Trade Me Project
| Trade Me Project | |
|---|---|
A bobby pin, like this one, was the item Skipper offered in her first trade | |
| Created by | Demi Skipper |
| Inspired by | One Red Paperclip |
| Original release | |
| Network | TikTok |
| Release | May 18, 2020 – present |
The Trade Me Project was a TikTok account created by Demi Skipper that sought to trade a bobby pin for a house.[1] The project began as a TikTok series on May 18, 2020.[2] The idea for the project is based on the project by Kyle MacDonald that traded a red paperclip for a house. The idea is not to directly trade a bobby pin for a house, but rather to trade each item for a new item of slightly higher value.[3]
The series concluded in December 2021 when Demi Skipper made her last trade for a house, with a total of 28 trades having been made. Skipper states that she plans to renovate the house, and then "trade the house for a bobby-pin". Adding, "I'm going to give the house away to somebody who really needs it".[3][4] She has also said that, after giving the house away, she plans to attempt it a second time.[5]
Trades
Skipper took 28 trades and around a year and a half to trade her way up from the bobby pin to the house.[6] She had imposed a rule on the trades that they could not be made with any person she already knew, and that money could not be used in any transaction.[2] However, she would cover shipping expenses when they applied.[7] Skipper said she spent hours researching trades, which she contrasted with the short-form nature of her TikTok posts that were one minute long.[8] Skipper also noted the trust necessary for the project to work, hoping that others would follow through with trades after items were shipped out. She said that no one had ever scammed her in such a way.[9] The initial trades were made around San Francisco, before including trades made across the United States. The final trade was for a house outside Nashville, Tennessee on November 26, 2021.[10][11]
The trades had some controversies among her fans. Her choice to trade a set of three tractors for Chipotle Celebrity Cards, valued at about $20,000, drew criticism from her followers. Viewers said she would never be able to trade it with someone for an item of comparable value. She later traded the card for an off-the-grid home worth about $40,000.[12]
The final trade came from a viewer of Skipper's; she was a house flipper. She had been waiting for the "right trade" to make an offer.[12]
List of Trades
| Trade No. | Item | Value (USD) | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby pin | 0.01 | [5] |
| 2 | Pair of Mary Sol earrings | 10 | |
| 3 | 4 margarita glasses | 24 | |
| 4 | Bissel vacuum cleaner | 60 | |
| 5 | Snowboard | 95 | |
| 6 | Apple TV 4K | 180 | |
| 7 | Bose noise-cancelling wireless headphones | 220 | |
| 8 | X-Box One (including accessories) | 320 | |
| 9 | Macbook Pro | 400 | |
| 10 | Canon T6 camera (including accessories) | 550 | |
| 11 | Nike Blazer shoes | 750 | |
| 12 | Nike Hyperdunk shoes | 850 | |
| 13 | Nike Air Jordan 1 shoes | 950 | |
| 14 | iPhone 11 Pro Max | 1,050 | |
| 15 | 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan | 1,000 | |
| 16 | Boosted Plus electric skateboard | 1,200 | |
| 17 | Macbook Pro (newer than in previous trade) | 1,800 | |
| 18 | Food cart bike | 3,800 | |
| 19 | 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible | 5,000 | |
| 20 | Diamond and sapphire necklace | 1,600 | |
| 21 | Peloton bike | 1,800 | |
| 22 | 2006 Ford Mustang GT Deluxe | 4,500 | |
| 23 | 2011 Jeep Patriot Sport | 6,000 | |
| 24 | Tiny cabin | 10,000 | |
| 25 | 2011 Honda CR-V | 11,500 | |
| 26 | 3 tractor trailers | 12,600 | |
| 27 | Chipotle Celebrity Cards | 18,250 | |
| 28 | Off-grid trailer | 40,000 | |
| 29 | House | 80,000 |
Reactions
Skipper's account received one million followers within the first week.[13]
She received help from her fans storing and transporting items throughout the duration of the project. She also received several negative comments from others. She thanked her husband for supporting her throughout the journey, and said that the negative comments added to her resolve to complete the project so she could prove them wrong.[14] Skipper stated she would receive 1,000 messages on Instagram every day, often with offers to support the project without proposing a trade.[7]
References
- ^ "How To Trade-up From A Bobby Pin To A House : The Indicator from Planet Money". NPR.org. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
- ^ a b Free, Cathy (August 20, 2020). "A guy once swapped a paper clip to get a house. This woman is trying to do the same". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
- ^ a b "A TikToker with a bobby pin made 28 trades for a house. Now, she plans to do it all over again". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ^ Fernández, Abbey (January 15, 2022). "'Trade Me Project' TikToker Looks to Trade Home for Bobby Pin". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Winters, Mike (December 22, 2021). "This TikToker started with a 1¢ bobby pin and bartered it all the way up to an $80,000 house". CNBC. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ "Trade Me Project: TikToker's 28-swap journey gets her a Tennessee home from just a bobby pin". ABC13 Houston. December 14, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Tailor, Neelam (May 12, 2021). "Trading up: one woman's quest to swap a hairpin for a house". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
- ^ Yamada, Haley (July 8, 2020). "Woman hopes her 'trade me' project will turn her bobby pin into a house". ABC News. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
- ^ Detrow, Scott (December 19, 2021). "A TikTok user traded a bobby pin for a house". NPR. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ "TikToker Demi Skipper trades up from a hairpin to a house". December 16, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2025.
- ^ "TikToker Demi Skipper trades up her hair pin to a house in 28 swaps | Virgin Radio UK". virginradio.co.uk. December 17, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ a b Tailor, Neelam (December 11, 2021). "From hairpin to house: woman who mastered 'trading up' realizes dream". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
- ^ Cicchiello, Christopher (October 5, 2020). "Meet the woman bringing the 'trade up' challenge to the TikTok generation". TODAY.com. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
- ^ Prager, Sarah. "I traded my way from a bobby pin to a house and gained 5 million TikTok followers in the process — here's how". Business Insider. Retrieved November 29, 2025.