How to Live Like an Emperor For Very Little

Don't smoke cigarettes.

Learn how to fix your car and drive it until that thing is on the verge of imploding. Don't buy into the 'Needing the latest car' thing (or the 'needing the latest anything...thing' for that matter), there's literally no reason - aside from empty status and narcissism - that you need that a new, or updated car. If it works fine, ask yourself, why am I replacing it?

If you can, walk or ride a bicycle to work. (Learn to fix a bike)

If your work is not within walking or cycling distance (or is over 10 miles away) relocate. The only thing you can't get back is time. And time spent with friends and family is more important that a 2 hour commute for some extra money. A side note on this, try calculate the amount you spend on fuel, maintenance and additional car extras due to the commute - definitely isn't worth it.

Most people pushing a frugal/hyper-environment-friendly way of living will tell you not to have kids, or to foster. I say fuck that. Having kids doesn't mean you have to introduce them/bring them up in the same carbon-loaded way everyone else does. People assume your kids are also going to want a loads of toys, gadgets and junk, bring them up well and they wont.

Get your clothes from charity shops. Or, if you're like most people, you've already bought at least 3-4 pairs of trousers, 5-10 shirts, 2 dress shirts, socks and boxers. You don't need more, buying new clothes is boredom. You're bored.

Learn how to repair stuff...sure, but more importantly, look after your shit. The amount of people that wouldn't need to buy stuff if they just looked after their goddamn stuff, it's not difficult.

Most of you who follow me will know by now that I've just started work as a joiner, so guess what, No.8: Learn a trade. Ha! Look at me on my high horse. But for real, I sat behind that marketing desk, I've been to university...you can't bullshit a bullshitter, I know 90% of jobs are bullshit and so do you. Does what you're doing have a direct effect on the world? On things people use routinely? No, well, you're part of the 'embroidery upon the fabric of society'.

Question hedonistic western culture in general. Booze, weed, cigarettes, caffeine...why did you ever need this stuff? I doubt there's a reason outside of boredom. Are you merely a culmination of your vices, habits and customs?

Helping people, or, cooperating is admittedly a tough one these days. I live in the country where there's still an ethic of neighborly-ness, if you live in the city, well, I just don't know. Move, leave, get the fuck out.

Much akin to repairing things, you ever try making something? Shit, can you remember the last time you actually made something? I don't mean from a set, or blueprint, or some Amazon kit purchase, when you actually planned and made something that had a purpose and worked? Even if that purpose was to brighten someone's day. Make stuff.

Look after your health. Take the basic supplements: D3 (4000UI Daily), Omega 3 (1000mg Daily), B-Complex and a Multivitamin. Find an agreeable diet - I recommend Carnivore, Ketogenic, Paleo and (shock horror) legitimate Vegan (as in, not just eating vegan alternative junk), also, work out, you weren't supposed to sit on your fucking arse 14 hours a day, no wonder you feel anxious, depressed, isolated and like a rat in a cage, because you make yourself into one. Also, wear safety equipment if needed, like seatbelts etc. Don't be a moron.

Find a job that gives you at least some feeling of fulfillment. Even a 30%+ pay-cut is worth it, why you ask? When you do what you - at least somewhat - enjoy each day, you no longer feel the need to buy mindless escapes, overpriced junk, alcohol etc. It works out.

Junkies, addicts, rebels, whiners, drama-queens, boozers, grey-vampires, downers, energy-drainers, moaners and overt campy pessimists all need to be cut out of your life. Fuck them. Let them go drool to death in their own shit.

The only things you should ever get on credit (if you're family oriented) is a house and a car. If you have anything else on credit you're an idiot.

Preventable expenses - things which were either avoidable, never-worth-it or a replacement for a personality: Tattoos, Streaming services, STDs, speeding tickets, gaming subscriptions, lootboxes, film-passes, dating-apps - just Western detritus in general.

Stop acting rich. It's OK to sit in and read, no one cares that you're not there, or here, or over there, that you don't have that thing etc. No one cares. Everyone thinks about themselves as much as you think about yourself, therefore no one has time to think about you.

Did you just buy bottled water?

Prepare your lunches in advance. If you don't know how to cook for yourself, please find your nearest suicide booth.

Get a budget.

It's fine to just be.

It's OK to be bored.

This list was based - admittedly pretty directly - off Thor Harris' How to Live like A King For Very Little. Though I have some disagreements with it, I think it could have done with a minor update, a few tweaks and little more explanation regarding the current state of things. A lot's happened since its original publication in 2014.