Living on practically nothing is achievable and
depending on the attitude with which you approach
it, living without much can be a liberating
rather than a depriving experience. For those who
are forced to downsize severely, for those who
travel often for work or life, and for those who
just want less to be their more no matter how
much they already have, this article will show
you ways in which you can achieve a lifestyle of
sufficiency with practically nothing.
!! Steps !!
_ If all you think about is having costly possessions, living on
practically nothing will always feel like deprivationGet the right
mindset. Living on practically nothing successfully_ involves
having the right mindset – resent doing it, and you'll end up
blowing what little cash you do have on treats to cheer yourself
up for "missing out on so much". Embrace it, and you'll be doing
what many millionaires have known for decades – economizing as a
way of living happily, fruitfully, and without shame. Millionaire
thinking, as researched by Thomas J Stanley and William Danko,
shows that living well below your financial means, investing
smartly (such as buying reliable rather than flashy, expensive
things), and staying financially independent (rather than showing
off the wealth you do have) is the way to remain grounded and
secure throughout your life.[1]
* See living on practically nothing as an opportunity, or even an
adventure. Even if you don't end up liking it, the chances are
that you can use this time to accumulate wealth that can see you
living more easily in the future.
* Cultivate simplicity as a way of being. Read How to simplify your
life for more ideas.
* Wealth is a state of mind – "true wealth is the feeling of
having enough—whether that's money, fulfillment, family, or
love—and being grateful for all you have."[2]
* Take responsibility for your downshifting. Even if the situation
is thrust upon you rather than being by choice, it'll be far
easier on you and those around you if you pursue your downshifting
without complaining and actively look for ways to improve your
living circumstances rather than waiting to be "bailed out".[3]
If you're open to new experiences and travel, caretaking can be
a great way to live for next-to-nothingFind your home. It is
possible to live somewhere that isn't an encumbrance on your
life and that is either low cost, free, or in some cases even
comes with a small stipend.[4] Look for housesitting
opportunities to begin with. These vary from seasonal (beach
houses, ski cabins, or homes where the residents are going away
for a few weeks, months, or even years and need the house cared
for), to permanent positions where you are essentially a
"caretaker" of such places as hostels, retirement homes,
lighthouses, organic farms, ranches, motels, campgrounds,
etc.[5] There are also opportunities to care for the second,
third, and fourth houses of the wealthy when they're not
residing in them. Living on practically nothing doesn't
necessarily mean living without responsibilities if you're
looking for a comfortable and fairly extended length of stay in
a place, and obviously if you want to be a caretaker you'll need
an established track record, possibly training in hospitality,
and good references but do persevere as this can be an
incredibly good way to live cheaply.[6]
* If you get a role as a caretaker, expect to do such tasks as
taking tourists around, caring for animals and gardens, property
maintenance, ensuring security measures are in place, cleaning
pools, etc. Note that this is one role where "reverse age
discrimination" is rife, as property owners want mature and
reliable people over a certain age.[7]
* If you choose to live in your own home (either rented or
mortgaged), choose a home of modest means over a large home. There
is less to maintain, less to clean, and less space to fill up with
stuff.
* Consider not staying "home". Get out and see the world. Whatever
your age, you can help others in your own country or overseas. If
you're willing to join up to volunteer organizations in such areas
as health, reconstruction, conservation, sanitation, providing
food and shelter, etc., you'll find a steady stream of free
accommodation and food in return for your volunteering.[8] In most
cases it's not likely that you'll get paid much, if anything at
all, but the reward of free shelter, food, and doing good for
humanity can be worth far more than a wage. If you have children,
this option is harder to accommodate but some families still give
it a go by checking out in advance that there is good schooling
and decent living standards available; an experience like this can
shape kids dramatically for the better, so don't dismiss it
outright.
* One other, fairly drastic, change is to move to a country where
your savings go a really long way. Search online for expatriate
resources for global relocation; there are enough people doing
this to warrant a small industry catering to them!
* Finally, but not unrealistically for some, consider living
completely "off-the-grid" by living in the wild, off your wits,
somewhere with plenty of natural resources. Do a lot of research
on how to make this work and have cash reserves to help tide you
over when things go wrong.
Leave this mind-cluttering possession-filled life behind youSort
your stuff. If you've got too much stuff already, do a
declutter. If you're forced to downsize due to a job loss or
because you're moving, this can be a time of great resentment,
so be careful about your emotional state. Try to see this as a
great opportunity to rediscover the things that do matter and to
rid yourself of anything that weighs you down. For those of you
making a choice to live on practically nothing, this exercise
probably won't be so emotionally challenging, as it's likely
you've already been saying your mental goodbyes to too many
possessions and now all you need to do is act and shift it all
out. If you don't have any stuff, then you're ready to skip this
step and move to the next one.
* See what you can sell rather than throwing it away. If you don't
have the time or fortitude to sell it online, try an auction
house. An easier way to sell online than listing individual items
is to bulk sell – while you'll get less than if you took the
time to sell items individually, you will at least recoup a decent
amount for your unwanted or crowded possessions.
* Take all items you no longer want to your local item collection
charity or give them to a friend who does not share your
situation. Or perhaps just leave them in a place that you know you
can come back to, or leave them by the side of the road with a
sign marked, "Free" / "Take at Will."
* Follow a budget and be frugal. If you're
already following a budget, check that it's working for you. If
not, set aside the sense that a budget is a confining way to live.
Following a budget is actually a very liberating way to live –
it provides parameters, it helps to keep you in check when you
feel reckless, and it can even help you to rein in bad habits such
as spending to soothe yourself, buying take out instead of cooking
a healthy meal, or letting someone else weed your veggie patch
when the workout would do you good (and save you gym fees). And
it's great to be able to blame the budget when you don't want to
go out with those tiresome socialites ever again - "Aw, we'd love
to, but the budget won't stretch to that sorry!"
* Cycle or walk everywhereGive up your car. There is plenty of
public transportation available to get you to your destination and
it's cheaper to take the occasional taxi for emergencies than it
is to own and maintain a car. Try walking and cycling as much as
possible (you'll keep fit) and get all the timetables for your
local train, bus, subway, or ferries so that you know when to
catch your ride.
Choose your life partner wisely. Breaking up
households is costly and there is a noted
tendency even for many millionaires to be part
of unbroken, long-term relationships.[9] Unless
you're a confirmed single-for-life, if you
don't want to be arguing about spending habits
and living on practically nothing, be sure he
or she is the one before popping the question
or moving in together. Choose a sensible and
thrift-conscious partner from the start; things
to look for in your life partner include:
* Loves to budget and has a good sense of money. Doesn't throw money
around recklessly or expect you to either.
* Offers to split the bill because he or she knows it's the fair
thing to do.
* Loves your sense of wanting to housesit or rent to save money and
thinks that living on practically nothing is a joyful way to
celebrate life.
* Loves you, loves life, loves people, and animals. Not possessions.
* Stay fashionable whatever your means by checking out the
thrift storesKeep yourself well clothed. Whatever your financial
status, presenting well to the world still matters and these days,
looking good is an inexpensive option. Thrift stores are great
resources for affordable, quality clothes. Long gone are the days
when visiting a thrift store was looked down on; now it's
considered hip and with a bit of savvy sorting, you can find
yourself some great threads for little cost.
Find ways to make more money or to trade your
skills. If you don't have or don't want to have
a job, be on the lookout for ways in which you
can raise more cash by working for yourself.
Or, trade your skills with others whose skills
you need, bartering your way to get what you
need rather than spending actual cash.
* Grow vegetables and sell them at the local farmer's market.
* Make soap, cosmetics, jewelery, etc., and sell these at a local
craft market.
* Offer your pruning, mowing, tutoring, cleaning, car-washing
services to locals at decent prices.
* Look for items in thrift stores that you can flip online. Some
people are so good at doing this that they make a living out of
selling secondhand goods online.
Grow your own seasonal foodEat seasonally. Seasonal food will
always be cheaper than food flown or shipped in from elsewhere
because there is more of it available and it doesn't incur such
high transportation costs. As an added bonus, it's also fresher.
* Visit farmer's markets and supermarkets nearer closing time.
You'll be able to find more bargains and even throwaway items when
the sellers need to move their produce on. In supermarkets, check
out the bakery, meat, and fruit and vegetable areas for nightly
bargains. Many fresh pre-packaged products such as salads-to-go
will be cheaper in the nights to make way for the next day's fresh
produce.
* Grow your own if you have a permanent place for at least a season.
Even using a community garden can be a great way to get fresh,
cheap food and to meet new friends.
Use up what you have for one week a monthDon't shop for
groceries every week. Instead, only go shopping when your
groceries have run right down to bare minimum. Replenish
perishables such as milk and bread as needed but try to cope by
eating down everything already in your cupboard, fridge, and
home.
* Another way to do this is to not go shopping one week a month.
During that week, you have to live off whatever is in your
kitchen. Many people find this is a very creative time; add your
new recipes to a blog!
* Use coupons and discounts to reduce food costs.
* Drink tap water. Water is the healthiest drink and the cheapest.
Put a filter on your tap if you're worried about contaminants;
it's a health investment even on a frugal budget.
Couch surfing is a cheap way to see the worldTravel for free or
next-to-nothing. There are many options for free or cheap travel
but naturally, most come some responsibilities. Some of the
things to consider include moving yachts around the world for
absentee owners, delivering packages by hand as a courier on
international flights, traveling as part of the crew on
container ships (hard work!), tourist volunteer (hiking trails,
tours of historic buildings or ruins, etc.), driving vehicles
from one location to another location, volunteer farm serving,
exchange trips with groups such as the Rotary Club, and so on.
* Try couch surfing.[10] This provides an opportunity to stay with
people for free anywhere in the world through an online network.
Be sure to follow all the safety protocols in place and look for
people who have a lot of good referrals, to be on the safe side.
While the idea is to meet friends you've not yet met, always be
cautious when meeting with strangers.
* Consider Sister City exchanges if your city offers these
opportunities.
* Home swapping can be a good choice if you own or rent a permanent
base. There are plenty of opportunities available online; just be
sure to do all necessary checks to ensure you're not inviting a
house destroyer into your home!
Stand at the edge of the world, leap into your
dreams and plunge freely into your new
living-on-practically-nothing life. Just
remember, living on practically nothing
requires effort, as with most good things in
life, so don't equate it with doing nothing!
* Whatever your age and reason for downshifting, treat it as an
opportunity to create balance in your life, and to connect to
family, friends, your spirituality, health, and community.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Even if you do have a long-term place to stay, it may come in
handy later to have all your belongings in luggage, ready to go.
* If you have an RV (not really something for a person living on
next-to-nothing though), you can obtain work as you travel through
Workampers. The seasonal work will pay minimum wage to help out at
festivals, fairs, entertainment events, etc.
* Spend time reading on living on nothing. There are plenty of books
and online resources suggesting myriad ways to live on practically
nothing. Many of them are focused on financial freedom and
independence from the consumer lifestyle. The more you read about
other people's experiences, the pitfalls and the suggestions, the
better you'll be able to tailor your personal preferences and
situation. Check out books in your local library or go online and
have a look for such searches as "living on practically nothing",
"financial independence", "frugal living", "thrifty living",
"living for free", etc.
* Look for free and low cost entertainment. There are so many
possibilities that even working out what to do is an exercise in
itself. Consider such things as free concerts, walking in the city
or on local trails, riding your bike, visiting the museum or
library, attending free sales and similar training events where
they offer free refreshments and learning, ferry rides, local
train trips to parts of the city you've never visited, open days
or local resident days that offer discounted entries to places,
sports such as running, swimming, tennis, etc. (you can find gear
in the thrift store), helping out in a community garden, making
recycled crafts, listening to bands practicing or watching
performers rehearsing (for example, the Cirque du Soleil has
practice sessions children can watch free of charge in Montreal),
etc. Think laterally and turn ordinary events into entertaining
ones.
!! Warnings !!
* Be careful about being taken advantage of when seeking to do
things for free or next-to-nothing in return for free
accommodation and food. For example, caretakers have reported
being treated as servants expected to do everything rather than to
do a reasonable amount of work in return for the free
lifestyle.[11] Be careful and be prepared to leave if the
situation you're in is disadvantaging you; there are plenty other
good opportunities available.
* Working for free and living freely doesn't come with health
insurance most of the time. Keep your health needs in mind; stay
healthy by eating well and exercising frequently but don't put all
of your chickens into one basket; make sure that you also have
health care options sorted if something goes wrong.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Internet access
* Local library
* Resources to help you downsize or declutter
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Live Simply
* How to Simplify Your Life
* How to Grocery Shop and Cook Frugally
* How to Start Living Frugally
* How to Encourage Your Family to Live Frugally
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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