I would be especially interested in any books or publications on this subject.
I want to learn about gray/black market economies and how they function
- Thread starter Sourdough
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I took a google at it, but all the good ones are either out of print or not in PDF, you might try paladin publications, they were the last ones I knew of that carried such things.
How about a movie while I explain the underground economy/ black market.
It begins at CO-OPs and flea markets, you make connections and get to know people. you keep your eyes and ears open and feel around for a market, when you see one coming up, you buy cheap and stack deep. Now my thing was knives and tools, I'd buy junk, polish it up and mark it up 50%
Always keep an eye on the exotic and hard to get, or am I the only one who sold a 250$ Chinese AK for 500$ during the bans? I sold it legally to a dealer too! if it had been an individual, it would have been much more. stockpile things you can at least get your money back on, but breaking even sucks! During the outbreak, there was a guy selling jail grade toilet paper at the flea market for a buck a roll and getting it! Likewise chainsaw/small motor oil is the going thing at 5$ a bottle IF you can find any. leather goods are like guns, they only go up in value, same to be said for name brand car and motorcycle parts, in farmer circles, a good bet is pesticides they're about to ban, non GMO seeds, fertilize obviously and heavy equipment parts and accessories. make it a point to always be the guy to fill a need or at least know who can and you'll go far! Roadside stands and Flea markets are great places to sell produce or even livestock!
The local "Amigos" do well breeding pit bulls etc, but thats a cold hearted business, I'd go with chickens and goats IF I wanted to mess with livestock. the key is having stuff people want at a price they're willing to pay. right now I'd give my little finger to be setting on a few tons of fertilizer or a few pallets of two cycle oil. One of my friends sells laundry soap, he buys direct from the manufacturer and packages it himself. Another is a retired gunsmith who refurbished worn out weapons and resold them to other FFL guys at a huge profit! The key is to have what people want and know what they'll pay and how to deal down when you buy and buy bulk when you can!
Hope this helps.
PS
Read art of the deal and the art of war, they both apply.
How about a movie while I explain the underground economy/ black market.
It begins at CO-OPs and flea markets, you make connections and get to know people. you keep your eyes and ears open and feel around for a market, when you see one coming up, you buy cheap and stack deep. Now my thing was knives and tools, I'd buy junk, polish it up and mark it up 50%
Always keep an eye on the exotic and hard to get, or am I the only one who sold a 250$ Chinese AK for 500$ during the bans? I sold it legally to a dealer too! if it had been an individual, it would have been much more. stockpile things you can at least get your money back on, but breaking even sucks! During the outbreak, there was a guy selling jail grade toilet paper at the flea market for a buck a roll and getting it! Likewise chainsaw/small motor oil is the going thing at 5$ a bottle IF you can find any. leather goods are like guns, they only go up in value, same to be said for name brand car and motorcycle parts, in farmer circles, a good bet is pesticides they're about to ban, non GMO seeds, fertilize obviously and heavy equipment parts and accessories. make it a point to always be the guy to fill a need or at least know who can and you'll go far! Roadside stands and Flea markets are great places to sell produce or even livestock!
The local "Amigos" do well breeding pit bulls etc, but thats a cold hearted business, I'd go with chickens and goats IF I wanted to mess with livestock. the key is having stuff people want at a price they're willing to pay. right now I'd give my little finger to be setting on a few tons of fertilizer or a few pallets of two cycle oil. One of my friends sells laundry soap, he buys direct from the manufacturer and packages it himself. Another is a retired gunsmith who refurbished worn out weapons and resold them to other FFL guys at a huge profit! The key is to have what people want and know what they'll pay and how to deal down when you buy and buy bulk when you can!
Hope this helps.
PS
Read art of the deal and the art of war, they both apply.
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Our way here is to know people and know what they do and what they produce. If it's a work project, then neighbors have been known to just pitch in and help. If it's barterable, then know who also is a producer. Our neighbor not far sells produce, overstock that she grows. She sets up a table with the stuff priced, and if she's not there, there's a box with change, and a note that says to leave your money in the box. My beets failed twice, so I asked for a bushel and bought that really cheap for $20. Cash. Another neighbor comes to me for their eggs and then down the road for fresh raw milk. I don't charge her, she just gave me cantaloupe, garlic, and a plate of whoopie pies. She's brought us dinner from time to time, too, and I give her rides into the bigger town to Walmart when she needs it, or the little ones to the pediatrician.
Black market is better when you know the people. So you are going to have to network. And produce something. I black market chickens, chicks, turkeys, eggs, extra produce (grapes and peppers this year), and plant starts. Also our last 13 acres of alfalfa. It's farmed, harvested, I get stuff other than money in return. I help myself to it and the straw that is stored in our roundtop that is not our straw, but it's ok to take. And the firewood that's brought, because they know we need it, and I taxi an amish girl to school on my way to dropping little granddaughter off to her school. It's also helpful to put the word out on what you're looking for.
Black market is better when you know the people. So you are going to have to network. And produce something. I black market chickens, chicks, turkeys, eggs, extra produce (grapes and peppers this year), and plant starts. Also our last 13 acres of alfalfa. It's farmed, harvested, I get stuff other than money in return. I help myself to it and the straw that is stored in our roundtop that is not our straw, but it's ok to take. And the firewood that's brought, because they know we need it, and I taxi an amish girl to school on my way to dropping little granddaughter off to her school. It's also helpful to put the word out on what you're looking for.
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Amish, that’s the best way to live. Community. Not keeping score, really, of what you did and what you got necessarily. One person helping another, a different kind of love, and living an unselfish life. Thanks for the reminder.
Yes, it is a wonderful way for humans to exist. "BUT", one goal of the coming digital currency is to tax every exchange. Which explains why they are putting on 86,000 new armed revenue agents at IRS.
No matter what they figure out, in a month some 12 year old will figure out how to beat it. it's like all those fancy laser scan bill changers. 10" of duct tape and you can empty one out. our meth heads do it nightly, never mind the damage the to to the cameras with a squirt bottle full of oil to blur the lenses.
It is in no danger at all.
If they could have fixed it, they would have done so decades ago.
If they destroy the value of paper dollars, their whole house of cards crashes to the ground.
If they ruin the currency, we will create a new one for them
The "under-the-table" economy is going nowhere. (I like that term better than grey/black market).
Their best efforts so far is, only putting this sticker everywhere and getting lazy people addicted:
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So you got me thinking.
Find what your source wants/needs....
Ben
Find what your source wants/needs....
Ben
Yes.
There is nothing down here that you could need/or need done, that cannot be purchased with cash, (except parking at festivals in the 'good places', that has to be plastic
)And yes, barter works here too.
Surprisingly, everybody has something that others will gladly accept.Let a spinney-thing roll thru down here, and we can show you how it works.
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Well, of course, the govt wants to tax it all. But good luck taxing stuff around here. And if we're needing to pay for a service with money, we pay in cash, and if they want to report it, ok, but I really don't care if they don't. But that's what the black market is about. Moving goods and services with some kind of non taxable exchange. I had to laugh at the notice at another town near here...they posted a notice when their small farmer's mkt was going to start up for the season. The notice said that you had to get a tax ID number to sell, which was way crazy for those ladies just popping in selling extra produce. All sales had to be taxed. So they didn't have many sellers this year. Not so at our small three sellers farmer's mkt on Fridays. Anyone can sell, no tax, no table fee. Same with our fowl sale on the last Friday of each month. And that's a big sale.
At our level of the economy (working class and lower) We would have our own bubble economy established within days because its how a lot of us have lived all our lives, however it would not be sustainable once what we had stored ran out unless we could replenish our goods continually, the little granny who makes chowchow and hot sauce needs veggies, a knife maker needs grinders and steel, a shade tree mechanic needs parts. Farmers and scavengers would make out the best IMHO because farms can be self renewing and the Scavers always have some rich guy needing new furniture.
or carpet or a store dumpster needing a good raiding.
or carpet or a store dumpster needing a good raiding.
