As we edge closer to a cashless society, some consumers are quietly challenging the idea of money in the first place––by giving it up completely.
Daniel Suelo, 50, traded his nine-to-five for dumpster diving and a cozy cave in Utah's canyonlands back in 2000.
But even before Suelo, there was Germany native Heidemarie Schwermer. In her early 50s, Schwermer decided to see what it'd be like to leave her cushy job as a psychotherapist and live money-free, a journey that's been documented in the film "Living Without Money."
Sixteen years later, she hasn't looked back. Schwermer, now pushing 70, recently took a pause during her stay in Hamelin, Germany to chat with Business Insider about why she decided to leave everything behind.
WWII refugees, Schwermer's family fled from Prussia to Germany in the 1940s. Her father had owned a successful coffee roastery and kept a nanny and full-time gardener on his payroll. "We were well-off but ended up as riff-raff," she says. "Then we became rich again and (we) had to defend it. I've always had to justify myself, whether we were rich or poor."
Image source: Living Without Money
Throughout her life, she became fascinated with finding ways to live without money. A former teacher and psychotherapist, Schwermer formed Germany's first exchange circle, "Give And Take Central" in 1994. The group helped locals exchange simple services like babysitting or house cleaning for tangible goods. "I noticed that I needed money less and less," she told Business Insider. "And so I thought, I can try to live one year without money."
Image source: Living Without Money
Schwermer attempted to live without money at least four times, she says, but it wasn't until a friend asked her to house sit for three months that she finally took the plunge. "I said, 'The time is right. Now I'll do it.' I gave everything away." That included her apartment, which she sold first, and everything that wouldn't fit into a small suitcase.
Image source: Living Without Money
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