The internet is the place to dis-intermediate established norms and create new ways to get things done. Think eBay, think Priceline, think eTrade. Well, this is not new idea (see below for a history lesson), but the internet has made it a much more powerful idea -- with the possibility of millions of people from around the world being involved.
The site is called Prosper.com and here is what they are all about (from their about page)...
Prosper, America's first people-to-people lending marketplace, was created to make consumer lending more financially and socially rewarding for everyone. The way Prosper works is intuitive to people who have used eBay. Instead of listing and bidding on items, people list and bid on loans using Prosper's online auction platform. People who want to lend set the minimum interest rate they are willing to earn and bid in increments of $50 to $25,000 on loan listings they select. People who lend can easily diversify using "standing orders", which automatically make many small loans to different borrowers. [more]But here's a small history lesson, for those of you that believe this is a NEW idea...
Can you guess when people-to-people lending was invented? Would you believe 300 A.D. in China? But not just in China, in fact, for centuries small groups of people all over the world have been coming together to lend each other money. The names may be different, but the idea is the same. In China it's called Lun-hui, in Egypt it's called Gameya, and in Mexico the Spanish word is Tanda. [more]
Go to their website to learn more about it - who knows, maybe I'll be asking you for money!!
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