The cash is subject to inflation and poor central banking decisions. To be really safe, let’s just go back to a barter system. Just bring five eggs to the pub and get a pint.
- Is not subject to inflation or poor central banking decisions
- Does not rot or spoil
- Is a single interchange format that can fulfil the 'double coincidence of wants'
- Has no single point of failure.
Then that currency seem to exist in the forms of gold or crypto.
In the long term, a small amount of inflation is needed to discourage hoarding. Without it, people might treat currency as an investment, leading to unstable prices like we see with gold and Bitcoin.
Currency should be stable, like standard measures (Kg, Foot) that don't change in the short term. It also functions like a store cart for shopping. If carts become scarce, shopping is difficult. Therefore, there must be an incentive to return the cart for others to use.
Another purpose of currency, albeit controversial, is to manage debt accumulation. Historically, societies faced growing debt and used "debt jubilee" events to reset, which disrupted commerce. Modern societies address this through currency inflation.
If gold or crypto were effective currencies, prices would be advertised in Bitcoin or gold. The fact that they are not suggests they don't serve well in this role.
What if you don’t own tree cutting equipment?
What if you have a disability that prevents you from cutting trees?
What if your property doesn’t have trees to cut?
I’m only familiar with egg-to-pint exchange ratios, but then again most of my personal liquidity is tied up in a henhouse currently.