Budgeting

[WanderingRose]

It is less expensive, and requires much less “backup” to live in a vehicle vs traveling in it.

Living in a vehicle for many stemming from the belief that they have no other viable option, but it’s not fun nor easy, it is hard, task intensive, and can be very stressful.

Basic activities of daily living are much more complex, add to that preparing meals, staying warm/cool, toileting, bathing. Etc.

If you stay in a community where there are basic necessities and at least some services, requiring very little driving, fuel and repair costs can be minimal, and if you are truly indigent there is limited help available.

That said, if you are unable to set a a little aside every month for whatever unexpected expenses arise, creating an emergency fund, do not set out to “be a nomad, traveling and seeing the country”, as you can and will become stranded wherever your vehicle breaks down.

And for those who may think I don’t know what it is like living with children on a shoestring, I promise you that I do.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^In urban areas with several health clubs, gyms both private and public like the YMCA it isn’t that hard to maintain good hygiene. Several private gyms offer month long “free” memberships to try out their facilities. When we started out living in our old motorhome we got reduced YMCA yearly memberships from our work place. They had many programs such as swimming lessons and children’s after school programs. It was all about living “outside” the motorhome in our case that made the lifestyle possible and desirable. In urban areas we mainly just used the motorhome to sleep in and store our belongings. The main concern is finding a place to legally park for free or even to get paid to park doing things like house setting, security or work with free employee parking. When housing and utilities are reduced to nothing budgeting becomes much easier. I would think with the shortage of child care workers and classroom aids many facilities would be willing to help with child care and parking to get a good employee.

 

[WanderingRose]

The main concern is finding a place to legally park for free

Yep, and communities all over the country are getting more and more attuned to those living in vehicles of various sorts, from what I have experienced.

 

[mpruet]

Personally, I think that folks are confusing budgeting with frugality. Budgeting is planning beforehand how to manage your money while frugality is purposefully decreasing your expenses. Budgeting can be a tool to implement frugality, but it doesn’t necessarily lead to it. That’s why I suggested that before setting out a budget, you need to know your current expenses. You need to know what you’re spending your money on. Only then can you decide if ‘x’ is something you should spend money on or not. Way too often people will write a ‘budget’ on paper without understanding their expenses and then often fail, become frustrated, and totally give up on ever living with a budget. However if they have recorded their past few months of expenditures, then often discover expenses that were just not necessary as well as discover what their fundamental required expenses are. Also by knowing what is really necessary, it becomes much easier to follow a budget since the budget grew out of your lifestyle expenses.

 

[RonDean]

^^^In urban areas with several health clubs, gyms both private and public like the YMCA it isn’t that hard to maintain good hygiene. Several private gyms offer month long “free” memberships to try out their facilities. When we started out living in our old motorhome we got reduced YMCA yearly memberships from our work place. They had many programs such as swimming lessons and children’s after school programs. It was all about living “outside” the motorhome in our case that made the lifestyle possible and desirable. In urban areas we mainly just used the motorhome to sleep in and store our belongings. The main concern is finding a place to legally park for free or even to get paid to park doing things like house setting, security or work with free employee parking. When housing and utilities are reduced to nothing budgeting becomes much easier. I would think with the shortage of child care workers and classroom aids many facilities would be willing to help with child care and parking to get a good employee.

The last job I had was at a High School in Oregon. I am told by the Vice Principal (my daughter) that they are having a very difficult time finding classroom aides, especially substitute aides willing to come in on short notice. Every school I have ever seen has a huge parking lot just begging to be parked in. Perhaps this is a potential win-win if it could be put together. They do (and should) have a fairly extensive vetting process though.

 

[rruff]

Personally, I think that folks are confusing budgeting with frugality.

Ha, good point! I've never had a budget... just check my bank account occasionally, and see if adjustments need to be made.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^ I heard a rumor the other day that if you are a veteran in Arizona they will give you a certification to teach! Don’t know how true it is but there used to be “emergency “ certifications they could issue.

 

[Happy Camper]

This is a fairly simple app I used at one point. I input every cent I made and from where. Every expense, even if it was a 25 cent bubblegum.

I broke it down sections, so it wasn't just food. Grocery food, fast food, snack food, 7-11 drinks, etc.

And so on. Same thing with car and other expenses.

I really got a much better understanding of where my money truly went, and it made it easier to adjust accordingly if needed.

There is a free and paid version of it, but I haven't needed the paid version. Well with the time invested trying it out. It'll allow you to have better control of your money.

MoneyManager

iPhone
https://itunes.apple.com/app/id395153197
Android(Free):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realbyteapps.moneymanagerfree

 

[Malamute]

This is a fairly simple app I used at one point. I input every cent I made and from where. Every expense, even if it was a 25 cent bubblegum.

I broke it down sections, so it wasn't just food. Grocery food, fast food, snack food, 7-11 drinks, etc.

And so on. Same thing with car and other expenses.

I really got a much better understanding of where my money truly went, and it made it easier to adjust accordingly if needed.

There is a free and paid version of it, but I haven't needed the paid version. Well with the time invested trying it out. It'll allow you to have better control of your money.

MoneyManager

iPhone
https://itunes.apple.com/app/id395153197
Android(Free):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.realbyteapps.moneymanagerfree

I used to do similar with a shirt pocket size week-at-a-glance day book. I wrote down absolutely everything I spent money on, where I was, things I did, besides the obvious appointments, possible payments due like insurance, etc, and it made it far easier to plan and account for where my money went.

 

[Happy Camper]

The program I linked to also does graphs and some other cool functions. Really appreciated that.

 

[user 22017]

The last job I had was at a High School in Oregon. I am told by the Vice Principal (my daughter) that they are having a very difficult time finding classroom aides, especially substitute aides willing to come in on short notice. Every school I have ever seen has a huge parking lot just begging to be parked in. Perhaps this is a potential win-win if it could be put together. They do (and should) have a fairly extensive vetting process though.

When I started subbing six years ago, you just needed a Bachelor's degree in any subject. Plus the state license, which cost $50-$60... I can't remember exactly.

A couple years ago the teaching shortage got so bad, they changed to only an Associate's degree to sub. Plus the license. Maybe it required child development classes.

IIRC, they just check for criminal background and issues with the Dept. of Children and Family Services. Can't remember if they drug tested. Probably.

The pay was pretty good.

Another job where there is an extreme shortage is school bus drivers. It pays decent, too.

Not sure if you can park overnight in the lots, though. They didn't even activate the ID cards for subs, which caused problems for me because I have a bad knee (couldn't use the doors closest to the parking lots, couldn't use the elevators, etc)

I'm guessing they would not allow overnight parking, because of safety concerns (for the kids).

 

[rruff]

I'm guessing they would not allow overnight parking, because of safety concerns (for the kids).

No idea about the rules... but IMO... it's safer to have good citizens hanging around and parking overnight, than not...

 

[user 22017]

No idea about the rules... but IMO... it's safer to have good citizens hanging around and parking overnight, than not...

Thing is, they don't know which subs are good citizens.

I understand why they didn't activate the ID/key cards for the subs. Because subs are transient. They come and go. You sign up for classes the night before... or that very morning to teach that day. If you don't show up, they just put that classroom back on the list.

Subs are not like regular teachers. They aren't vetted like a regular teacher is.

 

[rruff]

I thought background checks were real simple these days... no?

 

[bullfrog !]

Finding someone that can pass them is! Lol!!!

 

[user 22017]

I thought background checks were real simple these days... no?

Not the same as attending college for four years to get a teaching degree. Taking a year of classes in child development alone. Student teaching for a semester while being critiqued by instructors and sometimes your peers. Then working for a school district full time. Plus the usual vetting (background checks and drug testing).

Also, many teachers have Masters degrees.

No comparison with what is required of subs.

 

[rruff]

We were talking about subs being good citizens and ok to park in the parking lot... not their academic credentials.

 

[user 22017]

We were talking about subs being good citizens and ok to park in the parking lot... not their academic credentials.

Just saying the schools have more info about regular teachers. Have been around them longer and know that they were committed enough to the field to complete a degree.

Whereas subs are a mystery. When I was hired they didn't know anything about me, other than I had a degree from nearly 30 years ago. And now they are hiring people with just a community college degree... possibly from 30 years ago.

So I doubt schools are going to say to a sub, sure... you can live in the school parking lot. Or, you can stay overnight every night in the school lot.

Heck, some schools no longer let kids on the school grounds after school. That was true in a couple towns I lived in.

When I was a kid, neighborhood kids always played basketball on the school playground after school.

Maybe liability is involved. We are a more litigious society now... so I've heard.

 

[bullfrog !]

I would imagine school bus drivers are assigned or have parking places as well as teachers. Many do work after school or take extra-curricular trips of which many return late or stay over night. I personally lived in my motorhome 6 months in a school bus parking area providing security while I worked there as a driver. I also as a teacher took many overnight trips as well as worked overnight when necessary and was never interrupted or bothered by security. It was in smaller independent school districts but with todays desperate situation I think once you become known as a dependable trusted employee parking won’t be a problem in fact they might appreciate having someone around. I guess it just depends on circumstances. I would think any workplace that operates 24 hours would mind or realize that employees were parking extended periods as long as they didn’t make it apparent or become a problem. Most parking areas are private property so less regulated than public streets. I would think it would be hard for the police to make someone that works there leave.

 

[user 22017]

I would imagine school bus drivers are assigned or have parking places as well as teachers.

Might work in small towns. My town is about 130,000.