TikToker trades hairpin for a house in viral 2-year experiment

Virginia Glaze
TikToker trades bobby pin for house in viral project

TikToker Demi Skipper managed to trade her way from a hairpin to a house in a two-year experiment that is taking social media by storm.

TikTok is a haven for viral content of all kinds — but one woman’s mission to get a house through trading everyday items like a hairpin is dropping jaws all across the internet.

30-year-old Demi Skipper started her experiment two years ago, starting off with a single hairpin.

However, she laid out firm rules for this project: She couldn’t spend any money, and she couldn’t trade with anyone she knew (and who might be sympathetic toward her cause).

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Along the way, Skipper traded her way up from the hairpin to an iPhone 11 Pro Max, a 2008 Dodge Caravan, an electric bike, a MacBook Pro, and even a Chipotle Celebrity card, which grants users $20,000 worth of free Chipotle for a year.

Although some items were harder to give away than others — Skipper ended up getting the celebrity card after haggling with Chipotle for three tractors — she managed to score a solar-powered trailer.

TikToker trades her way to home ownership

The solar-powered trailer ended up being her last chip in the game. A house-flipper decided to trade Skipper for a $79,800 home in Clarksville, Tennessee for the trailer.

TradeMeProject hairpin
Demi Skipper, the mastermind behind the ‘Trade me Project,’ managed to trade her way from a single hairpin to a $79,800 home in Tennessee.

The house boasts two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a backyard — and although Skipper claims it’s a fixer-upper, she’s elated at finally getting to the end of her two-year long goal.

“Even on the flight I was preparing for something to go wrong, but it totally worked. Now I’ve got the keys and the deed, and there’s not a mortgage or rent. It’s just a house that’s fully mine,” the TikToker told Good Morning America.

Click here if TikTok fails to load.

Skipper was inspired to start her trading journey after watching the similar story of Kyle MacDonald, who traded his way from a red paperclip toward a house in 2005.

She’s not done yet, though; now, Skipper wants to be the first person to trade their way up to a house twice. Considering the viral success of her first attempt, there’s no telling how interesting her eventual second try will turn out.

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About The Author

Virginia is Dexerto's Entertainment Editor and an expert in all things TikTok, YouTube, and influencer-related. Boasting a background in esports, she's been tackling the social media space for over five years. You can reach Virginia at: virginia.glaze@dexerto.com.