Here is how you beat the system (THE MATRIX)! Plus a rundown of various options!

[Billyidol]

Hey CheapRVers!&nbsp; I just joined a few days ago!!! Rebel Yell!!! (I like Billy Idol music!!!)<br /><br />I have always thought that buying a house is a really stupid idea.&nbsp; That's my opinion, and I'll tell you why.&nbsp; I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but here are my thoughts.<br /><br />BUYING A HOUSE/RENTING AN APARTMENT<br />Our entire society revolves around houses and apartments and fixed addresses.&nbsp; There are entire industries built around the fact you should shut up, and stay at one address.&nbsp; Someone (a real estate appraiser) told me once that real estate was a good investment.&nbsp; I asked him, "Is it a good investment for me or for you?"&nbsp; Seems like buying a house was a good investment for him, I didn't make much money from buying my house, it cost me money.&nbsp; Now obviously, some people have done well with real estate, but the problem is that it ties you down, and is a risk.<br /><br />My homeowner's insurance agent called me last summer to tell me that I have to paint my house due to the paint flaking off.&nbsp; I guess termites might feast on it.&nbsp; I asked the insurance agent what would happen if I didn't paint it.&nbsp; She said I would have to get a forced policy and my premium would go from $600 a year to $2300 a year.&nbsp; So, I after getting painting bids from $1800 to $12,000...I finally chose a guy that would do it for $3600.&nbsp; I mean....who really owns this house?&nbsp; Me? Or the bank?&nbsp; Or the insurance agent?&nbsp; Try missing a payment, and then see who owns the house.&nbsp; I also pay $4800 a year in property taxes, and I don't even have any kids going to school.&nbsp; From my perspective, having a house sucks!<br /><br />Ok, now you say, I'll just rent an apartment so I don't have to pay property taxes and homeowner's insurance.&nbsp; If the owner didn't have to pay those fees, your rent would be lower, so indirectly you do pay even if you are renting.&nbsp; I do like renting better than buying because you can move at minutes notice, you know what your fixed expenses are every month, and if something breaks, the landlord fixes it.<br /><br />YOU ARE STILL TIED TO REAL ESTATE, AND THEY HAVE YOU!<br /><br />MOBILE HOMES and RVs in MOBILE HOME PARKS<br />Hey, I got an idea, I'll get a mobile home and have low rent.&nbsp; Some of the mobile home rents out here i California are $400 to $1000 a month.&nbsp; For that price, you may as well get an apartment or rent a room and skip the expense buying a mobile home.&nbsp; The mobile home park manager can evict you, and make you follow rules.&nbsp; You are not mobile and you can't go anywhere with your mobile home or RV.<br /><br />YOU ARE STILL TIED TO REAL ESTATE, AND THEY HAVE YOU!<br /><br />TINY HOUSES<br />Ok, you watched Oprah and learned about this guy Jay Schafer and his great TumbleWeed tiny houses.&nbsp; I like these houses, but these suckers are expensive $25,000-$50,000!!! You can transport them, but then you have to rent or buy a truck to pull you Tiny House.&nbsp; A lot of towns don't even want tiny houses in their town because if people found out about them, everyone would do it, and what would happen to the property tax base.&nbsp; These tiny houses really aren't that mobile, unless you want to move, which is rarely.&nbsp; You still have to pay someone $100-$300 a month to park in their backyard.&nbsp; Plus, it could take about 1 year to build it.&nbsp; For my money, I'd rather buy a used RV that is already depreciated.&nbsp; I don't know, doesn't make sense to me, but I'm sure it works for some people.&nbsp; <br /><br />YOU ARE STILL TIED TO REAL ESTATE, AND THEY HAVE YOU!<br /><br />THE ONLY REAL OPTION TO BEAT THE SYSTEM (THE MATRIX) IS TO BUY AN RV OR VAN AND LIVE IN THAT!!! WHY? BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT TIED TO REAL ESTATE!!!<br /><br />

 

[Billyidol]

<p>Continued....<br /><br />Now, a lot of RV parks were getting mad that so many people were starting to live in vans and RVs and just parking in the city or the local Walmart.&nbsp; So these RV parks decided to apply pressure to the local town and police because they were losing money, so the RV parks were trying to force you BACK TO REAL ESTATE, SO THEY CAN CONTROL YOU!&nbsp; By the way, when I use caps, it is for enthusiasm, not shouting.&nbsp; <br /><br />If you live in van or RV, the only way they can control you is through your automobile insurance, registration tags, and gas tax.&nbsp; But these fees can not go very high, because everyone must pay them!!<br /><br />To me, living in a van or RV is the only way to beat THE MATRIX, WHICH GETS ITS POWER FROM TRYING TO FORCE YOU INTO REAL ESTATE, SO THEY CAN TAX YOU AND CONTROL YOU.<br /><br />Yes, skirting the law and finding parking might be sort of a hassle, but I'd rather put up with that than being taxed and told what to do all the time.&nbsp; If you are mobile, they can't control you or tax you (or not very much).&nbsp; Do you think the government wants all of the populace to discover van/RV living?&nbsp; Do you think they want you to be free? NO!&nbsp; They need your taxes, your revenue.&nbsp; <br /><br />For what it is worth, I still have a house, I'm trying to get rid of it, and I'm looking for my first rig.&nbsp; I'm not expert on RVs or vans, but I'm learning everyday.&nbsp; I'm looking at Roadtreks, Pleasureway, and Rialtas now, and taking my time.&nbsp; I'm sick of busting my butt, just to pay a mortgage.<br /><br />Back when I was married, my exwife (then wife) was starting to complain about how expensive having a house was.&nbsp; I suggested that we go out and get an RV and live in that, and then we would not have to work so hard.&nbsp; She asked, "What do you think everyone will think of me if I live in a car?" I responded, "Why are you so concerned about what people think of you?" That was one of our major differences, and one of the reasons we divorced.&nbsp; She was a traditional thinker, and I was a creative, out of the box problem solver.&nbsp; I have no room for tradition in my life.&nbsp; I said to her, "In an RV, you everything you need:&nbsp; a bed, a shower, a refrigerator...what more do you need?"&nbsp; She said, "But you are living in a car and that is a hassle."&nbsp; Me: "Do you know what the real hassle is?&nbsp; Getting up everyday to pay a 30 year mortgage...to me...that's a hassle."&nbsp; And was the basic difference between us.&nbsp; She like houses and buying stuff, and I liked to do stuff and have freedom.<br /><br />&nbsp;I feel better now.<br /><br />John</p>

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Kinda agree with this.&nbsp; Though it also depends on if you pay cash flat out for the property, and the location you do it in.&nbsp; Id rather burn my money in a campfire than buy some property in california.&nbsp; Buy cheap property here in west virginia and unless you are running a meth lab or something no one is gonna tell you to do anything with your land unless you are right in town.&nbsp; You don't even have to have insurance (of course risk is involved there).&nbsp;&nbsp; You do have to pay taxes on your land, so in a sense its never really yours, which I think sucks, but its usually not too high in the boonies where you don't really have to pay for a slew of excess government spending.&nbsp; Vehicle registration is kinda the same thing, tho only certain places will take your vehicle if its unregistered...you just can't drive it unless you give the gov its due.&nbsp;

 

[WanderingRain]

<p>I hear ya, mate.<br />It's what drove me to live in my van finally.<br />Taxing land ownership makes sense because you have to. Otherwise, there's nothing stopping someone with 10,000 acres from just perpetually owning it forever handing it to his descendants. There'd be no land left actually, if fees were not involved.<br /><br />In a way, yeah, paying annual house taxes is "rent" even after the house is paid for.<br /><br />I don't mind owning a small parcel of land somewhere even if I have to pay a small fee to maintain it during my lifetime. As long as it's somewhere you can store your things at.<br /><br />But I am aiming for the total mobile life so that my expenses would just be gasoline and registration.<br /><br /></p>

 

[WanderingRain]

I know deep in my heart I will never be happy being a suburban home owner.<br />It's worse than what even BillyIdol says.<br />Aside from the hassles you mentioned, there is this:<br /><br />1) You will be forced to support an entire industry dedicated to the act of keeping your grass to a certain height. What a colossal waste! All you're doing is creating the perfect dog toilet. Yeah, back in the day a lawn was useful when kids actually still played in them instead of being on TV or the computer now.<br />2) HOA fees<br />3) The modern suburban home is in the words of a biologist engineer: a termite buffet. The very construction methods are flawed. And homes not meant for certain climates are stubbornly being built to suit that climate. Thus you get homes that rot when it floods, and homes that soak up water if there is a leak in the roof. The very architecture and design does not match the climate zone most of the time.<br />4) how many hours of human life is consumed by people riding mowers each week?<br />5) Because houses are so badly designed for the climate they are in, they suck up vast amounts of electricity and water to run.<br /><br />rant over. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[Vonbrown]

Thank God I don't own a house ever in my life. I love my Spiritual and Physical freedom. (to the sounds of a Rebel Yell!)

 

[josephusminimus]

Billy Idol:&nbsp; Anything we can do to help us believe we recognize the system and its boundaries and are acting to get outside it is probably time well spent and likely to result in a growth experience.&nbsp; My mental gut-feel this morning is that the system's a closed one and can't be beaten, but the boundaries expand and contract to accomodate whatever a person allows himself to believe they are, then begin their work anew.<br /><br />"It might not get any better than this" is a good starting place for acceptance, but leaning into the boundaries is the only way to make it "might get better"&nbsp;

 

[offroad]

BillyI. - amen. &nbsp; Living in apartment near work. Like commute of five minutes. Like the job. &nbsp;Am prepared to go RV if I lost the job

 

[dfh]

<em><span style="line-height: 20px;">She like houses and buying stuff, and I liked to do stuff and have freedom.<br /><br /><br /></span></em><span style="line-height: 20px;">That sounds just like me and my husband, except I'm the one yearning to hit the road. Lucky for me, I have time. I have a 10 year old son, so I still have time for him to see the wisdom of my ways&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" />&nbsp;We're in a bus right now, although parked, but even this is too much for me. I'll gladly walk away from that one day.</span>

 

[Ballenxj]

Hi Billy, I too can relate to what you say. I've owned multiple houses, property, lived in mobile homes, owned a condo, etc. It's all a money trap. Marriage and divorce have pretty well wiped me out. Like Billy sang; She wanted more, more, more! <br />I always rationalized that at least they were mine. Wait a minute, no they weren't. Multiple people always had their hands in my pocket. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" />&nbsp; <br />I now have a new perspective on life. Material things don't mean squat in the end. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" /><br />-Bruce

 

[offroad]

Hi e out. Like Billy sang; She wanted more, more, more! <br />et. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/frown.gif" />&nbsp; <br />I now have a new perspective on life. Material things don't mean squat in the end. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" /><br />-Bruce

<br /><br />I like that perspective. Have been told its misogynistic and sexist to think all woman want MORE MORE MORE. &nbsp; All people want this and are liars if they say different. Would you turn down free money? &nbsp;<br /><br />The matrix makes us consumers of more-bigger-faster.&nbsp;

 

[Ballenxj]

Hi offroad, I'm not <span id="post_message_1275963214">misogynistic, in fact, I rather "like" women. Who the heck made up a word like that anyway? <br />The point is, I would much rather find someone that enjoys being with me, "not" what I can give her. <br />That, and I don't want to have to raise another child. Therefore in today's society I'm probably doomed to being single. But that's OK. At this point in life I would much rather have good friends as opposed to a relationship were each wants different things from life, and are pulling against each other. <br />Under this premise, if I did find someone it would be a truer relationship. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" /><br />-Bruce<br /></span>

 

[owl]

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Think about this. I believe in every society, in every age, there are folks like us. Wandering feet, eyes on the pass or on the horizon. We are the ones the average ones resent or fear because we represent an alternative to the status quo. We have found a way to survive and hopefully enjoy our lives that they can't imagine. That is a big threat to them. That said, we need them, they don't need us. We need them to keep the gas stations, grocery stores, hiways, etc.etc. going.&nbsp;We also need them to not try to close us down, force us into their idea of existence. That is why we need to be ever alert as to what the government ( the people } have in mind for us. Thank God they don't all want to live as we do, can you imagine what it would be like out here if they did!!

 

[offroad]

Owl - you mean gypsies, tramps, tinkers, etc? &nbsp;Yep they have been around forever and will be forever. &nbsp;

 

[Curtis]

Totally agree Billy,<br><br>In reality we really don't own anything especially if we use part of the credit/banking system which gets away with creating money out of thin air and charging us for it.<img src="/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[caseyc]

Amen brother! Been there, done that myself. It's true, the bank owns you and your house. You just have the illusion of thinking you are a homeowner and having the privilege of telling others "I'm a homeowner". Every time I hear such a thing coming out of some young couple's mouth, I just laugh inside. Nowadays, it takes 2 incomes to barely make the mortgage. If one spouse loses a job, they are up sh!t creek. When I was once a "homeowner", that was one of the most miserable times of my life. I got rid of that house at a loss, but it was worth it to part ways with that money pit. Got rid of the wife too along the way! She was even a bigger money pit!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[RJCooper]

When I read these things, it is like a memory that escapes my eyes...........an rolls down my cheek.&nbsp; Mort-gage is a two syllable word.&nbsp; One being mort, scare as in mortified or morbid as in a deathly feeling.&nbsp; People are buried in mortuaries.&nbsp; TO gage is engage, like pleading you life to, etc.&nbsp; SO mortgage is the plead of death buy those to words combo'd.<br><br>I have owned three homes.&nbsp; The last one was the one that broke the camels (me) back.&nbsp; I left NJ because my taxes were 6400 a year to the same size property in DE were the taxes were 900.&nbsp; THen the collapse came, then the bailouts, then the economy.&nbsp; Ever paid 280 for a home that was in sticks and bricks worth 180?&nbsp; Lucky it was not the first and I managed to pay all those years for the American dream in taxes to break even.&nbsp; 20 years of my life went into interest, insurance, taxes, etc.<br><br>Think about that...........then swallow real slow, because it is a large and hard pill to swallow.&nbsp; <br><br>When the (matrix) is half of your after taxed income, and you lose it, it becomes very obvious how much the such is taking.&nbsp; I talk with friends that complain.&nbsp; They ask me about how I do what I do, I explain the suck.&nbsp; Have done it on paper and in conversation.&nbsp; The look is always the same.&nbsp; First, the shock, then the eyes soften and puff.&nbsp; They know they are and have been getting the shaft.&nbsp; Then the wheel turn, then the cut backs, then the downgrades.......all the while trying to cling to the American Dream.&nbsp; <br><br>It is so programmed............conformity, obedience.&nbsp; I read a book on dog training, well actual a few.&nbsp; A the end of every book, I thought hell, this is what I learned in school.&nbsp; Maybe the teachers are the herders without even know it.&nbsp;

 

[RJCooper]

Casey, Amen on the money pits.&nbsp; You are welcome by my fire anytime.&nbsp; I have room, I just put the neighbors to bed.&nbsp; Their full time job is killing their part-time fun.&nbsp; lol

 

[caseyc]

Thanks bud! Same to you!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp;On a count of three, all together...NO MORE MONEY PITS!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/eek.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">&nbsp;&nbsp;<br><br>i really like the New Hampshire license plate saying of "Live Free or Die!" That's my new motto!&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" class="emoticon bbc_img">

 

[RJCooper]

Casey, I spend a bit of time up there.&nbsp; What they really said and meant was live FREEZE or die.&nbsp; But it wasn't as cool.