A large number of us don't know the people we live near.
It's probably one of the things that has changed most about life in the last 100 years. Before now, it would have been considered unusual to not at least be on first-name terms with your neighbors - now most of us don't even recognize them by sight. Some TV shows still depict a world in which everyone knows everybody else, but nothing shows further how unrealistic this is than this detail.
Whether you think this is a change for the good likely depends on your personality type. For an introvert, not knowing your neighbors is a blessing. You revel in the anonymity, the lack of forced small conversation and the complete absence of gossip. For an extrovert, it probably seems like a shame - your desire to talk, be around people, naturally includes those you share a street address with.
No matter which way you see things, there are benefits to clubbing together as a group. We all know about Neighborhood Watch schemes, but it can go further than that. Sometimes, there is more power in being one of many - and your neighbors, thanks to convenience, might be the key to unlocking some of these.
You Can... Share Exercise Equipment
If you have ever bought a piece of exercise equipment that now sits unused, you'll know the folly of that decision. Think of the exercise bikes, treadmills and rowing machines cluttering up garages across the land.
If you invest in these pieces with neighbors, you get the best of both worlds. You can share the cost and also banish the excuse that you live too far from the gym to work out. You can either work on an exchange scheme, where you each host one particular set of equipment at the other's can use it at their convenience. Or one person with a lot of space provides the facility while the others pay for the equipment itself.
You Can... Make The Most of Bulk Discount
With basic food ingredients, cleaning products and other necessities, there is a lot of power in the group discount. The prices for bulk purchasing - and the storage they require - can be difficult for one household to withstand. That's a shame, given that you should be able to source 20% savings on the essentials with relative ease.
If you club together with neighbors to purchase, you share the cost and get all of the convenience. You don't even need to visit one another after the initial purchase if you don't want to. Divide the order into a who-paid-for-what split, and you'll still have taken advantage of this idea.
You Can... Have People To Rely On
When there is severe weather, local news and radio will tell you to check on elderly neighbors to ensure they are safe. How many of us have done it? Not many. One day - whether through disaster or illness - you might need to rely on those close at hand for support. It's worth building those community links. Hopefully you will never need them, but if you do, you'll be glad that they're there.
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