A couple of true stories about the benefits and power of the Internet’s trust economy:

1. A few years ago, we wanted to buy a bicycle rack for our car but didn’t want to cough up $100 to $200 for a new one. We looked through Craigslist, and found someone selling one $20 but it meant driving to the heart suburbia to pick it up.

Well, $20 is a damn good deal so we agreed to meet at a coffee shop when the exchange would happen. Lo and behold, the person shows up with the bike rack, and happily takes my $20. Win-win.

2. Among other things, my wife is a master of home economics. In the last couple of years, she has rented our house while we go away on vacation – usually finding people on Craigslist.

Over the past few years, we’ve had families from The Netherlands, California and Spain, who have been happy to live in a comfortable house rather than stay at a hotel – and save lots of money.

As much as spam and scams tend to dominate the headlines when it comes to the Web, there’s a vibrant trust economy happening that never ceases to amaze.