Read this somewhere in or around talking about trade caravan posts. Don't know if this is relevant to that or not.

"Depositing a small amount of caps over time to the Workbench, they allow another avenue of random shipments, junk, ammunition and clothing beyond pre-existing and wandering merchants."

MOST importantly:

I've never seen any way to deposit money into a workbench. How do you do that?

It's not like it's listed in Misc. in my inventory or anything.

Also:

I've never seen any way to deposit money (supposedly $500, after the perks) into stores.

How do you do that as well?

And, I'm assuming you can't put money into the trade caravan posts?

Quite confused here.

Thanks.

There is an invest option in the store menu. You can invest $500, Im not sure the rules of this but I imagine it allows the store to "purchase" more goods...I just always invest when I can.

Presuming you first have the necessary perks.

If you build stores in your own settlements and assign settlers to them then the settler will be able to sell stuff to you.

Over time, depending on the settlement population a few caps will be deposited in your workshop each cycle.

If you build a general store then you can buy teddy bears yarn and other junk items that can be deposited in the workbench to be turned into building materials.

If you build a clinic you can get healed and buy aid items.

There are other store types too.

Additionally with the right perks you can increase the float of any trader type by investing 500 caps.

For example you might first invest 500 caps into Trashcan Carlas caravan store.

Then barter the caps back with loot you don't want.

Next time you see her and her inventory has replenished she will have a larger float.

Same with other traders and your own stores.

Example of trading menu with option to invest at bottom of window.

http://ocau.com/pix/ikai0

I haven't invested in Eleanor's store because she has lots of ammo and I usually end up passing net caps to her rather than taking net caps from her at the end of a bartering session.

Hmmm......I was reading it like you could "invest" into your own workbench as well.

Haven't even met Eleanor yet, only Carla.

I've never met Eleanor either and I have several hundred hours in to the game.

Wanted to say that since I installed this latest patch though and started a new game I have had 5 random encounters with people I have never met before in all the hours I've played. People just wandering around the commonwealth. One guy said he was a merchant but wouldn't sell me anything until I checked out Vault 81.

In that case investing is something you might consider doing later on when you have an excess of looted guns, armour and so on to dispose of or you start farming water or crafting drugs to sell so that you can accumulate caps.

Eleanor

Thanks, pugsley and all.