may-2010

A life
without
money
Mark Boyle hasn’t spent a cent in
over a year. How does he do it? And why?
He talks Annemarie Hoeve through his
existence in south-west England
60 Holland Herald FREE
“I wake up at fi ve o’clock in the
morning and make a cup of tea on my
rocket stove, built from old cans. For tea,
in early spring, I use nettles or cleavers −
you know, the things that stick to your
jumper. My toilet is a hole that I dig in the
ground and cover up with soil afterwards.
To wash, I’ll either go to the river or wait
until evening and use the solar shower. It
heats up during the day. I live in a caravan
off-grid so I have solar panels. When
there’s not much sunshine, I just don’t
use as much energy. My laptop is solarpowered
and I pick up wireless Internet
from the farm where my caravan is
parked. I only use the Internet to
communicate what I’m doing and for
my website. It’s not like it’s necessary
for survival.
Most of the time when I go looking in
skips, I don’t take any food anymore,
because I grow my own. My caravan is on a
south-facing slope so it’s a perfect location.
It’s all rolling hills; typical British
countryside, just outside of Bristol. I can
grow carrots, potatoes, parsnips, kale,
everything really. I also forage for food
from the wild. I’ll go to the woods, bushes
and hedgerows where there are lots of nuts,
berries and mushrooms, depending on the
season. I only use mushrooms I’m sure
about because you have to be careful. I’ll
also barter for things like grain, which I
can’t grow myself. It’s a great deal for
people, because I’ll work a whole day for
what to them is only worth maybe £10 or
£15 (€11-17). I’ve never gone hungry yet
and have to give away most of my food.
I’m also fi tter than I’ve ever been and
haven’t been sick in 14 months; not even
a cold.
In the summer I’ll go camping, sit
around a campfi re, go to the beach, go
walking or cycling – everything that you
can do for free. In winter, I’ll hang out with
friends or read a book. People get hung up