Hello from western Washington!

[AKSummer]

Hi all! I’m Summer, originally from Alaska, now in Washington state. My spouse and I attempted rv life a few years ago, but we didn’t figure things out very well financially and ended up in the guest room of family. Now we’re back on our own in an apartment, but making ends meet is a “barely/mostly” sort of thing. So when our lease is up in a couple months, we’re looking at moving out of the apartment and into something mobile, that we could put at a friendly-to-older/alternative rigs RV park or at the property of a local landowner willing to rent. (I’ve seen some on offer on FB marketplace.) That would significantly save us some rent money, and we could hopefully start to move in a better direction.
Trying to figure this all out is tough! We no longer have the class C we used when we went on the road, so we’ve been trying to figure out what rig would be best, and how to afford something when we’re strapped so tight. The only route we can really see right now is a small loan if we can get one. Not ideal, but also the only route we can currently see to avoid signing on for another 12 month lease.
Anyway, I feel like I’m sort of just babbling, so I’ll stop here. Hope all is well with all of you!

 

[Morgana]

That's not babbling, and it sounds like a perfect fit for this community. Congrats on getting your own home, and I hope you soon manage to put wheels on it!

 

[bullfrog !]

Welcome! The more we know about you the better we can advise! Have you considered and are you able to do seasonal work?

 

[maki2]

Welcome! You are among friends who also babble about being in that same type of situation.

 

[AKSummer]

Have you considered and are you able to do seasonal work?

We thought about it when we went on the road the first time, but I'm not able (disabled) and spouse (henceforth referred to as A) wasn't sure they could manage the physicality. This time around, we're going to be stationary, at least for the foreseeable future. A. has a good job here, but rent in this area is pretty bad. If we can shift over and kind of nomad-in-place (haha) then that would be a big deal in actually beginning to be financially secure. (We tried the super-cheap-apartment route when we first got here. It was really unsafe and beyond stressful, and still not particularly affordable.)

We have until the beginning of October to figure it out, so that's good, but I'm stressing at the moment. We just (like half an hour ago) got denied for the last loan we figured we'd apply for because they approve people with bad credit. (Ours is fairly good scorewise, but there's some debt we haven't been able to get ahead of because everything's so tight to the wire, and I guess the way we use our credit cards is not the way they like for approving things.) That's disappointing; we were hopeful.

So tonight we're trying to figure out our next steps. I keep wracking my brain for things of high enough value we might have that could be sold and put toward a vehicle or trailer or something, but I've already been doing that for weeks to make sure we can make September's rent. (A. works at a school and due to a goof with their contract isn't getting paid until mid-September. Changed second jobs at inopportune time and that job also isn't paying until around then. Fun fun fun. Hooray for having just enough savings to get us most of the way through the summer! Wish we could have used it on a vehicle or trailer!)

I'm rambling again, but you guys said that was okay, lol.

Anyway. Because I like lists:

• Our income is alright... once it starts coming in again in September. Our ends generally meet, if only just barely by the tippy tips of their strings, surrounded by a rosy halo of anxiety.
• At the moment there is absolutely no money available to buy something.
  • I have sold/am selling everything I can think of, but it's all going toward making sure rent gets covered, the dogs get fed, and there's gas for A. to get to work.
  • Credit cards are all currently being juggled as backup for the above purposes and emergencies/medications. There's not enough available on them to be useful for a vehicle, anyway.
  • Attempts at getting a loan have failed.
  • Financial assistance from family or friends is not an option, unfortunately.
• I'm not able to work. I do a little work for DataAnnotation.com sometimes, but I've been too ill for a couple of months. A. has two good jobs and a third where the hours have basically zeroed (just a thing, nothing negative toward A) but pay is goofed/absent until mid September. Grar.

We are considering going to look at used RVs at Camping World, because they say they have financing options for "everyone," but I feel hesitant about that based on things I've seen online about them. Plus I don't know how A. will take it if we're denied financing again. They're feeling pretty down.

If we can't figure this out, then our next thing would be just a less expensive apartment. We're in a two bedroom right now (out of previous necessity for one of A's work from home jobs) and can switch to something smaller. So that helps. Not nearly as much as cutting down to a more nomad-style living situation, but it would still be an improvement. And if I can keep my eye on ads and stuff, maybe something good will pop up.

Anyway. NOW I really will quit rambling. Thank you for coming to my not-Ted talk.

 

[maki2]

Remember you are on a life raft together! You also can see the shore line just a bit further ahead and it is not a mirage! Just keep on paddling as hard as you can for a few more weeks. One way or another you will find a place with a bed to rest your heads on until then. No matter what your plans are going to force you to downsize to live in a vehicle so maybe holding a garage sale will help out with some spendable cash. RVs bargains start showing up in September when people are done with vacations and they do not want to pay storage on them for another winter. You are going to find better bargains then so your timing will be most excellent to find a bargain priced camping vehicle. Even if it is just an older mini SUV with hopefully sound tires and mechanics even if not too pretty. As long as you both can sleep reasonably comfortable with some clothes and camping gear basics it will do for a while if you can drive it to a mild weather climate for the winter where there are seasonal jobs, free camping and a food bank to help supplement your funding. Take it one season at a time and you will find your selves moving forwards again. Not easy to do but possible!

 

[bullfrog !]

Staying in one place can make can make living cheaper if you can find a way to live on the cheap. If you have an RV sometimes there is a front office desk job in exchange for a full hookup space maybe you could do. Lots of jobs will allow you a parking place at night in order to have someone there to watch the property. You might find work that furnishes housing and in some, jobs are physically easy. Take a look at coolworks.com for jobs in your area. Check local RV parks for sale postings. If you see trailers you can do daily local truck rentals to move them. Check for trailers in storage facilities that may be abandon or sitting in back yards at private homes.

 

[maki2]

^^ be cautious about taking on abandoned trailers and RVs. It can be very frustrating and time consuming to get current license plates for them!

 

[ChileVan]

Welcome Summer - thanks for joining us last night, and I really hope that everything will work out for you guys!!!

 

[LargeMarge]

...nomad-in-place...
... to make sure we can make September's rent....
...anxiety...
...We are considering...used RVs...

.
a)
'Nomad-In-Place'!
This describes us!
.
For about a half-decade, we workkamp a small organic teaching farm near the outskirts of Eugene Oregon.
We share the acreage with a couple-three dozen other workkampers in various versions of home-built HouseTrucks and RecreateVehicles.
.
.
b)
Anxiety about a place to call home -- a sanctuary from the troubles of the outside world -- knowing you only have a few days or hours until DOOM! comes knocking, papering your door with notifications!
I think stress is a bad idea.
.
Example:
Eugene, Oregon.
Four days ago, we acquired a Class A motorhome after the couple got exhausted from constantly moving to different streets, chased by Parking Control.
.
Talk about pressure!
After they handed ownership docs to us, they said they felt immediate immeasurable relief.
We completed the cash exchange with Parking Control and LawEnforcementOfficials watching, plus a waiting tow-truck called by bureaucrats to haul it to storage.
.
Do we need a Class A?
Hardly.
The value is in the Cummins 8.3 350hp, photovoltaic, and zero roof leaks.
.
Would you be interested?
Click my 'LargeMarge' name at the top of this post to contact us.
.
[edited to add]
PM and photographs sent.

 

[bullfrog !]

.
a)
'Nomad-In-Place'!
This describes us!
.
For about a half-decade, we workkamp a small organic teaching farm near the outskirts of Eugene Oregon.
We share the acreage with a couple-three dozen other workkampers in various versions of home-built HouseTrucks and RecreateVehicles.
.
.
b)
Anxiety about a place to call home -- a sanctuary from the troubles of the outside world -- knowing you only have a few days or hours until DOOM! comes knocking, papering your door with notifications!
I think stress is a bad idea.
.
Example:
Eugene, Oregon.
Four days ago, we acquired a Class A motorhome after the couple got exhausted from constantly moving to different streets, chased by Parking Control.
.
Talk about pressure!
After they handed ownership docs to us, they said they felt immediate immeasurable relief.
We completed the cash exchange with Parking Control and LawEnforcementOfficials watching, plus a waiting tow-truck called by bureaucrats to haul it to storage.
.
Do we need a Class A?
Hardly.
The value is in the Cummins 8.3 350hp, photovoltaic, and zero roof leaks.
.
Would you be interested?
Click my 'LargeMarge' name at the top of this post to contact us.
.
[edited to add]
PM and photographs sent.View attachment 35997

Recycling at it’s best if you can afford a tow!

 

[AKSummer]

.
a)
'Nomad-In-Place'!
This describes us!
.
For about a half-decade, we workkamp a small organic teaching farm near the outskirts of Eugene Oregon.
We share the acreage with a couple-three dozen other workkampers in various versions of home-built HouseTrucks and RecreateVehicles.
.
.
b)
Anxiety about a place to call home -- a sanctuary from the troubles of the outside world -- knowing you only have a few days or hours until DOOM! comes knocking, papering your door with notifications!
I think stress is a bad idea.
.
Example:
Eugene, Oregon.
Four days ago, we acquired a Class A motorhome after the couple got exhausted from constantly moving to different streets, chased by Parking Control.
.
Talk about pressure!
After they handed ownership docs to us, they said they felt immediate immeasurable relief.
We completed the cash exchange with Parking Control and LawEnforcementOfficials watching, plus a waiting tow-truck called by bureaucrats to haul it to storage.
.
Do we need a Class A?
Hardly.
The value is in the Cummins 8.3 350hp, photovoltaic, and zero roof leaks.
.
Would you be interested?
Click my 'LargeMarge' name at the top of this post to contact us.
.
[edited to add]
PM and photographs sent.View attachment 35997

I’ll go message you now!