50 Ways to Starve the Beast
A term coined in 1985 by an unnamed staffer of the Reagan administration was “Starve the Beast”. This referred to a fiscally conservative political strategy to cut government spending by paying less in taxes. So, in the original sense, “the Beast” was the government, and people were to starve the beast by spending less and using loopholes, therefore paying less in taxes.
These days the Beast has a lot more tentacles than just the government. The system now consists of the government and all aspects of Big Business. Big Agri, Big Pharma, Big Medicine, Big Food, Big Banking and Big Oil, to name a few. It seems that now it’s the Beast doing the starving, as small businesses close because they can’t compete with Wal-Mart, the family farm is on it’s way out because it can’t compete with the huge, subsidized Monsanto mega-farms, people are going bankrupt because they can’t pay the outrageous medical bills…
Every penny you spend with small local businesses is a penny that the big box stores won’t have. Everything that you buy secondhand or barter for is an item on which you won’t pay sales tax. Disassociate yourself completely with “the system” that is making Western civilization broke, overweight and unhealthy. Starve the Beast by taking as many of these steps as possible…
- Grow your own food (this starves Big Agri and Big Pharma both)
- Shop at local businesses with no corporate ties
- Use natural remedies instead of pharmaceuticals whenever possible
- Homeschool your children
- Walk or bike instead of driving when possible
- Get care from naturopaths and healers instead of doctors
- Make paper logs from scraps for free heat if you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove
- Boycott all processed foods
- Shop at local farmer’s markets
- Boycott corporate stores: Wal-Mart, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot
- Give vouchers as gifts for an evening of babysitting, a homemade meal, walking the dog, doing a repair, or cleaning
- Join a CSA or farm co-op
- Ditch television (and all the propaganda and commercials)
- Participate in the barter system – if no money changes hands, no tax can be added
- Buy secondhand from yard sales, Craigslist and thrift stores
- Sell your unwanted goods by having a yard sale or putting an ad on Craigslist
- Repair things instead of replacing them
- Avoid fast food restaurants and chain restaurants
- Dine at locally owned establishments if you eat out
- Brew your own beer and wine
- Read a book, purchased second-hand or borrowed
- Grow or gather medicinal herbs
- Give homemade gifts
- Attend free local activities: lectures, concerts, play days at the park, library events
- Dumpster dive
- Play outside: hike, bike, picnic
- Mend clothing
- Invite someone over for dinner instead of meeting at a restaurant
- Throw creative birthday parties at home for your kids instead of renting a venue
- Camp instead of staying at a hotel
- Bring your coffee with you in a travel mug
- Do all of your Christmas shopping with small local businesses and artisans
- Reduce your electricity usage with candles, solar power and non-tech entertainment
- Drop the thermostat and put on a sweater
- Bring your snacks and drinks in a cooler when you go on a road trip
- Stay home – it’s way easier to avoid temptation that way
- Pack lunches for work and school
- Make delicious homemade treats as a hostess gift
- Close your bank account or at the very least, strictly limit your balance
- Visit u-pick berry patches and orchards, then preserve your harvest for the winter
- Use precious metals stored at home as your savings account
- Raise backyard chickens for your own eggs
- If you are a smoker, roll your own cigarettes – if possible go one step further and grow tobacco
- Live in a smaller, more efficient home
- Use solar power for lighting or cooking
- Collect rainwater for use in the garden
- Learn to forage
- Buy heavy, solid, handmade furniture instead of the flimsy imported stuff
- At the holidays, focus on activities and traditions instead of gifts. Go for a walk or drive through the neighborhood to look at lights, get into your PJs and watch a special movie together on Christmas Eve and make certain treats that can always be expected
- Make your own bath and body products using pure ingredients like coconut oil, essential oils, and herbal extracts
Reprinted with permission from The Organic Prepper.