And it's a good thing. That same sister already has a barter agreement with her hairdresser to keep her books in exchange for services.

I went in the other direction. I rent, have no subscriptions, no phone (but obviously an internet connection), no car bill, loans, etc. I work 30 hours per week for abysmally low pay, but I survive with enough free time to pursue a serious blogging career. :)

"It Can't Be Just About Us"
--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire