For 24 hours during Nyepi, the island is like a big ghost town, with even the airport closed. A few minutes before the start, and a few minutes near the end, I snuck outside to take in the silent black night, traffic-free roads, clear starry sky, and clean air—definitely a pleasant and unique memory I won’t soon forget. Without further ado, here are my reflections:

THE GRASS IS GREENER…

In Thailand’s convenience stores, you’d be challenged to find some regular skin cream. What you’ll find cartloads of, are containers of “whitening cream.” Yes, many Thai women want their beautifully toned skin to be light…In the US, you’ll find in every city many tanning salons. Many light skinned Americans, mostly women, are obsessed with having tanned skin, no matter what the longterm health ramifications.

I have an announcement for women all over the world: Be happy with your skin color! You will do more damage than good by trying to change it.

In Bali, my surf instructor’s “dream,” since he was a kid, has been to marry a Western woman and move to her country…Also in Bali, every Western restaurant (pizza places, hamburger shops, ice cream parlors) is owned by a Australian or European man married to a Balinese woman they preferred over their own countrywomen. Hmmm…

In Cambodia, Thailand, and most of SE Asia, many people seem totally content, but when I get into deeper conversations with them, they inevitably bring up money and how wonderful their lives would be, and all their problems solved, if only they had a little more money…In the US, I think of how wealthy people are, even the ones that think they are poor. I also consider how many Americans are depressed, on medications, overweight, etc. They also think that throwing money at their problems will solve them. Americans have the money to throw at problems, but it’s rare for the problems to permanently go away. When will we all learn that money isn’t the answer, and can do only so much for our emotional well being after basic needs are met?

Speaking financially, I continue to be perplexed at the complete ignorance, laziness, or dismissiveness of people around the world to plan for their futures. WHY DO PEOPLE NOT SAVE MONEY? In the US, our savings rate hovers around 0% as people keep buying on credit, taking out loans, and never living below their means. The Chinese seem to have it right. They save about 30% of their incomes. The rest of the world, like the US, also seems hell bent on spending every last penny earned. In Bali, one of the hostesses for a nightclub told me she’s a single mother and bragged about how she eats at fancy restaurants all the time. I asked why she doesn’t save that money. She said she has no savings, and asked why she would save? MAYBE FOR YOUR SON’S SECURITY! Unbelievable.

REEVALUATING OUR NOTIONS OF SAFETY

A few days ago I rode a motorcycle down to Kuta Beach, Bali. I wore swim trunks. No shoes, no helmet, no reflective vest. One arm was carrying the surfboard, while the other arm controlled the steering, accelerator, and braking. Somehow I lived.

I remember several years ago when a boss held a meeting and was very upset that he had seen a family driving down on the road and that a toddler in the car hadn’t been in a government-approved child’s seat. I have no kids, and wasn’t entirely sure why I had to listen to that message, but it struck me how passionate he was about those child safety seats.

Fast forward to 2010, and I see entire families of four (mom, dad, baby strapped to mom’s back, little kid) riding on one motorcycle. I see girls sending text messages while riding motorbikes, 10-year old kids driving around, even people smoking or eating while riding motorcycles. These are regular occurrences, not rare events. Right after finishing this post, I will walk down the street and see motorcyclists doing things that would shock the average American. They just aren’t safe! Right?

That’s the question I’ve been asking myself in my travels. I’ve driven a couple thousand miles on rented scooters in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Bali. Seeing so many safety transgressions in so many countries among so many people has made me seriously reconsider just exactly what is “safe.” Granted, roads here are worse, vehicles have smaller engines, and traffic laws aren’t enforced (if there are laws). That creates a driving atmosphere in which people naturally drive quite a bit slower. I regularly find myself cruising through city streets at 10-20 mph, and pick it up to 30-45 mph when on the “highways.” Slower driving means much shorter stopping distances, and scrapes and bruises instead of deaths and paralyzations.

Are Americans too risk averse?

RELIGION

I’ve always been fascinated by religion. Having grown up in a highly religious community (of which I was not a member), raised by parents who had different religious backgrounds, but were non-practicing, gave me a close-up look with an outsider’s perspective. 

My travels have further cemented my longheld belief that religions and their associated beliefs have no supernatural foundations, that they consist of manmade creations for social organization, and are steeped in rituals, customs, and traditions that have little logical purpose. For whatever region, be it to organize society, fill time and bordeom, maybe to fill intellectual vacuum, someone started the various religions. Belief in a religion is not the same as belief in a God(s). I see religion like art:  some aspects are beautiful, and some aren’t. Like art, everyone interprets religious teachings, documents, and rituals differently.

Already evident to me, when traveling it becomes immensely more obvious that a person’s religion is nearly 100% based on parentage, and nearly 100% based on geography. Simply put, you are your parents’ religion. Your parents inherited the same religion from their parents. Most likely the majority of people in your nation, region of the world, and neighborhood share the exact same religion. If you had been born to pirates, you would believe in the Flying Spagehtti Monster.

What we have in the world are billions of people that are “religious,” practicing inherited beliefs, in nations and regions that are religiously segregated. Even in the US, perhaps the most diverse country on Earth, there are distinct pockets and regions with particular religious persuasions. Since such a very small percentage of people actually get to choose their religions, and since it is so obvious that one’s religion is a function of geography and parentage, why, then, are so many people all over the world so political, belligerent, and activist based on religious grounds? I see and hear more religious scripture cited in political discussions and am always baffled as to how such a stretch can be made.

Again, I’m a religious outsider who’s had some peeks at the inside, and I find it all fascinating, yet disturbing.

Just prior to Nyepi, here on Bali, there are many Hindu ceremonies. Additionally, there are always the ongoing customs, like respects for the dead. I was riding down the road last week and got stopped by a funeral procession of dozens of people walking down the middle of the road to a cremation ceremony. Every day, twice a day, people put rice on their foreheads, neck, and sometimes other spots for “good thoughts and feelings.” As the perspiration dries, the rice granules fall to the ground. Interesting.

In Mongolia, parents dress their baby boys as girls until two or three years old. The reason? To keep evil spirits from killing the baby boys. Males are seen as having higher value, so parents are very protective, dressing them as girls (we’re talking ponytails, hair clips, dresses, fingernail polish) until the toddlers are considered strong enough to live as boys. It sounds silly to us Westerners, but what about your own religious traditions…if an alien arrived on Earth and saw you practicing your religion, what would he think of it?

South Korea has some of the largest (and possibly the largest) Christian churches in the world. We’re talking a million members who take turns going to one building. It doesn’t take long to figure out that the majority of them are there for social purposes, and couldn’t tell you much at all about the bible. Is this bad? No, but it’s insightful to see what most religions are, that is, centuries-old social traditions sharing commonly-held, passed-down beliefs.

FAST FOOD WORLD

As a proud, yet somewhat cynical, American, one of my greatest fears is that in, say 200 years, civilization will look back on history and regard our most profound legacy (apart from the abstract ideas of: empowering and defending a big chunk of nations; apart from setting the bar for a free democracy and open society; apart from setting the bar for fighting from freedom of oppression; and apart from being that “shining light on a hill” to all people of all nations, showing that “all men are created equal”) as populating the planet with fast food and causing a worldwide obesity pandemic. This will be our brick-and-mortar legacy. There will be no pyramids for us, but fast food restaurants everywhere.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about all the great things the US has given the world. Believe me, I have a laundry list of negatives, too, but one of the most negative is fast food. I’m not just talking about particular fast/junk food restaurants like McDonalds or Pizza Hut, but the concept of fatty, low-cost, chemically-enhanced, obesity-producing convenience foods. I see American fast food joints, and a lot of attempted ripoffs, all over Asia. It makes me a little sick thinking that my country is responsible for spreading such filth and knowing that the locals will continue to expand outward, literally.

One Balinese restaurant owner told me about his vacation to the US. He went to Los Angeles, New York, and even Park City, Utah. He loved the diversity of food in NYC, but  said everywhere else he visited offered only fast food restaurants. Being a healthy American takes tremdous work when our cheapest, fastest, tastiest choices are fast food.

THERE IS NO BEST POLITICAL SYSTEM

The more countries I visit and learn about, the more I believe that particular political systems work best with certain peoples and times. There is no best system, despite what we think, and try to force on others. This idea is not new, but a longheld anthropological teaching, where strong civilizations automatically equate prosperity with superiority. It’s part of what keeps the US from succeeding in building democracies in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, where the cultures are simply not structured for our Western-style governments.

I have been especially impressed with China and Vietnam, two of the last remaining “Communist” countries. People get scared off by the “Communist” label, but I assure you that their people are capitalist to the bone. I dare you to visit Vietnam and get aggressively pursued by people selling things and then tell me they are Communists. You don’t need a taxi ride? Okay, maybe they can help you find a barber, or get your shoes shined. Everybody has twenty jobs and works like crazy for an extra buck. Communist? Hardly. Class free societies? Not even close. Take a picture of the Hanoi man on his imported Harly, or visit the new area in Saigon that will make you think you got kidnapped and space-warped to a nice Dallas, Texas neighborhood. China and Vietnam are single-party governments, but to write them off as being “Communist” countries shows a simple understanding of the governments, and a complete lack of knowledge of the people. As one Vietnamese man told me, “The people are years ahead of the government. The government is racing to keep up with the financial freedom, trade, and innovation of the people.”

Singapore has the most efficient, streamlined, wealthy, modernized system of anyplace I’ve ever visited. What was once the garbage can of Malaysia made itself into greatness, in the course of one generation. It’s beyond amazing what they created, particularly considering the third world, impoverished nations surrounding them. Read this National Geographic article for a better understanding of how they did it (mainly under the guidance of one man).

I focus a lot on China because I see them as a global threat and as, inevitably, the next big (biggest?) superpower. Based on recent rhetoric, they are regressing to more government control, buying out private companies and cracking down on free speech. That said, I much admire the consistent, high growth of their economy, and the laserlike single party focus of their government to continue that growth. Say what you will about their piss poor civil rights record, and respect for individual rights, but don’t ignore China’s ability to rapidly shake and bake whatever needs shaking and baking in their power growth.

In the US, we are bogged down with two major parties, both of which are heavily influenced by special interest groups, and which regularly alternate power, and bicker incessantly. Yes, I’m complaining (what good citizen doesn’t?). Our country’s ability to seriously focus on real problems (the economy?) is highly limited by all the wedge issues.

All that said, I’d rather have our gridlocked representatives than oppression and threats from a single party government. At least as an American I have a voice to vote them all out next election.

AMERICANS HAVE IT GOOD.

Really good. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we are the luckiest people on the planet to have been born in the USA. It’s a golden ticket to make of our lives whatever we want or to waste away. Even Noam Chomsky, the famous MIT professor who is a strong critic of our system, admits that the US is about as close as any country has ever come to being a class free society—that is, an average kid born into poverty or middle class can grow up to be a general, a CEO, or the President of the United States. Some have it easier, no doubt, but the doors are there waiting to be found and opened.

One quick example of the advantages we enjoy as Americans is our ability to travel freely. My toughest places to visit so far have been China and Vietnam. Both required me to get Visas prior to arrival. You know what I had to do? I had to mail my passport to the Chinese and Vietnamese offices in Washington, D.C. (or some other city), include a check, and wait. A week or two later I got my passport back, stamped with visas, ready to visit. Many Americans, by the way, think that process is “difficult.” As far as I know, Americans are welcome to visit every country in the world. The only ones we legally can’t visit are ones restricted by our own government (e.g. Cuba)! In other words, an American passport is a ticket to travel the world!

By comparison, most of the people I meet in SE Asia have no chance at ever visiting the US or other Western nations. For one, it’s just too expensive for them. While we’re complaining about our $20,000 jobs or $50,000 jobs, they are lucky to make $2,000 in a year. Sure they live at home and get by on hardly anything at all (they have to), but once they leave the region, how far do you think that income gets them?

Just to get a visa to visit the US on vacation is near impossible unless they can prove they have a lot of money in the bank (one Chinese person told me she must have $30,000 in her bank account, which is then locked up by the government until she returns), pass interviews, and show proof of job, etc.! I’ve spoken with several people who have been denied visas after meeting all the requirements.

HAPPINESS IS PERPLEXING

What is happiness? Is it momentary ecstasy or prolonged contentment? Can it be sustained indefinitely? Is happiness in memories or in dreams of the future? Is happiness being warm and dry, in clean clothes, on cool sheets, chatting with friends, making jokes with strangers, petting dogs, having hunger satisfied with met cravings? Does religion, marriage, or money correlate with happiness?

One of my goals since I quit my job last year and started traveling has been to learn more about people, to see what makes them tick, what makes them happy, and improve aspects of my own life.

Well, psychologists (and other professionals) have actually researched some of these things. As it turns out, except at extremely low levels of wealth (people who can’t afford shelter and clothes are nearly unanimously unhappy) there is very little correlation between money and happiness. With marriage and religion it gets trickier, but there is a lot of support to show that married and religious people are indeed marginally happier.

What about freedom? It might surprise you to learn that more freedom doesn’t necessarily mean more happiness. Every time I meet Russian girls being silly in hostels or Chinese people cracking jokes on the beach, I feel like shaking them violently and yelling “You are supposed to be unhappy and oppressed!” But they aren’t unhappy! Mongolians living in gers, eating the same foods everyday are not unhappy! People adapt to their conditions. If they are born into harsh conditions, there is little adapting required when moved into other harsh conditions.

I skimmed a book several months ago, The Paradox Of Choice, about this very idea of choice and happiness. It used an example of shopping for pants, and how the clothing store had literally dozens of types of jeans of different washes, different cuts and styles. It becomes overwhelming to have too many choices. Most of us would just as soon have someone throw a pair of jeans at us and then we could be on our way to a basketball game or something enjoyable. According to the book, research shows that having too much freedom and too many choices leads to inefficiency and lack of happiness. Who would have thought?

A married man who goes to steady work all day, comes home and eats with the family, watches sports with his friends on Saturdays, and goes to church on Sundays is in a strict routine. His choices are gone. There is no stress in worrying about finding a woman to build a family with, no worries about what to do on the weekend, etc. He just has to keep doing what he’s doing, which gives him the mind space, if you will, to truly enjoy those things.

As a more relevant example of how too many choices leads to unhappiness, I’ve read a couple articles (maybe they referenced the same study(ies)) about women. Despite the massive gains made by the feminist movement, despite the overwhelmingly open educational and occupational opportunities available to American women now, they are unhappier now than in decades past. Men, on the other hand, have shown fairly steady happiness levels over time. Why? Could it be that in the ambitiousness of “having it all”—a high salaried, highly respected job, high education, lots of friends, great social life, finding the perfect Mr. Right, having a full house of kids, living in a big, beautiful house, driving a stylish car, dressing well—that some of those things are forced, or impossible to have without losing out on some of another? Maybe it’s time for people to reevaluate what “having it all” means, or should mean…

Some of the key components of living I’ve learned, that increase the odds of endured happiness are keeping negative stress levels as low as possible and always manageable, having healthy, strong, and long lasting relationships, and taking care of the body through a good diet and exercise regime. Easy, right? If your “having it all” doesn’t allow for these three big components to exist, then maybe your “having it all” isn’t a road to happiness? And isn’t that what “having it all” is really all about, happiness?

GOOD STRESS IS GOOD FOR THE BRAIN

I miss work. I feel like I need a job, a mission, some goal to shoot for, a team to work with, something to complain about! having some stress is important and necessary to keep the brain tip top.

When older folks stop working, their brains slow down. They get sick sooner, and die earlier. Because of this, I want to work forever, but I want to choose where I live and what I’m doing and be able to control my exertion better.

I’m going on 10 months without a job, and am as relaxed as I can be. Too relaxed. I have never in my life had this much time to do whatever I want to do. I want someone or something to limit my choices! Yes, I’m saying it’s time for me to get a job.

THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH

Let’s face it, the world can be split into two groups: the haves and the have nots. If you’re reading this, you are one of the haves. Happiness is an uphill better for us, the haves, in my opinion. What I mean, is that we have been so fortunate to have done so much and had so many opportunities. Whether or not we took advantage of them, we know we can have them, and being satisfied means obtaining at least that level.

I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Though I think I live and conduct myself fairly conservatively, I enjoy being terrified and shocked occasionally. However, since I’ve had a good number of shocks, it takes something even more shocking or incredible to get my adrenaline going now. It’s very, very difficult for something to “Wow!” me. Maybe I’m a little jaded, but I think many, perhaps most of my generation in America, is the same.

This is the reason why I’m getting pickier and pickier about where I travel now. I’m not so sure I want to see every country anymore. I want to see only the most incredible places, and do only the things that I think will be unforgettable. After seeing Angkor, I really have little desire to see the temples anywhere else in SE Asia. They simply won’t impress me.

TRAVELING MAKES THE WORLD BETTER

If everyone were required and able to travel the world for a year, especially to those areas most unlike our homes, and to really attempt to understand other cultures, our world would be better and more peaceful.

The most understanding, compassionate, and tolerant people I’ve met, in the US and overseas, have tended to be the most well read and well traveled. I can’t say I’ve ever met a serious traveler with righteous, intolerant views. Is it the traveling and reading that makes people this way, or is there a certain type of people who flock to travel and higher education? Maybe both.

REFLECTION

So what have I learned this past year of unemployed traveling? That I’ve changed. I know I have changed. I feel like more than I was. I feel smarter, but question more of what I was taught in formal education. I’m unconvinced there is a “right” political system, or a “right” way of living, or a “right” religion. I know I have changed. I think I already had a healthy respect and appreciation for other cultures. That has only grown. With the growing respect, however, has grown a frustration of the inefficiencies in the world, mistakes that should have been corrected, processes that should have been improved, etc. I have to remind myself of those college anthropology lessons to mitigate my desires to “fix” the world. I know I want to work again. I know I have a big list of adventures I want to do. I know I want a big family. I know I want it all, but that it’s nearly impossible to have it all AND be happy at the same time. Less is more—that much I knew when I started.

What I’ve found in negotiating is that there is no greater leverage a buyer can have than simply not wanting something. Therein lies the rub. If you do NOT want something, why would you negotiate for it in the first place? If you do want something, you will show it in your voice, behavior, eyes, tone, etc. It is impossible for even a fine actor to hide so many very subtle subconscious clues like pupil dilation. Part of your negotiating power inevitably dies as you unwittingly give away these clues.

Today I had a little experience that prompted me to write this blog. I’m in Thailand and, always interested in prices as a general curiosity, asked a woman how much a pair of sunglasses cost. Mind you, I was wearing sunglasses at the time. The conversation went something like this:

Me: How much are they? (asked generally about the dozens of different styles she had displayed)

Her: Which ones?

Me: Ummm, these ones I guess. (pointing to some Elvis Presley style shades)

Her: 250 Baht ($7.50).

Me: Wow, ok. (said softly to not be overly obnoxious)

Her (noticing me looking around, realizing I wouldn’t pay that price): I can give you special deal. 200 Baht ($6).

Me: I’m not really interested in buying anything, just wondering.

Her: Okay I sell for 180 baht.

Me (laughing a little): No, really, I already have a pair, but might buy a new set if mine break or get lost…just wondering what they cost.

Her: Ok, 150 Baht ($4.50), how much you want them for?

Me (pulling my sunglasses up, onto my forehead, so she can see my eyes): I don’t really need any unless these break. I was just wondering what they cost.

At that point, I thanked her and walked away. For all I know she would have taken 100 Baht if I asked, though I suspect her final stated price was near her limit. This is how many of my pricing questions go, because most of the items about which I enquire, I simply do not want. I have zero desire to add a second pair of sunglasses to my backpack.

Here are some techniques to try next time you travel overseas and are negotiating for souvenirs:

-Never pay sticker/asking price. For Westerners, this takes some practice, since we naturally assume the seller is giving us a fair price, when actually it might be a 100% or more markup.

-Use local currency. In many places the US Dollar still reigns supreme, but you’re almost always better off withdrawing local currency form a nearby ATM for your purchases. Plus, it helps demonstrate that you’re not a freshly arrived, dumb tourist.

-Realize that you don’t need to buy anything. Without a doubt in my mind, the strongest negotiating tool we can ever have is not wanting. If you really, really want that hand-crafted figurine or a special pair of shorts, do your best acting job. Like I said before, it’s impossible to hide all our subtle clues, but you can hide some, making yourself appear ambiguous. You can take your acting to a whole other level by convincing yourself that you don’t want what you really do. Hey, it works for lie detector tests, spies, criminals, and politicians.

-Let the seller lower the price. Just like my sunglassess negotiation, if you really don’t want something, you wouldn’t be haggling over price. Let the seller SELL, while you remain an uninterested buyer.

-Do a test negotiation. No deal is final until money changes hands. Every one of these seasoned street vendors knows that very well. It’s okay to test out the market price from one vendor and then go to another vendor armed with that knowledge. Other ways to gauge the market price are to listen to other customers trying to buy similar products, or have a friend go in first.

-If or when you do start serious haggling, put in a low-ball bid, maybe half of what the original asking price was. Often the sellers will laugh or even act offended, but will then throw out another price somewhere in the middle. They want to move merchandise. If you present what you consider a low-ball bid and the seller immediately accepts, you can feel fairly certain that you were nowhere near the seller’s lowest acceptable price.

-Know that no vendor will sell you anything at a loss. They are not stupid. They all have bottom prices that include a certain acceptable profit margin. Your goal as a buyer is to get as near that price as possible.

-Be willing to walk away. You won’t hurt any body’s feelings if you turn around and walk. Try it sometime just to prove to yourself that you can. It’s not uncommon for a seller to cut a price in half as soon as he knows you’re walking away for good. It’s his desperate final attempt at making a sale that is as good as lost when you leave.

-Remind yourself regularly that all things are negotiable: taxis, hotels, food, souvenirs.

Many books have been written by lawyers, politicians, and sports agents on how to negotiate settlements, compromise with opponents, and create “win/win” scenarios. In all those cases, they are representing other people and money not their own. Hopefully my tips prove more practical on a personal level.

What techniques do you have for negotiating? Have you an interesting bargaining story?

Why do we buy so many things? Because we can! After finding a place to stay and food to eat, we start applying our incomes to things like cars and phones. Then, with those utilities, we can move and communicate better, making ourselves eligible for better jobs and higher incomes. With those higher incomes, and all our basic and utility needs already met, we have extra money to spend on useless stuff.

How do we prioritize what we buy? Well, few of our possessions are needed. Those few basic things—food, water, shelter, clothing—are easily affordable for a healthy individual willing to work. Additionally, we have other possessions, luxury items like phones, vehicles, internet, medical coverage, and electricity that provide social and occupational utility. These utility items allow us to live more comfortably. A third level of possessions—things like jewelry, electronic toys, landscaping items—have absolutely no utility. There are gray areas and exceptions, but you see that with each level the possessions become less important to sustaining our lives.

I think of it as a 3-layer cake. Imagine the cake’s bottom layer represents our most basic needs. That is where our initial flow of money will go, so that layer is big and establishes the foundation upon which we can build. Whatever “dough” we have left will go to buy helpful, but unnecessary, things. Keeping with our analogy, that second layer will be smaller than the bottom layer. Finally, we might put a little bit of dough into that topmost layer, buying ourselves or loved ones a jewelry present, for example. With a well-balanced budget, the 3-layer “cake” should be nicely molded, firm, consistent throughout, and well proportioned, with each level being smaller than the one below it. Problems happen when the layers are not well-defined or proportionate.

Consider all the people you’ve known with financial problems, and I bet they had inverted or misshaped “cakes.” Too much of their money probably went into that top layer of useless, but nice, things, making the top layer bigger than the foundation, leading to a collapse. Ever know someone whose car cost more than his house? The other common problem I’ve seen is a poorly defined bottom layer, where people don’t have enough dough to fill (pay for) the large cake mold (house) they bought on credit, leaving a very thin bottom layer and poor foundation. What happens to the cake and the over-extended home purchaser is the same: burned!

Some people can get away with having upside down or misshaped budgets if they have enormous amounts of money or keep their expenses within their means. Those people, however, probably have upside down personal values as well.

What is the nost important thing we can buy? In answering this question, I assume that everybody reading has food and shelter. If you don’t have those basic needs met, then stop reading this and get to work! After meeting those basics, I believe a top-notch mattress is the single most important possession we could ever buy. We spend a third of our lives there. A good night’s sleep is necessary for optimal functioning when awake. A good mattress can increase our lifespans and decrease medical problems. Additionally, mattresses last for many years, with most carrying manufacturer guarantees of 10 to 20 years. If there is one thing to splurge on, it is a mattress. Mattresses are investments in our well being.

Would you agree that a mattress is the most important thing a person can buy, after securing a home and food? What in your life is something you absolutely, positively will not settle for less than the best? Do you think budgets are like layered cakes, or do you think that’s a silly analogy? How do you prioritize your own purchases? Have you ever found yourself or friends with an upside down cake, and, if so, were there any financial problems?

Somewhere along the way, society has put  in our minds that we require an ever-increasing income and ever-growing list of assets to be happy. That’s why it seems inconceivable to most of middle America that someone could live comfortably off $1100 a month.

We all have different incomes, comfort levels, and expenses. Most people in most occupations have the ability to influence these. How we spend our money depends on our values. Some folks buy nice homes, while others buy nice cars. Some donate everything to charity and others yet enjoy the local nightlife every night. I’m not going to assert that any of these is better than any other. To each his own. We spend on what we want, hopefully for smart reasons and hopefully within a budget.

What I practice and advocate is living below your means (LBYM). You can search the internet and find hundreds of tips and techniques about LBYM. They range from the practical (coupon cutting) to the extreme  (living in an RV) to the absurd (cleaning, drying, and re-use of paper towels). Living below your means is as easy as keeping your expenditures less than your income. Obviosuly, LBYM is a very broad topic with wide strategies depending on income, location, and a host of other variables. To keep this article short, I’m going to avoid delving into specific tips and focus on what I consider to be a reasonable and low-expense single person’s budget.

My only objective in this article is to demonstrate that it is possible to live comfortably on a very modest income. Whether or not you ultimately agree with my $1100/month contention depends on your definition of “comfort” and your idea of what these things actually cost where you live.

These rounded dollar figures are for a single person and based closely on real expenses. For bigger cities which generally are more expensive, rent might be higher, but you can offset that increased expense by relying on public transportation, thus lowering your automobile expenses substantially.

NOTE: This budget is for a person on maintenance status, meaning he already owns a working vehicle and household goods.

MONTHLY EXPENSES

Rent: $500 This will pay for an older, yet well-maintained apartment, or cover a decent home shared with a friend

Food: $200 This is an average of $6-7/day which is enough to cover healthy grocery store food as well as eating out once a week

Renter’s insurance: $10

Auto insurance: $50

Medical/dental coverage: $150 This number is highly variable, ranging from $0 to nearly $1000

Gasoline: $60 Based on 500 miles per month (ride a bike and carpool half the time), 20 miles/gallon and $2.40/gallon

Auto maintenance: $20 Average based on a carwash every month and an oil and lube every three months

Personal Supplies: $15 Includes hygienic items like soap, toothpaste, and shaving cream

Household Supplies: $15 Includes cleaning products, and light maintenance

Clothes: $40 This is enough to buy a decent pair of shoes, a pair of pants or two, or some shirts each month

Entertainment: $40 A little something to treat yourself to some movies, a concert, or a professional sports game every month

What do you think? Are these estimates way off the mark? Is this level of spending too low to be considered “comfortable”? Do you believe the title of the article—that someone can live comfortably off $1100/month—or do you think it’s sensationalistic and a stretch? Did I miss any typical expenses? Leave a comment!

By the way, $1100 per month means $13200 per year. Working 40 hours per week for all 52 weeks of the year, this breaks down to $6.35 per hour. In other words, a fulltime worker can live this budget if he makes $6.35/hour. As of this writing, the federal minimum wage is $6.55/hour.