Get what you need by not spending any money. "Yes" to your right to free lodging and voluntary joblessness. "No" to spending all your life working to pay bills and consume.

This is what the so-called freegans preach and practice. Philosophy or fad, freeganism is gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic, carrying the slogan "life beyond capitalism".

The idea is hardly known in Bulgaria, which is natural – Bulgaria is a macho country and poor by EU standards at least. Here what you possess and consume is not only a sign of your social hierarchy status, but also of your chances to survive.

Freegans are survivors too, but in urban environments Bulgarians can only dream of. Yet I do believe freeganism has bright prospects in Bulgaria.

Freegans rummage through the bags of trash that litter the sidewalks and find a wide array of food. On lucky days one may even find a trendy raincoat and shoes that don't even need reheeling. Freegans share, recycle and salvage.

When these activities happen just a few blocks from Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, they seem odd to some people.

In Bulgaria, for obvious reasons, this won't be the case.

THIS ARTICLE IN BULGARIAN