Have you ever wished you could just get by on miracles? It might seem impossible in this day and age to get by in life with little to no money, but it is doable if you have different values, like getting your kicks by walking in the autumn rain or laying down under the summer sun. It is all about priorities.
Indeed, a superficial person can’t live without money, since a Ferrari costs tens of thousands of dollars and a daily trip to Starbucks requires $10 for each day of the week. On the other hand, a more sensible and realistic person may not need as much to be happy.
Before you get your hopes up that we will provide ways to never spend a nickel again in life, this is not it. Unless you live in the middle of the woods and you’re relying on rainwater and shrubs to survive, you are always going to have to spend loonies on toonies, from rent to food. However, there are many reasons why people want to live frugally, whether they have just declared bankruptcy or perhaps they want to rely less on materialistic means. Just know this is doable.
Are you ready to live a life of extreme frugality? Let’s get down to it. Here are ten possible ways on how to live with no money:
1. Gratitude
The very first thing you must do on this path to frugality is to be grateful because gratitude is the key to living a simple life.
Indeed, if you are grateful for watching the evening sunset, finding a toonie on the ground, or having a delicious cup of coffee in your home on a Sunday morning listening to J.S. Bach, then you will not be too concerned about satisfying your senses with expensive items and hobbies.
This is a great money management tool, too. If the universe finds that you are grateful for every good thing that comes your way, then you will be consistently rewarded.
2. Only Cook at Home
When you go out to a restaurant or a fast-food establishment, you are paying for food, labour, energy, profits, and everything else that is typically associated with running a food-related business. In other words, be prepared to spend a premium for something you could have made for less and bigger portions that could have lasted for at least another meal.
It can be difficult to only cook at home if you are a social butterfly, but this is the first thing to ax from your monthly spending habits.
3. That Goes for Coffee, Too
The same principle applies to your coffee.
Let’s say you go to Tim Hortons every day and you order a large coffee. That is two bucks a day, 14 dollars a week, $56 a month, and $672 a year. That’s a lot of money. You are working a portion of the year to buy coffee when you could purchase coffee at a supermarket that will cost you pennies per cup.
4. Move Out of the City
For people learning how to live with no money, you have two options in terms of your living arrangement. The first is to move out of the city. Even if you live in a closet, you’re still spending a fortune every month. It is tough, particularly when you aim to live on nothing or very little.
So, whether it is a room or a bachelor pad in a rural community, you should take advantage of living outside a metropolis because it will save you plenty of dough.
5. Or, Consider Being a Housesitter
Do you not like the idea of being tied down to a single location? Do you want to travel from place to place and have a roof over your head? Well, you should consider being a housesitter.
A housesitter is someone who looks after another person’s home when they are away on vacation.
This is also a nice way of earning an income that can pay for other items on your journey to freedom.
6. Join a Religious Community
Many religious communities allow you to live in their confines for free in exchange for basic labour. You get accommodations, food, water, and basic necessities (soap and toothpaste, for example). Heck, you might not even be a religious person, but these organizations are always looking for people to help.
7. Inquire About Leftover Food
Restaurants and supermarkets are notorious for tossing out perfectly edible food. People typically wonder why they don’t just hand it over to the homeless – the answer to that lies in liability; if someone gets sick from the food, for instance.
That said, if you live in a small town, then you can get in touch with a grocery store or a small independently-owned restaurant and find out if you can have their leftover food. It might not work every time, but the laws of averages are on your side!
8. Make Walking Your Priority
You can live a fulfilling life by making walking your top priority. That’s right.
Waking up first thing in the morning and starting your journey can do wonders for your health – physically, emotionally, and mentally. It also occupies your time because you’re only concentrating on walking and thinking – you will learn how much mental work you can get done by walking.
Just be sure you don’t walk too much in the city landscape. Enjoy nature!
9. Will Work for Food
Do you want to save money on food if you’re trekking across the region, province, or country? Then why not consider trading your skills for food?
So, this could consist of mowing the lawn, cleaning a house, walking pets, fixing a computer, or putting together Ikea furniture. In exchange, you receive a meal or a bag of groceries.
10. Coupon to the Extreme
Couponing is a lost art form. You might remember your mother and your aunts sitting around the kitchen table with scissors and newspapers clipping out coupons: 10 cents off a can of tuna, 50 cents off laundry detergent, or buy one air freshener spray and get one free. Is it possible to live entirely without a buck in your pocket? Not really. But there are ways that you can minimize your lifestyle and ensure you don’t have to spend more than you have to.
Think about it this way: You’re working just to live. You’re spending eight hours at a place you hate to collect a few dollars to pay for an overpriced apartment, a car that keeps breaking down, and clothes that will rip apart in a few months. Is this life? For now, you might be content. But as you approach your winter years, you may possibly regret many of your decisions.
By cutting out unnecessary spending, you will have more time to enjoy your time on this planet doing what you want to do, not keying in data, talking about nonsense over the water cooler, or having lunch with people you don’t like.
