Surviving Without Money: German Woman’s Year-Long Adventure

Gulf News ^

[nickcarraway]

For one year, Greta Taubert renounced our consumer society. Eating, drinking and dressing without spending a cent, the 30-year-old German woman wanted to see what life would be like if the economic system collapsed.

The first thing she badly wanted after her 12 months of consumer abstinence? “Tights,” she replied spontaneously, nursing a cappuccino in a café in Leipzig, a city in what used to be East Germany.

SNIP

“I even made my own shampoo,” she said. “But I started to look like a Neanderthal. My friends told me, ‘Now you’re going too far’,” she laughed.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

wanted to see what life would be like if the economic system collapsed

Not a valid experiment as she was living on the surplus of others. In a economic system collapse there is no surplus.

[GeronL]

bump

if the economic system collapsed, she would not be the only one living like that

[ClearCase_guy]

She sponged. Others worked and produced clothing and other basic goods. She made efficient use of such goods, but aside from a small amount of gardening there is no evidence that she produced anything.

She lived off others in an effort to show people that THEY consume too much. Meanwhile, she did nothing but consume the work of others.

[Vendome]

After a year, first I’d want is a bottle of Balvenie 12yr and a pack of cigarettes. ..and a 24oz prime rib, rare....

[libertarian27]

Surviving Without On Other People's Money: German Woman’s Year-Long Adventure

There, fixed the headline.

[tflabo]

Well whatever hope she enjoyed it and got something useful out of it in her life. Money is for using and not to love it. But to shun it completely is not smart. Why cause unnecessary hardship and lack?

[familyop]

"Did she have electricity?"

Sorry if this is a little aside from the intention of your question, but you might find it interesting. Many Americans are too far from powerlines and have small PV solar electric plants.

"Did she have running water?"

People in rural areas use water wells with pumps for that. Pumps can be powered by small diesel generator, PV solar, wind, etc.

"Did she pay rent / mortgage payments?"

Many are downsizing to small houses on cheap lots in order to stay out of debt.

"Did she pay taxes?"

Where property taxes are low enough, enough money can be saved in advance to pay them for a long time. Property taxes are much lower with much smaller houses in most places.

[Secret Agent Man]

exactly. a real test has no surplus and everyone fighting for anything useful. genune dangier.

this is why the takers can survive off the excess - and confiscated - of the makers. if the makers can’t make, there’s no excess/anything to confiscate.

[Secret Agent Man]

i don’t think it’s wrong if someone wants to see how they can cope on a tight budget. at the same time don’t delude yourself you feel exactly like a persoin who/has no choice but to live that way, or lecture anyone else because their test is artificial and they have the ability to quit anytime.

[familyop]

"Not a valid experiment as she was living on the surplus of others."

"She sponged...She lived off others"

"Surviving Without On Other People's Money: German Woman’s Year-Long Adventure...There, fixed the headline."

Show us a quote from the article behind the posted link above this thread to substantiate those comments. And while we're discussing spongers (or worse),...

Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2014
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,949,129 [Democrat] 81% [Republican] 1%”

Leviathan (Uncle Sam employs more people than you think)
National Review ^ | 02/03/2011 | Iain Murray
"...nearly 40 million Americans employed in some way by government."

America’s Ruling Class — And the Perils of Revolution
http://spectator.org/articles/39326/americas-ruling-class-and-perils-revolution

The Fragmenting of the New Class Elites, or, Downward Mobility
http://volokh.com/2011/10/31/the-fragmenting-of-the-new-class-elites-or-downward-mobility/

Environmentalism and the Leisure Class
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2835601/posts

The New Upper Class and the Real Reason We Dislike Them
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2843575/posts

Are you a member of the political class?
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2010/08/are_you_a_member_of_the_politi.html

Downton’s Class System — and Ours: We have a ruling class that despises the free market and does...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3024119/posts

The War on Humans
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWcEYYj_-rg

[familyop]

Ping.

[Cboldt]

I’d guess about a third of the US population is in a similar boat - no money of their own, but plenty to be had from the government.

[freefdny]

I thought this was a Chelsea “I wanted to see if I could care about money” story.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Here you go... She also scavenged for food discarded by shops and bakeries. In times of collapse there would be no food discarded.

She also stocked up by buying food items ahead of time.

It is like my claiming I have not bought clothes in years. I haven't, but I have a nicely stocked wardrobe already so it is a shrug.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Boy you really take this personally.

All of those things you mention take M*O*N*E*Y. Her claim is "no money".

[Secret Agent Man]

niiiiicce....! :-)

[LadyDoc]

heck, all she would have to do is move here to the Philippines and wait for a typhoon.
been there, done that.

[Graybeard58]

Money is for using and not to love it. But to shun it completely is not smart. Why cause unnecessary hardship and lack?

Ecclesiastes 10 Verse 19:

A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things.

(Emphasis mine)

Of course we know too, that the love of it is the root of all evil.