Jo, 56, has no salary, no savings and never claims benefits – but has managed to live money free for a decade
A woman who ‘gave up money’ hasn’t bought anything new since 2015 – has no savings and never claims benefits. Jo Nemeth has no salary, no mortgage and no car. She hasn’t bought anything new for a decade and rarely goes into a shop. Yet she says she has everything she needs and – owns too many clothes.
The 56-year-old’s radical new life began a decade ago when she gave up money. She had felt deeply unhappy about the economic system and wanted to do what she could to make the world more sustainable. “I am completely money-free,” Jo says, adding that she has no savings and receives no welfare payments. “Living without money is not about the money. It’s about reducing consumption and reducing resource use.”
Her last purchase? A big plastic box to keep her books in and some party food for New Year’s Eve 2015. Since then she has barely looked back, relying on her own self-sufficiency and donations from friends who believe in her project. Jo lives off old store cupboard staples that people don’t want and is no stickler for sell-by dates, relying on common sense instead. Trained as a herbalist, she treats any ailments with natural remedies and is working on growing subtropical plants which are more sustainable than traditional European food.”
For toilet paper, I use washable cloths for wees and for number twos I use serviettes and paper towels that have been used by my brother-in-law, who makes his own spirits,” she says. “And when people go to cafes or restaurants they pass on any serviettes they haven’t used to me.”Jo also asks for nearly-empty toothpaste tubes so she can dig out the remnants from the corners, or uses aloe-vera that she grows in the garden.
“My glasses are all secondhand donations from people, because when they start using reading glasses, their eyes progressively get worse, so they have to keep upgrading,” she says.”It’s the same with clothes. Clothes are everywhere in our society, it’s no problem finding more. People, you know, friends are always giving away clothes, and they’ll ask me if I want something when they are having a clear-out. I’ve got way too many clothes in fact.”Jo tries to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible, even making her own washing detergent. Her phone and laptop are donations and she uses them with wifi to avoid having a contract. When she began her new life she would ask people for a huge bag of rice for her birthday or powdered milk. Now she requests seeds, which she can use for food for her household and the wider community where she lives and volunteers.
Jo sees herself as either a radical homesteader or an extreme housewife. For the past six years she has worked long hours managing the five-bedroom farmhouse and garden where she lives. It is owned by her friend Sharon and partner, who also live there along with a number of members of their extended families.
While the homeowners and renters work, Jo earns her place in the home by growing, cooking, washing and mending. It’s an unconventional arrangement, but it works, although there can be some conflict. Jo said: “Sharon’s a social worker and counsellor, and she’s taught me how to communicate well, and we all have that ability. We have arguments sometimes, but, but I think that’s really important.”
You have to know how to manage your feelings and talk about things to be able to make this work, which we do as a household really well. I’m proud of us.’With no savings or assets, is Jo worried about the future? Yes – but not for her own security, rather that of humankind. With biodiversity shrinking and a looming climate catastrophe, Jo sees her role as educating and helping her community find food security.
