Home Made Money

Money probably can’t buy happiness, but no money certainly can’t. So the unfortunate Argentines, who are the victims of frozen bank accounts and skyrocketing inflation, have only one stopgap left: the crédito. This alternative currency was invented by three inhabitants of a Buenos Aires suburb who saw the economy collapse. They conceived a simple barter system that has developed into a suitable way to survive. Initially only the people in their neighbourhood benefited, but seven years later, the lives of five million compatriots revolve around this illegal tender. This is not so strange, because someone who is almost broke but quite good at baking can still do the daily shopping by “selling” delicious cookies. In addition, the parallel market system saves the greengrocer whose business has been bankrupt for two years and the dexterous handyman without a job. HOME MADE MONEY takes a look behind the scenes of the exchange system. The filmmaker follows the creators, the numerous visitors and the supervisors of the markets that offer many Argentines a gleam of hope. Sadly enough, even the crédito system does not remain free from the pernicious affairs so often involved in monetary transactions, such as counterfeiting and inflation. In the end, even homemade “money” turns out to be money.