Sunday, January 8, 2012

Can Freegans Teach us Something?

Have you heard the term Freegan yet? I heard the term for the first time about a year ago and it is an innovative, intriguing practice in our throw out society. If you do not know what freeganism means check out Freegan Info and familiarize yourself with their beliefs and practices. A complete minimalist approach in our wasteful economy and social standards and living, they can shed some interesting solutions to those considering curtailing consumption in order to save.

When it comes to money there are a few choices in which to choose from.

1.) Working to consume, this is when a job enslaves us in order to continue a standard of life in which to continuously buy "STUFF"

2.) Back to the Basics minimalist. The homesteaders, the self reliant, self sustaining group. They build their own small cabin or shelter, raise their own food, forage wild edibles, preserve food, gather rain water and found living in such a simple manner keeps their money needs fairly low. While their purpose is not to build wealth, it certainly is to reduce monetary needs and no need for full time work.

3.) Freegans who rebel at our wasteful ways and again are typically free from the work world if they choose for they have found a way to live gathering their needs for primarily free. They live off of what other people waste or leave boarded up and abandoned. Their impact helps the environmental impacts of a careless society.

4.) Those who may reduce spending and find extremely frugal measures in order to save money while also finding ways of increasing income in order to build wealth.


What can each of these groups teach us about how we spend and earn?

What group do you fall in, would it be different if it was only you and no spouse or family to consider?

2 comments:

  1. I'm a minimalist. Not a back-to-basics minimalist. Just a person who doesn't believe in consumerism. I enjoy Goodwill shopping and garage sales, but I realize that I need certain newer things in life, like medication. I could never be completely Freegan, but more power to the people who are, although I hope they have savings if anything ever happened to them.

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  2. I first heard the term from my niece. Her and her friends dumpster dive for food(in fact she just had me watch the documentary dive) and for alot of the things they need.

    We have been trying to reduce the junk we have and the junk we bring into the house this year so hopefully we will wind up with a cleaner, healthier more clutter free home

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