Living on close to nothing seems like a venture which will leave you hungry, begging for money and depressed, but to your surprise it may be one of the most enlightening experiences you can have.
For those who work for next to nothing, they seek the riches they would like to attain in some distant future. Get rid of this yearning for material wealth and everything becomes...much easier. For those who are lost in the maze of the capitalist rat race we see when we look out the window in the most ‘developed’ of societies, an attitude change is what will set you free from the sensation of depriving yourself of material gain.
Changing the way you look at things around you and realizing what dreams you can aspire too if you change your goals that you might have been forced into, it can be a very liberating experience. This article will introduce to you ways in which you can live a lifestyle of sufficiency on close to nothing.
Step by Step
This might seem a world away from what a sufficient lifestyle looks like, but many people employ this way of living which allows them to pursue their true life’s ambitions rather than being stuck in someone else’s office doing mundane things only a robot should be doing.
"True wealth is the feeling of having enough—whether that’s money, fulfillment, family, or love—and being grateful for all you have."
- Wealthy people’s second, third and fourth house need taking care especially when they’re not living in them, but to guarantee employment you’ll need a good track record and possible hospitality training although having a great reference could be enough for someone who is in a rush and needs somebody on short notice.
- If you choose to be a caretaker, you’ll be doing gardening, taking care of animals, cleaning homes etc. If you decide to go down the path of renting or mortgaging a home of your own choose a modest space, which will create less expenditure with bills, cleaning, and less things to fill it with.
- Try not to live a sedentary lifestyle, go out and explore the world and the great opportunities you can capitalize on just by being proactive and searching. Joining volunteer organizations can be the perfect solution to getting food and shelter in return for helping humanity and being fulfilled in your generosity.
You may not receive a wage but guaranteeing your basic necessities while having the opportunity to work for the benefit of others can be a great thing. If you have a family there are still great opportunities for outings and volunteer experiences which can mark your children in a positive way for the rest of their lives.
- One very drastic change is to move to another country where your savings can last you longer and will put you in a position to learning a new language and being in a new and exciting atmosphere where you can discover new things and more importantly yourself.
Reorganize your essential items from those you can sell or give away to a charity. This exercise can be a cleansing one which can teach you a big universal lesson about; learning to let go.
Choose to be frugal from day to day. Wake up earlier in the morning and go to the meat, vegetable and fruit markets that have the best value for money, you’ll save a bundle on your groceries.
Things to look for:
-Loves you, people, the outdoors, animals, helping others and dislikes materialism and too many physical possessions.
-Should a good sense for money, being thrifty, splitting the bill, loves to share and not waste recklessly and wants to bring up children with the same life philosophy.
Choose suitable attire and develop your charm and language skills which will help you in bartering your ay through different situations where you can trade in your skills for things you need instead of money.
Grow your own food with a community garden and or visit farmer’s markets around closing time when they will sell for allot cheaper in exchange for throwing away what is left.
Use shop coupons and discounts to your advantage and rack up shopping points whenever you can as well as drinking filtered water from your tap instead of highly concentrated and highly costly fruit juices or bottled water.
Other Interesting Options:
- Try coach surfing which can be another fun sight seeing experience. Be cautious when meetings friends-to-be for the first time, these are still strangers so handle with common sense and care, but have fun!
- City Sister exchanges if your city is open to these things, or home exchanges if you own or rent a permanent residence.
What ever your reasons for simplifying your living style, be sure to enjoy the fruits of the experience by being close to family, friends, better health knowledge, wisdom and community.
Tips
As in anything in life, always have a Plan B. Always be cautious if people are trying to exploit you or take advantage of your generosity. If things get uncomfortable have some savings so you can remove yourself from the situation comfortably without depending on others for everything.
Learn to make friends and influence people which is a great way to enjoy the fruits of knowing people with connections which will be glad to have you as company where ever they go, either to cool live entertainment events or around the world cruise. Know that there are people with means out there, who have a hard time finding true friends and people they trust. You can be one of them!
Think with a new perspective and turn what would otherwise be an expensive show to go to, into a fun activity by watching rehearsals or training of circus acts for example like cirque de soleil which have open practice sessions in montreal. With the internet, this type of knowledge is not out of reach.
Advice
Follow the old saying of ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’. Living on next to nothing doesn’t come with health insurance most of the time so with this new found lifestyle, saving money shouldn’t be a challenge, and acquiring assets you can use to receive a steady income without worrying about your health is a great stress reliever and safety net for hen you need medical treatment.
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