Book Description

More than just an account of what money has been and what it will be, this book explores how readers can think about money in new ways -- profitably. The authors introduce readers to the rarely imagined, rarely talked about alternative economies -- where big deals and transactions take place with "trade dollars", and "cash equivalent credits". Neal tells how the U.S. military created the conditions and means for America's long term prosperity -- likening the Internet to the Roman system of roads. And the author's historical digressions form the foundation for a not-so-shocking hypothesis. "Look for a dramatic growth in Private Money. Although not long ago bartering was looked on with suspicion by the IRS, trading surplus goods and services for things of value has quickly become an above-board alternative means of conducting business. Barter and The Future of Money shows readers how important trading will become in the future as more and more savvy business people, determined to succeed whether they have the necessary cash on hand or not, enter the entrepreneurial market. This insider's scoop comes from years of experience in the barter industry and shows how airline credit, artwork, stocks, phone cards, media credits and other goods can become currency. Big business will learn how "offst" and "corporate trading" can open new markets -- the way PepsiCo got into the Russian vodka business as well as how to develop a "Capital Recovery Strategy" for disposing surplus inventory at full wholesale value. The reader will learn about "E-cash", "Breakage", "Ratioing", "Keystoning", "Credit Unwind", and "Exit Strategies for Illiquid Assets", and other concepts that are key tounderstanding how fortunes will be made tomorrow. For those who want to keep up with trends in m