After taking off in Whakatane, the TimeBanking phenomenon is gaining momentum in the Western Bay, offering locals the chance to trade skills, time and resources among each other.
All members - including individuals, schools and businesses - have an online account where they can access their balance of time credits.
One hour of work is equivalent to one time credit.
A member could earn five credits for five hours of gardening and spend them on two hours of a guitar lesson, one hour of baby-sitting, one hour of massage and the final hour to hire somebody's trailer.
Otago University PhD student Emma McGuirk - who is completing her PhD in social anthropology looking at the emergence of TimeBanks around New Zealand - was in Tauranga last week to meet TimeBanking co-ordinators from Tauranga, Waihi and Whakatane.