This German Woman Has Been Living ‘Cash-Free’ For the Last 16 Years
- Posted on June 18, 2012 at 9:59pm by
Becket Adams
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A new documentary titled “Living Without Money” details the life of Heidemarie Schwermer, a self-described “peace pilgrim” who 16 years ago decided to quit her psychotherapy job, stop using money, sell most of her possessions, and depend on “miracles” (i.e. charity) for sustenance.
“I noticed less and less that I needed money,” she told Business Insider in a phone interview. “I didn’t want to go back to my old life.”
The first step Schwermer took in the cash-free direction was in 1994 when she started “Give And Take Central,” Germany’s first exchange (i.e. barter) circle.
She became interested in her current lifestyle as a young child when her family fled from Prussia to Germany during World War II. One moment her father was a successful businessman and her family lived well, the next moment they had nothing.
“We were well-off but ended up as riff-raff,” she says.
And although her father was able to start over again with another successful business, Schwermer felt there was something wrong with the way she lived.
“We became rich again and (we) had to defend it. I’ve always had to justify myself, whether we were rich or poor,” she said.
Years after this childhood experience, when she was in her 50′s, Schwermer decided that she wanted to see what it would be like to live cash-free. What was supposed to be a simple 12-month experiment eventually turned into a 16-year long lifestyle.
“For all intents and purposes, you could call Schwermer homeless. She has no permanent address and drifts between lodgings, spending no longer than a week at each,” BI’s Mandi Woodruff writes.
In fact, there are moments in “Living Without Money” where you can see her foraging for leftovers at open air markets, offering shopkeepers cleaning services in return for food, and traveling from place to place with little more than a suitcase.
“I see a lot of miracles in my daily life. For example, in the beginning I found food. I thought about things and then I found them in the street or people came to bring them to me,” Schwermer says. “I think these miracles happen because of our thoughts.”
Oh, by the way, when she says “miracles,” she means “charity.”
“She’s a light packer. When seasons change, she gives away old clothing and waits for new ones to come along. When they do — usually donated by hosts or friends — she calls them ‘miracles’, rather than charity,” Woodruff writes.
But don’t call her homeless!
“You cannot compare me to other homeless people,” she says. “They are not well-liked and invited into people’s homes.”
“I’m always thinking about how I could make things better for life in the world,” she says. “I am something like a peace pilgrim. I go from house to house sharing my philosophy.”
What is her philosophy?
“I think it’s necessary to see that we are all from one fountain and that the whole world is one organism. We are little cells and we have to work together,” she said.
Heidemarie Schwermer (image courtesy livingwithoutmoney.org
Say what you want about her cashless-drifter-we’re-all-part-of-one-organism-lifestyle, but people love to hear her talk about it.
“Her schedule is pretty strict. After a week, she’s off to somewhere new, usually running the lecture circuit at speaking engagements around Europe and lately helping to promote her documentary,” Woodruff writes.
“The only payment she accepts, however, is enough to cover her train fare,” she adds.
Hey. Wait a minute.
Needless to say, when she first got the cashless-drifter idea into her head, her family wasn’t exactly thrilled. Oh, yeah, we should have mentioned that: she has two adult children and three grandchildren. Because of her constantly being on the move, she only sees a couple of times a year. But she says they eventually warmed up to her lifestyle.
“Now they‘re proud of what I’m doing. It’s enough for us,” she says.
Apparently, it’s her friends who are the most critical of her “come-and-go” lifestyle. They regularly offer to let her stay longer than she plans (sometimes even permanently), but she always refuses.
“There are so many people who are lonely and they like to have friends at their side,” she says. “But I say no because I can’t. I feel that I must go. It’s always my job to be in the world with people.”
She has written three books and donates all the royalties to charities. She also gives away her pension.
Click here to see the full BI report.
Front page photo source: livingwithoutmoney.org
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Comments (62)
basque
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 5:58amShe’s not living without money, just off of other people’s money.
Report Post »HuckleberryFriend
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 6:27amExactly. Where I come from, she would be called a mooch and a flake. She doesn’t want to be tied down to anything but she depends on people who are to provide for her. If she was working in psychotherapy, she could easily be making a decent paycheck, but I guess it is easier to just not work and mooch instead. In my opinion, she is just taking charity away from those folks who genuinely need it.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 8:17amI thought the same thing at first..but it is like they say..she could make a very decent living off of her psycho therapy..she must be a doctor..and it seems that she shares with the ones she loves and she has written 3 books and donates the money to charity..She has simply chosen to live her life the way that she wants..I would imagine that she is giving of her knowledge and love to ones who would most likely never use her services..Bet she is a wonderful person to have around.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 8:24amDid not Jesus live a similiar lifestyle? And He was the Son of God. Were He walking the earth today..would we attack Him in a similiar matter?
Report Post »LittleMissPatriot
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 10:08amAnd by accepting charity, she‘s stealing money from those that REALLY need help because they don’t VOLUNTARILY live like that.
Report Post »LittleMissPatriot
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 10:09amAshestoAshes NO, Jesus did NOT live like that. He did not accept charity and he helped those that REALLY needed it. He also taught if you don’t work, you don’t eat!
Report Post »Publius Duo
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 1:34pm“She’s not living without money, just off of other people’s money”
Sounds eerily similar to our welfare system and our Federal Government….
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 4:31amYeah I got her beat.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:34amI’m sure she smells very nice.
I wouldn’t choose to live in such a way for myself, but hey… it’s her life and her choice. If it works for her then I really don’t care, I don’t get it, but I don’t care. If she shows up at my front door I’m calling INS, since she’s over 30 Obama will still deport her.
Report Post »bigdaddyt46
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:07amThe comment has been reported. Thank you
Report Post »danam13
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 1:00amCome on now, we should all know that this is fine and dandy for a few individuals doing this, but try 60 or 70% of the population doing this? Where would the money come from? It is bad enough that this Marxist administration wants you to believe everything is free, but contrary to liberal belief, free means the poor hard workers of this country will have to give more of their hard earned money to this greedy government and by the way, that is their plan! We must be simply stupid to continue to allow this to happen.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:07amParasite!
Report Post »SpeakUpNow
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:31amIf I read this correctly, this is in Germany. Try the barter system in the good ole U S of A and you will quickly find out that it is TAXABLE. Yes friends, the IRS is ready and waiting to collect their “not-so-fair” share on whatever it is you are bartering. We had friends years ago that found this out the hard way. So, even though this woman loves her cash free lifestyle, she would still need CASH to pay the government for the privilege of living so. And with our president so fond of installing more and more IRS agents, I can only imagine how those laws on bartering have been “enhanced” over the years.
Report Post »JanZizka
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 10:11amBut of course, the tax system exists only to feed the Federal Reserve (ironically neither federal nor a reserve). Not at all a coincidence the income tax was introduced about the same time and that taxes have increased. Barter is frowned upon as it avoids using the cute little debt certificates we jokingly call ‘money’.
Report Post »MountainEagle
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:11amI knew a man who lived pretty much the same lifestyle from about 30 years old till he was over 80. He had a philosophy that was similar to this lady. “Always leave knowing that you added value to this person’s life and leave them wanting more.” People were always inviting him over just for the experience of having him around. His motto was: “Lean, Light, Loose and Limber” He developed the Austerity lifestyle before anyone ever thought it might be a good way to live. I knew him for 30 years and I’ll never forget some of the great times we had.
Report Post »christos
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:44pmWrong she isn‘t exactly cashless she is just using other people’s cash,someone somewhere is buying the food and lodging she is using,
Report Post »Maxim Crux
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:01amYep…she looks a little to healthy to be living off charity. Being rich…means she has money stashed somewhere. She gave it all away and just goes places…yeh right. She should try Queens NY or Compton LA and see how long that lifestyle last.
Report Post »MrObvious
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:16pmHey, if it works for her, why knock it.
Report Post »Money is just a means of delayed bartering.
Her method is a combination of direct barter, pay it forward, and accepting charity with a smile.
There’s too much drifting in her method, for me; but, I’ve got no problem with letting her do it.
jedi.kep
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:16pmSo, she relies on the CASH of those who HAVE it because she doesn’t WORK for it herself.
Sounds like a mooch to me…
Report Post »Simply Amazed
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:51pmAre you really THAT stupid?
“She has written three books and donates all the royalties to charities. She also gives away her pension.”
Report Post »LittleMissPatriot
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 10:11amProbably charities that she frequently steals money from.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:59pmA long time ago story tellers would travle from town to town spreading news and telling stories for food and lodging. She reminds me of those guys. I bet she has some great stories….good and bad./sad.
Report Post »b.mclane
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:17pmIn the real world she may be as sweet as pie but she is still a moocher. Someone has to earn the money to pay for the clothes, food and lodging she calls miracles.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 1:43amLuke Chapte 12
Report Post »27 Consider the alilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; ahow much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of adoubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.31 ¶aBut rather seek ye the bkingdom of God; and call these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little aflock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the bkingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give aalms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a btreasure in the heavens that cfaileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your atreasure is, there will your heart be also.
Cosmos102
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:49pmIf she is advocating we all learn to live a cash free life style, then where will the charity come from? …I mean “miracles”.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:01pmNo, those with excess share with those with less and you trade with others. I think the system is great……if you have something to offer you will never starve or go without clothing.
Report Post »Cosmos102
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:29pmExcuse me, but if we all decided to do what this lady is doing, there will be no businesses with trash cans to scrounge food from. No people will have excess to share. We will all just be standing there with our hand out. Someone has to be the supplier, and that happens to be people who work for cash.
Report Post »eric55
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:49pmshes a wack job
Report Post »CommonSense41
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:36pmShe was lonely probably and needed attention. Her so called philosophy stinks. The “miracles” she experienced were brought to her by hard working people. She used to be a psychotherapist and got infected by the clients she served. It is happened. A doctor becomes a patient. She is now Mother Theresa!
Report Post »mbck1491
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:31pmIt seems the only difference between how this woman lives and the rest of the normal people is that she gets paid for her services in practical things ex. place to spend the night, food. I would still rather get paid cash for my services and spend it for practical things that I need to survive as I see fit. Nice experiment though. The outcome is still the same.
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:02pmcash is nice, but I would rather have durable goods or real estate as payment for my effort than cash. I’d even prefer a precious metals system backed with durable goods and commodities instead of a fiat currency of debt. Remember, your money is only good for debts. It is not necessarily a savings vehicle.
Report Post »jzs
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:30pmJesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. Mathew 19:21.
Fascinating woman. Here’s more information:
http://www.odditycentral.com/news/woman-hasnt-used-money-in-15-years.html
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:56pm@jzs
Seems we both agree. If she would be perfect and she sold all her stuff and gave it to the poor; she should collect her Heavenly treasure and follow Him to Heaven ASAP.
We don’t need her feeding off of us simple Earthly Beings anymore. She belongs on the “Other Side”.
Why won’t she go jzs? She really needs to stop feeding off of you and me.
Have you fed her? I haven’t.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:32amHey JZS,
I know why you have taken a liking to her.
Go back up to the very top of the page and take a look at that first picture of her.
She looks just like Bill Maher in drag.
And we know you are rather fond of Billy.
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:35amActually it’s the second picture.
The big close-up.
It’s a dead ringer.
Report Post »Tractorboy
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:28pmThe most valuable thing we have in our lives are our relationships, work to make good ones.
Report Post »2012hey
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:26pmAnother way of looking at this – she is like an illegal alien who gets paid under the table in cash so they can’t be bothered with paying any of that tax nonsense and oh yeah, they count on the charity of taxpayers to pay for the birth of their 10 anchor babies and then they get WIC and Food stamps for each one and oh yeah – social security and welfare.. what a country! One has to wonder if this lady isn’t onto something – give up your credit cards, your social security card etc and get a fake ID and live in the shadows and you can just work under the table to get enough money to buy stuff because taxpayers will pay for everything else…
Report Post »KeithOlberdink
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:25pmWow, a lifestyle squatting. Sounds like the obama’s and his kin, the occutards.
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:48pmWhat’s the big deal, Encinom has been living cash free in his mom’s basement for his whole life.
Report Post »2012hey
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:23pmThat’s fine if this is what she wants to do – but she should not be preaching to others about her lifestyle. I would have a lot more respect for her if she just lived by her own terms and did not feel the need to “own” things. But some of us like owning things like homes and cars that we can use whenever we want and for us that gives us FREEDOM which you cannot get if you depend on others. It sounds like she is tapping into the new global warming cult that is trying to reduce our carbon footprint and to do that, they would love us to give up our cars, our homes, our TVs and be satisfied to live in a tiny apartment in a “mixed-use” building and use a bike to get to our menial job. NO THANKS!
Report Post »65Mustang
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:22pmGlad for her if that is that how she wants to live, I couldn’t live like that…to each is own.
Report Post »demokratikhundscheisse
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:22pmI’ve been living cash free ever since I lost my job!
Report Post »taxpro4u03
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:21pmThe Native Americans mostly got along just fine prior to an obnoxiously ‘proud’ European invasion which began with the the King’s VA Charter of 1606 – still in effect – Cashless-based’ society for nearly 10,000 years here, some say… Reservations, rancid ‘beef’ and smallpox-laced gubmint blankets did the rest… Manifest Destiny, for true?? ;-)
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:23amHoward Zinn hun? You’re so well informed.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:21pmSo, she is a bum? Utopia BS, nothing spectacular or inspiring!
Report Post »randy
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 10:15pmProfessional bum mooching off others to survive huh?
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