In a sense it is possible when you're very young (i.e. early 20's or so). I was able to slide by at that age with minimal employment, for months at a time, foll

In a sense it is possible when you're very young (i.e. early 20's or so). I was able to slide by at that age with minimal employment, for months at a time, followed by a few months here and there of retail / delivery work. Of course, I ate shitty food, had no access to medical/dental care (possible when you're 20 years old, not 40), lived with multiple roommates in rather cramped conditions, and lived very frugally - little going out, no girlfriends, kids, etc. We were not forced to buy health insurance, and most of us just gambled. Once you're older, all it takes in the US is one trip to the ER, a traffic accident, bad roommate, etc. to screw your life up big time. Once in a hole, it is very difficult to climb out here without serious money. The US does have some social safety net, but it doesn't really apply for a single male (with skills) that is simply choosing not to work much. Nowadays, with rents and other costs having doubled or tripled in most areas in the last 15 years, I'm not sure I could pull it off as a 23 year old in 2015 like I was able in the late 90's