The bank in TOES Town still toes the line set by the Federal Reserve - what can you do? There are a couple other options growing slowly in application, but becoming institutionalized none the less. The Local Exchange Trading System is a good example. TOES Town has several credit unions too. Citizens explore a number of other strategies as well, if its honest and serves community interests, creative financing is the key!
LETS:
The Economic System of Giving
The conventional dollar economy is in many ways a creation of the
Industrial Revolution, and has never been properly re-interpreted in
the light of the changing world-view of the Information Revolution.
The flaws in the current economy are becoming more and more obvious.
In a monetary economy, you no longer have to worry about having
something worth trading; everyone takes cash. But if you don't have
any money, no-one will trade with you. Thus we have the problems of
social welfare (redistributing wealth so that poor people have some
money to keep themselves alive), easy credit, fast-money
entrepreneurs, credit squeezes, interest rates, inflation, and all
the other problems that stem directly from the idea that money is a
limited resource and we can charge more money for the use of it. How
to redress this problem is the LETS solution.
L.E.T.S.
Saskatoon
LETS in action.
LETS
More LETS
Dollars And Sense
Magazine
Dollars & Sense Magazine explains the workings of the U.S. and
international economies and provides left perspectives on economic
affairs. It is edited by a collective of economists, journalists, and
activists who are committed to social justice and economic
democracy.
sbicall.txt
A listing of lenders who fund small business startups.
THE CREDIT UNION ONLINE
LIBRARY
The credit union difference. Over more than a century, credit unions
have carved out a unique role in providing financial services. Here
are some of the most frequently asked questions about credit unions
and what sets them apart.