Top 4 Trades of August 2026

Skincare services purchased with trade offer a practical way to prioritize self-care for yourself or others in your life. August can be a challenging month for business owners and employees alike: summer schedules are winding down, back-to-school expenses are adding pressure, and the demands of running a business can leave little time or budget for personal care. You could help your employees feel refreshed and appreciated before the busy fall season or provide a thoughtful perk for top performers—give them a reason to invest in themselves because of their hard work! By bartering your business’s goods or services for trade dollars, you can fund skincare treatments while preserving cash for other end-of-summer and upcoming fall expenses.

Magazine advertising can turn the challenge of justifying another marketing expense when budgets tighten into an opportunity. Especially when summer slows demand, budgets are tightening, and attention shifts toward preparing for the final quarter. By keeping your business visible while competitors pull back, you'll reach customers as they begin to plan fall and holiday purchases. Your brand will be reinforced before the busy season, and you'll put your business in front of a targeted audience in a credible, tangible format. Instead of paying cash for that advertising, bartering your business’s products or services for trade dollars allows you to use what you already sell to fund the campaign, preserving your cash flow while still investing in the visibility your business needs to finish the year strong.

When unexpected plumbing repairs put a strain on your cash flow, seasonal maintenance needs to be completed before fall, or you’re preparing your property for a busy season. Your business can barter its own products or services through IMS Barter instead of paying cash for necessary plumbing services. When you pay with earned trade dollars, your cash stays untouched for other business expenses outside of the barter network. Whether you need to address a lingering repair before it becomes a bigger problem, upgrade outdated plumbing, prepare a commercial property for increased activity, or simply take care of a project you’ve been putting off, trading what your business already sells can help you get the work done while conserving your cash.

Our clients were investing in new flooring in August. The cash cost of flooring can make it easy to put the project off. Summer wear and tear, preparing a rental property for fall tenants, refreshing a business before the busy season, or finally tackling a home renovation before the holidays can all create a need for new flooring. Instead of putting the project on hold or using valuable cash reserves, barter your company’s goods or services for trade dollars and use those trade dollars toward flooring. You'll have the financial leeway to address needed improvements, prepare your property for the months ahead, and make a significant purchase without taking the full expense out of pocket.

We're putting our trade dollars on what's coming next month—travel! When you book a trip through the IMS Travel Department in September, you'll earn a 10% trade rebate (up to $1,000). Please contact your IMS broker with any questions.