You’ve got the right idea. This is the way to “Go Galt.”
We obviously can’t isolate ourselves in a secret commune, but we sure as hell can isolate ourselves from the economy as much as humanly possible. Other ways to isolate yourself:
1. Buy used or new via secondary markets. You can use Craigslist to find a lot of new stuff at less than retail. Added bonus - you pay no taxes into the system. You could argue that someone does to get the item the first time, but I’m not so sure. I see a lot of new stuff on Craigslist at a considerable discount to retail. Something tells me it wasn’t bought at a register or the seller would be taking a huge loss.
2. Contribute to the secondary market by selling the stuff just sitting around your house.
3. Buy *down*. Sure, you can afford that nice new Mercedes, but you’ll pay more in taxes on it. Find a lesser vehicle that makes you happy that feeds the beast less.
4. Invest and hold. Avoid paying capital gains at all costs.
5. FIX YOUR STUFF instead of replacing it. So many people look at durable possessions as disposable. Take those pants to the tailor, or better yet, get a used sewing machine and fix them yourself. Find someone with a welding machine to fix that patio chair.
6. Maintain your possessions properly. Clean the dust out of your computer. Sand the rust off your trailer and paint it.
7. Plant a garden.
8. Enjoy life more simply. Choose a day at the park over an afternoon at the movies. Attend a church cookout instead of going to Chili’s. Keep your eye out for church events, even if it is not yours. Lots of churches have some really fun stuff going on!
9. Speaking of things like the movies - stop going. Wait for the DVD and rent it for $1 at Redbox. If there is a cheaper option to do something, take that option. Get rid of cable and get Hulu+. Watch your shows a few days or weeks late. Do you really need to see it THAT DAY? Hulu+ is cheaper. Netflix streaming is cheaper. The amount of content is acceptable. You may even find shows you never knew existed that become your new favorites. Or - here’s a radical idea - buy used books dirt cheap and READ.
10. Set up two days a week to run errands. Run them all at once and efficiently instead of wasting money (and taxes) on fuel. If your workplace offers a work-from-home option, TAKE IT. (The anti-oil libtards will love this one, but I’m talking about an opportunity to NOT pay taxes into the system.)
11. Make gifts instead of buying them.
12. I hate to say this one, but... watch your charitable giving. Give locally - like to your church or to someone you *personally* know that is in distress. You can also give to certain charities where you know the giving goes to those actually in need: such as Operation Christmas Child. Stop giving to places where the money is wasted, that includes fundraisers for your local school. If you want your child to learn more, spend an extra 30-60 minutes a night with them doing something educational. They’ll get more benefit out of that than they will from buying cookies through the fund raiser. Trust me.
There’s probably a dozen more ways to disconnect from the beast, but those are the first that come to mind.
Yep, sent my last donation to the blue NE last week. Wish I had it back now. I'm sure I could have found a better need for it locally.
Amen to number 12. Nobody who takes government money will get a penny of charitable giving from me. I think I will stick to the Salvation Army. Big government seems to hate them the most.
Good suggestions.
One of the best ways I've found to "starve the Beast" is to "legally" lower the amount the Gub'ment withholds from your paycheck. Just take the maximum allowable deductions. Yes, it may mean you have to "pay" come tax time BUT if just 10% of the people who receive paychecks would do this it would put a severe crimp on the Washington "looter's" cash flow! Just stash the extra cash somewhere and come tax time if you need it to pay Uncle Obama well then you have it.