greetings from the weird state(portland, oregon)

[dronny]

Hello everybody.
I apologize in advanced, I have a habit of being long winded with things I say if I think it important, and this kinda got to me..
I recently came across a certain book written by the founder of this forum and the concept of it struck home. I wasn't completely convinced right away but I started to look at some ideas and it quickly turned into obsessive researching and even doing rough grid paper sketches of ideas that I would like. now living in a set of wheels feels more like a 'when' then an 'if', at least for a while.
I do alright for a 26 year old money wise, being a massage therapist does me alright, not too much money but enough to have a little bit of a life; unfortunately the past me was not so financially sound and after a couple years of compounded stupidity (most from helping those who shafted me in the end, some from just being in my 20's, and a little bit from a certain group of friends - more specifically a beautiful red headed girl who will now and forever be known as She Who Shall Not Be Named) and one great cluster f@#$ involving identity theft and a shady bank, I became trapped under a mountain of debt.
This debt has become an almost all consuming focus in my life to the point where I cannot enjoy many of the things I used to love, my loss of focus on other things has caused problems in so many aspects of my life it's ridiculous, heck I've lost hair over it, not cool man, not cool -_-...
thing is, it's not the money so much that bugs me, it's the staggering loss of freedom and the unacceptable extension on future life goals. A job I once loved has now lost it's luster now that I am locked into working a level of hours that guarantees a short lifespan in my career; I've held off on plans for opening my own clinic, and kept from switching to another job out of fear the extra time it would take to build clientele would take longer to pay off bills; it has stopped me from going on my walkabout, traveling first in the country and then the world is something I wish to do before (if) I settle down; and by far the most damning part, I've lost valuable time and missed important moments with the loved ones I have that I can never get back because I have to pay crap off.
I could just leave and go on with what I want but I know it will only get bigger, more difficult to pay and besides while I do not wish to suffer the fate of my parents, working until I am physically unable to do it anymore and having little but pain, resentment, and debt to show for it, I am my fathers son and I can't do as I wish while I owe money. I have no responsibilities or attachments that would keep me from this, the time is now for me to get as far with this as I can!
Life is far too short and incredible to waste working to the bone for someone else's dream. I wish to pursue mine, and ultimately have a story worth reading when I hit the end...
That being said; I'm leaning towards converting a medium or small sized jimmy or blazer to start with. thoughts? suggestions?

 

[signman]

Hi Dronny, Welcome from another weird state, Florida

Great to see someone younger appreciating our lifestyle.

Your choice of vehicle, do you like to get off-road with 4 wheel drive exploring ? Blazers are good for that.

Duane

 

[Donedirtcheap]

Welcome. I admire your determination to do what is right and dig yourself out. You can do it. Just keep thinking cheap, cheap, cheap. Not so cheap as to mess up your health or live unsafely though. As far as the Jimmy or Blazer or van or what ever, to me if I was starting out I would make a list of objectives. I'm an oldster so heat and cooling are very important. So number one is what environment are you in and what will it take for you to function in those temperatures.
Can you move with the season or do you need to adapt to the season. It sounds like your work could go anywhere and in fact be able to target the most productive (money) areas for your trade.

Where will you park? I lived in a truck camper in a work parking lot and it was free but the noise woke me up all the time.

I'm like you, I will ramble on forever so my main point is that whatever way you do it you want to have it as worked out on paper as you can. You don't want to do something and then realize it wont work and have to buy again. kids make quick decisions and bounce all over. As you get older you want to make thought out decisions.

An example is heaters. If I built a van I think the number one thing I would do is buy a vented, thermostatically controlled cat heater. If you can plug into 120 volts a $25.00 electric heater will work. Just my opinion as younger or less financially able people can tolerate or have to tolerate temperature extremes. It solves the problem of sleeping with fumes/oxygen issues, breathing byproducts issues, waking up cold issues. BUT, they cost a lot and its being said by a guy who has the money to buy it. Search in detail how others do it.

You came to a very good site to accomplish your goal and will get excellent guidance here.

 

[steamjam1]

IMHO a mini-van like a Toyota Mini 4wd, or an AWD Dodge Caravan would do great!
Welcome to the forum. Portland, Or is a great place. Ive been wanting to move there for years..

 

[blkjak]

welcome from s.w. florida .... blkjak

 

[Patrick46]

IMHO a mini-van like a Toyota Mini 4wd, or an AWD Dodge Caravan would do great!

I was thinking an AWD Astro, with a 4.3 engine. Great rigs that can go just about anywhere...within reason.


Hi Dronny, and Welcome to the forum!!

First, good on ya for having ethics and following them. Far too little in today's society remember what ethics even are, or how to stick to 'em!!

Next, aside from your cloud of debt, can you take your show on the road? I don't see why you couldn't hit the road this summer, and make your way doing massages amid your travels. You'd be able to pay your own way, get your desired 'walkabout' under your belt, and likely make enough to cover your debts even though you're not living in one place anymore. There are so many festivals, craft fairs, and swap meet type things going on at all times, and I think you'd do pretty good working them. (don't forget to trade or barter your services for other things you need while out there too!) it works great!

Tell us more about what kinda rigs you're considering, so we can help you find what'll fit best for ya!

How-d from down on the coast!

 

[signman]

Hi again, maybe this will help or give you ideas.

festivalnet.com

 

[akrvbob]

Dronny, it wasn't clear to me, are you still in an apartment now? If so, the very best thing you can do is get out of it TODAY! I'm exaggerating, but the sooner the better! Then put every penny that would have gone toward rent toward your debt.

It really is possible to live in your car while you save enough money to get into the vehicle you want long term. It isn't fun for most of us, but it is entirely do-able. Give serious thought to that.

Why are you thinking of a Blazer? Is it for the 4x4? I agree that you would be better off with a AWD Astro/Safari or Toyota Minivan. It will be much more comfortable and nearly as good off-road. Generally, I think you are better off by not abusing your home by trying to drive it deep into the backcountry. If you break something you are homeless!!

I know the guy who wrote that book. He is not such a bad guy!
Bob

 

[TenderGravity]

I hear your situation, kind of similar myself. I'm going full time in a week, and spend time in Portland. I agree with Bob and Patrick, a small van makes more sense. Even a full size. I have a different kind of debt, and not paying rent frees up money to take care of bills. I just got a gym membership so showering is taken care of, and milder temps. are on the way here in the PNW.
Anyway, there is a wealth of knowledge here to draw from, good luck!

 

[dronny]

wow, thank you all for the warm welcome. it gives that nice fuzzy feeling ! I appreciate the suggestions; as for my reasoning-whoo where to start! allow me to give you the brass tacks..
firstly I had settled on a jimmy or a bronco, yes, because of the 4WD, I'd like to be able to go a little more off road at times for camping and hiking, I'm not so worried about damaging my ride doing that since hiking is such a huge thing here and many of the trails are well kept, even further out; but also for how easy it is removing and replacing the back seat. the idea of an extra stealthy stealth camper, where I can pack most of my gear back into the cargo area and pick up my seat from the storage I intend on using and go about my business is ideal for me currently; it is as much to ease into the attempt of this (options give me peace of mind) as it is to make it easier for my friends and family to not catch on right away and give me grief. also I imagine insulating and concealing the back of a jimmy being a bit cheaper than a mini or full sized van and I like the idea of not having to get out of my car and walking around to a camper shell, aaand I'm short and have lived in small spaces quite often in life so a lot of space isn't important, and even now really I'm only home to sleep. as to the things that are Important to me.. I would like a mini fridge. eating clean is important to me and that requires refrigeration at times and cooking abilities are a must; and a decent enough electric set up to charge my laptop, e-reader, hotspot and cell and keep said fridge in line; I can charge most of them while working, and often I will, but I would like to know that I had enough power to do without if necessary but so long as my fridge was up and running, that can be built upon; keep in mind most of my sunshine comes in liquid form.. speaking of, I'll make due with a few gallon jugs of water and an empty jug for the grey.
the weather here can get chilly, and it can get pretty hot, but thermal underwear, a heavy blanket or sleeping bag, and a pad to keep me off the ground can keep me warm and I can live comfortably with a battery operated fan in all but the most intense heat. the insulation will help in this.
hygiene will be taken care of at one of the gyms I frequent, one of which I have access to 24/7 and already go to almost daily. for the nighttime sabbaticals the gatorade bottle and trash bag lined bucket has done me well in the past. a weeks worth of clothes can fit nicely in milk crates or a plastic bin and another bin with a tight fitting lid can keep the funk of the dirty laundry down till I hit one of the mats in town.
I have lived in my part of town for 16 years, I know plenty of good places away from prying eyes, on the street, and in apartment complexes where I will be left in relative peace, besides earphones/earplugs filter out most things.
as for my work situation thank you for the suggestions ; however I have done fairs, conventions, and festivals in the past and it has been a coin toss on the money I pulled in. I am not yet in a position for me to afford that risk and won't be for a while so my current job stays, for now.
and to you Bob I say first, thanks for that book! freedom comes at a premium to me and it has helped me see the possibility to a faster road to that freedom. and ya, I'm in an apartment.. I would bail now on my apartment but doing so would shaft my roomie, someone who allowed me into her home in a completely selfless act, who at the time didn't need any help whatsoever; she does now. at least until her fiancée moves in come spring. she is a good friend, the best roomie I've ever had, and a single mom who needs my help.. I will not leave until around summer when I know everything has settled down.
Phew! I feel like I should give you guys a cookie for reading all this, but since I can't, I advise you all to enjoy whatever treat you prefer, you have most certainly earned it! If there was anything I missed, any suggested changes, or ideas, by all means lay it on me.

 

[offroad]

Going to be a black sheep in the white flock. Consult with a credit counselor who will consider bankruptcy. If you owe far more than you can pay back in say six years you are better off going bankrupt. There are several ways to do that. But maybe you don't have to and you can pay back faster.

 

[dronny]

thanks offroad. I had thought of going the banko route. unfortunately that wouldn't get rid of the biggest bill hanging over me; my student loans would just be waiting on the other side.

 

[Blue]

http://www.paladin-press.com/category/New_ID

 

[offroad]

Think that's a myth promoted by government that student loans can not be discharged in bankruptcy. It's true 90% of the time. You want to work on being that 10% who proves you will gain nothing from your education and it will leave you with 20 years of payback. Some if the bankruptcy rules mention it has to be payed back in less than 10 years else has to be restructured. Just study the issue and consider everything.

 

[Simran]

Dronny,
Welcome to the herd. Everything you need is right here except a van/car/bus/blazer/cargo trailer/cargo truck. Did I forget anything!

 

[dronny]

Think that's a myth promoted by government that student loans can not be discharged in bankruptcy. It's true 90% of the time. You want to work on being that 10% who proves you will gain nothing from your education and it will leave you with 20 years of payback. Some if the bankruptcy rules mention it has to be payed back in less than 10 years else has to be restructured. Just study the issue and consider everything.

indeed I have given it a great deal of consideration, and true there are ways to get a student loan reduced and even completely forgiven; actually I used to be a debt collector for student loans(before I finally got into a massage career and recovered my soul), so I understand a greater depth than most all sides of the debt game. True there are people in need of the relief that bankruptcy can give, I can pay it off, just slower than my limited patience allows. And I did make good use of my education, just not good use of my finances; I accept that I owe my debts. I just have to pay them asap.

---

blue. thanks but I like being me!

 

[Ladywolfe]

Dronny - good luck to you whatever you end up deciding to do financially. Patience is something we learn, not something we are born with (I could be wrong about that, lol)

 

[Patrick46]

there are people in need of the relief that bankruptcy can give, I can pay it off, just slower than my limited patience allows. And I did make good use of my education, just not good use of my finances; I accept that I owe my debts.

This bears repeating....


I find Dronny's integrity refreshing.

 

[Blue]

the bankruptcy laws are from the bible, where it says a man should be forgiven of his debts once every three years.

Now that was from a time when (aparently god) wasnt expecting people to get into debt for generations (as we do now with the debts of the parrents falling to their children) or that people would live much longer than 40, or that the debt that you could generate could be the equivilant of several thousands of lifetimes of work (what just a few of the 1% have generated in like a weekend) or that currency itself would not be tied to a standard and could be capable cascading deflation by over printing and devaluation on the world market.... humm...

I respect integrity, but I dont know... I'm starting to have a completely different view about long term debt, and generally about how much one individual's contributions to society are greatly undervalued. meh I say file the BK and get rid of as much debt as you can including student loans or anything else.

 

[offroad]

Blue - good perspective.