“Where does ‘presidents’ go?”
“Over here,” I say, “in the politics section of ‘social sciences’.”
“Man, these bookshelves is really coming together.”
Mike hands me the stack of titles on U.S. presidents and I file them into the top shelf. A month ago, the room was a shambles. Dusty boxes and random stored furniture. Discarded construction materials and scattered trash. A rotting apple. The downtown’s Midnight Mission is a beacon of hope for many of Los Angeles’ homeless, but their facility’s library was little more than a disorganized book depository. Until now.
My friend, Lori, came in to change that. Lori’s non-profit aims to support local community efforts to solve problems of homelessness–among other things. When she visited the Mission, she was struck by the dilapidated condition of the library. How could a homeless center promote the growth of its clients without better displaying the importance of literacy? It didn’t make sense to her. So she set out to change it.
There was just one problem: Lori had zero experience stocking library shelves.
Presenting yours truly.
I high-five my fellow volunteers and decide to call it a day. One more day and our library project will be complete and ready for the official public unveiling. From the center’s ED to the volunteers, everyone is impressed with the almost-finished product. A few residents have even stopped in to ask when they could start checking out books. So with a sense of accomplishment, we pack up for the day. I bid my farewells and make the drive home.
Wait, what? Don’t you live rent-free?
Yes, I do. My rent-free lifestyle has evolved over the years. For the past year or so, I’ve enjoyed a home base in the San Fernando Valley, keeping a room at Lori’s house. In lieu of rent, I provide her non-profit with valuable services and labor–everything from writing grants to sorting books. I tried this out last summer, living mostly full-time out of the house, but have since diversified where I lay my head to nightly rest.
It’s a lifestyle based on a system I call “favor-sharing”, a symbiotic exchange wherein both parties contribute something meaningful to one another, often in place of a financial transaction. It’s bartering for the new millennium. And the results have been incredible.
Mainly, I have been the beneficiary of housing. I’ve lived places in exchange for professional services, labor, home security, pet-watching, and plant care. But the benefits go beyond that, with mutually beneficial favor exchange trickling into meal time (I forage the food, you cook) or vacations (I eBay your stuff, we enjoy a vacation together). Instead of involving unnamed middlemen in dollar-for-time transactions, a direct approach to supply/demand fulfillment engenders a greater sense of community. More so, it’s often done in partnership with someone you know and trust, so you can see the impact and the depth of its meaning. That’s generally not true when paying rent. Or receiving a paycheck from a business owner who’s largely anonymous.
My 2016 has been dominated by favor-sharing living spaces. So far, the benefits have far exceeded the drawbacks. Yes, I am often uprooting and readjusting to new surroundings. Yes, I have to remain sensitive to the whims of those who own the homes I occupy. Yes, I occasionally have to pick up dog poop. But for the most part, the flexibility and variety of my living spaces has afforded me a standard of living that even my traditionally housed friends find envious. Who wouldn’t want a home with a pool one week and a place with a sunset vista balcony the next?
Roughly 3/4 of my nights during this calendar year have been spent either in favor-shared spaces or on vacation. As that continues, my tally of money saved in rent over the years keeps rising, resting comfortably now in the $51,840 range (you know, roughly). On a personal level, favor-sharing helps ensure my wage-earning hours are kept to a minimum, leaving a bulk of my hours devoted to my craft. And the remainder for a little vacation time. And yes, I just sold another item while I was drafting this.
Most importantly, though, favor-sharing has inspired stronger, more meaningful relationships between me and those with whom I share. It’s brought me back into the fold in the world of charity, helping to establish a library for those who need it most. Not a bad substitute for rent, right?
Do you think you could live a favor-sharing lifestyle? Comment below or visit me on Facebook or Twitter to discuss.
-TOH
