KTKA

"Forget the doom and gloom," said Walt Pursell, owner of Walt's Auto Service Plus in Topeka. "There is a lot of businesses that are doing well."

And that includes Walt Pursell's auto repair shop.

One reason behind his success in the recession is using barter to purchase goods and services.

It's all through the Tradebank of Topeka.

"If people want to stay competitive in an economy like this Tradebank is a terrific way to do it," said Nick Baumgartner, owner of Tradebank of Topeka & Lawrence. "Take your unused inventory and turn it into something you can spend."

Here's how it works.

For example, let's say I sell shoes for $10 and you sell shoe laces for $4. I want to buy 100 shoe laces from you, but you don't need shoes from me. I can still buy those shoe laces from you and pay you $400 in trade dollars. There doesn't have to be a direct exchange for the barter to work.

Trade dollars are transferred automatically into client's accounts. Then they can use a debit card to purchase other goods and services like car repair.

Topeka Tradebank Owner Nick Baumgartner says there are 160 local businesses where trade dollars can be used including restaurants, furniture and lawyers.

He says Topeka is the fastest-growing region in the country for businesses using barter.

"We're starting to feel the effects of the left and right coasts right now," he said. "That trickle down toward the Midwest, now Tradebank looks like a real good alternative for a lot of businesses."

Nick says businesses spend, on average, $500 a month in trade dollars they don't spend in cash.

On Tuesday, Walt traded about $1,200 worth of lighting with another Tradebank business.

He says using barter has doubled his advertising, which has doubled his car count.

And that keeps the cash coming in to pay other expenses and keep his business running.

"This is probably going to be one of the better years we've ever had," he said.