TEDxAsheville - Adam Baker - Sell your crap. Pay your debt. Do what you love.

In 2008, after the birth of his first child, Baker and his wife decided to sell everything they owned, pay off their consumer debt, and spend a year traveling abroad as a family. They began sharing their journey in early 2009 on the blog Man vs. Debt, now 15000 subscribers strong. In sharing their ups and downs in the areas of personal finance, consumerism, clutter, travel, minimalism, and passionate entrepreneurship, they realized they aren't alone in a desire to explore and grow.


In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

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[StateCom]

A better talk would be one about how you pay off $18000 of consumer debt and your student loans in one year.

[xXSparky117Xx]

If you have no passion for a hobby, then sure, sell everything. I'll be keeping my books, N64 games, and laptop. But everything else can go.

[EnchantingAussie]

someone got their head screwed on right

[OpiatesAndTits]

wtf staying at a little bed and breakfast blah blah blah im rich blah blah blah money is nothing blah blah blah blah your talk is bs

[OpiatesAndTits]

don't forget those two car payments and the apartment they rented. Clearly daddy and mommy I mean grandma and grandpa intervened.

[OpiatesAndTits]

the real delusion...college degree =/= financial security

[gkniffen]

This is a TED Talk??? Sounds like common sense to me.

[marioornot]

how does he actualy earn any money to buy basic stuff for survival?

[Daniel Son]

How did you have 2 million dollars to survive a year in Australia? It's so expensive here.

[Blake Lynch]

thought he said something about "1. sell your crap"? he did show a congested garage, so I would imagine he sold his crap to get out of the debt.