Preparing for mobile life, options/suggestions?

[palebluedot78]

Crazy that this section is the most active.  What a growing community!

Hi everyone.  I'm a 36 year old single female living alone in Dallas, TX and I have spent the past year minimizing, dreaming of being mobile and doing all I can to get ready.  I just got a large bonus at work and it's pretty much already gone.  I paid off some bills, one of which was an old $8K school loan.  (grrr, that was a hard payment to make.)   I also just spent nearly a grand in car repairs on my 06 Accord Coupe (which only has 76k miles on it).  So, i do have a nice chunk still left in savings but not near enough to make any changes right now.  But I am officially, finally DEBT FREE!    
So... what I need help with are these options I have in front of me.  Here they are:

* My current lease in this 750 sq feet apt (way too big) for $875/month expires in October.  Clearly, I am stuck paying that much in rent but can still downsize and save a much as possible in the meantime.  The only positive to this apt is that it is 5 minutes from my office job.  But I clearly refuse to stay here and waste all this money in rent.

* At the end of my lease I could move 5 miles further away to a 470 sq ft efficiency apt for $535/month.  Stay there and work at my job and save $.  Half or more of my income would be put into savings so I could eventually quit and sell everything and buy my rig.  (this seems like the most practical option even though another year in my management job makes me feel ill.)

* At the end of my lease I could sell my Accord for about ~$6K and combine that with my savings to buy a used Class B.  I could urban camp around the 6 different cities surrounding my work in North Dallas.  The gym at work is practically free and has showers.  (But this is the option that scares me the most due to nonsteathliness but would save me TONS of money if I could swing it and not get busted at my corporate job...not that it's any of their damn business.)

* At the end of my lease sell my Accord and trade it in for a truck w/ towing capability and buy a used casita or trailer and park it at the only RV park for $486/month w/ full hook ups.  This park is about 20 minutes from work and I am not sure of it's availability since it's the only one on this side of town.

Oh and the only complication I have is my sweet male cat who is my big baby and he's turning 14 this year.  Living in a Class B in TX summers are going to be brutal and I would be worried about keeping my baby comfortable and healthy.  Also, I would need to really network in my field to help find a replacement for my position as I have been w/ the company for nearly 20 years and feel a bit of loyalty and don't want to leave them high and dry.  

I have many other questions and apprehensions, but that's enough for now.  :shy:

 

[Theadyn]

Hi and Welcome!! Congrats on getting debt free!!

You might get more for you car. I also had an '06 Honda coupe with under 73k miles on it, traded it at a dealership (downgraded for more utility) and got $10k on it.. at a dealership, private party would have gotten me more but I was going for ease of transaction and not being afoot between car selling and finding another. This was just over a year ago. Just thought I'd throw that out there, just in case.

Dallas heat can get pretty brutal, hope you figure out the best solution for you and your kitty. Best of luck!!

 

[Almost There]

Welcome to the forums and a big congratulations on being debt free. That big chunk surely did hurt but the joy of not making payments goes on month after month. Think about it at the next payment due date and then the next. Do a little 'I'm debt free' dance each month.

At 36, you're obviously not ready for retirement and just having gotten debt free would indicate to me that you don't have a quarter mil hiding somewhere to pay the bills for the next 20 odd years, so part of what needs to go into your planning is some decisions on how you're going to support yourself for the next couple of decades.

There's a lot of decision making to be done in addition to what to do about vehicles. Personally I found that major life decisions have to be treated like a good wine...they have to age a while until they taste the best. Sleep on them, mull them over, write out the pros and cons, sleep on them some more.

You might even want to transition in stages - move into the RV park with a travel trailer and tow vehicle while keeping your job, then work on moving away from that corporate job into something else that can support you for the next 20 odd years.

You are fortunate in that you're already in a an area of the country where living in an RV is more doable than say Wisconsin at this time of year.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Welcome

You know, you could buy the cassita or travel trailer and hire someone to park it in the RV park while keeping the Accord to commute with while you try out the lifestyle.

If you really like the Accord and it's in good shape, you might research whether or not it can be flat towed behind a motor home.  (Not every car can be.)

Just a couple more options to think about.

Regards
John

 

[corky52]

Without knowing more this is just some speculation.

I'd look at buying an older house on a big lot, putting it in shape to rent, and then getting a trailer or RV to live in that you could put on the back of the lot.  I know your area and there are houses on huge lots in older areas, near the old Bell/Textron plant comes to mind.

You seem to be long on time, so a bit spent trying the lifestyle in a safe mode might be a good idea.



Corky 

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

If you insist on keeping your cat, I don't see how you can live in a motorhome unless you have shore power to keep the A/C on all the time.  Honda Accords are really nice cars, and it sounds like yours is nice.  Your Accord is old enough that you really don't need to carry full coverage insurance on it like you would on a new car.  Full coverage insurance on a car as old as yours is really a rip-off.  The most they'll pay out is about $8,000, but they charge you the same as if you had a new car. 

You could save $340 / month in rent if you drove an extra 50 miles a week to work and back.  But it costs more to drive that extra 50 miles / week, so you won't really save $340 / money, it will be less.  You have a nice big place, and the $340 / month you'll save isn't really a "ton of money".  You might not like the new place, it's a lot of work to move, and every time you move there's some kind of cost, "redecorating fee", or deposit you lose.  

You're debt free, which is great.  Why not just stay put and save some money for awhile?  And put some into an IRA / 401K, whatever.

Good luck!

 

[palebluedot78]

I planned on keeping the Accord as long as I could. Or as long as it took me to save $ to get the hell outta dodge. Which seems to be years away. ugh.

I thought about having someone tow the trailer to the RV park, but practically I wouldn't be saving money on rent w/ high lot fees and I'd be spending money on a trailer. And spending more in gas. The only benefit to that is "testing out the waters." I definitely don't like the idea of not being able to unhook and escape on weekends. (unless it's nice enough to tent camp at state parks).

I am just frustrated because even though I have never been more financially free and responsible in my life, i feel stuck. btw, I do have a nice 401(k).
I need to just be more patient and count my blessings.

QUESTION - I have wireless internet at home ($43/month) because I stream tv. (no cable) I also have the lowest data/talk plan AT&T has, but even w/ my corporate discount it's $92/month. With wifi at work and home, can I let my AT&T contract expire in May and go to a Tracfone to save money? Or should I bump up my wireless speed on my phone so I can tether and get rid of my Time Warner internet bill? Just looking for other ways to save money... every little bit helps

 

[Almost There]

I planned on keeping the Accord as long as I could.  Or as long as it took me to save $ to get the hell outta dodge.    Which seems to be years away.  ugh.

I thought about having someone tow the trailer to the RV park, but practically I wouldn't be saving money on rent w/ high lot fees and I'd be spending money on a trailer.  And spending more in gas.  The only benefit to that is "testing out the waters." I definitely don't like the idea of not being able to unhook and escape on weekends. (unless it's nice enough to tent camp at state parks).

I am just frustrated because even though I have never been more financially free and responsible in my life, i feel stuck.  btw, I do have a nice 401(k).
I need to just be more patient and count my blessings.  

QUESTION - I have wireless internet at home ($43/month) because I stream tv.  (no cable)  I also have the lowest data/talk plan AT&T has, but even w/ my corporate discount it's $92/month.  With wifi at work and home, can I let my AT&T contract expire in May and go to a Tracfone to save money?  Or should I bump up my wireless speed on my phone so I can tether and get rid of my Time Warner internet bill?    Just looking for other ways to save money...  every little bit helps

Can't help on the phone/internet problem. I'm trying to downsize my tech needs as well but work from home so I have extra limitations...feel for ya though.

The nice 401K is good but are you going to be able to draw on it to support yourself for the next 2 decades and even if you can, should you. 36 is a tough age, old enough to know you want your freedom but too young to draw a pension. BUT it is young enough to be making some serious career changes into something that you can see yourself doing for the next 25 years.

There's little point in going mobile for living if you're not going mobile for your job. Maybe that smaller apartment where you can up the savings plan might be an intermediate answer until you're ready to cut all ties. If you can see yourself saving a huge chunk of money each month towards your freedom plan then maybe you can stomach the corporate job for a while longer.

Lots to think about for sure!

 

[raygun]

How exciting! I agree with Almost There. Go for the smaller apartment to squirrel away money and keep Mr. Kitty comfortable. I also agree with doing your move in stages and going slowly. You may start one thing and find out that it doesn't work and have to go in a different direction. Whatever you decide to do, good luck and keep us posted!

 

[rvwandering]

 Welcome to the forums! You're in a truly envious position at the moment - employed at a well paying job, no responsibilities to anyone or anything except for your cat and aware that you want more out of life. Make the most of it!
My advice is to keep working as long as you can stand it, move into the efficiency apartment, cut out any unnecessary expenses and save every penny that you can. Keep researching so that you know all of the whats, hows, whys and wheres of a mobile life. Consider selling your car and getting a Class B so that you can enjoy it now and have it set up exactly the way you want it for later.

 Are you considering work camping at Amazon or a campground? Do you read this blog - http://www.interstellarorchard.com/ 

 Do not cash out your 401K. You'll need it when you're old.

  Good luck with your plans!

 

[palebluedot78]

 Welcome to the forums! You're in a truly envious position at the moment - employed at a well paying job, no responsibilities to anyone or anything except for your cat and aware that you want more out of life. Make the most of it!
My advice is to keep working as long as you can stand it, move into the efficiency apartment, cut out any unnecessary expenses and save every penny that you can. Keep researching so that you know all of the whats, hows, whys and wheres of a mobile life. Consider selling your car and getting a Class B so that you can enjoy it now and have it set up exactly the way you want it for later.

 Are you considering work camping at Amazon or a campground? Do you read this blog - http://www.interstellarorchard.com/ 

 Do not cash out your 401K. You'll need it when you're old.

  Good luck with your plans!

Yes, her blog is bookmarked and I've commented a few times. I don't plan on cashing out my 401(k), just the thought of the tax penalty alone boils my blood. But I was just stating that I have been responsible and thinking about my future. I just CANNOT spend the next 30 years sitting in a cube doing meaningless work living for a few weeks off a year to go explore.
I have thought about Amazon seasonal work, online temp work in my field, driving to where the part time work is, and exploring other options to supplement my income. There is no way I would be going anywhere without at least five grand or so in savings for emergencies and incidentals.

Thank you for your advice. This is kinda the direction I was headed. It's just really difficult staying here in Dallas, working hard, being in the city where I grew up (and when I crave nature), and staying sane in a stressful job while saving money in a city where there is nothing to do but Eat & Shop. I've already been obsessed (this consumes me everyday) with the nomadic lifestyle for over a year and learning all I can.

I am envious of all of you! And I realize that I have to make my sacrifices while I'm young to be free of societies shackles.

 

[palebluedot78]

If you insist on keeping your cat, I don't see how you can live in a motorhome unless you have shore power to keep the A/C on all the time.  Honda Accords are really nice cars, and it sounds like yours is nice.  Your Accord is old enough that you really don't need to carry full coverage insurance on it like you would on a new car.  Full coverage insurance on a car as old as yours is really a rip-off.  The most they'll pay out is about $8,000, but they charge you the same as if you had a new car. 

You could save $340 / month in rent if you drove an extra 50 miles a week to work and back.  But it costs more to drive that extra 50 miles / week, so you won't really save $340 / money, it will be less.  You have a nice big place, and the $340 / month you'll save isn't really a "ton of money".  You might not like the new place, it's a lot of work to move, and every time you move there's some kind of cost, "redecorating fee", or deposit you lose.  

You're debt free, which is great.  Why not just stay put and save some money for awhile?  And put some into an IRA / 401K, whatever.

Good luck!

I hadn't thought of the insurance, good point. I'll check that out. Thanks!
Well not only would be rent be reduced, so would my energy bill. $340 over a year is over $4K. And it would force me to downsize my stuff, and live in a smaller unit preparing me to practice what I preach. I hate that I have already "thrown away" $10K+ in rent every year. But I get what your saying and it really comes down to what can I put up with in order to achieve this goal.

 

[palebluedot78]

Hi and Welcome!!   Congrats on getting debt free!!  

You might get more for you car.  I also had an '06 Honda coupe with under 73k miles on it, traded it at a dealership (downgraded for more utility) and got $10k on it.. at a dealership, private party would have gotten me more but I was going for ease of transaction and not being afoot between car selling and finding another.   This was just over a year ago.  Just thought I'd throw that out there, just in case.

Dallas heat can get pretty brutal, hope you figure out the best solution for you and your kitty.  Best of luck!!

Thanks! Yes, very true, I was just going on the Kelly Blue Book value. It would be a Honda Certified used car (one owner) as well, so there's that. I have also flirted with the idea of selling it to get a Class B to use to commute to work (again i would live 10 minutes from work), so that I could escape on the long weekends and keep my sanity that way and also be able to experience living tiny and temporarily mobile while keeping the efficiency apartment for Mr. Kitty and the corporate job.

 

[akrvbob]

I agree with Optimistic Paranoid, I'd find an older, cheap RV and get it put into the RV park. With a little luck whoever you buy it from can put it in their for you, if not you can hire someone. Your cat will be happy and you can save the the difference toward your new life. You'll have the Accord as a daily driver.

The RV park might have cable TV and wifi, although sometimes they aren't very good. Go find out tomorrow!!! That's more money in your savings! I'd get Walmart Straighttalk. You get 3 gigs of data and unlimited talk/text. Between that, work and free wifi hotspots that should be okay.

Build up a savings and hit the road!! Amazon is building a warehouse in Dallas and they are going to hire workcampers for it. Once you're in you  have a job for along time to come and then you can be a campground host in the summer. So you can work from May to December and then take the rest of the year off.

You're faced with a choice a life of boredom and drudgery or a life of depth and adventure.

RED PILL--you want to live life deeply and fully!! Do you want adventure and happiness!! You can have it but it won't be easy or free. You'll have to work and scrimp and give up a LOT!!!

BLUE PILL--Or you can just keep spinning your wheels waiting for a few years of happiness at the end of your life (and that's not certain anymore!!) and then you'll die!!!!

You sound like a RED PILL kinda gal!

 

[RVTravel]

This is what I did near you north of I-635.

1. Move to cheaper apt and save money.
2. Go to tracfone smart phone and learn to not use data so much. You have data at work and home.
3. Dump cable and watch tv by over the air digital or less so online.

 

[palebluedot78]

I agree with Optimistic Paranoid, I'd find an older, cheap RV and get it put into the RV park. With a little luck whoever you buy it from can put it in their for you, if not you can hire someone. Your cat will be happy and you can save the the difference toward your new life. You'll have the Accord as a daily driver.

The RV park might have cable TV and wifi, although sometimes they aren't very good. Go find out tomorrow!!! That's more money in your savings! I'd get Walmart Straighttalk. You get 3 gigs of data and unlimited talk/text. Between that, work and free wifi hotspots that should be okay.

Build up a savings and hit the road!! Amazon is building a warehouse in Dallas and they are going to hire workcampers for it. Once you're in you  have a job for along time to come and then you can be a campground host in the summer. So you can work from May to December and then take the rest of the year off.

You're faced with a choice a life of boredom and drudgery or a life of depth and adventure.

RED PILL--you want to live life deeply and fully!! Do you want adventure and happiness!! You can have it but it won't be easy or free. You'll have to work and scrimp and give up a LOT!!!

BLUE PILL--Or you can just keep spinning your wheels waiting for a few years of happiness at the end of your life (and that's not certain anymore!!) and then you'll die!!!!

You sound like a RED PILL kinda gal!

Thanks Bob! Read your book a year ago, loved it. Yes, Red pill please.
This is actually my current job just not at Amazon of course - http://www.amazon.jobs/jobs/191607/contracts-manager
How do I find details of the Dallas Amazon fulfillment center?
I would love to be able to do my Contracts Manager job remotely but companies don't seem to be offering that. Even though 90% of my time is spent reading contracts, terms and conditions and negotiating electronically w/ customers (no need for a cube).

I am not above manual labor or learning a new skill and actually would enjoy that. I get excited being able to be more active and meeting new people.
I cannot wait to sell all my stuff and declutter physically and mentally. READY FOR CHANGE. I know it won't be easy and there will be many uncertainties and challenges I can't even fathom at this point, but that's part of the excitement.

 

[palebluedot78]

I agree with Optimistic Paranoid, I'd find an older, cheap RV and get it put into the RV park. With a little luck whoever you buy it from can put it in their for you, if not you can hire someone. Your cat will be happy and you can save the the difference toward your new life. You'll have the Accord as a daily driver.

One more thing. Should I go the RV park route, should I worry about resell value? I don't want to spend too much money on a temporary trailer, however I also don't want to lose the money and want to be able to sell it after I'm ready to move on to the next chapter.

Thanks so much!

 

[palebluedot78]

This is what I did near you north of  I-635.

1. Move to cheaper apt and save money.
2. Go to tracfone smart phone and learn to not use data so much. You have data at work and home.
3. Dump cable and watch tv by over the air digital or less so online.

Yes, I dumped cable 2 years ago - best decision ever!
I intend to get a lower phone bill this coming May after my contract expires. I intend to transfer service over to my existing Galaxy III.

 

[Theadyn]

If your current cell provider is AT&T and you have decent reception, and a Galaxy III (which I have, also) you might check in to AirVoice wireless. They bounce off AT&T towers, so you'd have basically the same service you have now, AND you can still use your phone, no need to buy another. This was the route I was going to take. I think I was looking in to the $30 a month or so plan. I tried it out one month on an older phone (it was either a Galaxy or Galaxy II, can't remember) and it worked the same. Just, after your contract expires, you have to have AT&T unlock your phone, so you can use the AirVoice sim card to activate it with them. I had also looked into StraightTalk, but my area didn't have as good a coverage as the AT&T towers where I live. I live in western Oklahoma, btw.

I ditched satellite/cable years ago and went with just watching Netflix, and still haven't watched it all. Got one of those Roku boxes, it has Netflix and a ton of other free watching channels, and some you pay for. I do occasionally splurge on a $4.99 movie off of Vudu. It was, in my mind, the same as wasting gas to go get a redbox movie, and then taking it back the next day. All kinds of ways to cut costs.

Is there any efficiency apartments closer to work?? Within walking distance would be great, sell car, get a small class B, class C, or van... still have wheels, can park it in your parking space (if the C is small enough lol),... you could save money AND be able to escape the rat race on weekends. Just an idea. I lived in a tiny camper for a little while at an RV park. There are a few here in my town, right now they go for $360 a month with electric, water, sewer, and free wifi. And, if you decide to take off on weekends or such, your space is saved.

So many ideas for saving money floating in my head. Have been researching since 2005 when I decided I was sick of it all. Paid off $56k in 18 months. Some of the things I did were extreme, but I had a blast doing them. I can recommend some books or websites if you're interested, just pm me.

I do understand where you are coming from. A year ago I was trapped working Mon-Fri in a job I hated, chained to a desk, and reading everything about mobile living I could get my hands on, or alternative living. It consumed me. All I knew was, I was not happy. There has GOT to be more than life than this. There is no way I was just born to pay bills and die (I saw that somewhere and it stuck with me). What was worse, I worked at my sister's RV dealership, every day I saw happy people taking off on there high dollar 5th wheels, going to find some adventures, and there I was, stuck. I want to live NOW. Tomorrow is not promised. My hubby died at 40 years old, cancer, I was with him for 11 years. All I can remember him doing is working all of the time, sometimes 7 days a week, with a few weeks off every year to do what he wanted to. That still hurts me to think about it, him not being able to get out and live, just work. And for what?! So I decided I was not going to be normal, working until I was 65 (if I lived that long). I may not have a big retirement fund.. meh. My needs are small. I'd rather be 65 and look back at things I DID do instead of staring at a dollar number from a life time of soul sucking work.

bah.. Sorry for the rambling. You've got lots of good ideas. Best of luck!!

 

[SoulRaven]

I think I would start by selling your car, the longer you keep it, the less it will be worth.

My trick is to only buy vehicles that are already fully depreciated, that way I can drive them forever without losing money to depreciation.

Since you're that close to work, an electric bicycle could save you money.

Get a cheap, old RV and start out on weekends. Get one you can park in your normal parking space, and will be comfortable for you to drive, even long distances. You can also practice living in it in the parking lot.

With the difference in distance, I don't think the RV park would be a wise choice unless you could save enough using public transit to make up for the difference between the space rent and the cheaper apartment. Otherwise you're just shifting money, not saving any.

If you buy a cheap, fully depreciated RV, you can likely get all your money back if you decide the life style isn't for you.

You seem to have a pretty good selection of RV's in your area for under $5k...