Former businessman lives on no money for a year

**mrsfoamy** · 11-25-2009, 09:41 AM

These kind of stories never fail to fascinate me -

A businessman gave up his career to live on no money for a year after becoming disillusioned with consumerism.

Mark Boyle said giving up his job, possessions and money to live the life of a pauper in a rusty old caravan was the best decision he has ever made.

The 30-year-old has vowed to continue with his money-free life for good, adding: "It’s been fantastic. I never really knew how much stress and worry money brought to my life until I was free of it.

“People often ask me if I miss my old world... stress, traffic jams, bank statements, utility bills... why would I miss any of that? Now I’ve tasted life without money I never want to go back to the way I lived before.”

Mr Boyle said he survives by growing vegetables on his one-acre plot of land. He also forages for mushrooms, nuts and berries, as well as picking up waste food from supermarkets and restaurants.

He added: “For toothpaste I use cuttlefish bone I found washed up on the beach mixed with wild fennel seeds. For loo roll I’ll pick up old newspapers from the newsagent.

“Even the simplest tasks, like having a shower or flushing the loo, become incredibly time-consuming. Washing my clothes in a sink of cold water, using laundry liquid made by boiling some nuts on my stove, can take two hours. Getting into a skip to look for stuff is harder than going to the shop to buy it. And having to dig a compost lavatory is harder than flushing it away. But I never got bored and I rarely felt lonely. I’d go for walks, cycle, make a fire. I’ve learned so much about food, about nature, about myself.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...or-a-year.html

QM · 11-25-2009, 12:46 PM

Wow! I don't think I could ever live to that exteme. The stuff he brushes his teeth with and laundry soap seems so weird. I'm sure if I had to I could though. I'd just want to do it with someone who knows what they're doing and enjoys living like that. KWIM?

**Contrary Housewife** · 11-25-2009, 01:08 PM

I hope he enjoys it while he can. He has his health and he is single and does not have to support anyone else like kids or elderly parents. So many people do not have that luxury.

**Mummy2** · 11-25-2009, 01:58 PM

Well he lives in the U.K and has health care if he needs it. Clothes do wear out they will need to be replaced at some point unless he makes them out of animal hides he hunts or weaves the fabric/ cloth from vegitation he harvests.

IMO I think hes just doing this to get attention and it will get old. Not to mention if he wants to have children and a wife.

Ok Im done harassing the guy.

**Lady_V** · 11-25-2009, 02:31 PM

LMAO!!!! I don't know where to even begin with this one...

He has an acre of land (does the UK not have to pay land tax?) How many people would have the money to pay for an acre of land where they COULD live totally off the grid like this?

He added: "I realised the only truly sustainable way was to give up cash and reconnect with nature, so I gave away all my possessions.”

I think this is a wonderful quote... except THIS is the paragraph BEFORE it...

Mr Boyle said he decided to give up all his possessions and spend his last £350 installing solar panels in his caravan to power his laptop after he saw the Oscar-winning film Gandhi.

Solar panels? Laptop? I don't have those things... but then again, I have a roof over my head.

**shoiji** · 11-25-2009, 03:54 PM

I thought this was really interesting until he talked about solar panels and a laptop. The article does give you a lot to think about.

**pollypurebred39** · 11-25-2009, 04:02 PM

Good grief, he's living on just this side of homeless. How attractive that would be for a potential mate? Can you imagine the ad for mate wanted!

Looking for my soul mate to share my life and dreams. If you enjoy foraging through garbage for your dinner, if you believe dental hygenie is over rated, and If digging your own loo sounds like an exciting afternoon, you're the girl of my dreams. Together we can live the life of paupers in a rusty old caravan, and with all my body heat....well, we'll have to put on a bumper sticker that's says "If the caravans a rocking don't come a knocking"!

Sorry, couldn't help myself with that last line. His good looks and body heat! Yeah, that's all women want out of the potential mate and the father of their future children! His x-girlfriend got away just in time.

**Debbie-cat** · 11-25-2009, 04:05 PM

That's just too funny Polly!

**mrsfoamy** · 11-25-2009, 05:34 PM

LOL - Thanks guys! I never took into consideration the services offered in the UK.... but I'd never want to live there... I've visited and it's always cold, damp and gloomy!

**Imarachne** · 11-25-2009, 05:39 PM

I'm not ready to dig a "loo" ! Maybe I'm not as frugal thinking as I thought !!!

**pollypurebred39** · 11-25-2009, 05:51 PM

Ahh...that was supposed to read dental hygiene! What a doofus!

**AmyBoz** · 11-25-2009, 06:06 PM

While I like the "concept" of living without money, I'm not so sure I'd be willing to put it into practice like this.

**xtena** · 11-25-2009, 06:10 PM

He's probably just doing it to write a book...

**xtena** · 11-25-2009, 06:12 PM

Whoops! I swear I had NOT read the article before posting the above. Surprise, surprise. He wrote a book.

**monkeywrangler71** · 11-25-2009, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by mrsfoamy

LOL - Thanks guys! I never took into consideration the services offered in the UK.... but I'd never want to live there... I've visited and it's always cold, damp and gloomy!

When I went to England it was 96º and sunny, which was about 50º warmer than our trip to Key West. I was not really prepared for either.