Make Your Own Money, Literally and Legally

If you are gearing up for the Zombie Apocalypse or if you just want to be ironic about money and not actually use US currency to buy things, you can make your own currency. And it can be legal.

Seriously.

This goes beyond just couponing, it’s actual currency that about a dozen communities have already created that can be exchanged for goods and services at multiple locations. And lawmakers in more than 10 states, including Virginia and Idaho, have started proposals to introduce alternative currencies.

The alternative currencies aren’t ironic. They are real-deal and have power from their social-concientiousness and their actual value. More than $1 million worth of Life dollars in Seattle have been exchanged electronically since 2004. There are 3 million Berkshares in circulation in Southern Berkshire, Massachusetts. The Equal Dollars in Philadelphia can be earned through community service. The HOURS in Ithaca, NY, represent time helping the community.

Currently, states are allowed to issue coins but not paper money. But ANYONE else can create paper money. Anyone. And that definitely includes you. Just can’t make your currency look like US dollars and they need to have a related value in US dollars so you can still be taxed on your new currency.

I’m glad that I read this article in Money magazine. For more information, check out the article that details the alternative money trend.