Saturday, February 19, 2011

Being broke kinda rocks under the right circumstances

Right now, I'm broke as shit. Credit cards near maxed. My bank balance reads $6.27 so if I want that money I have to go inside to get it. The ATM won't even talk to me, and withdrawing $6.27 just doesn't seem worth the trip inside.  Income has hit near record lows for me. And you know what, I'm as happy as I've ever been.

Living broke feels unbelievably freeing under the right circumstances. No work means no responsibility. No money to party or go out means no distraction. Your life becomes very focused on only a few things, namely, whatever you feel like doing. Sleep when you want. Do what you want. Get creative. Having no money gives me opportunities I never knew I had.

The situation of living without income has occurred twice in my life. Both times, I took the opportunity to live a minimalist existence that doesn't rely on spending money. I borrowed books from friends or the library. I wrote music and stories. I played pickup basketball with strangers and friends and made my own fun. Essentially, I lived like I was 10 years old again, and it felt great.

Some of my greatest memories come from being broke, like playing pickup basketball. 
A few caveats exists for being happy while broke. 1) You must still have the essentials: food, shelter, clothing. Being truly broke, no place to live or food to eat, is anything but fun. 2) You must have no one who relies on you for anything material because obviously you cannot provide material things if you're broke. That means no kids or dependents of any kind. 3) You must have people around you who are comfortable with you living without money for awhile. Nothing kills a buzz like someone telling you to "Get a job" and calling you a bum everyday. 4) The trip to Brokesville must end eventually. Not because the money is important but because if you spend enough time contributing nothing to society, you run the risk of falling into a rut and eventually becoming nothing to society.

Think of being broke like a vacation, a vacation that helps you gain perspective. All your material things look different after you return to the "real world." Sometimes, they look more appealing because you've gone so long without. But more often those material goods look less necessary, and the things you cherished while broke, friends, relationships, creativity, escape, mean even more to you.

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