Patterns of Deep Response

Category: Patterns

  • crash with friends

    Action Have/maintain friendships such that if you got in a jam you could crash with them for a few days/weeks. Part of this patterns is the reciprocal pattern set up your place so friends can crash with you.

  • have a cash buffer

    Action Always keep a few weeks of living expenses on hand, and several months if not several years of cash accessible on short notice without penalties. Discussion When the tide goes out is when you discover who isn’t wearing pants.

  • have a plan b

    If you’re splitting up your apartment and sub letting greylegally, or parking your trailer conversion in a side yard, or setting your bus on an orchard, you might get busted and have to pivot on short notice. Have a plan and resources allocated for this eventuality. Related:

  • lifestyle experiment

    Issue Making big changes in lifestyle is difficult. Besides the obvious difficulties of habit re-formation and lifestyle disruption is the challenge of knowing whether or not a lifestyle change is a good fit for you. Not all Patterns are a good fit for every person or circumstance, and doubt as to whether or not a…

  • outlaw shelter

    In many parts of the world it is illegal to live on your own land in an RV, build a house less than 400sf, build a house without a septic tank system or connecting to city sewer, build and occupy an ADU (tiny house) in your own backyard, run a cottage industry out of your…

  • live in your rig

    aka rubber tramping Don’t have a permanent address and live in your car, van, trailer, bus, etc. This is one of the greyest forms of outlaw shelter because there’s nothing illegal about it. However, there is no checkbox on IRS forms or DMV residency forms for “I don’t have an address.” You can’t tell your…

  • spend less than 10k a year

    $10,000 a year is $833 a month. It’s below the federal poverty level, and as such you could earn more than twice your expenses and pay no income tax. You’d also likely qualify for subsidized health insurance in the US. For an 85% Savings Rate, your annual income would need to be $66,667 Here’s a…

  • crowbar

    Action Set a concrete, clear standard of behavior or constraint that is significantly different than current behavior, and adhere to it strictly for a period of time. Discussion The crowbar method is implementing a given change in your life very quickly and decisively. It is the opposite of an incremental or gentle approach. Let’s say…

  • do a no buy year

    Action Buy only strict necessities. Either do without or figure out non-financial means of acquiring things (goods, experiences) that you used to use money to get. Typically, a No Buy Year (NBY) means only spending money on the following: Most excluded categories of spending should be obvious: no buying new outfits, no avocado toast, no…

  • reject purity culture

    The Issue Few things are as off-putting and othering as a smug holier-than-thou attitude. If your vibe is one of arrogant righteousness it is unlikely you will directly or indirectly positively influence other people or garner support. Additionally, since it is borderline impossible (and a fool’s errand) to make your lifestyle a) completely harmless and/or…