Futures is the grapes you want to buy, but the grapes are not ripe yet. You negotiate the price with the seller, and then buy the grapes at the negotiated price when the grapes are ripe. At that time, unless both parties agree, they can't trade at the market price, otherwise they will breach the contract and need to pay liquidated damages. That's what futures mean. But now futures are generally bought and sold in specialized institutions. There are many things that can make money after 1993. It is said that Somali pirates are quite rich.