How do u live on $700/month, truly?

Kentucky includes just about everything including the house. She would have lost the house if it hadn’t been put in a trust at least 5 years prior, which most people can’t afford or know to do. In other words any assets you think you will give to friends or family had to be legally transferred at least 5 years prior to your application for Medicaid or they won’t pay until you have paid their value in medical expenses. Medicaid takes everything just about or requires it be spent on your medical needs including social security only giving you a small amount for personal use each month. This is the way it was a couple of years ago and I doubt it has changed much. I’ve said this many times on this forum until you have lived in poverty in places like Kentucky you really haven’t an idea of how badly poor people are treated by some state governments.

It seems like this thread should either be closed or renamed, as we are so far off topic as to be unhelpful to those wondering how to survive on ~$700/month.

IMHO it would be nice if we could get back on track of tips for living cheap & keep the tread going.

I deleted a series of posts for being off-topic or political. I know there are a lot more that fit that description but the moderators don't have time right now to go through the entire thread.

The thread has become very far off the original topic. I think straightening it out to include posts that pertain only to living on $700 a month will be time-consuming but I will look it over later today or tomorrow. Please be aware that many of your posts may disappear or be moved. Ideally, all posts should have something to do with van living but we do allow members leeway to post about other things that are important to them.

Okay, I've made an attempt to clean up the thread so that most of the posts are on topic. I'm sure that I missed some and moved some that should have stayed so if you want anything else changed let me know.

The off topic posts are now in their own thread. https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/...-from-how-do-u-live-on-700-month-truly.48551/
They cover a large variety of subjects and it would take too long for me to sort them out but if any of the members would like to sort the off-topic thread into new coherent threads just send me a message with the post numbers to include in each new thread and the titles that you think the new threads should have.

rvwandering said:

Okay, I've made an attempt to clean up the thread ...

Click to expand...

That was a lot of work and could really make a difference to someone looking for solutions. Thank you!

@rvwandering
I run an older gaming forum; that took a lot of time, been there, done that, thanks.

P.S. I've even had to clean up my crap more times than I'd like to admit, but we're only human.

I started my nomadic life in the 80s with a mid size bus and 3 kids. Now downsized to a shorty bus parked in summer to take advantage of a community garden plot. Fall- Spring in my Transit Connect. $1000 Social Security and can save $250 mo or spend it on gas and travel further. I tend to stay in one spot 2-4 weeks so I can save. I love the Pacific Northwest so am working on better insulation so I can remain through winters.

An interesting article in the New York Times today about people earning good incomes having to live in their cars, due to the scary scary housing market and/or a few strokes of bad luck or a lapse in judgment.

One thing I had never heard of (and haven't read about here) is that in some cases churches open up their parking lots to car-dwelling people? I wonder what they do on Sundays ... and how they keep drugs, fights, etc. from getting out of hand.

Morgana said:

An interesting article in the New York Times today about people earning good incomes having to live in their cars, due to the scary scary housing market and/or a few strokes of bad luck or a lapse in judgment.

One thing I had never heard of (and haven't read about here) is that in some cases churches open up their parking lots to car-dwelling people? I wonder what they do on Sundays ... and how they keep drugs, fights, etc. from getting out of hand.

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I imagine they have a big enough parking lot with areas set aside that wouldn't interfere with Sunday services. I think that when people/churches do, it doesn't last long for the very reasons mentioned. Good-hearted people often get taken advantage of because they believe everyone, given the chance, will choose the right path. We homo sapiens are a species with the memory and attention span of a gnat driven by greed and envy. Many of us are respectful, courteous, and pick up after ourselves, but many are not, and in some cases, hostile. I get teased because I keep a trash bag in my Jeep. I would love to believe that everyone can be a good person, but the older I get and the more I travel, the less I believe in the theory, and I am beginning to believe that good people are rare indeed—just my two cents worth.

I suspect the “church” component of church parking lots would keep many away, also that there would be some rules attached to using a private parking lot.

I have seen and read of lots of various sorts set up with free meals, clothing, access to needed services, etc.

Morgana said:

An interesting article in the New York Times today about people earning good incomes having to live in their cars, due to the scary scary housing market and/or a few strokes of bad luck or a lapse in judgment.

One thing I had never heard of (and haven't read about here) is that in some cases churches open up their parking lots to car-dwelling people? I wonder what they do on Sundays ... and how they keep drugs, fights, etc. from getting out of hand.

Click to expand...

I've seen it before. Homeless staying in vehicles in church parking lots. It's not uncommon.

This church in Denver set up rows of pricey tents on the church grounds for the homeless: https://baptistnews.com/article/den...ts-two-churches-opened-their-own-in-response/

And churches all over the west coast are sharing their parking lots. Sounds like the biggest issue is with complaints from neighbors BEFORE the homeless even arrive.

https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news...h-safe-parking-program-for-homeless-residents
https://www.christiancentury.org/article/features/place-homeless-families-sleep-safely-their-cars
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/...tiative-homeless-living-in-rv-streets/169585/
https://christianstandard.com/2021/09/safe-parking-ministry-helps-segment-of-homeless-population/

Morgana said:

An interesting article in the New York Times today about people earning good incomes having to live in their cars, due to the scary scary housing market and/or a few strokes of bad luck or a lapse in judgment.

Click to expand...

This has been a major issue in Silicon Valley for years now. While tech jobs tend to pay well, all of the support and associated jobs at tech companies still don't pay enough to afford even cheap housing in the area. Typically the janitorial, security, building services, maintenance, or other trades-oriented positions, while paying significantly above the national average for these types of jobs, still do not pay enough to cover the rent on a barely equitable family house. When a 1 bedroom apartment within a 1 hour commute costs $4k/month making $80k before taxes isn't quite as amazing. It was bad back as far as 2017... Even worse now it seems.

https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-silicon-valley-homeless-population-2017-12

Frood said:

It was bad back as far as 2017... Even worse now it seems.

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True. I've been reading about it for many years. People making over $100K living in RV's and vans.

There are a few organizations in Northern California that have set up a workable solution. You can only park from, say, 8pm to 8am, and the locations change daily. You have to sign up, and if you fail to follow the rules and leave when you should, they will tow your vehicle. Don't know how long that will last, as the Goody Two-Shoes won't allow the homeless to get towed, no matter how egregious their behavior.....

(I actually don't know what egregious means, I just always wanted to use it in a sentence......)

Geneeus said:

Don't know how long that will last, as the Goody Two-Shoes won't allow the homeless to get towed, no matter how egregious their behavior.....

(I actually don't know what egregious means, I just always wanted to use it in a sentence......)

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You have used it well.

I have heard of churches allowing overnight parking (AKA Walmart style) but not long term parking or camping as that would indeed interfere with normal church activities. Not to mention the possible other issues associated with many homeless encampments.

Working homeless that are not suffering from various mental issues, addictions, and self-medication issues tend to be less devastating on the area... More like involuntary houselessness or involuntarily nomadic than the stereotyped image of homelessness.

rvwandering said:

I deleted a series of posts for being off-topic or political. I know there are a lot more that fit that description but the moderators don't have time right now to go through the entire thread.

The thread has become very far off the original topic. I think straightening it out to include posts that pertain only to living on $700 a month will be time-consuming but I will look it over later today or tomorrow. Please be aware that many of your posts may disappear or be moved. Ideally, all posts should have something to do with van living but we do allow members leeway to post about other things that are important to them.

Click to expand...

I agree with you. rvwondering. It's not helpful when you have to read through other topics in search of what is supposed to be here. My personal solution is that when I want to respond to someone's off-topic post, I click "Conversations" above, and send my response to them directly. For example, Mountainwind said she gets $1,000 monthly in social security, and saves $250 of that, leaving $750 to live on, by staying parked in one spot for weeks at a time (very on topic). But she ended by saying she plans to use some of that savings for better insulation so she can stay up north in the winter (oops! off-topic). So I started a "conversation" with her explaining that I've solved the warmth problem by using a small 12v electric blanket wrapped around my chest underneith a light jacket, and therefore stay toasty warm through the night with the blanket drawing very little electrical current.