Funny Money

Only our limited idea of money is keeping us poor. David Boyle introduces us to alternative cash and people who can conjure money – that is, spending power – out of nothing.Until recently, the growth of alternative cash had been the province of big business: phone cards, stamps, air miles and Tesco’s clubcard points all have purchasing power, yet are not cash as we know it. Now, locally created money systems like `time dollars’, `Womanshare’ and `Ithaca hours’ are being invented by communities for communities.With clarity and great humour, Boyle tells the story of this extraordinary revolution: he travels to the USA to visit the people behind local money systems; relates their vision of the future; and describes how to set up your own currency. This is no dry theoretical tome: Boyle writes about his subject in a way that is concrete, illuminating, often very funny and always highly readable.This paperback edition includes a new epilogue with an update on the latest alternative currency ideas: `You just have to cast doubt on the real existence of the money markets and they could just shrivel away. Anything could happen.’A revolution is underway now: this book tells the story of its leaders and the ideas that inspired them.