrying quantities of porn around to barter with is going to cause more problems than it solves

I found that having an English accent sometimes gets you a discount at hotdog vans in Toronto.

The porno trick works best with border guards, so you can beat a clear retreat if it blows up in your face.