In "down east" Maine, a group of colorful locals known as "dickerers" live on their own terms - no time clocks, no bosses, no rules. How? By scouring Uncle Henry's - a local magazine filled with classified ads - and wheeling and dealing their way through its pages of odd jobs, crazy barters, offbeat goods and other jaw-dropping ways to make a quick buck.
DOWN EAST DICKERING, a new 8-part series premiering tonight, April 2 at 10 p.m. (ET) on HISTORY, follows four groups of New Englanders for whom "dickering" is a way of life. Whether it's building a bridge, climbing a bell tower or officiating a wedding, they'll do whatever it takes to make a few bucks so they can enjoy life on their own terms. For dickering pros Tony, Clint, Yummy and the rest of their gang, opportunity knocks every Thursday when their "bible" - the latest issue of Uncle Henry's - is published. A dickerer's currency can be made up of anything from a bucket of hubcaps to a bushel of pears, and every dickerer worth his salt is an expert haggler who knows how to spot a deal. As long as they can get their hands on something that needs fixing, swapping, or selling, the dickerers can use their skills and a hard day's work to fuel their freewheeling lifestyle. Each has a different strategy, but all have the same goal: spend a little, make a lot, and do it before the next the guy.Videos