Jo Nemeth, a 56-year-old woman residing in Lismore, northern New South Wales, has embraced an unconventional lifestyle that defies the norms of modern society. Living without money, Jo has found contentment and security that eluded her during her years of financial stability. She shares her life with the Brodie family, where she contributes by cooking, cleaning, and managing the veggie garden in exchange for her keep. Jo, who has been living this way since 2018, draws inspiration from Mark Boyle's book "The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living."
Jo Nemeth's journey to a moneyless existence began after a period of personal turmoil. Following the sudden death of her husband Monty in 2015, Jo reevaluated her life's direction. Despite having a stable job and a loving partner at 46, she felt an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction.
“I was 46, I had a good job and a partner I loved, but I was deeply unhappy,” – Jo Nemeth
Driven by a desire for change, Jo became increasingly disillusioned with the economic system and its environmental impacts. Her concerns grew until she discovered Mark Boyle's narrative about living without money.
“I’d been feeling this growing despair about the economic system we live in and the harm I was doing to other people and to the planet, even when I tried to buy ethically, while I lived in this world of privilege.” – Jo Nemeth
The idea of living without money resonated with Jo deeply.
“When I read about this guy choosing to live without money, I thought, ‘Oh my God, I have to do that!’” – Jo Nemeth
Inspired, she crafted a list of her essential needs — a list that turned out to be surprisingly short.
“It turned out to be a short list because I already had things like pots and pans and a toothbrush, and I discovered I really didn’t need much to be comfortable.” – Jo Nemeth
Satisfying her basic need for food was Jo's initial focus. She found creative solutions such as dumpster diving for groceries with her friend Sharon Brodie. Yet, she soon realized that she did not need these measures as frequently as anticipated.
“I didn’t actually do much dumpster diving, I didn’t need to,” – Jo Nemeth
Living with Sharon and her family provided Jo with a stable base. She utilizes their wifi network for communication, using her phone without a plan or sim card. Her contributions to the household go beyond physical chores; she crafts items like soap and washing powder to help save money and reduce their environmental footprint.
Jo's daughter, Amy, acknowledges her mother's significant contribution to their home.
“If you worked out the dollar value of everything Mum does in this house, she’s probably contributing way more than we do in rent,” – Amy Nemeth
Jo's approach diverges from traditional barter systems. Instead of engaging in transactional exchanges, she offers assistance without expecting anything in return.
“It’s very different to bartering or trading, which involves thinking in a monetary, transactional way: I’ll give you this if you give me that. In the early days people would say, ‘Come and do this for me and I’ll give you such and such in return.’ And I’d say, ‘No, I’ll just come and do the work and you don’t have to give me anything’.” – Jo Nemeth
Her philosophy fosters community connections and encourages a simpler lifestyle. Living without money has become a fulfilling challenge for Jo.
“I love being at home and I love the challenge of meeting our needs without money – it’s like a game.” – Jo Nemeth
Sharon Brodie reflects on how their lifestyle contrasts with societal norms but still feels abundant.
“We live a lot more simply than most people, but it feels very abundant at the same time. We don’t have chocolate very often now, for instance, but when we do get some – as we did recently when a local shop closed down and gave away all its stock – it feels like such a privilege, which it is really.” – Brodie
Jo's transition to a moneyless life is not just about survival; it's about finding security and happiness in simplicity.
“I actually feel more secure than I did when I was earning money,” – Jo Nemeth