You Might Like To Give Someone Ten Today...

For two or three years now, I've asked people who've emailed me for a copy of the little book How To Live Well On A Small Income to go out onto the street or to their supermarket, to find a complete stranger who appears down and out.
And to give them ten dollars or pounds or krona or euro or whatever currency they live with.
Then if they agree to do that, they send me their postal address and I send them
a copy of the little book.
It's a simple, random act of kindness that can make our world a better place.
I've received many many wonderful responses, even a youtube clip, from people who've given a ten away. Heartwarming are the stories of how they met this young mum in the supermarket who didn't have enough cash at the checkout or of the particular man on the street.
Many want to just keep on giving and are, according to what they can afford.
So I thought today being April 10,
it's an appropriate day to start
'Give Someone Ten Today'
Perhaps you'll take part in it, if not today, then another day or if and when you might feel like it.
Maybe we can start a world wide event and those that can will, Give Someone Ten Today...

Jimmy's Got Plenty Of Nothing. He's A Lucky Man...

I met up with Jimmy Randell a few days ago at Reids Farm near Taupo.
Jimmy's a lucky man. Having plenty of nothing.
You know how the song goes. I've got plenty of nothing and nothing's plenty for me...
All Jimmy possesses is a horse called Angel, a tiny tent he calls home and now, a little book called How To Live Well On A Small Income that he keeps in his back pocket.
Everything he needs and nothing he doesn't.
Jimmy delights in owning so little, he's aware the less he has the freer he is and here's a man who revels in his freedom.
Apart from looking after his horse, having nothing means he doesn't have to maintain it, clean it, fix it, lend it, insure it, spend his precious time going to work to earn the money to buy it.
Jimmy's a lucky man.
He's got plenty of nothing...

Teach Nollaig. A Beautiful Humble Tiny Home On Wheels In Ireland's Kilkenny...

Noel Higgins from Ireland's Kilkenny has built a beautiful, humble tiny house on wheels that's a delight to the senses.
It's called Teach Nollaig.
Made from locally sourced materials including raw sheep's wool for insulation, it's one of the few tiny homes on wheels in Ireland.
Noel knows well the secrets to living well on a small income and walks the talk.
Simple living, freedom from debt and reducing living costs all go to making life simpler, happier and stress free.
He's knows that tiny house living is a move away from consumerism and there's less room to accumulate stuff that clutters one's life.
One feature I really like is Noel's simple method of water heating. He's created a wood burning stove made from an empty gas cylinder and wound copper piping around the flue.
Not only does it look good, I'm sure it works wonderfully well.
A fifty watt solar panel charging one twelve volt battery provides power for lighting, his laptop and mobile phone.
Teach Nollaig is a wonderful lesson in keeping things simple...

The Flying Tortoise Talks Tiny House Living On Television New Zealand Tonight...

Well known TV personality and one of the three hosts for TVNZ's new Seven Sharp programme, Alison Mau, came to Tokerau Beach the other day to film an interview with me for a programme about living large in small spaces.
And amongst other things, downsizing - the big trend in living smaller, self sufficiency, and how to live well on a small income.
It was a fun day with The Far North turning on stunning weather for Ali, Paul the shows producer and Richard the sound recorder and cameraman.
They tell me the programme's looking great and it will go to air at seven sharp tonight.
I've got my fingers crossed that the segment will be more than a gratuitous look at the subject and give the topic some decent airtime.
The programmes job is of course to entertain, inform and inspire.
It's been unkindly slated by reviewers and armchair critics so I hope they produce something better than they have over the first two days of the programmes life.
You're now able to view it by going here.
It's very brief so try not to blink...