The more perceptive of you may have realised that this guy that I speak of is me. Hi there.

Even though it may appear that for 10 months I have succeeded in living without spending money, the truth is that I have only accomplished what you have allowed to happen or what you have supported me in doing. WE have made it possible for one guy to live without spending money.

What’s also kinda beautiful is that it all happened rather organically. I have tried my best not to ask anyone directly for any kind of support, preferring a ‘just putting it out there’ strategy. That way, anyone who has responded to an invitation has done so out of their own free will…their action or contribution then is their own idea, their own creation. This has made me happy, yet I do feel that if I had been more comfortable asking for help, this story may have progressed a bit further than it has, and more people would know about it.

It is clear to me now that a community of people is way more interesting and powerful than any individual. My friends: Kelly Guidry Robinson, Calvin Dorman (also my minister of transport), Priscilla Talle and my trusty side-kick Anita B have helped me see that in the last 10 months, I have already begun to build that community.

In my previous message, I mentioned that I wished the story had been documented more effectively. That is an understatement. I’ve always known that the success of this experiment is dependent on its story being told. What good could come of this experiment if no-one knew about it? However, stories have the power to do much more than just spread a message. They can be leveraged in many different ways.

The story is where I would like much of the focus to be from now on. In the world of instant media and self publishing, stories are a powerful business tool. Being a part of this story has arguably been my most valuable trade item and I want nothing more than to add value to my friends, my country and the world. With a bigger and better story that reaches more people, WE can do that.

So how do WE tell a bigger and better story? In short, WE tell the story TOGETHER.Welcome to the future of story telling which I call WIKI-ALITY! (if wikipedia and a reality show were to fall in love and have a baby, that baby would be called wiki-ality!)

Seriously though, imagine an online reality show:

• that is Crowdsourced
• that is Open source
• that is a real time documentary
• where all the content is generated, contributed, shared, edited and published freely by a community of collaborators
• that exists on any and all social media platforms like: Youtube, Zoopy, Facebook, Blogs, Twitter etc etc.

I don’t think anything like this has been done before so we’ll figure out the best way to do this. We will use the Facebook group to have discussions as well as real life brain-storming sessions and face to face meetings. Everyone is welcome be a part of this process – all input is valuable. You don’t need to be an expert to be a part of this.

With social media EVERYONE has an audience and ANYONE can tell a story. If you are on Facebook, you basically have your own little multimedia reality show already and you are watching your friends’ shows too. What if we put a little intention behind that and chose to tell stories that have value? Wouldn’t you rather keep up with what your awesome friends are creating in the world than those silly Kardashians? Let’s create our own reality shows, let’s tell the stories that we think should be told.

All you need is phone with a camera and you can create content. With an internet connection you can share that content instantly with your own community, and their community and so on. Your reach is bigger than you think. By sharing that content with people who have skills that you don’t, the quality of the product (the video, blog post etc) can only improve. My biggest fear has been editing. I know that there are people out there who love editing.  If we provide them with footage, they can add what they love to it. Animators can make cool titles, musicians can make sound tracks etc. Maybe you like to take pictures but are not a confident writer. You could share you images with the community and allow others to use them in their posts. The reverse is also true, writers you can find awesome photos to add to your articles.

The best part is that you get to tell the story that most interests you and your community. You get to tell your own story or your version of another story.The possibilities with collaborations like this is endless.

WHAT STORIES DO WE WANT TO TELL?

I see 3 immediate areas of focus: the people who make up that community, the community itself and the projects created by the community.

The People:

Well that is you and me. So far I have been doing this for 10 months so maybe my story is the biggest so far. However, like I’ve said before, many people have played an integral part in that story. The interactions that have taken place and relationships that have made it possible for for me to live without spending money are what is really interesting about this story. Let’s say I have exchanged value with 5 people so far, then there would be 6 unique perspectives of those exchanges, 6 possible stories right there. But then, those stories could be perceived differently by the greater community and someone may choose to retell those stories to his or her community, then we have 12 stories. You see how this could work?

The Community:

The community that we are creating already exists. I was its first member, but you (my friends) are where its real value lies. Although it already exists our task now is to systemise it and formalise it so that it can be more effective.

It will:

• Answer the question “What can we create without spending money?”
• Support members to share and leverage value between each other by means of trade, sponsorhip and donation
• Be an incubator for the projects (social enterprises) that will make the money that will be given away (R555 555 555.55)

The Projects:

The projects are social enterprises designed make money to give away. What is special about them is that they will all be created without spending money. Everything that these ‘businesses’ require to create their products & services will contributed by community members.

By documenting each of these areas we make it possible for many stories to be told. You can either be the subject of a story, play a part in telling a story or share other people’s stories.

I believe that the best way to tell a really big story is to tell many small stories, don’t you? What story do you want to tell? How do you wish to get involved?

The following discussions have been created on the Facebook group (see if you can spot the subtle change in the name and description):

Who? What? Where? When?

What part of this story is most interesting to you?

What type of projects should we work on?

What would you like to know?

Please join the conversation.

Much love

Adin & Team

Wow, it feels like just the other day that I embarked on this rather exciting, and somewhat crazy little experiment. (“somewhat?” my cheeky side-kick sniggers in the background… thanks for the support Anita!)
You’ve heard people talk about “life changing experiences”… well this has definitely been one. This journey has been filled with highs and lows, but way more highs than lows.

I would like to thank EVERYBODY who has supported me. I won’t be doing so individually because it would take too much time…but you know who you are. The truth is it is only possible to live without spending money if you’re supported by other people. If nothing else, living this way has taught me about the power of relationships… and I am blessed with truly awesome relationships. If wealth was measured in friendships… the no money guy would be the richest guy in the world!

When I started, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I applied the “jump off the cliff and grow wings” philosophy. I knew that if I waited until I had the perfect plan, I may never have begun. In hindsight, that may not have been the ideal way to go about it. In my first year A LOT has not gone according to plan. There are things that I definitely would have done differently, some that I would not have done at all and many that I wish I had done. In light of that, I am committed to making year 2 even better!

The first regret is that this journey has hardly been documented at all. I have not done the best job with my blog and my use of video (especially in the beginning) was limited. I always saw this as an online, open source, creative commons type collaboration – this has not materialised.

Having not documented the journey as much as I would have liked, I feel that I have not been able to make what’s possible without spending money more inclusive. What I mean by that is, I don’t how many people have actually seen the ‘how and the why of it’ and experimented with it themselves. If I just go for 5 years without spending money and nothing changes, what would be the point?

And lastly, and this is the one that stings the most, I have given very little money away in the last 10 months. One of my main motivators for beginning this project was to make a lot of money to give away. My target for the 5 years is in fact an ambitious R555 555 555.55! I still get a little fright every time I write it or say it out loud!

SO… what have I Iearned? Well, I can now see very clearly that I could never have done those things on my own. There are just some things that I am not good at. If there was a team of people, all sharing their skills, talents, ideas, resources and networks, the last 10 months would have had a much greater impact. The focus was on one guy living without spending money, when it should have been on the people who make that possible.

So WE is the new me!

In the next 2 months I am committed to building a team that is inspired to take this project to the next level. I have a vision that is too big for me to manifest alone. I can see now that my biggest strength is in connecting with people…let’s see how good I am at it. My commitment to this vision is to attract the right people to create it with me. If you are reading this you may be one of them… are you?

So if you have skills, ideas, resources and experience that would help us make a lot of money to give away, and to tell an amazing story – I would love to hear from you.
Yes, I said “WE”…I already have a few people who have said YES to this… but now we need a lot more. What do YOU say?

Please join in this discussion in my Facebook group if you are keen:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=12834&uid=136255177672

Thanks again and much love
Adin & Team

GO TEAM!!!!!

If you have been thinking about registering for the “Getting your business Facebook ready for 2010” Workshop next Thursday, the 25th of February, you don’t have forever to think

Social Media IQ presents the "Getting your business Facebook ready for 2010” Workshop

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN BY ATTENDING:

If you want connect with me in anyway, here’s how:
adin@nu-buntu.co.za
@AdinvanRyneveld
071 220 9605
http://www.adin.co.za/

I need your help. I’m in a situation that is a bit of a challenge for someone that doesn’t use money.

What’s the problem?

• Firstly, there is something that I really want to do but it costs money…R850. I can’t tell you what it is for (not yet at least) but I can say that it is very important to me and I will be very very sad if I don’t get to do it.
• Secondly, I need to ‘pay back’ R900 to my friend Jess and to my dad for covering my share of the Joburg to Cape Town trip.

PREDICAMENT!

But not to worry, I am an out of the box thinker so I have come up with some possible solutions…I just need your input.

How can you help?

• You can buy a years hosting sponsored by Dirk Tolken of PERONii and save R300. You pay R900 for something valued at R1200. (more on this offer, here)
• You can hire me to do something for you – I am a life coach, house sitter, designated driver, inter-personal assistant and all round favour-doer. Basically what I am saying is, if you need something done I reckon I will make a plan to do it. You name the price.
• You can buy some advertising from me. I’ll give you a banner on this site for a month, I will write a blog post you and your business and thank you on Facebook & Twitter. Again, I will let you name the price.

PLEASE NOTE: I don’t have a bank account. So if  you take on any of these offers you will pay the money to my dad’s account and he pay the money to the relevant people thus maintaining my money status.

Ok, so I kinda need to sort these things out ASAP. Please can you think about these offers for yourself as well as your friends. PLEASE SHARE – I need your help with this one.

Thanks so much!

Love you guys

Adin

CONTACT ME PLEASE:

cell: 071 220 9605
email: adin@nu-buntu.co.za
skype: adinvanryneveld
facebook: www.facebook.com/adinvanryneveld
twitter: www.twitter.com/AdinvanRyneveld

You see, I suck at admin…I really do. So, keeping to do lists and goal lists isn’t something I’ve ever been very good at. “What about using desktop or online applications?” I hear you say… Well, that also has been a problem cos I’m also a bit of a technophobe.

My friend Marcel showed me an online application that looks really really simple so I’m gonna give it a try. It’s called Joe’s  Goals, and you can find it at www.joesgoals.com

I’m starting with just one goal and I’m choosing the most important thing to me right now, and that is to blog everyday. Blogging has been my biggest challenge since starting my mission to live without money, and also the thing that I have been told to do by the most people. All my friends are like “blog more, write more” so I guess it’s time I take their advice.

So, I’m warning you…in an attempt to get over my ‘blogger’s block’ I am gonna blog whether something interesting happens or not. Even if it’s only 5 words I’m gonna blog at least once everyday, it’s the only way I am gonna get better.

So, the first thing I am blogging about is my commitment to blog…done Now I can go give myself a smiley face on http://www.joesgoals.com/

Cool, look what it looks like (real simple)

simple right?

Ok kids, so I already have day 1 down…wish me luck for the rest of my life!

Thanks

Much love guys

Adin

Why not assign a designated driver? Seems fair enough, right? One of your crew takes one for the team so the rest of you can have a stress free party.  But how do you decide who has to stay sober so the rest of you can ‘Phuza’ yourselves? You can only play Rock Paper Scissors so many times, right?

Well, I’m making it real easy for…I’ll be your DESIGNATED DRIVER! You see, I have been a non-drinker for almost 8 years and it just doesn’t make sense to me that people drink and drive…it’s just not worth it. I can’t think of a better act of friendship than getting you home safely.

I’ve wanted to do this for a while and now I’m finally doing it. Because I’m so excited about this project I’m starting immediately. What better night to have a designated driver than New Years Eve? Wouldn’t you and your mates love to celebrate the end of this decade without one of you having to ‘miss out’? With me as your DESIGNATED DRIVER there will be no need for ‘Ching Chong Cha’ tomorrow before you head out for you the party of the decade!

How does it work?

• I drive my scooter to your house
• We get into your car and go pick up each of your friends (max 5 people in the car)
• I drive you to where you want to go and we party together (yes, me too)
• When you want to leave I drop each of you safely back at home
• I then drive home on my scooter

my scooter, ain't she cute?

What’s in it for me?

Feed me, hydrate me and get me into where ever you are going on the night…that’s all! As you probably know, I’ve committed living without money for 5 years, so this is a way for me to keep that promise.

Simply right? If this sounds like the idea of the decade, and you want me as your DESIGNATED DRIVER this NYE, please get in touch with me ASAP.

THIS OFFER IS VALID FOR PARTY PEOPLE IN CAPE TOWN ONLY.

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Much love and take care.

Adin

cell: 071 220 9605
email: adin@nu-buntu.co.za
twitter: www.twitter.com/AdinvanRyneveld

I can’t believe I almost said no to this party cos I had work to do…C’mon Adin what were you thinking? I’m just gonna work my ass off today so I can rock out guilt free tomorrow!

My friend Colin (aka Max Sleaze) asked me to be a part of the Forbidden Fruit Music Festival in Hermanus. I will be making my big stage debut by introducing a couple of the bands and at the same time giving me an opportunity to tell a crowd of SA rock fans about my NO MONEY experiment…wonder what they will think? Mmm

Colin told Ferdie, the promoter and MC for this event, about my story and he wants to meet me. Say what you like about Ferdie, he is a media machine and I can only benefit from being involved. Plus, I get to network  with some awesome bands and industry people. Being famous has always been a part of my long term strategy so thank you Colin and Ferdie for this opportunity.Who’s a rock star? lol

Back to the party. Seriously, with 10 of SA’s top rock bands, how could I even think of missing this?

So, here’s the lowdown:

Dirty Skirts
Sugardrive
Die Heuwels Fantasties
Van Coke Kartel
7TH Son
Hot water
Heroes wear red
Napalma
Akkedis
Reburn

22 December 2009
Hermanus High School

For more info, you can check out the following links:

Facebook event:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=251158730728&ref=ts

Facebook fan page

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/Hermanus-South-Africa/Forbidden-Fruit-Music-Festival/164970871698?ref=ts

Official website

http://www.4biddenfruit.co.za/

Oh, here’s the other good news…

Whoever gives me a lift up can come as my guest!

Who’s in?

cell: 071 220 9605
twitter: www.twitter.com/AdinvanRyneveld

I still work, perhaps not in as traditional a sense as most people, but I am still about providing value to others and my community. And, because I am a philanthropreneur (a person who makes money to give away) I still do stuff to make money…I just don’t spend it.

Here are some of the services I provide:

Consciousness Coaching®

Consciousness Coaching® is a brand of coaching developed my Marc Steinberg of Creative Consciousness International.

For more info on coaching, visit the CCI website

You can have me as your coach by giving me your product or service, buying me something I need, paying me in  talents (see the Community Exchange System www.ces.org.za) or you can pay cash. [EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE]

House Sitting

If  you are not going to be home for whatever reason, why not let me look after your pets, plants and property. I am a non smoking, non drinking all round good guy and I pretty damn responsible.

If you are my friend already I will house sit for free. If not you can have me ’sit your house’ (do people say that?) by giving me your product or service, buying me something I need, paying me in  talents (see the Community Exchange System www.ces.org.za) or you can pay cash. [EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE]

Inter-Personal Assistant

I’ve realised that many people can’t always get to do everything they need to. Maybe they can’t get away from work, maybe their car is being fixed or maybe there is something they need to do that they just don’t wanna do.

Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone had a personal assistant to take care of that stuff? But seriously, who can afford a full time personal assistant anyway? In fact, who needs one? We can take care of most things that come our way but every now and then we need a bit of help…that’s where I come in!

As your interpersonal assistant I can do those once off, random, inconvenient things that you just can’t get to. And you can share me…I don’t mind.

So far I’ve helped my friends Callie & Steve move for a Woolies card, I washed my friend Anastacia’s dishes for some toiletries, I fetched my brother’s protein shake stuff for petrol and I’ve mowed lawns and and and…

You can have me as your inter-personal assisting by giving me your product or service, buying me something I need, paying me in  talents (see the Community Exchange System www.ces.org.za) or you can pay cash. [EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE]

Designated Driver

This is how I will maintain my social life without being a bum! It’s quite simple – you and your mates want to go out for a night of fun, tomfoolery, shananagans or downright mayhem but you don’t want get caught drunk driving or have an accident. But, no one wants to give up the right to drink, taxis are expensive and unreliable, what about your car…blah blah blah it all seems a little complicated doesn’t?

Well, let me make it real simple. As your designated driver I will drive my scooter to your house, pick you up and drive your car to pick up your other mates and head out on the town. I join you on your night out and you split the costs of my evening between you – if you go to dinner…I eat, if you go to a party…you pay for me to get in and you keep me hydrated with non alcoholic beverages. Then when you decide it’s home time, I drop everybody off safe and sound and then drive home on my scooter.

Sweet deal hey?

In addition to this I offer:

Authentic Advertising and Meaningful Marketing opportunities

Essentially what this means is that if your offer me your product/service/resources/support/advice, or generally help me to live without spending money and to give lots and lots of it away, you and your business will get exposure to people following my story.

I will blog about you, tweet you up, upload videos to Facebook & Youtube etc etc. I do not have a rate card or anything like and will not promise ‘x-number’ or words in a blog post or ‘y-many’ tweets if you give me something. This is where the authenticity comes in – I will write and share what I am moved to write and share – make sense?

Please look out for a very exciting project I am launching on the 23rd of December called ‘My Right Arm.’

This Youtube video will give you an idea what that is all about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CZZ8YX_8-k

CONTACT ME

cell: 071 220 9605
email: adin@nu-buntu.co.za
skype: adinvanryneveld
facebook: www.facebook.com/adinvanryneveld
twitter: www.twitter.com/AdinvanRyneveld