How a TikToker Traded Her Way From a Bobby Pin to Her Dream House

This article appeared in pinkpossible.com and has been published here with permission.

In what can probably be called a feat of miraculous proportions and a test of determination and patience, one woman named Demi Skipper went with her dream - to trade a bobby pin all the way up to a house. It might sound impossible, but Demi made it work, all under one and a half years. Wondering how? Read on to know the glorious story of Demi and her Trade Me Project.

The Lady in Question

30-year-old Demi Skipper became an overnight social media sensation when she started her Trade Me Project on TikTok. The San Francisco resident aimed to trade her way from a singular small item all the way up to a house!

And guess what she used as the starter object? A one-cent bobby pin which she listed on Craigslist! It's true that you can truly achieve great things - even with the humblest of beginnings.

The Inspiration Behind it All

This project was inspired by Kyle McDonald, a famous blogger, who brought forth this concept in 2005. Over the course of 14 transactions, he managed to get a two-story farmhouse, even after starting the trade with a single red paperclip.

Kyle was hailed as a star for completing this feat, even going on to give a TED Talk regarding his experience and all he learned. Demi watched a video of his and was inspired to do something similar.

The Journey Overview

Along the way, Demi followed a couple of rules to keep things running smoothly. Her two major ones were that no money should be exchanged in the name of trade, and the second was that she couldn't trade with somebody she already knew.

It took her just around one and a half years to get to her ultimate goal of getting a house in her trade! Here are the 28 trades that Demi made to get her hands on the end prize.

Trade One - Earrings

For her first foray into the world of trading, Demi listed her bobby pin, which actually cost all of one cent, on Craigslist. Since this was her first trade, she didn't have much hope, but the response turned out to be better than anticipated.

A woman reached out to Demi, agreeing to swap the bobby pin for a set of gorgeous pink earrings, which were worth $10 - almost a thousand times the price of the Bobby pin!