When Dumpsters Get Locked...

If you are rescuing food from supermarket dumpsters on a regular basis, then you might run into problems when your actions are discovered by staff. Dumpsters may get locked, moved inside the storage area, fenced in or replaced by a press container. Of course this is something we want to avoid and in this article I will share some prevention strategies.

"Welcome"-sign -- *points to store entrance for divers :)*

Usually, store personnel won't mind dumpster divers if they dive respectfully. This means always leaving the site as clean as or cleaner than you found it, diving after closing time, minimizing noise and limiting exposure (try not to be seen by anybody). If your favorite store is fairly abandoned after opening hours and the dumpsters are used in such a way that it is difficult for staff to find out about what you are doing, you may prefer to dive anonymously. However, when you dive in an area where you can be easily spotted by passers-by, or if dumpsters are small and you collect a lot of stuff from the bins, then you may want to consider trying to arrange a diving agreement.

One way to do this is to ask the store manager for permission first to collect and donate food. You can either agree to collect the food inside the store directly, or to dive with permission. Unfortunately, store managers are often still reluctant to donate food or give permission for divers, and this strategy may backfire because the manager will be on high alert, and may take preventive measures against dumpster diving. However, so far this has not happened to me. What did happen in one case is that the manager turned a blind eye to the diving and even walked past me on many occasions while I was digging for treasures.

When interacting with store personnel, especially managers, make an effort to see their point of view and always respond with kindness, humility and compassion.

1. Remember it is fear, not malice, that motivates managers to resist food rescuers.
2. Fear (like anything else) can best be approached with love and compassion. Not attack, blame or defensiveness.
3. Try to keep the conversation open and take initiative.
4. Be innovative and positive in your approach and communications with personnel, management and law enforcers.
5. Demonstrate your goodwill by sharing your treasures with others, especially those who are less fortunate than you or organizations with little resources who aim to make a difference in the world  (volunteering organizations, animal shelters, homeless people, refugees, organic farms, etc).

Another option is to make your presence known in a subtle way, by leaving a note on the dumpster door (on the outside or inside). You can do this straight away or after a dumpster gets locked.
Here is an example of such a note:

---------------
Dear ....,

You have been visited by Food Rescuers. We collect food waste and donate it to farms and people in need, to do our part in helping prevent climate change.

Your store remains anonymous and we take full responsibility for food safety. We will not donate if there is any health risk.

Please help us by keeping your dumpsters unlocked, or we can pick up directly at the store during opening hours. Please call 93606823 to make arrangements.

Thank you for helping us with our cause. We are always open to answering questions and feel free to get in touch if you would like to learn more.

Sincerely,

Trondheim Food Rescue Team
--------------

Of course it is very important that you keep your promises and commit to your purpose long-term. Read more about what it takes to live moneyless here.

It may be difficult to know what option works best and it may require you to talk to the manager first, even if just to get a feel for the type of person you are dealing with.

If you have other advice for fellow divers, feel free to post your tips below.

Most of all, don't forget to keep on having fun!

Happy hunting! :)

(click HERE for a reminder of the benefits of dumpster diving; not just for yourself, but also for the store and the rest of the world!)

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions that I have been asked most frequently by readers of the blog or whenever I posted articles from this blog on Facebook pages, or when others shared my posts.


Feel free to ask another question if yours is not yet listed or insufficiently answered!

N.B: Recently I have decided that 'rewilding' is a better term to use to describe this way of life than 'moneyless' because living without money (as much as possible) is only a very small aspect of this way of life. So this FAQ is not entirely relevant anymore, although I have made some changes to my answers. I might write an updated version as new questions come up.
 
1. I am just one person among billions. Why would it matter what I do? Can I really make a difference?
2. What are the benefits of living moneyless? Why would anyone do it?
3. How do you get <insert random “need”> for free?
4. What motivates you to do what you are doing? 
5. How can you say you live moneyless when you are using other people's facilities that cost them money?
6. Are there exceptions to your moneyless life?
7. If you want to be free full-time and live completely moneyless, then why don’t you quit your job?
8. What do you do for fun?
9. What will you do with all that money you have saved while living moneyless and also earning a salary? 
10. What if everyone would live like you? Would society as we know it still exist? Would we still have the comforts we have today?
11. But what about things that are mass produced? Will we still be able to have things like computers and such? 
12. Are you against money? If it were up to you, would you ban money? 
13. What if the majority of people just doesn’t want to risk losing what we have and want to keep things the way they are? 
14. What about healthcare?
15. What if you get old/sick/etc?
16. How can I support a moneyless world? How can I best inspire others to change?
 
1. I am just one person among billions. Why would it matter what I do? Can I really make a difference?
The short answer is YES, you can make a difference! Not just for yourself, but also for others.
You'd be surprised of how much one person can do, and if you make it your mission to create change you will continue to discover new ways in which you can help your cause and make changes in the world that go beyond the scope of the personal / individual level. As long as your intentions and motivations go beyond personal rewards and benefits, then your reach will, too.
For example, your life mission to support the environment and the ecosystems through targeted actions may inspire many other people to make similar changes and to start working towards this common goal. You may even create a social movement in the process of reaching out to others and sharing your personal story. Every single action counts, and it is impossible to see the reach of the outward ripples that even one single action can create.
Once you have made steady changes to your life, you will see that you can't help but affect others differently also, perhaps inspiring them to change without even trying (in fact, it only works as long as you don't try): they will notice how you respond differently, how your vibe is different, that you are a happier person and that you express yourself differently. They will notice how you choose your words and actions more carefully and how they are more aligned, because your actions (as well as your words) are now directly guided by your values and beliefs. They will notice how your new way of life works much better for you and everyone around you. They will notice you live your life with more integrity, and how your life seems somehow more meaningful for that reason. They also notice how they could do the same thing and start living within their values instead of doing what everyone else is doing. All of this is contagious; it is inspiring.

2. What are the benefits of 'rewilding', or living moneyless? Why would anyone do it?
 There are so many benefits to the moneyless life that it is difficult to list them all. Let's look at some of them:
-Overall:
One of the biggest benefits to the moneyless lifestyle (or what I now like to call 'rewilding') is that it promotes freedom, in every sense of the word.This includes having more options for how you want to live your life, having more time, being more in control of your health and what you eat, and increasing your own skills for survival instead of relying on others. It puts you back in control of your own life and you no longer have to participate in society's obligations such as jobs, consumerism and taxes.
- Physical:
Rewilding is also likely to get you in a better physical shape because you are solely responsible for your own health once you quit money. Rewilding also leads you to de-clutter your life, which is a huge contributor to a more relaxed and happier life, because you have so much less to worry about (and you realize you didn't really need all that stuff in the first place!).
- Emotional:
Rewilding can make you a happier person, because it encourages living life from a place of gratitude at all times. It also gives your life instant meaning and purpose, and therefore you will experience a sense of fulfillment more of the time. Living with integrity helps you become more balanced and remain centered through most of your experiences in life.
- Cognitive:
Your mindset changes for the better when you focus less on money and simplify your life. It helps you to get back in touch with the reality of being part of an ecosystem and to live in harmony with the beings around you. It also stops the calculated type of mindset that money teaches, which promotes conditional giving rather than unconditional living. Unconditionality is another key to happiness. Having more time will create necessary space for you to reflect more and integrate new experiences. This also helps you stay grounded and equanimous. More about the moneyless mindset in this post.
- Social:
Rewilding (and living without money) promotes independence (from the system and others) as well as collaboration with others. This means your relationships with others will also improve. As with all aspects of life, you will no longer be looking for what others can do for you, but more for what you have to offer and how your relationships with others can be as meaningful as possible.
-Benefits beyond yourself:
Rewilding has also many positive impacts on the environment in that it helps other beings thrive, it halts the destruction that we are doing to the earth (mainly driven by money, ownership and our loss of connection with nature), it brings your focus back to supporting the ecosystem you live in and brings you more in touch with the natural resources you use, which promotes efforts to protect and help replenish them.

3. How do you get <insert random “need”> for free?
When your main focus is contribution (instead of just getting everything for free) and you start getting creative, you will see that there are many ways to get things for free. Of course you can work your way towards living completely for free in steps/ stages, as I have done (that is: without using money). You may also discover along the way that you no longer need certain things, even if you really believed you needed them in the past. So it is best to just get started somewhere and see how far you can take it, without anticipating too much on things you might think you need. You can simply eliminate one cost after another and deal with each need as it arises. I have to add though that 'getting something for free' is a misleading way to describe this way of life and it puts the focus in the wrong places. Contribution and giving is always the main focus. All needs should therefore be questioned in the process of simplifying life.
Some ideas about how to find basics for free can be found here, how I found my first free home is explained in this post and some ideas on what to do for fun can be found here.

4. What motivates you to do what you are doing?
When I started the challenge, it was mostly about saving money and doing something practical to help the environment besides just studying environmental psychology and doing research. However, very soon into the challenge the other benefits mentioned above took over, or rather supplemented these initial goals. This helped me to keep going, and turn my vision into a mission; a way of life. The journey became self-rewarding. This last year my life has felt more meaningful than ever before. Also I have felt happier and healthier than I have felt in a long time. And I have definitely felt more focused, determined and successful than ever. All that is left now is for me to gain total freedom after I finish my final job (the PhD degree) in 2017. Then I will be completely free. I am very much looking forward to taking this last step towards personal freedom.

5. How can you say you live moneyless when you are using other people's facilities that cost them money?
This question has come up a lot. So much so, that I decided to write a post about how I see it. You can read more about it here. The bottom-line is that living moneyless requires a different mindset, which will develop once you get started on the path. It is therefore difficult to describe, but perhaps with some imagination it can be understood from the post that I just mentioned. Money can create a mindset of exchange and a focus on calculating cost and value in all our interactions with others, which makes our relationships less personal and less rewarding.
In addition, the distinction between what costs money and what doesn't is completely artificial and made up. In the end everything comes from the earth and returns back to the earth. What is free and what costs money has changed over the years and will keep changing. So why would we even make that distinction?
When you live moneyless, you are no longer constantly thinking about exchange. People don't give to me conditionally, and I don't give to them conditionally. All interactions are unconditional. This is what happens when money is taken out of the equation, and that is the point of 'moneyless living' for me. The focus is on what you can give instead of how much you can get.
In this context I also think it is important to remember that not paying money does not mean that one does not contribute. The contribution just happens in a different form, which is more focused on serving others directly and serving the ecosystem that we are all a part of than on "financial contribution" (which sounds rather vague and unspecific in comparison, doesn't it?). Read more about that here.
One final point is that the answer to this question ultimately doesn't matter, because living without money is not actually the goal of this way of life. The goal is to get more in touch with nature: to increase awareness and consciousness. I would like to call it 'rewilding'. That is freedom. Read more about that here.

6. Are there exceptions to your moneyless life?
When I say I am living moneyless, it means that I am not spending any money, without exceptions so far this year and with a few exceptions last year. However, I still have a job at the moment (until October 2017) so I still receive an income and I still have some indirect payments (automatic taxes). Also, I use office supplies that are paid for by the university and I get some incentives to use for traveling and costs while traveling. This means there are occasions where I am still indirectly 'consuming'; mostly through my job.
However, after October 2017 I am planning to retire completely and then I will be completely money-free. Then I will no longer burden the earth directly nor indirectly by using valuable resources for valueless reasons. This will be the final step in the process of my personal liberation; the final step towards freedom. It is what I am preparing for right now with the foraging challenge.
However, remember that living without money (or with less money) is only a tool to help me in what my way of life is really about: rewilding - getting more in touch with nature and raising awareness/consciousness.

7. If you want to be free full-time and live completely moneyless, then why don’t you just quit your job?
I have considered quitting my job, but eventually decided against it. I seriously considered quitting my job at the end of last year and with any other job I would have. So this last step of giving up everything is taking a bit longer than I hoped and ideally it would have come sooner. But I do treat my job more like a hobby now (I take it less seriously) and definitely don’t let it dictate my choices and priorities. As a consequence I enjoy it more too, and I am probably even more productive. I used to take my work way too seriously to the point where I would often stress myself and others out (I suffered from burnout a couple of times in my life).
However, a couple of points have made me decide against quitting this job. I started the job before I started this challenge and my job provided me with the ideal circumstances to try out moneyless living to decide if it was right for me. Also, it is a temporary job so it won’t be much longer and it gives me exactly enough time to prepare all my next steps in detail, before starting the nomadic journey. The job also gives me a lot of freedom: I can work from home whenever I want and can even include writing this blog as part of it. It is almost as good as being entirely free, and a great step in-between.
In a way this job helped me discover the moneyless life, because it gave me the final push to take environmental action (with the topic of my PhD being about interventions to promote behavior change to mitigate climate change). So I feel some loyalty towards the people who made this possible (my supervisor mostly, who has been very supportive of my personal efforts with this moneyless project from the very start). I have also found that it works much better to take on this challenge in steps rather than throw myself into the deep end straight away. The process of freeing yourself from society (and changing/ re-building your mindset) takes time. And because at the start I still had my connections with society (through my job) I was able to test the waters first with some peace of mind.
Nowadays my mindset is so different that it is hard to imagine that I was so obsessed with getting a job in the first place. And it is hard to imagine that I would have felt like I needed a job at all. But I did. And I found one. Luckily I also took up the moneyless challenge, because now I know I don't need a job, which frees me up for the future. So in part, I have my job to thank for the idea to go moneyless and for supporting me through this process of transitioning from being trapped in the system and slowly freeing myself. I am very grateful for this and I believe that some loyalty from my side is in order to complete this project. So all of this made me decide to finish what I started.
If I would have been unable to find this  particular job, perhaps I would have tried to go moneyless anyway. It is difficult to say in hindsight. It may have seemed more difficult with the old mindset of not feeling good enough and being so focused on the need to find a job and to be part of society and to ‘contribute’ in the traditional sense of the word. Having said that, others have shown that this way is also possible. But perhaps it is reassuring to know that you don't have to take the plunge right away, and that you can make small changes on this journey and still reach the same destination. I think this makes moneyless living appear much more attainable to many people. For most people, it is much easier to oversee one change at a time than to just changing everything overnight.
You don't have to give up everything right away. You can work your way towards it and just let go whenever you are ready. In the meantime you can just work on preparing yourself.

8. What do you do for fun?
When you follow your passions in life you will notice you don’t need so much ‘fun’ anymore, because your life is already fun and joyful. Fun can be an escape people need when they take life too seriously too much of the time, or when they don't want to face the reality of their lives somehow. However, fun and enjoyment of life is important and I did write a post on how to do certain things that most would consider fun. Read more about things to do for fun here.

9. What will you do with all that money you have saved while living moneyless and also earning a salary?
At the start of the challenge, the plan was to save up a lot of money and then buy some land in France or Spain (or somewhere else with a good climate) to start an ecofarm or even a small ecovillage, where I could grow my own food and live a happy, peaceful life, enjoying nature and all it has to offer. But now I am not so sure what I will do. If I buy land, then it brings more worries into my life and it is putting me back into the system that I have learned to reject and have come to detest (the money-grid), as having land means having to pay property taxes in most countries (yes, there are exceptions). And that means I am yet again no longer 100% free. At the same time I also have the urge to settle down after so much moving around and living a ‘rootless’ kind of life (although definitely not in Norway as I find the cold and dark winters absolutely unbearable).
So I am not sure what I will do. Perhaps I will live the nomadic, moneyless life for a while and travel from Norway to Spain on a horse or hiking, and then I can just see where the road takes me. I can see what I find and if I find a beautiful location where I want to settle, I can do that with or without buying land. Perhaps there is some land that is not used where I can live. It is hard to predict this kind of stuff. We will see what the universe has in store for me. I am sure that I will know what to do once the time comes. In the meantime, as always, it is good to have options. Freedom is mostly about creating options.

10. What if everyone would live like you? Would society as we know it still exist? Would we still have the comforts we have today?
Many people seem to worry that if everyone would live like this, there would be a lot they have to ‘give up’. Of course it is difficult to imagine what a moneyless world would look like now, because we have made a lot of technical advancements since the stone age (and understandably, not everyone wants to go back to that). I do know that when we all live moneyless, a few things will start to happen:
1. We would all have a lot more time, because none of us would need to work anymore.
2. Our collective environmental footprint will be reduced significantly, because a lot of damage is done in the name of employment (‘just doing my job’), profit and (economic) growth (things some like to call ‘progress’).
3. Everyone will take responsibility for their basic needs, which means that everyone will invest time in learning how to grow their own food and purify water. Cities will probably be rebuilt to be more sustainable; more in line with keeping water, air and food clean and accessible. People will do this voluntarily (without payment) because they have the time and it is their home.
4. People will uphold and maintain societal structures they deem important, such as health care. So a moneyless society will demonstrate what people think is important and where efforts should be directed. I imagine that structures like the military will disappear almost instantly, as they benefit no one when money is no longer involved. So will politics and other unnecessary societal structures. I imagine that things like education (mainly of survival and other self-help/life skills), the arts and health services will flourish.
5. Natural resources will once again be valued, protected and cherished rather than exploited and depleted for all they are worth.

11. But what about things that are mass produced? Will we still be able to have things like computers and such?
Many people who believe in a moneyless world fail to take action because they fear that they have to make (big) sacrifices. This is not the case. In my case, I have not had to sacrifice anything. I have my own little home on a farm with plenty of space, I have access to enough food to feed several families and I have all the stuff that I need and more (I am still downsizing even though I didn't have that much to begin with). Each time I simplify my life more or get rid of more stuff, it feels liberating (and not like a loss or sacrifice at all).
But what if we would all live this way? Would I still have the computer that I am using to type?
Well, if the answer would be no, then does that mean that ‘slave labor’ is the price for our luxuries? Or at least the fear of losing those things is keeping us all tied to the current system. Is that worth it? And is it even an option, realistically, for the long term? I’d say no. It is not sustainable and we will destroy the planet this way, probably sooner rather than later. Again, is that worth it? If all is destroyed, would you regret not making changes and taking the chance of perhaps being even happier than you are now? Would you feel like you had done enough to prevent this from happening once major catastrophes start to happen that affect all of us? (And yes, they have already started, but perhaps none of them have affected you personally yet; at least not as far as you realize.)
Although it may not be possible to keep comforts in the form they are in right now when forced labor falls away, I do believe that production of things that people really want and need will still happen even without the use of money, if it is something people value. Perhaps a different kind of product will be invented, from different materials (that are easier to produce on a smaller scale) and one that lasts much longer because then the aim will be sustainability rather than consumerism (for more information on the purposeful speedy expiry of products, see this video (the end of ownership), which explains the basics of a resource based economy.  You can also watch the Story of Stuff (very insightful!), which puts everything in perspective and explains the circular economy. For more about a circular economy see this TED talk by Thomas Rau).
It is impossible to describe with certainty exactly what the future would look like. But the fact remains that what it would look like is totally up to us. We can create the future the way we want it to be, in total freedom. If we miss something, it is our responsibility to (re-)create it; this time in a more sustainable way. If we don’t like something, it is up to us to change it. This new paradigm is the kind of world that stimulates and rewards innovations and initiative, instead of laziness and complacency.
So to come back to the question: is it possible to keep all the luxuries we have right now? The answer is, I don’t know (although the future is in our hands and I do believe that people are capable of creating anything if it is important enough for them, with very limited resources). But let me ask you this: Is it possible to sustain human life without making radical changes to the way we do things? Is the way we live now, collectively, in any way sustainable? And here I know for sure that the answer is no. And that is all I need to know. It makes the above question completely irrelevant.

12. Are you against money? If it were up to you, would you ban money?
At the start of my challenge, I had nothing against money. I was neutral to money. I did not feel the need for others to change. My journey was purely personal. I didn’t see money as good or bad, just as a tool. But now, through my experiences and reflections, I have seen the links between money and so many forms of destruction. And I would like to see humanity move beyond this ancient (and debilitating) construct.
In a world without money, would natural resources get exploited? Would hierarchies exist in the same way as they do now? Would nature be destroyed or protected? Would we live in harmony with nature or go against it? Would we cherish other beings or carelessly drive them to extinction? Would people still work jobs and would they still work the same type of jobs, or would they do something more constructive with their time on earth? Would people live to support the system, or themselves, each other and the earth? When you really get into it, you will see that many things are directly related to money, consumption and our habits of exchange. We can all move beyond it by getting back in touch with nature.
However, I have also come to realize that money is not the cause but rather the consequence of our dysfunctional way of thinking. So banning money would not work: the root cause is in the mind so we need to change (evolve) our way of thinking first and foremost.

13. What if the majority of people just don’t want to risk losing what we have and want to keep things the way they are?
At the very least it would be great to have some part of the world where this type of society could be trialed: one that does not rely on money and that produces everything on a small scale. This gives people who do not believe in money anymore the chance to opt out and it gives people who do not believe in moneyless societies an example of how it could work. I understand if people do not share my ideas. I don’t want to force them to change. But I also do not want to be forced to remain in a system where I don’t belong.
Additionally, as mentioned previously: if we don't start making changes now, the world will be headed for destruction sooner rather than later. I do not want to wait here and watch it happen. I want to do what I can to contribute to a solution before it is too late. Time is running out. Nature doesn't care whether you believe in climate change or not, and while we are debating this and other pointless topics, the window of opportunity is closing.

14. What about healthcare?
Ultimately everyone is responsible for their own health. Yes, some health problems may be caused by genetic makeup, but the majority of health problems stem from the ways we live our lives (not enough nutrients, not enough oxygen/clean air, not enough movement). The current trend of making others responsible for our health does not promote self-care and healthy decisions.
However, as mentioned under question number 10, I believe that health care will still be accessible in a moneyless society. Until we reach that point, we need to learn to support ourselves in the best way possible. Learn about natural medicine and learn about plants. All the cures in the world are out there, and prevention is the best cure of all. That means living a healthy lifestyle with healthy food (foods from the earth) and natural activities (NOT sitting in an office all day).
Most likely, the same system that offers you health care is also making you sick.
Read more about my views on health here.

15. What if you get old/sick/etc?
Well, we all get old and eventually we all die. This is an inescapable fact of life. And so for me it is illogical to sacrifice my freedom for something like health care (which I may never need, and have not needed in a long time). Why would I sacrifice my whole life (and the freedom to live it as I choose) in exchange for something that I may or may not need some time in the future (i.e. health care)? It doesn't make sense.
So yeah, if I get sick I may die, someone may help me, or I may find a natural cure. If I do end up dying, it is called natural selection. It is how nature keeps its populations clean. And when I get old, I die as well. But I will die a free person, and that's what's important.

16. How can I support a moneyless world? How can I best inspire others to change?
Actions are the foundations for change, because they speak louder than words. Words are only a supplement. On top of that it feels better too, because actions are empowering and can redirect and strengthen the energy generated by having a vision. Doing something therefore always beats doing nothing.
When you want others to change, it must start with you. You cannot get others to change first. If you feel and see that change is necessary and possible, then you must take that first step. I sometimes see people out there desperately trying to change the world, but they forget to take those first steps. Instead they try to change the world before they change themselves by trying to convince others to change first. But how can we expect others to change when we are not even willing or ready to do so ourselves? If you are in this situation and find yourself promoting change to others but are not consistently taking the necessary practical steps that are involved, then you have a wonderful opportunity. Obviously something is still holding you back, and it is likely that that very same thing is keeping others from changing too. So if you explore what it is and figure out how to overcome your personal barriers, then you can lead the way for others to follow in your footsteps, even more effectively than if you would have had no barriers to overcome. After all, how can you be a teacher or mentor if you never had to learn anything?
If you fail to walk the talk, nobody will take you seriously and you won't be able to offer anyone any guidelines on how to get started. Also, you might implicitly contribute to the myth that it is okay to talk about the need for change without taking actual action; that talking about it and being offended by the state of the world is a form of taking action. It is not. We need real actions to create lasting, structural change. On the other hand, if you have walked the path yourself, then you can give specific guidelines on how people can get started, and you can demonstrate to the world that change is possible and beneficial (to yourself and to the world). Inspiring real structural and societal change can only come from personal change.
(See also question 1).



This page may be updated if new questions come in or as my views on life (and hence answers to the questions) evolve.

The Moneyless Mindset

I regularly get the comment that my moneyless lifestyle is not technically "moneyless", because I am still depending on money via other people. While I understand the logic and reason behind this to some degree (especially from the perspective of what is accepted in society), I also see another side to it. Here are some of my concerns with this interpretation of reality, and with the use of money in general.
NB: Some of these ideas might seem controversial, but try to read them with an open mind and see what comes up for you.

Money is invented

Money is a construct. It is something that we have invented. It has no value in itself. The value is determined by what you get for it, and in the end all real value is provided by the earth and /or the inhabitants of the earth. So it may be that you pay for things that were created by other people, but in the end we can only use what is already here. If things you buy were created by man, then the fact remains that someone chose to bring it into the world and made it with the resources that are freely provided by the earth. And hopefully they did not just create it with the intention to make money, but to make the world a better place and to help others. In the absence of money, this is the only motivation to do things at all.

Money is not a tool for survival
Many people mistakenly believe that money is a tool for survival, because with the way things are right now everything we need can be acquired through money. So it can also create a false sense of independence, because if you have enough money, there is really nothing else you need to get everything and anything done. But money is only an indirect way to fulfill basic needs, and there are direct means available to get those needs met. So how about we teach ourselves to fulfill our needs directly?
If the monetary system would ever fall away, would you be able to sustain yourself? If that system was all you knew, then there is no way you could survive. At least not on your own. I think this is why some people get so defensive of the monetary system: they have invested all their life into it and put in a lot of effort to be a good player of the game, and their very survival depends on keeping the system in place.In a way, money has made us complacent, and it has detached us from our real survival skills. Acquiring money has become our main strategy for survival. Of course this is completely unnatural: no other creature on earth puts value on an inherently meaningless object and depends on it for survival. Only humans.

Money forces us on a detour

Some people argue that money makes things easier, as it represents a value and makes it easier to compare and exchange things. But does it really make things easier? It actually seems to make things more complicated. Instead of growing my own food or finding it in nature, I have to get a job that has nothing to do with getting what I really want and need, save money and then get what I need after. To buy myself a place to live, I need to save money for many, many years. This means I probably need to work for the rest of my life. I also get persuaded to buy many other things I don't need, so that I can support other people's jobs, so that they can get their basic needs met. And meanwhile we destroy our only home, the earth, because all the stuff we consume has to come from somewhere, and all the trash we create has to go somewhere. 

The issue of entitlement and obligation
Money creates an attitude of entitlement with the person who pays and a sense of obligation in the person who is being paid. This greatly diminishes our general experience of freedom, or at the very least creates a huge degree of inequality. It can also lead to people doing things that go against their values; just because they are 'doing their job'. And it can lead to people doing a lot of damage to the earth because they 'own' it and think that therefore they can do whatever they want. And if anyone complains, they are told to 'mind their own business'. So for some people it can create the illusion that they live in a bubble. They have forgotten that we are all affecting each other, because we are all part of the same ecosystem. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water. So my decisions about 'my' land do have an impact on you and everyone else. What happens to our ecosystem is therefore everyone's business.

Money gives the illusion of ownership

What makes people think they can sell everything and charge money for it? It is a false sense of ownership. We take things that nature provides and sell them for profit, while slowly destroying our own ecosystem and depleting our resources. How is that acceptable? In reality we don't own anything. We are born with nothing and die with nothing. And yet everything we need is freely available. So everything that is made, invented, used and sold belongs to the earth. Everything. How can that be sold? How can we charge money for something that is not even ours to sell? If it helps others, we can give it away and share it, but why would we need anything else?

You may say: well, people want to get credit for things they invent. They want to be recognized. But recognition can come in many different forms. Gratitude is a form of recognition. If people use what you offer them, then that is a form of recognition. What does money have to do with it? The consequence of bringing money into it, is that we create a mindset of conditionality.

"You depend on people who have and use money"

Let's go back to this statement and take another look.

Of course we all depend on one another, because we are all part of one world. That in itself creates a certain level of interdependence. There is no question about that, and I wouldn't want it any other way. But the question is, do I necessarily depend on people with money, and do I therefore depend on money? I think that people who are used to using money depend on money, but I don't necessarily depend on it.
For the past year and a half (and in the years before to a lesser degree), I have been focusing my efforts on learning survival skills and increasing my independence (independence from the system; not necessarily from other people). How? By learning more about plants, sourcing and finding drinking water, building shelters, and so on. Most people who live the money-lifestyle know how to make money and how to buy food in the store. But how is that going to help you in a survival situation? How is that skill in any way related to your survival? And most importantly: can you see how having and using only your money-skills inevitably makes you dependent on others for your survival? It makes you dependent on people who know how to grow food (farmers) and people who know how to build homes and shelters.
So when I use the term independence I am not saying I want to be independent from other beings on earth, but mostly independent from the way society is currently organized. That is the goal of my independence. Not independent from other beings, because that is not possible and it is also not desirable. We share this world and we are all connected.

The Money=Contribution Myth
Obviously that doesn't mean we should allow some people to get lazy and leech off others. But again, without money this naturally balances out. People will eventually stop helping others who are not contributing anything beyond themselves; simply because we all have to make choices where we place our efforts to help others and it is much more rewarding to give to someone who is appreciative and who has a positive impact on the world around them. So there is a natural flow of giving and receiving that rewards giving and contribution. But money tends to disrupt this natural flow. It can even reward and reinforce greed and egotism to some degree.

A spider that lives in your home also contributes: he is a natural pest control guard on your mutual territory, because he eats other tiny creatures (and some of them may be harmful to your health). Does that give him the right to live with you? No, because his right to live stands on its own. It doesn't depend on any kind of contribution. But he does contribute. He can't not contribute. It's his nature to do so.

Many people confuse parasites with symbiosis / mutualism. If you aim to live symbiotically then you will always contribute something valuable. As outlined above, money can hinder this natural flow of contribution. It is not valuable in itself and creates a conditional, calculated mindset. In fact, many people who value money live like environmental parasites. It is just the way the economic system is structured, because it is mostly aimed at consumption and expansion at the expense of our ecosystem.
So I would argue that whether someone contributes to the world or not has nothing to do with money.
(Read more about this here.)

Money teaches conditionality

No creature on earth pays rent... so why would you?

Let's look at the phenomenon of paying rent as an example. Which other creature on earth has to pay rent just because they exist? None of them. Does that spider that lives with you pay rent? Does he "depend on people with money" because he is living under your roof? Of course not. But what is the consequence of our sense of ownership and conditional mindset? We think we have more right to live in the house than the spider. Some people even kill the spider, because it is "their" home. But in fact that spider has as much right to be there as you do. And it definitely has the same right to live. We share this planet with all other creatures.

So the consequence of this conditional mindset is that we think we somehow have more right to be here than other species. And that we can use other animals for our own purposes. They have to earn a living too. They have to help us make money. There is no room for equal partnership because we have paid for them which makes us seem more powerful. We "own" them. With the money-mindset, this is a common trap. If we do things free of charge for others, it often creates an expectation of some kind of reciprocity."You owe me" quickly turns into "I own you". There is little difference in the conditional mindset, but a huge difference when you let go of that mindset.

Question the Status Quo

I encourage people to question everything, so that's not limited to things that are different from the norm. Let's not forget to question the status quo, and let's do it often. Why are we doing the things we do in the way we are currently doing them? Does it make sense or is there another way that makes more sense?

Don't just take my word for it. Put these ideas into practice and experience them for yourself. Go moneyless and see what it does for you. Experience is the best (and only) teacher.

What It Takes To Live Moneyless

With this post I would like to debunk the myth that jobless or moneyless living equals lazy, or that it mostly involves sitting around all day and profiting from other people's hard work. I will outline here what it takes to live and maintain the moneyless lifestyle, so that you can check for yourself whether you could fit the bill.

Characteristics, qualities and skills required to live the moneyless lifestyle

I call it a lifestyle for a reason: to be successful living moneyless, you need to develop certain qualities. This is the main reason the experience has been so valuable to me; it has encouraged me to be the best version of myself that I can be, and I am still learning and evolving. No personal development course or training could ever have given me the skills and experience I gained so far from living this way. Here are some things I have found to be of paramount importance in this way of living:

1. Contribution (Unconditional giving)
Contribution is the cornerstone of the moneyless lifestyle. This means contributing in some way to anything beyond yourself (other people, animals, plants, the earth, etc). It helps if you also have a vision; some theme to work on that guides and shapes your actions. For me, it is the environment: supporting the earth and all of life on earth. I did not have a clear vision when I started my challenge, but I developed one quite quickly and naturally into the process, because my experiences broadened and refined my perspective on life. Living moneyless I experienced very clearly that none of us can live in a bubble: every being on earth depends on many other beings in some way.  This is why we need to collaborate and look after each other (not just humans, but all parts of the ecosystem). Life supporting life.
When you have a cause you support that goes beyond yourself, it also makes it easier for others to get to know you and understand what you are about, because you have a story that explains instantly who you are and what is important to you. You may even restore others' faith in humanity by sharing -and demonstrating- that you care about something other than just personal gain. The demonstrating part is obviously very important: actions speak louder than words.
After living moneyless for a while, you will notice that contribution starts to become second nature. It is no longer about getting something in return (like it is with money). Step by step you will move away from the exchange mindset. Exchange can be useful, but in many cases it tends to detract from the experience of giving and can make the receiver feel uncomfortable. Unconditionality also helps you to live in the moment and thus enjoy life more.
(Read more about my thoughts on contribution here.)

2. Being a reliable, trustworthy person
It doesn't matter how much fun you are to be around, or how much you give to other people on certain occasions: if you break promises for no good reason or miss appointments, then people are not going to want to collaborate with you. And collaboration is key to success with this way of life. So it is important that you do what you say and say what you do. I try to communicate as clearly and truthfully as possible and always stick to my word to the best of my ability.
Another aspect of being a reliable person is having principles (integrity). This requires being aware of all the consequences of what you do and having strong moral guidelines to steer your actions. Some of the most important guidelines I live by are: 1. Always support life/creation over death/destruction (on a global scale and across all species). 2. It is okay to harm the (societal) system, but never the individual. 3. Loyalty is the basis of friendship that is present at all times: not just when you need them and also in the person's absence.
When people say they trust me, or when I notice that an animal trusts me, to me that is the biggest compliment in the world. Trustworthiness, loyalty and integrity are not just a very important focus in my relationships with others, but also essential aspects I look for in other people. It is far more important than being beautiful, popular, rich, smart or anything else.

3. Being attentive/ Thoughtfulness
When you live moneyless, you will soon discover you have much more to give than you ever thought. This is why you will quickly learn to be more attentive to others' wants and needs. You will develop a natural interest in others and remember their likes, dislikes, hopes, dreams, wishes and desires. This is because giving is your new purpose.
If you know what people need, want and like, then you can give them exactly that when the opportunity presents itself. You can create ripples of joy and it won't cost you anything other than paying attention to what people say and do, and perhaps investing some time. Life is just much more worthwhile when you have others around you with whom to share your blessings.

4. Resourcefulness / Creativity
Along with a belief in yourself and a belief that it is possible for you to make your dreams come true, you need to develop your resourcefulness so that you can in fact make them happen. There is always a way; you just have to find it. You will not survive if you refuse to think outside the box. You won't even be able to get started. So question everything and try to think outside the norm at all times. It is a skill all of us can learn. Most of us rely too much on assumptions and presuppositions. There is so much more to explore!

5. Patience and perseverance
When making things happen, you also often need patience and perseverance. Things do not always work out instantly. It may take a couple of tries. When I was searching for my first free home, I sent out approximately 60-100 emails to homeowners before getting a positive response. Some things take time, so give it time. And over time you will learn to trust that all will work out, because it always does.
When things do not work out instantly, that also provides a wonderful opportunity for you to contemplate alternative ways to do things and thus practice resourcefulness. The best ideas usually appear in the quiet times when nothing seems to be happening. Brainstorming and thinking outside the box are just about sitting comfortably in the space of "not knowing". So having a way to make everything happen in an easy and straightforward way (e.g. money) actually robs us of the opportunity to practice resourcefulness and learn to think outside the box.

6. Gratitude
Gratitude is not really a requirement to live moneyless, but it is rather a natural consequence of moneyless living. This lifestyle teaches gratitude because you learn to take nothing for granted. Everything is given and yet you never know whether it will be there again tomorrow, or how or where it will show up. Of course this is always the case in life, but it is easier to forget when you use money on a daily basis, because it gives us the illusion of security, stability, continuity and control.
Gratitude is also a consequence of living life according to your highest principles and living life with integrity. You get the opportunity to give as much as you can (and you get a lot back in return, but that is just a bonus at that point). Life becomes a flow of give and take - not in the sense of exchange, but as a blended concept. It is impossible to live life without receiving and it is also impossible to live without giving. You can only shape the form it takes to some degree. So purposeful exchange  (especially involving money) seems pointless and artificial, as giving and receiving are essential elements of each moment of existence. It is what life is made of.

It is difficult to put all the changes and qualities you will develop into words because it is hard to understand for those who have not experienced it. But these changes will come naturally and automatically as you gradually change your perspective on life and stop relying on money.

Are you aware of all you are giving and all you are given in each moment?
I invite you to notice.

Why I Don't Donate Money To Charity

I often get asked the question whether I donate money to charity. Many people seem to view this simple act as a sign or as proof that someone is a generous, loving person. If you don't donate to charity, people may label you as greedy, selfish or stingy. But there are several reasons why I, and many others with me, don't donate money to charity and none of them have anything to do with being an ungenerous person.

Here are some of my reasons. 

It is unclear where the money goes
When you make a donation to your favorite charity, it is often unclear what the money will be used for, especially if you are donating to a large organization. I don't like these vague structures, because then you never know if you made any difference and what kind of difference you made. You don't get any direct feedback. Therefore it can give you a -possibly false- sense of accomplishment when you made a relatively big donation, or a misguided sense of insignificance when you could only afford to donate a relatively small amount.
If, on the other hand, you donate your time, energy and skills to a particular cause instead of donating money (and not just in an organized sense but also in your daily lifestyle), then the results of your efforts are a lot more transparent. Often you see exactly what you have accomplished, which is a tangible reward for your efforts and a very important part of the 'exchange'. It is also what motivates most people to keep on giving, or something that can help you discover your giving nature if you haven't already. 

The use of money can have detrimental side-effects
A more recent additional reason for me not to donate money to charity is of course the moneyless lifestyle, as I am not spending any money on anything at the moment (with only a few exceptions). This new way of life has also given me a lot of insights. I no longer feel that I need money to make a big difference; in fact, there is more progress to be made by not paying for certain things. The only difference anyone can make is with their personal choices, in everything they do (including financial matters): the things we do and the things we choose not to do. All you need is an open mind and awareness to find out what is right for you in each situation.
Unfortunately, money can easily get in the way of this process of self-discovery. It can contribute to two of the most obstructive mindsets in the quest for freedom: entitlement and obligation. Entitlement can lead to destruction because you feel you have more right to something than others, and obligation can lead to destruction because you believe that you have no say in the choices you make and you have to do certain things just because others tell you to, or because others do the same things, or because someone thinks they have more right to make a decision about something than you do. Both mind-traps are equally dangerous, and these two mental constructs tend to go together in societies that are founded on principles of ownership. Unfortunately, this concept also seeps through in our personal relationships.

Money in itself is not a solution - Taking positive action is 
In the end, what any cause needs most is more people to support and live by its principles. No cause needs more money. Endangered species do not need our money. They need their habitats and they need to be left alone. They need to be protected from hunters who kill for profit. In order to have clean drinking water, we don't need more money. We need to consume less so that we pollute less. And we need to get back to nature so that we use water more sparingly and regain our appreciation of natural resources instead of taking them for granted.
I am not saying money is inherently bad; money is neither good nor bad. And I am sure that sometimes big things can be achieved with fundraising campaigns and collective financial efforts. But even then, in the end what matters most is the efforts and intentions of the individuals to set the goals and make them happen. I aspire to be one of those first and foremost. 

Conclusion
I am not saying that donating money to charity is a bad thing in and of itself and I might even start doing it myself someday. What I am saying is that your individual actions are your biggest contributions. The best way to change the world we live in is to start there. Become aware of what you are supporting with your spending habits, what you are contributing to through your lifestyle choices, and even what the consequences are of the beliefs and ideas you have about the world and other beings. This is where we can all make the biggest impact.

20 Creative Random Acts Of Kindness

Here are 20 Random Acts Of Kindness ideas that don't involve spending any money (at least not more than you would otherwise). These ideas help you to prioritize staying connected with others and making the most of your life. And as with all acts of kindness, they are great fun too!
Perhaps some of these can be included on your Bucket List for 2016.

1. Organize a ‘Free hugs’ event 

This one is so much fun! All you need is some FREE HUGS signs and then you just wait for people who are in need of a hug, somewhere in a busy part of town. It is one of the best ways to experience that giving and receiving are one and the same. It will make your day. And it is also a great way to meet cool people!

2. Donate things you no longer need to people who might need it

Give your stuff away online, give it to someone you know (perhaps you know someone who needs it more than you do) or bring it to a "Free Shop". If there is no free shop in your area yet, perhaps you can start one up. You only need to invest a few hours each week to run the 'shop' (which can also be in your garage or yard). Make sure everyone knows your 'trading times' and encourage everyone to bring stuff they no longer need and/or to come and browse around.

3. Pick up a hitchhiker

This one may be tricky if you don't have a car (like me), but remember it is also possible to give someone a lift on your bike, and even on foot (piggyback ride). This is yet another fun way to meet interesting people! 

4. Busking - and doing something good with the proceeds (if there are any)

Okay, so busking may not always be an act of kindness - depending on your skills... But it never hurts to try. So get out there and perform your favorite act in front of a random crowd and people may start throwing cash at you. If they do, you can use it to do something good in the community. For example, you can buy meals or healthy snacks for homeless people in the area, or you can donate the money to a local animal shelter.

5. Share your home with a couchsurfer

This is also a great way to meet new people (from all over the world) and make friends, all from the comfort of your own home! And if you share the most interesting things about yourself on your Couchsurfing profile, chances are you will attract like-minded people.

6. Volunteer your time at a local charity / organization

In most places there are plenty of opportunities for volunteering. Try homeless shelters, free shops, animal shelters, homes for the elderly, a zoo, the library, etc. Ask them when they need help most and be someone they can count on. It will be very much appreciated! It can be very difficult for organizations to find reliable volunteers, yet many depend on them for their survival.

7. Volunteer as a pet-sitter

Especially during the holidays. Many people who have pets have a hard time going anywhere (on holiday, on weekend trips, to conferences, ...), because it can be very difficult to find the right person (caring and responsible) to look after the pet and some places are just not very pet-friendly, so sometimes it is no option to bring them along either. So if you are able to help out, it will be much appreciated! You can offer your help online (e.g. on a Facebook forum) or respond to ads.

8. Plant a tree

This is a random act of kindness that benefits everyone and everything. And, it can be free too. Find out what type of tree grows in your area and how you can help them multiply and thrive. Sometimes they carry their seeds on them, which you can help spread by planting them at the right time and in the right way, while protecting them from animals that may eat the seeds. You may also be able to use some kind of division process. Given the right climate, you may also be able to grow a tree from food scraps, such as apple, lemon, mango, avocado, orange or olive. 
When you are not sure how to get started, remember: Google knows almost everything!

9. Give someone a genuine compliment

If you do this regularly, you will automatically start to look for things you appreciate about a person as soon as you meet them (whether you actually tell them or not). It is therefore a great way to practice unconditional love, acceptance and positivity. Of course you may not always be in the mood for this, and that's okay too.

10. Smile from the heart

How? Follow your passion. Do what you love. Follow your bliss. Do what makes your heart sing. Let your light shine bright. Walk in the forest. Enjoy the sunshine. Breathe in the sea air. And most of all: sloooowwww dowwwnnn.

11. Share food with someone: invite someone over for dinner

Dumpster dinners are the best! It is free, good for the earth and it can feed a lot of hungry people if you do it right.

12. Spread love & inspiration instead of fear & hate (e.g. on social media)

Take a good look at what you are sharing on Facebook and other social media. What is the "tone" of your posts? Is it spreading hate and fear or is it promoting love and inspiration?

13. Ask a stranger (or someone you don't know that well) if they are willing to share their life story with you

Everyone has an interesting story to tell. And knowing someone's story might help you understand them better. Commit yourself fully to listening; and you'll discover that listening is much more rewarding than talking. Ask questions. Try to put yourself in their shoes and find out exactly what life was (and is) like for them. Why did they make certain decisions? What were some life-changing events they have been through? What has made life worthwhile for them? What goals, hopes and dreams do they have for the future?

14. Pick up roadside litter
Instead of mentally complaining about how some people never pick up their trash, imagine that someone left this here just to give you the opportunity to do something good and to make a statement about who you are as a person (i.e. someone who cares about the environment). Maybe you were meant to walk by and see it so that you could pick it up. This mindset not only removes frustration, but it also reinforces the inner notion that you are the kind of person who enjoys looking after the earth, and that it is no big deal for you to pick up trash and put it where it belongs. And it feels good! Another good deed done.

15. Leave positive notes (with affirmations) for strangers

Such as in this video by DaveyWavey, where the message is: You are beautiful. Of course you can also leave notes for friends or your partner. Leave them a sweet, caring, thoughtful, loving note in an unexpected place at an unexpected time.

16. Believe in someone who doesn’t believe in themselves yet – including yourself

Having blind faith in yourself and others does not have to be connected to a certain outcome. In fact, it is much easier to believe in yourself when you detach of all possible outcomes and just trust that life will turn out just the way it should, and that (when you don't get in your own way) you will always do exactly what you need to do. Because life is exactly like that.

17. Give someone a back/neck/shoulder massage
Well... who needs a reason really? Massages are the best. But in case you need a reason: there are many health benefits of having regular massages. So that makes it a great gift to give someone you care about!

18. Organize a ceremony in a special location to celebrate a friendship

You can do this with your partner or with your best friend. The ceremony can be structured like a wedding ceremony, including friendship 'vows' / exchanges of appreciation and someone who reads out the 'vows'. See here for an example of 'vows'. Of course you can also use this time to reflect on wonderful memories and funny incidents you went through together.

I did this with my best friend Saskia in 2011. It was great fun! We both dressed up (well, compared to our standard "I-don't-care"-look) and went to the beach. This photo was taken just before the event:

19. Meditate, or organize a group meditation 

Just find a comfortable place in public where you can  meditate and put a sign nearby that reads something like:

“Meditation for love and peace in progress. Feel free to join for as long as you like. Just focus on your breathing and let go of everything else for a moment… ”

Then just meditate and allow people to come and go as they please. You can position meditation cushions around you to make it more inviting, or you can choose existing 'waiting areas' with seats already available, e.g. at train stations, airports, the tax office or other places that can have long (and boring) waits.

20. Write someone you love a letter of appreciation (or dedicate a post on Facebook to someone)

Tell them how they made a difference in your life. Telling someone how much difference they are making is one of the kindest and sweetest things you can do, because it instantly demonstrates life's purpose. And almost everyone goes through phases in their life where they fail to see that purpose for themselves, so it can be a a great reminder.

Conclusion: Have fun and enjoy life

Most of us (including me most of the time) take life way too seriously. Therefore it is important to remind yourself (and others) that it is important to have fun, in everything you do. The key to this is giving yourself the gift of time in the things you do. There is absolutely no need to rush through life - if you do you will miss out on all the good parts! And random acts of kindness are definitely some of the good parts.

The more you practice random acts of kindness, the less random they will become. It will become second nature to you over time and it will naturally slow you down: it will take the rush out of your life. Opportunities for kindness are life's pleasant interruptions that keep us in a state of awareness, joy and gratitude. And there are opportunities everywhere!

Enjoy.