kayell
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2016
- Messages
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Hello all!
Just realized I've never actually introduced myself. Oops :blush: My name is Karen but I usually go by kayell online. I found this site and forum while searching for solutions to living on a low income that wouldn't involve living in a hole in the wall without any ability to have fun in my "elder years." Or working as a W-mart greeter to the end of my days.
My first favored option until recently was to immigrate and establish residency in a less expensive country, with Ecuador as top choice. It has a lot of the qualities I want - incredible biodiversity, very reasonable and good health care (if you're in a city), easy residency requirements, free or cheap culture, interesting things to learn and do, good public transportation that would allow eliminating the expense of a car. But it would take me far from my daughter, grandkids, brothers, nieces and nephew. It's still in the running because I can make the flight costs work once a year if careful.
On the other hand, van dwelling will give me much of the same. The US has huge biodiversity also, just more spread out. Vehicle costs would swap out for housing costs. Piles of new things to do and see with mobility. I'm learning Spanish which would be useful in the US too. AND it would be much easier to see family more often. I think I could do van dwelling more cheaply.
Currently I'm probably 2 1/2 years out from hitting the road/any other option. This is based on two things - waiting to take early SS at 62 and taking care of my mother who is 84, frail and has COPD. I've been with her since late 2010. She fortunately is completely there mentally when she is healthy, but needs someone on hand to cook, clean, drive her to anything more than around town, and be around when she has exacerbations of her condition. These have been scary and unexpected over the years. (She's one of the 10% of COPD sufferers who never smoked) She's been hospitalized 3 times over the last 2 years, the last time for 8 days followed by a 2 weeks nursing home stay. It's scary.
I moved to her house rather than moving her to mine because my job at the time had turned toxic, plus it seemed healthier to have her near her established doctor, friends, church and other support system. My nearest brother is 70 miles away here, rather than 550. I had little to lose by moving. This has worked out well, other than that I haven't been able to find work in my field (horticulture). As it turns out, being with her almost all the time has probably saved her life at least once, so I stopped looking and keep busy with other things. The house has a mature garden that I planted 26 years ago.
At the time I came up, neither brother was in as good a position as me to take mom on. They and my 38 yr old daughter know that in 2 1/2 years they'll need to take her care on. I love her deeply, but I don't want my own life to stay on hold longer than that. They are all in better places to help out now. It sounds like they're all up for it.
When I was a kid, my parents took us on lots of trips, mostly up and down the east coast, but also to Colorado and some points in between. We spent lots of time exploring nature. I still need that constant connection to natural places. It's hard now because my mother's health limits her ability to travel.
I've spent time in NM, where my daughter lives, St Pete FL where my grandparents lived, the panhandle where my daughter lived for a while, SC where I still own a house. (great little house, nice neighborhood, cheap, but in an area that is severely economically damaged). I've been in most states west of Nevada, at least briefly. I've lived most of my life in the area between Richmond and Baltimore, mostly circling the outer DC burbs. Wonderful place for free museums and culture and interesting things to do. My grandparents had a very small farm where they raised a pretty much all their produce and meat. They had a small daylily nursery too. It was a wonderful place to visit and I spent several summers there. Gardening, farming and the love of all kinds of plants run down both sides of the family.
When I was a kid my favorite book was 'My Side of the Mountain'. I wanted to run away from home and live in a tree too. I settled for exploring every inch of woods near me and munching on beech nuts, wild cherries, mayapples and anything else edible. It was fun and a time when kids got to be kids without hovering. Interests are foraging (still), reading, cooking, walking, games, gardening (both ornamental and edible), wild plants, history, and all kinds of other things. My mother was a librarian and turned her kids into information sponges. We all NEED something to learn.
Getting on the road is obviously still in the planning stage. My Prius is smaller than I want unless I'm forced into it early, but I like smaller vehicles. SUVs are appealing for roaming desires, mini vans for their size ideal for my needs. I've taken my cars in the past up truly unsuitable tracks and trails, but caution seems to have set in lately. Fortunately I have money set aside for a suitable vehicle and backup. Hopefully the dang house will sell.
I'm in the stage of figuring out what I NEED, what I desire, what is unnecessary and trimming to fit budget and space. Reading this site is incredibly helpful. Thank you all for your expertise and experience.
Sorry for the long windedness. :blush:
Most unusual thing I've done to date: Lived in a rural commune for 6 months. It wasn't for me, I'm too much of a independent loner/introvert, but it was interesting and I learned a lot. I've milked cows, made hammocks, cooked dinner multiple times for 100 people, swum naked in lakes, planted gardens, been a head gardener in a botanical garden, written articles about gardening and plants, and many other things. I'm eager for whatever is next.
Just realized I've never actually introduced myself. Oops :blush: My name is Karen but I usually go by kayell online. I found this site and forum while searching for solutions to living on a low income that wouldn't involve living in a hole in the wall without any ability to have fun in my "elder years." Or working as a W-mart greeter to the end of my days.
My first favored option until recently was to immigrate and establish residency in a less expensive country, with Ecuador as top choice. It has a lot of the qualities I want - incredible biodiversity, very reasonable and good health care (if you're in a city), easy residency requirements, free or cheap culture, interesting things to learn and do, good public transportation that would allow eliminating the expense of a car. But it would take me far from my daughter, grandkids, brothers, nieces and nephew. It's still in the running because I can make the flight costs work once a year if careful.
On the other hand, van dwelling will give me much of the same. The US has huge biodiversity also, just more spread out. Vehicle costs would swap out for housing costs. Piles of new things to do and see with mobility. I'm learning Spanish which would be useful in the US too. AND it would be much easier to see family more often. I think I could do van dwelling more cheaply.
Currently I'm probably 2 1/2 years out from hitting the road/any other option. This is based on two things - waiting to take early SS at 62 and taking care of my mother who is 84, frail and has COPD. I've been with her since late 2010. She fortunately is completely there mentally when she is healthy, but needs someone on hand to cook, clean, drive her to anything more than around town, and be around when she has exacerbations of her condition. These have been scary and unexpected over the years. (She's one of the 10% of COPD sufferers who never smoked) She's been hospitalized 3 times over the last 2 years, the last time for 8 days followed by a 2 weeks nursing home stay. It's scary.
I moved to her house rather than moving her to mine because my job at the time had turned toxic, plus it seemed healthier to have her near her established doctor, friends, church and other support system. My nearest brother is 70 miles away here, rather than 550. I had little to lose by moving. This has worked out well, other than that I haven't been able to find work in my field (horticulture). As it turns out, being with her almost all the time has probably saved her life at least once, so I stopped looking and keep busy with other things. The house has a mature garden that I planted 26 years ago.
At the time I came up, neither brother was in as good a position as me to take mom on. They and my 38 yr old daughter know that in 2 1/2 years they'll need to take her care on. I love her deeply, but I don't want my own life to stay on hold longer than that. They are all in better places to help out now. It sounds like they're all up for it.
When I was a kid, my parents took us on lots of trips, mostly up and down the east coast, but also to Colorado and some points in between. We spent lots of time exploring nature. I still need that constant connection to natural places. It's hard now because my mother's health limits her ability to travel.
I've spent time in NM, where my daughter lives, St Pete FL where my grandparents lived, the panhandle where my daughter lived for a while, SC where I still own a house. (great little house, nice neighborhood, cheap, but in an area that is severely economically damaged). I've been in most states west of Nevada, at least briefly. I've lived most of my life in the area between Richmond and Baltimore, mostly circling the outer DC burbs. Wonderful place for free museums and culture and interesting things to do. My grandparents had a very small farm where they raised a pretty much all their produce and meat. They had a small daylily nursery too. It was a wonderful place to visit and I spent several summers there. Gardening, farming and the love of all kinds of plants run down both sides of the family.
When I was a kid my favorite book was 'My Side of the Mountain'. I wanted to run away from home and live in a tree too. I settled for exploring every inch of woods near me and munching on beech nuts, wild cherries, mayapples and anything else edible. It was fun and a time when kids got to be kids without hovering. Interests are foraging (still), reading, cooking, walking, games, gardening (both ornamental and edible), wild plants, history, and all kinds of other things. My mother was a librarian and turned her kids into information sponges. We all NEED something to learn.
Getting on the road is obviously still in the planning stage. My Prius is smaller than I want unless I'm forced into it early, but I like smaller vehicles. SUVs are appealing for roaming desires, mini vans for their size ideal for my needs. I've taken my cars in the past up truly unsuitable tracks and trails, but caution seems to have set in lately. Fortunately I have money set aside for a suitable vehicle and backup. Hopefully the dang house will sell.
I'm in the stage of figuring out what I NEED, what I desire, what is unnecessary and trimming to fit budget and space. Reading this site is incredibly helpful. Thank you all for your expertise and experience.
Sorry for the long windedness. :blush:
Most unusual thing I've done to date: Lived in a rural commune for 6 months. It wasn't for me, I'm too much of a independent loner/introvert, but it was interesting and I learned a lot. I've milked cows, made hammocks, cooked dinner multiple times for 100 people, swum naked in lakes, planted gardens, been a head gardener in a botanical garden, written articles about gardening and plants, and many other things. I'm eager for whatever is next.
