Heather's Adventure Bartering Her Way Across the USA

Trading skills, transporting pigs, and building a life of freedom on the open road.

What if instead of budgeting your way around the world, you bartered your way through it?

In this episode of Stacking Adventures, hosts Joe Saul-Sehy and Crystal Hammond sit down with travel writer and full-time nomad Heather Jacks, who has turned bartering into an art form while living in her beloved bus, Bubba.

From growing up on Indian land to crossing the Australian outback, from working at Starbucks to navigating the uncertainty of the COVID era on the road, Heather shares how she’s learned to trade what she has—her words, her work ethic, even her typing skills—for what she needs.

You’ll hear:

• How she bartered her way across the country, including one story that involves a pig and a gas tank

• Clever ways to swap your skills for essentials while traveling

• The emotional and logistical ups and downs of life on the move

• How she handled moments of risk, including a brush with robbery in Nashville

• What she’s learned about resilience, reinvention, and staying curious in a world that doesn’t always go to plan

Whether you’re dreaming of life on the road or just want a few creative ideas for living well on less, Heather’s story is full of resourceful inspiration and unforgettable moments.

Because sometimes the best currency isn’t cash—it’s creativity.