How to Raise Your Rent One Glass at a Time [Ungeek To Live]

[Field Nurse]

Let's face it. The news is terrible. The economy, it's badness, the sheer scale and depth of it is enough to send anyone into a great depression. I've gotten to the point where I don't dare read the news. My New York Times alerts are the same every day. NYSE craters. Nikkei in midnight free-fall. There's no escape. Forget brokers and mortgage-backed derivatives, give me buddies and beer-backed bourbon. It's in times like these (sad, broke) that I strongly believe in making your own cheer. Back in the bust years I found that spreading goodwill and getting people together was the perfect emollient to era's hard times. I'm talking about throwing a "Rent Party." Photo by JoelWashing.

Simply put, one throws a Rent Party in order to pay the rent. It was a Harlem Renaissance tradition that died along with prohibition (and some say, because of it). Here's an excerpt on Rent Parties from the Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance:

During the 1920s and 1930s (and even into the 1940s), such parties formed the backbone of Harlem nightlife, and became for many working people not only an enjoyable and affordable way to dance and socialize but also an economic necessity. For the reasonable admission price of between ten cents and a dollar, plus the cost of liquor and food, guests could dance, drink, flirt, and gamble, while the hosts collected enough money to pay the landlord for another month.
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So if you're having trouble paying rent, go for it.
I can recommend Rent Parties for a few more reasons. Charities are having a terrible time getting donations right now. Nobody's taking tax breaks because everyone's losing money this year in the market. Donations are down umpteen percent at the same time that demand is rising for services that such charities provide. It's a vicious cycle.
A Rent Party would do nicely to bring your friends into a small circle of do-gooders. Call up the charity you normally donate to and ask them if you can get friends together on their behalf. They'd love to come, help you spread the good word and pass the hat around for donations. Every buck counts. To maximize attendance, pitch it as a party first and make sure you talk up the talent. Sell the sizzle.
I can also recommend Rent Parties for your friends who are away from family for the holidays. Last week I got an email from Gary, a Texan who did not go back to Ft. Worth for Thanksgiving. He roasted a turkey and invited everyone he knew to come by. While he didn't take donations for a charity, he's spreading goodwill for those of us too poor or too fed up to go home. I guess you could say he opened his house up a friendly soup kitchen to those of us too concerned about paying the rent.
Last, we all need a shoulder to cry on. As the old adage goes, misery loves company. So if you're recently laid off, pissed off, or just plain grumpy, get on the phone and start calling your friends. There's never been a better time to let loose. While we're revisiting the less-desirable parts of the 30's on the markets, let's revisit the fun parts, too.
Guest contributor Kelly Abbott's weekly post, Ungeek to Live, highlights all the ways you get can stuff done without (gasp!) a computer.

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