[9] A few months after creating the Freeconomy Community, Boyle set out on a two-and-a-half-year trek from Bristol to Porbandar in India, the birthplace of Gandhi.

Inspired by the nonviolent salt march led in India by Gandhi in 1930, and by the woman in America known as Peace Pilgrim, he set off in January 2008, carrying no money and only a small number of possessions.

[10][11] However, he was forced to turn back only a month into the trip, as language barriers and difficulties in persuading people he would work for food and a place to stay halted his journey shortly after he arrived in Calais.

After some preparatory purchases (including a solar panel and wood-burning stove), he began his first year of "moneyless living" on Buy Nothing Day 2008.

[20][21][22][23] One woman, Jo Nemeth also lives without money and has specifically cited reading Boyle's book The Moneyless Man as the inspiration for her own choice.

[31][33] Boyle notes that the exclusion of newspapers includes even The Guardian for which he was a columnist, though this didn't stop him from getting columns of his published in the paper.

[37] In it, he wrote about what he noticed in the month since then along with further explaining his reasons for renouncing technology as well as briefly answering a question from a Guardian commenter during one of the explanations.

[38] Boyle also notes his admiration for the author Henry David Thoreau who had similar views[39] The Freeconomy Community was created to allow people to share, moving away from exchange economies towards a pay it forward philosophy.

[40] Alongside the online component of the Freeconomy Community, several areas including Bristol and London hold Freeskilling sessions, where freeconomists take turns to pass on their skills in free one-off evening classes.

Past topics have included subjects ranging from charity fundraising and anger management to bicycle maintenance, bread-making and campaigning skills.

Guest writers have recently included fellow moneyless people Heidemarie Schwermer, Daniel Suelo and Tomi Astikainen.