Man who lives in a cave with no money...what do you think of this article?

[ItalProgRules]

http://www.details.com/culture-trends/career-and-money/200907/meet-the-man-who-lives-on-zero-dollars

I have to admit I'm fascinated by this. The area where this guy lives is just breathtakingly beautiful. I mean truly jaw-dropping.

What do you think? Is he brilliant or crazy? Many more articles can be found online regarding this guy.

[Vic2012]

Didn't read the article but I think I read something about this guy (and maybe one other guy) who lives in a cave a while back. Is he crazy? Not necessarily, but I wouldn't wanna be him. I could see more people heading that way in the next hundred years or so. I'll take my chances here in the city.

[Yodelgoat]

Sounds very romantic, but it must be quite tedious. its not for me. I don't have a problem with people who choose to retire from society. He's learned to live for free. Not everyone can do this or there will be no public Library or other peoples garbage to live off of. I still think there is good in a working life. Then again, that cave would have really good natural reverb if you chose to put a recoding studio in there... I have the faint hope that I'll be retired one day and spend my days in my recording studio - which is a bit like a cave - but nicer, and smells better (for the most part) - and has a crapper... Just sayin'

Moab is absolutely beautiful and quite a different world. More like living on Mars than on earth (except for the wildlife... water...Oxygen... Minor details) Fantastic for hiking, but not if you run into a cave man around every corner of your hike. I'm surprised he isn't evicted by the local government - people might get a little freaked by a guy living in a cave on public property.

[Plasmatopia]

I'm surprised he is allowed to continue living there and is not forcibly extracted and required to make a contribution to capitalism either by getting a job or going to prison.

[trurl]

More power to him, if he's happy! I have to admit the whole simplification movement has its appeal until you consider there's nowhere to plug in the MiniMoog...

[ItalProgRules]

More power to him, if he's happy! I have to admit the whole simplification movement has its appeal until you consider there's nowhere to plug in the MiniMoog...

:) living without music would be the biggest sticking point!

I google-earthed the area and man, I could wake up to that view every day though.

I don't agree with all of his philosophy but he's sure an interesting guy.

[Hunnibee]

I read the whole article. I would need a bigger cave. Actually, my plan is to live in an RV in my old age, sort of like a cave on wheels. I will still definitely use money... and soap!

[VickiLynn]

I read the whole article. I would need a bigger cave. Actually, my plan is to live in an RV in my old age, sort of like a cave on wheels. I will still definitely use money... and soap!
I wish I could live off the grid; it's one of my long-term goals (dreams?). I'm not sure it will ever happen, because I don't want to go without money completely, and it seems you need a lot of money up front to live without money! I want a sturdy dwelling, water, heat, and electricity. Maybe by the time I'm ready to retire, I will be able to afford to live a self-sustainable lifestyle. I don't want to go begging. Recycling thrown away items is ok. :)

[Supersonic Scientist]

Although not NEARLY as extreme as this guy, but as me and the Wife edge closer to retirement age, we have begun tracking our annual spending to gauge how much we will need in retirement. A by-product of this money-tracking is our new ambition to lessen/reduce how much money we spend a year. (eliminating costly non-essentials, upping our use of coupons, etc.) So, our goal is to be as self-sustaining as possible during our retirement years. We will not be living in a cave but we do plan on installing solar panels on our home and incorporating other renewable/energy-saving devices along the way.

[jake]

Jeez his iPod must be about 20 versions behind.

[ItalProgRules]

Since reading this article, some buddies and I are planning a backpacking trip to Moab. I fell in love with the area after checking it out following this article.

Getting pretty psyched for it, this is gonna be fun!

(but no, I;m not planning on staying there and living in a cave!) :)

[Rune Blackwings]

isn't that pretty much this group after visiting a fest with a Laser's Edge table? living in a cave with no money?

[Magnashine]

Supersonic, I have an off grid cottage that runs on solar energy. I had to renew the system last year after a big thunderstorm...I had no protection on the first generation system we had but now I am fully equipped. It's going to take about 15 years to recover the cost if compare to public electricity but you should see all the energy I am loosing. So far my consumption is 10% of what is available in the batteries banks and when they are full, at around 10am, I do not have space to store what is coming in. Even in cloudy days of December, the panels are charging. The system is only 1400 watts but is still too much for what we use it for. I live in Canada where electricity is cheap and the area has heavy snowfalls, is cold in January and panels aren't straight south, but I am still very impressed. I just got a quote to replace my propane fridge by a 12 volt fridge and I can't wait to do it. As my guests say...it is a house, not a cottage.

[Baribrotzer]

I sleep in a pyramid
And I visit a shrink
A bum in a cave....

[tom unbound]

Supersonic, I have an off grid cottage that runs on solar energy. I had to renew the system last year after a big thunderstorm...I had no protection on the first generation system we had but now I am fully equipped. It's going to take about 15 years to recover the cost if compare to public electricity but you should see all the energy I am loosing. So far my consumption is 10% of what is available in the batteries banks and when they are full, at around 10am, I do not have space to store what is coming in. Even in cloudy days of December, the panels are charging. The system is only 1400 watts but is still too much for what we use it for. I live in Canada where electricity is cheap and the area has heavy snowfalls, is cold in January and panels aren't straight south, but I am still very impressed. I just got a quote to replace my propane fridge by a 12 volt fridge and I can't wait to do it. As my guests say...it is a house, not a cottage.

In some locations you can sell the excess power back to the utilities. It's the law in some areas too.

[Dave the Brave]

I live in Canada where electricity is cheap .
Sure isn't cheap here in Ontario.

Over the last 5 years or so our Hydro rates have more than doubled. Thanks to Premier Dalton McSquinty and his stupid Green Energy Program.

D t B

[Scott Bails]

Yeah - that green energy is just so freaking stupid.

[Brad to the Bone]

Sure isn't cheap here in Ontario. Over the last 5 years or so our Hydro rates have more than doubled.

I keep hearing things like this but it hasn't been my experience at all. I bought my house in September 2008 and my hydro bills have never really changed in that time. Average bi-monthly bill is usually around $80 and the largest one ever was $95 one time.