In 2016, Sharon Brodie experienced her first Christmas without her husband, Monty, who had passed away suddenly just a month earlier. A time traditionally filled with joy, Christmas for Sharon was instead shadowed by grief. Feeling disconnected from the holiday’s usual festivities, she had no interest in buying gifts or participating in the usual rituals. That’s when her friend, Jo Nemeth, stepped in. Jo, who had already embraced an unconventional lifestyle, offered a unique solution to their situation.
On Christmas Eve, Jo, Sharon, and her two teenage sons went dumpster diving—a first for Sharon. What started as a way to gather food for Christmas dinner quickly became a revelatory experience. They salvaged perfectly good food and beautiful flowers discarded by local businesses, transforming their home into a place of unexpected abundance. For Sharon, it was a gift from her late husband, Monty, in a way she never imagined. It was also her introduction to Jo’s “moneyless” life.
According to an article published by The Guardian, Jo’s journey toward living without money began a year earlier, in 2015, when she made the radical decision to quit her community development job, give away all her savings, and even close her bank account. At 46, with a loving partner and a stable job, Jo was living a life that, from the outside, seemed enviable. Yet, she felt an overwhelming sense of despair about the economic system and the environmental harm caused by consumption—even when she tried to live ethically.
Jo’s epiphany came when her retired farming parents gave her a book about alternative lifestyles. Inspired by the story of a man living without money in the UK, Jo followed suit. She began by assessing her needs, realizing that many things she believed she needed were not essential for her well-being. With a minimalist mindset, she began living a simpler, more intentional life, focused on minimizing harm to both people and the planet.
Jo’s approach to life is a radical departure from the consumer-driven norm. Over the years, she has learned to meet her needs without relying on money or the economic system. Initially, food was her biggest challenge, but she quickly discovered that by growing her own food and accepting excess from friends, she could feed herself without spending a cent. Birthdays and holidays became opportunities to ask for simple gifts like rice or powdered milk, and she embraced the “gift economy”—giving freely without expecting anything in return.
Adjusting to a moneyless life wasn’t easy, especially when receiving gifts or help. “It’s very different from bartering,” Jo explains. “You’re not trading; you’re giving because you want to, not because you expect something in return.” This mindset has been deeply fulfilling for Jo, and over time, it has led to unexpected rewards.
Despite being part of the fastest-growing demographic at risk of homelessness in Australia, Jo now feels a sense of security she never had when she was earning money before. “True security,” she believes, “has always come from living in community.” Instead of worrying about her financial stability, Jo focuses on cultivating relationships, offering help to others, and building a strong “social currency” of care and connection.
For the past several years, Jo has found a home with Sharon and her family. The multigenerational household, which includes Sharon’s new partner, her son, Jo’s daughter Amy, and Amy’s family, has become a space where Jo’s values of sustainability, care, and sharing are put into practice daily. In exchange for her stay, Jo contributes in ways that go beyond traditional financial transactions. She cooks, cleans, manages the vegetable garden, and creates homemade products like soap and fermented foods, saving the household money and reducing its environmental footprint.
Amy, Jo’s daughter, sees firsthand the positive impact of her mother’s lifestyle. “If you calculated the dollar value of everything Mum does, she’s probably contributing more than we would if we were paying rent,” Amy says. But the benefits of living with Jo go beyond financial savings. Amy has become more conscious of the impact of consumption and mindful of the choices she makes in her own life.
Sharon agrees with Amy’s assessment. “We live simply, but it feels abundant,” she says. Simple pleasures, like finding chocolate from a store closing its doors, take on a new sense of value. The community-driven approach Jo advocates has made them all more attuned to the richness of a life not defined by consumption.
Jo is not “anti-money,” however. She recognizes that there are times when money is necessary, like when she needs dental work. Instead of turning to traditional employment, Jo found a way to raise funds for her dental needs by offering skills-based lessons through a GoFundMe campaign, where donors could learn how to make tofu or apple scrap vinegar in exchange for supporting her dental fund.
While Jo has embraced technology to some degree, such as using a phone for basic communication and participating in online community groups, she avoids the trappings of modern consumerism. She doesn’t own a car, relying instead on walking, biking, or hitchhiking for transportation. Her current project is constructing a small cubby in her backyard, made from recycled materials, where she plans to sleep and reconnect with nature. It’s a simple space, free of electricity and running water, where she can spend her evenings reading by candlelight and observing the rhythms of the natural world.
Sharon, who has watched Jo’s journey unfold, sees her friend as a pioneer—a trailblazer showing us what a life lived with less can offer. “Jo has taken this radical stance to highlight the flaws in our economic system. I truly believe the time will come when we’ll all need to live more simply, eating locally grown food, making things ourselves, and helping each other.”
Jo’s journey isn’t just about living without money; it’s a call to reevaluate our values and reconnect with the essentials of a fulfilling life. As she continues her unconventional path, Jo serves as a reminder that abundance doesn’t come from possessions or wealth but from community, shared care, and the joy of living in harmony with the world around us.