Avalon Spouter Re: Contributing to the economy. A person contributes to the economy no matter where they live, you’ve just decided to live here. The living expenses you stated are just several of the costs of life and everybody pays them, and I don’t see any connection between paying for everyday life and a “contribution”. Volunteering is a contribution, paying for everyday things that keep us alive and comfortable is just life. The song “that’s life” is an excellent tutorial on how to handle these events.