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How To Theoretically Live Absolutely Free.
It is possible to go from rags to at least a comfortable living, may even rags to riches.
This article is just for fun, although it is theoretically possible to live absolutely for free.
Imagine a person starting from scratch. The only thing he has is the clothes he is wearing. How can he get from being homeless and pennyless to a situation where he is living comfortably and absolutely for free?
He needs the basics first- shelter, food, water. He can begin by using public services like a homeless shelter. He can go to a public library and Google shelters in his area.
Now he needs to build his self-sufficiency. He needs more permanent housing and ways to get food and water.
He can gain some training online for free which can help him to get a job. "What, a job," you ask? Yes, if he gets a job, he may not be living absolutely free. But the jobs described in this article are unique. In a way, getting all freebies takes a little time and work. The jobs that will be described are efficient and simple enough so that it would be comparable to the work implied in getting anything for free.
He can get permanent, free housing either by seeing what the government offers at HUD.gov or by getting a job as an apartment manager. If he manages for a big company, then he will likely only have to keep keys to let tenants in when they lock themselves out, collect rent and call in repairs. The job should include: free rent and maybe some pay, a phone line, and if he is lucky, utilities also (water, electricity and internet). This job is flexible enough to allow enough time for him in the day to continue gaining his independence and self-sefficiency.
He can use the internet at the library to find the job on Craigslist.org and use free email to apply or ask for an interview. Since he doesn't have a phone, he can also go to the management office in person.
When he goes to the management office, he should be dressed professionally. He can look on Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org, or he can dumpster dive outside thrift stores at night. Sometimes people leave clothing there to be picked up in the morning, but no one comes to bring it inside until the store opens.
He also needs some skills on writing a cover letter, writing a resume, writing professional emails and interviewing. He can find all of this online at gcflearnfree.org and other sites. He could also watch videos on YouTube.
For his interview he needs to shower and shave, which he can hopefully do at the shelter. He can get a free bike for transportation on Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org.
So now he has the job managing with a free apartment, water, electricity and a phone. He also has some clothing from dumster diving. He continues to get food at a soup kitchen, but also volunteers at cafeterias to get some variety and nutrition. He can find nutrition assistance programs from the government online. Since he is dumpster diving, he learns how to get food without it being dangerous or dirty. He also makes friends with his neighbors that have gardens and walks someone's dog in exchange for meals.
Now, lets fill his apartment with some furniture and get him a computer so he won't have to keep going to the library.
He can get a free computer by volunteering at a non-profit, like Freegeek.org, that re-uses and rebulds computers. He can get his own computer for the work. He will also learn how to rebuild and repair computers. This is a service he can offer for hire online.
He can use his new skills to trade for some furniture moving services with someone who has a truck. He can make the trade with someone on Craigslist.org. He can find free furniture on Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org.
If he needs more computer training, he can get it for free at gcflearnfree.org. He can also learn website code for free at free-ed.net. This will open the web to him which provides many ways of getting freelancing jobs, free money, free food, or free anything (almost anyway).
So now he has furniture for his apartment, a computer, water, ways of getting food, clothing, a phone line, and electricity. For convenience, he gets free internet from his apartment managing job. But if he didn't at this point, he could continue to get free internet at the library, use free dial-up internet, or find places to get free WiFi at wififreespot.com or openwifispots.com.
He hasn't even used cash yet except to wash his clothes.
He may have some money from his managing job and he is already living comfortably. But lets take this a step further to continue his self-sufficiency and independence.
He is going to need a bank account. Bank services should always be free. If its not free, its the wrong bank, period. He can also get a bank account and $50 free money by getting a referral to ING Direct. He can also get $20 free from Virtual Bank. Referrals are available at ActuallyFree.info.
He can offer his newly-aquired computer services online for hire.
He can also create a free website and get paid for ads and affiliate programs. He can get free promotion for his website through search engine submission, directory listings, link exchanges and banner exchanges.
He can start his own business with $0 investments by getting a free webstore online. He can register for a sole proprietorship which is free and get free business tax training from SBA.gov. Since he'll be earning money now he will want to use some of the free financial tools at Mint.com.
He can create his own works digitally and sell them. If he is into graphic design, he can use GIMP which is like photoshop, but free. Or he can write books and use free PDF software to sell them in a usable secure format. Primopdf.com will help him create the PDFs for free, without ads, and pdfescape.com will help him edit the PDFs.
If he doesn't want to sell digital items, he can start by using dropshipping services. That way he can sell merchadise before he buys it and he doesn't even have to stock it. But hopefully he'll evolve his business to something more efficient and safe, such as an LLC. And he'll eventually buy inventory and stock it in his apartment to cut out the middle man.
And there are probably many other ways to get established for free, such as governement grants to go back to school or start a business, which haven't even been discussed.
Is it possible to go from rags to riches? Well, maybe riches, maybe not. But, yes it is possible to make a comfortable living by using all free resources. If a person wanted to live in a cave, survive off of nature and dumpster diving, then that's absolutely free. But maybe not a comfortable living though.
Learn how to get stuff for free and find more freebie resources at ActuallyFree.info.
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