SICK OF THE MATRIX !!!!

[Gypsy108]

Thank you Kaylee !!!!
Good night ! I will write more on response to this later !!!!

 

[txmnjim]

....it will be dreadful having to get up in the morning at 5AM to scrape ice & snow off....to get to work..

 yes, it's a pain but it will be even more of a pain if you have been freezing your butt
off all night living in that van! when i hit the road it will be after i'm done working, and i
can go somewhere other than MN in the winter   good luck!!
jim

 

[Firtree]

Read the posts of Kaylee everyday for a month, two, six, a year.
I can do a tight budget you can too and probably better. Anyone can go without any frills for 6 months. You were in the military, this is- Can Do Easy.

If you pay for your own utilities, you can cut those bills by 1/3 in a second.
Food can also be cut, probably in 1/2. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, everything can all be cut back. Gas, you plan your route and you walk on weekends. unless your internet is part of rent get rid of it and use the library. get rid of your mobilephone plan and get something like RedPocket for $99 a year. (500 min, 500 text and 500mb per month) You can get RedPocket on the Verizon or ATT or T-mobile or Sprint towers. You pick the best for your location. The $99 a year plan is only sold on ebay last I looked.

One of the best books I read on frugality was The Tightwad Gazette Amy Dacyczyn. Your library may still have a copy or find all or parts online. Much of the stuff she wrote about was kids, Holloween and the stuff on prices is old, but what she talked about, wanted people to learn was principles, thinking of another way, looking at an object or problem another way, thinking vs throwing money at it.

And don't sell the van

 

[maki2]

don't worry.....be happy.

In the long run the issue is you are worrying yourself to death over the possibility of snow on the roof of your high top van. Maybe the solution is to find a person to sweep off the roof for you when it snows. Perhaps you can find such a person who works at a local late night fast food joint and they get off close to midnight or even 2:00 am. Be more creative in your problem solving. Do more "what if" thinking using alternative solutions. Is there a place you can park that has an outside power outlet? There are outdoor use snow melting mats you could temporarily fasten to the roof. They are typically used on sidewalks. You could set it up on a timer for those nights snow is predicted.

People who worry too much get stuck in loops where they can only think of one of two solutions such as selling the van because it won't fit in a garage and you don't want to clean the roof off. But the reality is that there are many solutions to such problems.

 

[B and C]

If you have access to shore power, a heater left on low in the cab area might keep your windows thawed.

 

[Gypsy108]

@Maki2. Yeah I know I worry too much...trying to stay ahead of the game...I try to be as self-reliant as possible...I think if I throw a tarp over it that would work. I shall see....

@b and c. Thank you for the heater suggestion!!! Yes I will have access to power source...and I have a very long chord to plug it in with....


@Firtree. Thank you for your input ...yes I think Kaylee is a good mentor!!!! I really respect everyone that has experience in this lifestyle and I want to learn as much as I can from you...all of you have valuable experience and lessons to learn from...I know I am not that practical , I have a lot of conditioning to shed...

I think I will keep the van Firtree... thank you for speaking out about that ...I feel like it (HE)loves me and we are supposed to be together ....lol

 

[eDJ_]

Lot of issues going on at once and I can see why it is disturbing you.

Let me speak to the Online Banking though.

When I set up online banking they gave me a 1 800 number and they explained that if anything happened like with your Landlord....to call them immediately and they would call and try to resolve the issue.  If you had money in the bank and got a NSF notice.....it may be a banking error that the landlord is trying to make a quick $100 bucks on.  (fear tactic of eviction)   Every state has a listing of renters rights too as I understand. (from my Credit Union)  Banks have insurance that covers their errors too.  You may be able to get overdraft insurance for yourself at your bank.

I would, if I were in your place, get the rent paid and make that clears first.  Then pay all of the other bills in turn. 

Just some thoughts.  But I would urge you to talk to your bank's online bill pay dept and explain what was done to you.

 

[highdesertranger]

please be careful. an electric heater plus a long extension cord is a combination for a disaster. highdesertranger

 

[Gypsy108]

I did pay them.
When I made my rent payment initially, I also went crazy and paid a million other bills....but the sad part is I paid the rent and it indicated a successful payment made.....so I guess the actual extraction of funds got messed up during business hours ...after I made the transaction on Friday evening.....???

I did talk to the bank, because I’m also overdrawn now and had to explain to them why... I also requested overdraft protection but it does me no good unless I already have the funds in my savings to cover a checking overdraft.... screwy system....they don’t want to make life easy for you only want you to get screwed when you need them the most ....

 

[Gypsy108]

please be careful.  an electric heater plus a long extension cord is a combination for a disaster.  highdesertranger

Oh great .... the extension chord is heavy duty....does that help ??

 

[highdesertranger]

depends on how heavy duty and how long. highdesertranger

 

[maki2]

@Maki2.  Yeah I know I worry too much...trying to stay ahead of the game...I try to be as self-reliant as possible...I think if I throw a tarp over it that would work.  I shall see....

If it is not a wet heavy snow the tarp will work. But put some long ropes on it to pull it down with or you will look like a snowwoman without the carrot for a nose. Meaning you need to stand way back away from the van when you pull the tarp off.

Fiberglass roofs can collapse from heavy snow loads but you could add extra bracing inside to help prevent that from happening. I have a fiberglass travel trailer and I do need roof bracing that goes from the inside edge of the countertops up to the roof. I also have two extra plywood plates epoxied to the underside of my roof where I can place additional post just in case of a wet heavy snow. As I mentioned there are many ways to handle such issues and adding additional temporary bracing to support the roof during a heavy, wet snow event is one of them.

 

[Gypsy108]

depends on how heavy duty and how long.  highdesertranger

It’s blue, and it would probably go around the circumference of my van a few times at least....probably 60’ ??? At least...

I used it 30 years ago when I had it put in a bblock in my car engine and connected it inside my apartment from the parking lot in the winter to help start it when cold outside

 

[Gypsy108]

If it is not a wet heavy snow the tarp will work. But put some long ropes on it 

Thanks... good idea with the ropes !!
Not fiberglass.....metal with a ladder !!!
I will need to get a house roof snow removal thingy too !

 

[highdesertranger]

it's probably either 50 feet or 100 feet. what is the wattage of the heater? the color of the cord means nothing. it should be written on the outside of the cable what gauge it is. give us that number and the wattage of the heater.

I am assuming you meant a block heater. they run between 500 and 750 watts. of course we have no idea what wattage yours was.

highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

The extension cord will have something like 14/3 or a number in this format is what HDR is asking for. Being an unknown is the reason I was saying put the heater on low. The heater should have a tag stating what it draws in watts.

 

[user 2252]

.......... and I live in a van down by the river.

 

[Gypsy108]

 probably either 50 feet or 100 what is the wattage of the heater? 
block heater. 

The chord is not with me here....it's where i used to live 20 miles away.... (S&B)
I don't have the heater yet.....
Yes block....
:shy:

 

[Gypsy108]

The extension cord will have something like 14/3 or a number

OK...thanks ....i think i will get a new extension chord anyways....what is the best one ???
Haven't purchased a heater yet either....but i will get the best i can...which one is the best ?

 

[highdesertranger]

ok before you go out and spend money lets crunch some numbers.

1. how long of a cord do you need? in other words how far are you from an outlet?

more then likely this will determine what size heater you can run and what size cord you need. so lets start there.

highdesertranger