Survive on $600 living out of vehicle??

[pnwgypsy]

Great site, interesting. I will be retiring in 2016. Maybe there should be a thread on just this subject, because there's probably a lot van dwellers in the same boat.  I see I don't qualify, thank you anyway.

I was thinking it should be a separate thread.  Since you've suggested it, I'll make one.

 

[SoulRaven]

A lot of folks around here dislike the fact that I grumble about getting by on $733/month. I've even received insinuations that I don't know how to manage money, despite tracking every expense. I have a few unusual medical conditions to accommodate, but beyond that let me just lay out some factors to consider....

1) People claiming they're getting by comfortably on XX amount generally are not including two very typical costs: set-up, and trial-and-error. For example, I needed winter clothing, and due to unusual sizing as well as a medical condition I could not obtain it used. Same with water containers. Even buying a used fridge at a steal still cost me $100. More stuff fell to trial and error, such as when my piddle pail ruptured due to the stuff I was using to try to keep the smell down, or when 5 different mechanics never found the actual issue and my old van kept eating through starters they refused to warranty. The numbers quoted are when everything's going right. When you're just starting out, you cannot assume you'll automatically hit your groove. The odds are not in your favor. Whether from unexpected emergencies, or simply finding out you need more to your set-up, a different set-up, more traveling, etc. There are a zillion factors.

2) Gas prices can cripple you on low income. It's almost the sole reason I became a city dweller, I simply cannot afford to go elsewhere! You seem to be talking about driving cross-country; make sure to factor that in to your calculations.

3) Emergency preparations are important, particularly out of the city. They don't tend to be cheap.

Best of luck to you! I was raised to be very frugal, but a combination of medical issues and circumstances leads to the only way for me to live within my means is to live in a manner that's really unhealthy for me. Which sucks. 95% of people's recommendations for me here have been turned down with "because I can't afford it."...and these are recommendations by folks who claim to be living comfortably on less! Which, again, points back to the start-up costs. And if you're able to work that can of course make a huge difference.

I'm not doubting that it can be done, but I had to stay tethered to Seattle and have a few unusual hurdles that means, for me, living at this level is often quite miserable, forcing me to choose between either eating food that makes me ill or skipping food entirely some days.

Then again, it is still freedom, which is 10X better than where I was at before.

 

[Cammalu]

Bitty, I think anyone who can live on that much a month has to be extremely frugal. One little tiny hump of a problem can sure set you back and if your vehicle won't behave it's crazy how much that can cost. You are doing good - no listening to the naysayers gal!

 

[mockturtle]

Bitty, I don't think very many people, even frugal ones, could live on that.  But it can be done.  The original post [I think] asked if it was possible.  Hang in there.  You are doing the best you can!  Hugs to you.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

In 2012, we both lived on my $740 SS and drove a class A (9mpg) 6000miles.
We traded for the van after a year, which was our best move.
A year later, I received my navy pension ($400) and that went a long way to improve our lifestyle, but still needed to watch our spending.

Both of us have medical some serious medical issues. Margie suffered with incontinence ( both#1 & 2). Drs called for surgery, but that was avoided because a smart young Dr put her on self therapy that has worked wonders.

I know its not easy but I know lots of folks out here who do ok on even less and still get in a bit of travel.
And....I have a feeling that living in cities perpetuates illness and depression.

I hope you find a way to get better.

 

[SoulRaven]

A lot of folks around here dislike the fact that I grumble about getting by on $733/month. I've even received insinuations that I don't know how to manage money, despite tracking every expense. I have a few unusual medical conditions to accommodate, but beyond that let me just lay out some factors to consider....

1) People claiming they're getting by comfortably on XX amount generally are not including two very typical costs: set-up, and trial-and-error. For example, I needed winter clothing, and due to unusual sizing as well as a medical condition I could not obtain it used. Same with water containers. Even buying a used fridge at a steal still cost me $100. More stuff fell to trial and error, such as when my piddle pail ruptured due to the stuff I was using to try to keep the smell down, or when 5 different mechanics never found the actual issue and my old van kept eating through starters they refused to warranty. The numbers quoted are when everything's going right. When you're just starting out, you cannot assume you'll automatically hit your groove. The odds are not in your favor. Whether from unexpected emergencies, or simply finding out you need more to your set-up, a different set-up, more traveling, etc. There are a zillion factors.

2) Gas prices can cripple you on low income. It's almost the sole reason I became a city dweller, I simply cannot afford to go elsewhere! You seem to be talking about driving cross-country; make sure to factor that in to your calculations.

3) Emergency preparations are important, particularly out of the city. They don't tend to be cheap.

Best of luck to you! I was raised to be very frugal, but a combination of medical issues and circumstances leads to the only way for me to live within my means is to live in a manner that's really unhealthy for me. Which sucks. 95% of people's recommendations for me here have been turned down with "because I can't afford it."...and these are recommendations by folks who claim to be living comfortably on less! Which, again, points back to the start-up costs. And if you're able to work that can of course make a huge difference.

I'm not doubting that it can be done, but I had to stay tethered to Seattle and have a few unusual hurdles that means, for me, living at this level is often quite miserable, forcing me to choose between either eating food that makes me ill or skipping food entirely some days.

Then again, it is still freedom, which is 10X better than where I was at before.

Thank you. This is the kind of answer I was looking for. I need to know realistically as you have given me as opposed to the "just do it crowd", that says just throw caution to the wind and don't worry because everything will work out. I am wanting real life experiences of what is possible and not.
So, if you are having problems making it with $733 a month and having to skip meals at times, I can imagine it will be even more difficult with me making $133 less than that.
Working could be an option but not a sure thing. And I am somewhat limited by some things I am physically able to do as well with a few minor physical things myself.
I need to know if I can make it on my $600 a month that I reliably and get on a sure thing basis other than the "you can always do this or that type of thing to make it if you run into problems" sort of suggestions. As you say it won't always be possible at one time or another because of changing circumstances.
Thank you for your real life  assessment of things. This may change my way of doing this because of the financial pitfalls you state. And now I am rolling over in my mind other things that could set me back or be detrimental to me out there.

I do hope things turn around for you or you come up with a better plan to keep you freedom lifestyle going in a more comfortable manner.

 

[akrvbob]

I don't know if you can do it, only time will tell about that. I know for certain it can be done but it won't be easy.

I also firmly believe your life will be tremendously better in a van than it would be in low income housing.
Bob

 

[ACagedTraveller]

I remain absolutely certain that $600 dollars per month, even in a vehicle, remains untenable in this area because of the high price of goods. This might remain possible in other areas with lower living costs than Los Angeles.

 

[SoulRaven]

Thank you. This is the kind of answer I was looking for. I need to know realistically as you have given me as opposed to the "just do it crowd", that says just throw caution to the wind and don't worry because everything will work out. I am wanting real life experiences of what is possible and not.
So, if you are having problems making it with $733 a month and having to skip meals at times, I can imagine it will be even more difficult with me making $133 less than that.

...

I do hope things turn around for you or you come up with a better plan to keep you freedom lifestyle going in a more comfortable manner.

Thank you!

So, for me personally, I risked my life to "just do it" because I was in a dire situation. There were times I nearly didn't survive, like when I got severe hypothermia and would have died if the right person hadn't stumbled upon me. (Van was in the shop and the place I'd had them drop me off at was locked.) I've found it's essential to find and stay near people who can help me because of my fragile health. And I guess one thing that I would point out is that while I'm miserable, I am getting by. I'm not accruing debt, even though I easily could; instead I make a game out of getting credit cards to work in my favor. That has earned me a couple hundred over the past year, actually.

I started living in my van with practically zero set-up. I'm on my third vehicle now--the first being a borrowed vintage 2-door car--and for each transition circumstances were so bad it was like I've got 2 days or less to fix it up and hit the road. What's possible? That's possible.

But it isn't likely to be very fun.

I utilize a food bank in my area, and if I wasn't allergic to 80% of the food there and/or they let me monopolize on what I could actually eat and/or I had a cooking setup then I could eat well all the time, especially with the addition of my food stamps. Any one of those three factors could drastically improve my life.

So, if you're worried about food, consider those things. If you can cook, even just to heat water, that's going to give you more options. If you can eat most foods without your system objecting, if you don't mind eating the same thing several times a week, all those things factor into the food cost. It's a super personal thing and there are several threads around here that you could glean info from. I have a bunch of stuff working against me that probably aren't in play for you, but then again I also have a food bank and stamps.

I also spend $48/month on storage.

My advice would be to spend as much time beforehand working on your setup and figuring out how it's all going to function. That's something I didn't have, just plain time to do the initial trial-and error runs. Stuff got broken because there was no way to bolt it down, for example. Or, if you have winter clothing already, that's another thing I didn't have that caused major expense. Or the O2Cool fan that's proven essential in the summer after multiple rounds of heat exhaustion. Each thing you address before  taking the plunge will be one less thing that turns into an emergency later.

I respectfully disagree with @akrvbob that living in a van is always better than low income housing; I personally believe that's going to vary a lot depending on the actual area/housing, the individual, and their particular situation. But what I do firmly believe is that if you evaluate your setup and create one that meets your needs, and do small test runs, pay attention to how you feel about it and go at your own pace, it will become clear to you what is right for YOU, what is doable, what is comfortable, what you want. And that answer will be the only one that truly matters for you.

Me, personally, I was willing to do miserable survival initially so long as it became comfortable later on. I keep working to make it comfortable but over a year into it my efforts are still crashing down around me so I'm whining about it and more than a little grouchy. If you're starting out with a comfy set-up and sufficient clothing and emergency gear your journey could be very different.

P.S. A Ford Escape? That just registered for me. I spent a few weeks living in a 2004 Ford Escape and even at 5'2" I couldn't be comfortable sleeping in the back with the seats folded down, it just wasn't long enough. Definitely make sure you have enough room there, sleep is important!!

 

[myway_1]

I would say whether you are eligible for food stamps would be a big factor. In Florida if you are 50 years old or older there is no work requirement. But you would need to be able to maintain a mailing address within Florida. Also I don't know if you can use your EBT card outside the state. So the availability of food stamps may need to be a consideration for you in deciding which state to establish residency.

 

[Rugster]

Once you are set up, how much do you think you will spend on food? I have been thinking about this topic and in my opinion (and in my area) I think my food cost could be $100 per month.

Currently, I buy the food and supplies my family of four, plus one dog and two cats eats and uses. I can easily do this on $120 a week, so $480 a month. We don't eat steak a lot, but we have plenty of milk, juice, vegetables and plenty chicken, beef and fish.

Since I am also trying to figure out my budget once my move is complete, if I take out the cat food, litter and dog food and a large percentage of the supplies, I feel pretty confident I could eat well for $120 per month including ice for the cooler, which I think would be the only additional cost.

Granted, I really like chicken tacos and beans and rice (could eat that every day) and of course, this doesn't count eating out.

So, if my budget is six hundred per month and I spend $120 for food, that leaves $480 for other stuff. I think my biggest concern will be working out a way to not use as much gas as my situation may require.

 

[Woody Creature]

I live on $514 Soc Sec in a Toyota Tacoma. Here is a link to my budget . It works even better that I planned, and I am able to save more than anticipated. Found that gas was my biggest expense, and the one item I could easily adjust by staying put. I elect not to have refrigeration, which means no recurring ice expense. Very happy at $514.

 

[Rugster]

Well, just spent the last 45 minutes reading your blog, excellent posts, informative and funny. Thanks for writing it, I'm going back to read some more

 

[SoulRaven]

Well, this can be a little overwhelming. But like Bitty and a few others brought to my attention, it depends on your unique situation and how frugal you can and want to be. I am pretty sure I could pull it off at this particular time, but things do change along the way.......as it does in any type of lifestyle. And has it also been mentioned, I could get some sort of assistance to ease some of my expenses. It would depend on just how resourceful I could be. I am right now going through the motions of pretending to be dependent on just my $600 and seeing how I would do, while I have a backup support system where I am. I am surprised at how little things really add up. And that my wants out number my actual needs. But I certainly don't want to get into a position where I am going to be miserable and put myself in a unhealthy position.
Thanks everyone for all the input. It does open my eyes on what to really expect.

 

[SoulRaven]

I am right now going through the motions of pretending to be dependent on just my $600 and seeing how I would do, while I have a backup support system where I am. I am surprised at how little things really add up. And that my wants out number my actual needs. But I certainly don't want to get into a position where I am going to be miserable and put myself in a unhealthy position.
Thanks everyone for all the input. It does open my eyes on what to really expect.

You're doing a fantastic job sorting through this. I think it's overwhelming for most of us when starting out!

Trying out the $600 budget now is going to yield some really crucial info for you. I remember being surprised too at how fast it all added up. Paying even $5 now brings about a fair bit of deliberation for me.

 

[SoulRaven]

I live on $514 Soc Sec in a Toyota Tacoma. Here is a link to my budget . It works even better that I planned, and I am able to save more than anticipated. Found that gas was my biggest expense, and the one item I could easily adjust by staying put. I elect not to have refrigeration, which means no recurring ice expense. Very happy at $514.

Awesome resource!

One thing that really stood out to me was the cheaper car insurance. For me, cheapest I could find was $927/year if paid upfront, $1000/year if paid monthly. That's with a squeaky clean record.

Probably a huge part of this is being tied to buying insurance in a metropolitan area like Seattle, another part was having very little credit history (FICO score majorly affects car insurance rates) and probably another part is my young age. I also chose to bump it up to about $20/year more than the absolute minimum I could have gone with for more coverage, since Seattle drivers are notorious and drive fancy new cars. I typically have at least couple near misses per week from Really Stupid Drivers.

I know there are other threads that discuss this more thoroughly, but it's quite a shocker to me to realize just how much of a difference there is in that factor alone. That's why it's super helpful to see others' budgets actually written out.

 

[ACagedTraveller]

@bitty
I think you can mint a new acroynm: RSD = Really Stupid Drivers .

 

[Iggy]

I concur on the gas and insurance remarks above. My insurance dropped from $700 per year to $500 in October when I moved my mailing address from Salem to Albany Oregon (a much smaller city). My credit rating is awful, due to a mess with an ex-girlfriend. I have liability, theft, vandalism, and towing on my plan. So the rate could've been lower yet if my credit rating was better and if I choose to go bare bones on my coverage.
At $200 per month, gas is my biggest expense. Some months I don't spend much at all on gas. But I do spend a lot at times. Like last month, I drove from Albany to San Diego. So it averages out. When gas prices climb, I have to cut back on driving.
My monthly budget averages...
Gas $200
Food $120
Van insurance $45
Anytime Fitness $43
Cell phone $20 (My share of a family plan)
Laundry $20
Propane $12
Books and Redbox $40
=$500 per month
My budget does fluctuate. Sometimes there are occasional expenses like changing the oil in the van, replacing clothes, having a date, buying a lottery ticket when the jackpot is $1.3 billion, etc. But usually it still balances out because of spending less that month in some areas or I have to work a little more to cover that extra expense.
I've been doing this for a couple years and keep refining my budget. For income, I work in construction for most of the summer and once in awhile the rest of the year.
This works for me, but may not work for others because of different expenses and needs. And I'm sure my situation will evolve over the years.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I don't understand what will change for you if you move into your van??? Are you going to have less income? From what I have read I gather you are on a fix income some kind of benefit, that will not change will it? So you are already living on that amount,

 

[SoulRaven]

I don't understand what will change for you if you move into your van???  Are you going to have less income? From what I have read I gather you are on a fix income some kind of benefit, that will not change will it? So you are already living on that amount,

I am living in a situation right now where all household expenses are paid by someone else......including food. So I am not really living on that amount paying any expenses. I know that a lot of people will say....."what the heck do you want to move out of that type of situation for? You have it made." Well, the simple fact is the living circumstances here are what I would call dysfunctional quite a bit.  Many times my personality and the the ones around me clash. So there is stresses that keep everyone on edge a lot. I am not the easiest person to get along with, and am somewhat of a fanatic when it comes to certain things such as keeping things clean, organized, prioritized, etc., and the other individuals are not like me in those aspects. Plus I have some depression and anxiety that makes the situation bad too.
So it has been sorta agreed that I should just find a different lifestyle away from here so everyone concerned can carry on without all the disagreements and stresses. Which could be on long term (months at a time) temporary basis. An agreement has been made that I can return from time to time to visit or maybe stay for short periods. But anything of a permanent nature could not work for any of us.
So, now I am trying to figure out how to make my small income work for me with as little discomfort as possible with the situation I have. I don't want to get too detailed about this because it is of a personal nature.