Meet Kyle MacDonald, American man who used a red paperclip to own a house worth $50,000.
In 2005, a broke 26-year-old named Kyle MacDonald set out to achieve a seemingly impossible goal: to trade a simple red paperclip, worth just $0.01, all the way up to a house valued at $50,000. His only rule? No money involved—just trades.
What inspired Kyle MacDonald?
Inspired by the childhood game “Bigger and Better,” where kids swap small items for something bigger or more valuable, Kyle used the concept in real life. So, on July 14, 2005, he posted a photo of his red paperclip on Craigslist, offering it in exchange for something “bigger or better.”
What all did Kyle MacDonald trade?
His first trade? The paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. Two women from Vancouver wanted to be part of what they saw as history in the making, and the value of Kyle’s item jumped from $0.01 to $10.
From there, the trades snowballed: the pen became a hand-sculpted doorknob, the doorknob became a Coleman stove, and the stove turned into a Honda generator. Each trade found someone who valued Kyle’s item more than what they were giving up.
Kyle traded the $1,000 generator for a neon sign and an empty keg—a quirky “Instant Party” kit. What seemed like a step back was actually a stroke of genius. Kyle realized he wasn’t just trading objects; he was trading attention. And attention, as it turned out, was priceless.
As Kyle’s project gained traction, it captured the attention of local news, then national media. The trades grew wilder and more valuable: a snowmobile became a trip to Yahk, British Columbia, the trip became a box truck, the truck turned into a recording contract, and that contract became a year’s rent in Phoenix.
When Kyle MacDonald traded with rock legend Alice Cooper
The turning point came when Kyle traded the year’s rent for an afternoon with rock legend Alice Cooper. That meeting led to a KISS motorized snow globe, which caught the eye of Hollywood actor and snow globe collector Corbin Bernsen. Bernsen offered Kyle a role in a movie in exchange for the globe.
In a masterstroke, Kyle found a town that wanted fame more than real estate: Kipling, Saskatchewan. The town offered him a two-story farmhouse in exchange for the movie role. Kipling got its moment of fame, and Kyle got his house. It was a win-win.
On July 12, 2006—exactly one year and 14 trades later—Kyle MacDonald moved into his new home. What started as a wild idea with a red paperclip had turned into a life-changing journey across 10 countries and countless news headlines.
Kyle’s story is more than just a tale of clever bartering. It’s a rediscovery of an ancient practice in a cash-driven world. Bartering isn’t just about exchanging goods; it’s about human connection, stories, and relationships that often carry more value than money ever could.
Kyle’s journey didn’t just end with a house. It launched a book deal, a speaking career, and a story that inspired millions. From a simple paperclip, Kyle MacDonald traded up to a new life.