A young couple on a cashless trip around New Zealand have been slammed on social media.
Anna Karg and Enoch Orious, both 25, have been hitchhiking their way across the country and surviving by dumpster-diving, trading food and eating at soup kitchens.
News of their travels soon provoked outrage online, and the couple have been slammed on social media and criticised by a local councillor.
The couple, whose vision is to live and travel free from money, have been attacked for eating at a soup kitchen and accused of ‘beg-packing’ and ‘freeganism’.
A young couple (pictured) on a cashless trip around New Zealand have been slammed on social media
Anna Karg (pictured) and Enoch Orious, both 25, have been hitchhiking their way across the country and surviving by dumpster-diving, trading food and eating at soup kitchens
News of their travels soon provoked outrage online, and the couple have been slammed on social media (pictured) and criticised by a local councillor
‘They’re making a choice to be frugal and potentially taking food out of the hands of those genuinely in poverty. They should be embarrassed,’ said one social media user.
‘They are putting nothing into our economy because they are not spending anything or working for that matter,’ said another.
‘I don’t care what nationality they are, they are being bludgers and need to grow up and take responsibility for themselves,’ said someone else.
‘We struggle to care for those genuinely in need, these two are rip-off artists!’
‘And yet they feel that New Zealand should be paying for their holiday. Please tell me which part of this is ok?’
‘That just makes me angry. Soup Kitchens which are constantly under the pump to raise funds to keep their doors open,’ said a Facebook user.
The couple (pictured), whose vision is to live and travel free from money, have been attacked for eating at a soup kitchen and accused of ‘beg-packing’ and ‘freeganism’
Wellington city councillor Brian Dawson spoke out after the couple (pictured) ate at the city’s Sisters of Compassion soup kitchen
‘There’s nothing for them to be proud of, in fact they should feel ashamed for taking food from those who need the service.’
Wellington city councillor Brian Dawson spoke out after the couple ate at the city’s Sisters of Compassion soup kitchen, Stuff reported.
‘It does annoy me that people think it’s a way to get around the country on the cheap,’ he said.
‘There’s a huge difference between doing this for a cheap holiday, knowing that afterwards you can return to another lifestyle.’
The couple’s Free From Money Facebook and Instagram pages have been deluged with comments, leading the couple to speak out in their own defence.
Anna, from Germany, and Australian-born Enoch who has been working in New Zealand for 10 years, said they have been the target of racist and nationalistic abuse.
‘We received some really nasty comments of people wishing us death or being very nationalistic about Anna being from Germany,’ they said.
‘Please stop threatening people’s lives and please stop racism and nationalism or any kind of hate. That’s the true crime.
‘Open your eyes and see that we are not the reason for your suffering or your hurting. We are all just puppets in this game.
‘Your taxes get taken from you if you want it or not and distributed to many places. We both have been working before, we both have been part of it.
Anna, from Germany, and Australian-born Enoch who has been working in New Zealand for 10 years, said they have been the target of racist and nationalistic abuse (pictured is food they got for free)
‘We received some really nasty comments of people wishing us death or being very nationalistic about Anna being from Germany,’ they said (pictured is food they got from dumpster-diving and food sharing)
‘We both started volunteering at the free store today and are about to get involved in even more charity work in Wellington and hopefully many other places in NZ as well.’
The couple met at a sustainable-living community in the Coromandel called Wilderland three months ago.
‘We just don’t want to be part of the rat race any more. We know we can live without money – we just wanted to see if we can travel without money,’ said Enoch.
Anna admitted the couple had ‘back-up money’ but had yet to use it although they have come close.
Their Facebook page, which has now racked up 160 one-star reviews, contains a record of their travels.
The couple (pictured) met at a sustainable-living community in the Coromandel called Wilderland three months ago
The couple’s Free From Money Facebook and Instagram pages have been deluged with comments, leading the couple to speak out in their own defence (pictured are comments about the couple from Facebook)
Their photos display food obtained by dumpster diving and food sharing, and the couple have their fair share of supporters.
‘I picked these guys up on day two of their journey and they are the coolest hitchhikers I’ve met! said one person.
‘Very interesting to talk to and I admire their ambition to travel without money! If more people could realise that money isn’t such a big thing and generosity goes a long way then we could all improve a lot.’
‘I appreciate the fact you had the guts to share a meal with our most desperate brothers and sisters in the soup kitchens,’ said another.
‘Many of whom might have dark past but cling to life only to be marginalized by the well off people who comment negatively on your actions.
‘Most people don’t know you actually have to give a gold coin to eat at city mission.’
Their photos display food obtained by dumpster diving and food sharing, and the couple have their fair share of supporters (pictured is Anna Karg)