1010 Ways To Buy Without Money was born in Barcelona previous weeks before the International Book Day (23rd April 2011). The objective was to celebrate this day focusing mostly on its cultural and social aspect and making it possible that everybody, without exception, could have the possibility to participate.
We beared in mind some questions:

Why had the “Book Day” become the “Buying a Book Day”? Could this day be celebrated without this commercial side? Could we make it accessible to everyone to acquire a book during the International Book Day without money?

On one hand, it’s about understanding that we cannot buy everything and that there’s nothing wrong with it (that’s why there are some prices that aren’t “suitable for all pockets”: for example, there’s a book whose price is “Quit Smoking” and obviously if you don’t smoke you can’t pay it). But, it doesn’t matter. There are many other books available.
By the same token, the great majority of us need to learn to get rid of objects that we don’t use and that others might be willing to have, or simply, just learning to share things.

From this first boost, the project has kept on growing to the point of setting a deeper reflection:

THINGS ARE NOT FREE (to make them you need resources, knowledge, time and effort).
THINGS CAN BE BOUGHT WITHOUT MONEY (There is a non-monetary economic movement that some call “Invisible Capitalism”)

Originally, the initiative was born in La Casa de Carlitos y Patricia as a disinterested collaborative project by the companies, collectives and people that shared the studio space and dreams in April 2011: The advertising agency Carlitos y Patricia, Wabi-Sabi inspiration Lab and the collective Por la Cara.
In following editions, new collaborators and companies that have participated by donating materials or books have joined this project.
We hope that many more join up and make this project grow and maintain its “Without Money” spirit. (At the moment the collaborators are covering all the expenses that are not covered by the donations or exchanges.)

But anyway, we can always talk about ”altruism egoism”, as all the collaborators receive an enormous payment with the smiles and recognition of all those who buy without money.

The intention is to extend the event to as many cities as possible around the world, and that loads of stuff can be sold without money.

We would also like it for brands and companies to begin selling cars, products, services and why not flats without money.

All books, without exception, are donated.
Last year we had more than 500 books donated by friends, unknown people, Schools and Colleges like ELISAVA and organizations like El Club de Creativos or the adg-FAD.
We are also working with editorials and authors for them to donate their books.

Objectives mentioned before:

• Reach as many cities as possible.
• Getting books donated by their authors
• Open www.1010waystobuywithoutmoney.org to extend the project
• Generating a collective of collaborators connected through different social profiles
• Attract companies and organisations so they support the project.

Answering the question “do you consider this a way of selling, according to the Oxford Thesaurus Dictionary:

Sell.

v.1. sell their house put up for sale, put on sale, dispose of, vend, auction off, trade, bartet.
2. traders selling fruit and vegetables trade in, deal in, be in the business of, traffic in, stock, carry, offer for sale, market, handle, peddle, hawk.

(Note: the word money is not mentioned in any of the sentences)