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 Meet the man who spends no money
    November 30 2009 at 07:42AM Get IOL on your
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A man who lived for a year without spending any money said today that it has been the happiest time of his life and he intends to continue.

Mark Boyle, 30, has lived for the past 12 months as a true 'freeconomist', leading a self-sufficient lifestyle in a caravan in Timsbury, near Bath, growing his own food and reusing junk that people have thrown away.

He says he has not spent a penny and has become a happier person, and today pledged to continue living without cash.

He cycles everywhere, his phone only takes incoming calls, he has solar-powered showers and cleans his teeth with toothpaste made from washed-up cuttlefish bones.
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He either grows or forages for his food and gets his clothes from bins or from the Freecycle website.

Mr Boyle, an Irish-born economics graduate and former businessman, blogs online about his life using a solar-powered laptop on wi-fi time he earns in return for carrying out odd jobs on a local farm.

'Its been the happiest year of my life, and I will continue indefinitely, so I do not see any reason to return to a money-orientated world,' he said.

'It has been really liberating. It does have challenges but I do not have the stresses of bank accounts, bills, traffic jams and long hours in a job I don't enjoy.

'The most difficult part has been socialising with friends, I have missed that aspect. Instead of going to the pub I make camp fires, play music or go for walks.'

He had tried to walk from Bristol to India relying entirely on people's goodwill and generosity but had to give up a month in after facing difficulties in France.

He said: 'In the next 20 years people will have to start addressing what they consume and how they live.

'My priority is to re-use things that people throw out and then build a sustainable infrastructure for the future.

'The fact that I have decided to continue living this lifestyle is the best recommendation anyone can make.'

Mr Boyle, a vegan, now plans on promoting the Freeconomy movement through his blog and Freeskilling events to teach people how to live frugally.

He is celebrating the end of the year-long challenge by hosting a Freegan Festival today at Hamilton House, in Stokes Croft, Bristol, where he will cook a free three-course meal for the public. - Daily Mail.
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Showing page 1 of 3 comment pages, 25 total comments
10 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
Inspiring. Maybe I should try it.
10 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
Isn't it amazing how people can call someone they've never met an idiot, weirdo, lazy, etc.. Get off your high horses...civilisation will be the end of the world and frankly, we deserve it...
10 Weeks ago Dr Joe wrote :
It's all nonsense. I have no time entertaining this lousy lifestyle.
10 Weeks ago Fi wrote :
And he happily gets a 'ride' from good-hearted people to go to defferent places, not thinking that the cars and fuel has been paid for by someone; so it's not like he did not spend a cent, he did spend somebody's cents!
10 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
He has to spend some cents unless he is stealing. For example, where does he get the seeds to grow his crops? All sounds marvellous but I simply don't believe it. Had he said he lived on a marginal amount I could believe that but not one cent? I dont think so............Whats more he is lucky there are things thrown out. If we all lived like that he would be in trouble!
10 Weeks ago Anonymous wrote :
LAZY???? this guy can't be lazy... try living like him for one week and you'll realise how much time and effort it takes to survive...

we just walk into a shop whip out money and the work is done for us... I dont think his food, water, clothes, electricity and waiting for him on a platter every morning!
10 Weeks ago KK wrote :
Its a good thing that he discovered means of recycling, living happy and latter save the planet. Not spending a cent on your hygiene is pathetic, this is the area where he should not mess up.
10 Weeks ago Ayoba wrote :
I hail you, really, it takes guts to live the way you do! I will be one of the people that will go to your website and support the cause you stand for... I we had had your mentality, we would not be in this mess we are in today... we have used up most of the resources of planet earth and now we wanna go to the moon... how nomadic is that... it just show how little one needs to survive... I am also in a 9-5 job and wonder what contribution i make to society... I think we are hiding behind this as the only contribution we are interested in is ourselves... lets give more and take less, if we are more priviliged.
10 Weeks ago neeb wrote :
what a lazy cake..u should NEVER be lazy.. people like this dont promote the way forward but rather the contrary..theres a difference between materialism and finding a means to live simply...
10 Weeks ago World Without Money wrote :
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society."
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