So there was recently an article on Yahoo about a guy living the RV life full time on $11k a year. His name is Glenn, he travels full time in a Chinook motorhome, and has a blog--:tosimplify.net where he now has a loyal following of others interested in doing the same thing!
If Yahoo was to see this post, and how I propose living on $500 a month, I suspect I would have an influx of new followers as well, plus many naysayers stating I'm full of crap!!
Oh yeah? Well, check out this site:www.cheaprvliving.com where a budget of $500. or $1000. a month is outlined. Is it possible? To live in an RV for $500. a month?? I say it absolutely IS!!
Lets break it down.....$150. for FOOD....No, you are NOT going to eat out much, but you can eat well! I'm not talking about water and oatmeal cookies all the time either! That translates to $5 a day.....then because you are mobile, we throw in $150 for gas. You are staying on BLM lands, so no rent. Every 2 weeks, you move 25 miles to a new location, and set there 2 weeks---RENT FREE. Want to travel some? OK, no sweat!! Hook up and hit the road and stay in the local Walmart/Target/Lowes/Home Depot/Kmart lot.....just make sure its not posted NO RV PARKING! Or pull into a rest area...I have spent many nights in interstate rest ares and have yet to be told I have to move on!! Pilot and Flying J truck stops are great to spend a night as well. Nothing like getting in between two reefers and being lulled to sleep!! Fresh coffee and a shower in the morning, for a price of course.
Throw in $50 for vehicle insurance. Add another $50 for cell/internet. And since problems are inevitable, throw in $50 for savings for repairs, just save it away for when you need it.....gotta change the oil and rotate the tires sooner or later!! And $25 for miscellaneous, i.e. laundry...and the last $25. for entertainment, maybe a movie and a Big Mac!
Sooooo, add it all up and you get?? Yup!! $500 bucks!! And, if you are doing it right in your RV, it is equipped with solar power and a wind turbine, so you are generating free power from Mother Nature! As mine is!
Still don't believe I can get by on $500 a month? Actually, I can pare these figures down, to $380 a month!! My cell is only $30 a month, and I can get email on it to boot!! A cell with email for $30 a month?? This guy is nuts?? Go to :www.straighttalk.com and see the proof good readers! Yeah, it works, just like your cell phone works!! Have had mine for 18 months and wouldn't go back to any of those big carriers! And guess what else---my phone runs thru Verizon towers, and I have yet to not get a signal!
I charge my cell/laptop thru the inverter in my truck every few days. I have a solar oven that lets me fix many fine and tasty meals. I can watch DVDs thru my inverter in my trailer. I even shave thru my inverter!! I have a small washing machine which requires no electricity!! I recharge my cameras batteries thru a solar charger that sets on my truck dash. And my backyard--anything from wide open desert of Arizona to the presidents on Mt. Rushmore to the expanse of the Grand Canyon.....its all out there to enjoy!! Have spent many hours in local libraries reading the paper or browsing magazines, in air conditioned or heated comfort, and have never been asked to leave.....if you look presentable, you can go in anywhere!
Oh Yahoo, I have a great story for you!!
Email yahoo John ! If you want to get more comments you need to go to settings and uncheck the box that makes commenters type a crazy word in before it allows posts to be posted. It's kind of annoying. >:-)
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention, you don't eat grass fed beef and own a fancy, gas guzzling RV. I bet you can live on the amount you say you can!
ReplyDeleteDon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling me about the word verification to post...I turned it off, did not even realize it was on!! Appreciate your help.....John
John, you write well. I think your cost estimates are low myself... I sure seem to have many more expenses. You don't include health insurance. What if you are sick? Hurt? Knock a tooth out kayaking and need an emergency root canal? Tires begin falling apart and you hadn't noticed and suddenly need two new tires... or do no where??? Can't wait to see you in Quartzsite... maybe you can help me whittle my expenses down to $500... then I'd have money for all these rock classes I'm taking.
ReplyDeleteIt's not how much you live on but how much you live on compared to what you make that's important, right? Trying to live on $800 a month when I only brought in $600 was pure torture, but when I moved up to the earth shattering income level of $1,200 it was pure bliss!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you using for your internet connection? I'm enjoying your blog, thanks for taking the time.
ReplyDeleteKyra,
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, I'm boosting a signal from my neighbor who has wireless router in his MH...I also go to McDs or a library, but can also get on via my cell if the signal is strong! Thanks for following along, and have a great Thanksgiving!
I would love to find out where my family of 6 can stay in a campground with hook-ups and internet for cheap and maybe year round. I saw one place in Arizona for $420 a month, but it may be extra with four children. Hiking trails would be nice and not too cold please, no heater in the pop-up I'm about to purchase, but it has toilet and shower and A/C and a little stove. I only make about $3.39 an hour online, but would work overtime for a good place for the children. We are in a bad living situation now with abusive late stage alcoholic relatives who upset my children with mean talk. I would love to enroll them all in home school online and hit the road. The main thing we need is internet to work and a cheap grocery store nearby. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. We are in Florida and may do a short-term trial run to see how it all works.
ReplyDeleteYou can shop at a discount grocery store. Save a lot or an Aldi. I shop at Aldi because its cheap and I can get a lot of food really cheap. There shampoos and those things are really good to. I know Alid also takes food stamps.
ReplyDeleteOne more thing, you can also start a small veg. graden to help to. You could do small box garden for smaller spaces.
ReplyDelete