I was going to try and stay out of the whole upkeep thing as I never really care one way or another about it.But I see a huge problem that will imo make or break trade totems and currency in the game.

The reward/reason to sink all that currency into the upkeep has to be better then just a few stat points on tribe land.The trade totems use this currency and its what we will be converting to for traded goods from what we use now (nails).The problems is four stat points only on trade land just isent enough to make me want to sink all that hard earned money into upkeep and I have a feeling most people will not as well and if they do it will be a few times and they screw this im going broke and cant even buy anything I want now.So as time goes on no ones putting money in upkeep and inflation just killed this currency and your trade totems because im sure not giving up my goods for a currency that is becoming more worthless everyday.

Theres a world of things that can be done other then just a few stat points and it can change up by days or weeks or even making the type you put in the totem determine what effect/bonus you get.

A few examples.This week our tribe got the scavenging bonus the members that are scavenger builds are rewarded.
This week we got the terraforming bonus and terraforming time is cut in half per action.
This week we got the Hunting bonus and the hunters get a few more bones with carves or better quality odds etc.
This week we got the combat bonus that gives 8 str fort and agil on and off tribe land so the tribes worriers are now stronger for a week.
This week we got the building bonus and construction only needs half the mats this week.

You get the idea im not saying it has to be those and happen that way but something of that nature and that type of stuff would 100% make me excited to get the bonus that effects the stuff I enjoy doing in the game as im sure some of the ones that dont will make the people and toon builds that it does happy.