Survive on $600 living out of vehicle??

[SoulRaven]

Stevesway I was in a similar situation and I'm sorry to hear it. My first attempt to get out ended when my overseas relative's antique car I was borrowing to live in broke down in ways he refused to let me have fixed with a mechanic (being one by profession himself). The car was brought into the garage of my former living place (where I'd previously been paying rent to my family for a room) and I lived in the broken down car in the garage for something like 5 months until I found another solution. I could come inside to use the facilities, but the car was the only spot that was respected as "my space" so I slept and lived there.

Nowadays when I visit I live in the driveway, plug in to the grid and come inside mostly just to use the amenities.

I'd recommend experimenting with spending nights in your vehicle even while it's parked there, and maybe moving partially into there. It can serve as both a test run and also potentially relieve some friction.

 

[SoulRaven]

Nowadays when I visit I live in the driveway, plug in to the grid and come inside mostly just to use the amenities.

I'd recommend experimenting with spending nights in your vehicle even while it's parked there, and maybe moving partially into there. It can serve as both a test run and also potentially relieve some friction.

I have camped in the vehicle a few times, and it is doable, because I can stretch out in it when the back seats are folded down. And I have made some other accommodations inside it that helps with some comforts. But, there are other things that make living in it difficult. It will have to lack any bathroom facilities because I refuse to set up anything inside the vehicle to use the bathroom. I will do the small detergent bottle for emergency peeing, but I will NOT do #2 in the vehicle. I would set up a shower tent out side for that. But even that would be a bit of a hassle at times too. I need something more suited for all time living, like a very small travel trailer of sorts, that has bathroom facilities that I can tow easily with my vehicle.

If I start out in something that is going to make my life miserable I will be doomed to fail. I have done the car thing in my Escape and although I can do it for road trips (staying at campgrounds with facilities), anything of a permanent nature would not work for me. I am just not cut out for it. If I was thrown out into the street of course I would have to do it, and could, for a short time. But I would be looking for something better.

Since I am not on a tight time schedule and can somewhat take my time (to a point), I am going to try to work out something that has a chance of success. Meanwhile I probably will be taking some extended road trips and such to get away from things to get me through the stresses.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

That sounds like solid thinking. We all have to find what works for us.

 

[Silver]

navy pension ($400)

Awesome ! Thats 1 thing I wish I had done.
Kinda too late for me unless I get a pension job . .

I don't think Adventure Van Man / Chris Travels or Nomadic Fanatic
has a pension either . .

 

[Silver]

"2004 Ford Escape and even at 5'2" I couldn't be comfortable sleeping in the back"

I agree. A van is much more comfortable to sleep in than a SUV in general.

I'm 5'8" & am glad I'm not taller

 

[SoulRaven]

My budget came in at $6800 for 2015. That included everything including just shy of 18k miles of driving, and eating out 2-3 times a week, and I live like a king, not scrimping on anything.

I live in my van rather than out of it, so for me that requires having my own toilet, shower, and fully functioning kitchen inside my van. This means I am not wasting money on such things as a gym membership, and that I always have clean facilities to use. I am not a fan of public restrooms or showers.

While I know some people live out of smaller vehicles than vans, comfort and convenience mean everything to me. Because of this, if I were in your situation, I believe I would be figuring out a way to upgrade to a van.

Living in cities is far cheaper than boondocking because prices are usually cheaper in bigger cities, and you're not spending as much on fuel to retrieve groceries or other supplies.

 

[mockturtle]

Living in cities is far cheaper than boondocking because prices are usually cheaper in bigger cities

I find this hard to believe.  Maybe it depends on the city but living in Seattle or San Francisco is very expensive.

 

[SoulRaven]

I find this hard to believe.  Maybe it depends on the city but living in Seattle or San Francisco is very expensive.

If you are paying for housing, and utilities etc. you are correct, but if you're not paying for those things, I still believe it's cheaper because anything you need is in close proximity.

 

[Txjaybird]

Wow, that is amazing to me that you could live on the small amount you receive. I have Medicare with part B and d. So my $600 monthly is what I will have for sure but after those are taken out of my SS income.
If you have the time and would care to share some ways that you make that amount work, I would be very interested in seeing how you do that. I am always open to suggestions on frugslity. 
Thanks

to stevesway,  just a brief FYI in case you are unaware of this most states will assist in paying medicare premiums ,deductables, & copays at dr's & for meds.  you apply at your local area medicade office.  i helped a neighbor apply a few years ago and her state even reimbursed her about $400 to $500  that she had paid in  medicare premiums,  the thing is she was eligible for several years prior to applying.   also you can apply to medicare for "extra help" there was or is different levels of help.  if a person is interested in this i wouldn't hesitate to apply as things seem to be in a upheaveal re: medical insurance.  in some states  you can dial 211 and get a live person and tell them what you need/are looking for,  in my area this is a service by the united way.   i learned about this when my first  s.s. benefits were $680 a month.  good luck,

 

[Canine]

I could survive on $600 a month.No way I could live on $600 a month.

 

[gojo]

I figure I will share this with those just planning to retire.

Don't Claim Your Social Security Benefits Early
Claiming your Social Security benefits early can be really tempting, especially if you ever find yourself in a
financial pinch and are desperately needing the money. However, claiming early is something to be avoid at all costs.
Depending on when your birthday is, the age in which you can draw full retirement falls somewhere between sixty-six and sixty-seven as of today. Claiming your social security benefits any earlier than this will lock you into a reduced 
monthly payment for life, costing you major amounts of money in the long run. Claiming you social security at the age
sixty-two permanently reduces your monthly payment by 25% to 30%. On the other hand, if you wait longer than you 
have to claim, your monthly payments will increase by 8% every year until you hit seventy. 

I read that on average, a person will draw around $1200 a month more or less.
So if you know what you will draw, you can figure this out by multiplying 1.08 to your full retirement at 66.

1200 X 1.08 = 1296 X 1.08 X = 1399.68 X 1.08 = 1511.65 X 1.08 = 1632.58  @  70 years of age.

 

[mockturtle]

That's fine if you want to work until you are 70. I didn't.

 

[rvpopeye]

IF you live that long.
I did the calc. on taking 75% at 62 vs 100% at 66.
Would be 78 yrs old before breaking even from just 4 years of waiting..

 

[Canine]

I took my SS at 62 and I'm glad I did.I think the break even point for me was around 75 YO.Nobody is guaranteed to live to 75.The key is to have everything paid for before retirement.And then live within your means.

 

[akrvbob]

You're gambling about what the future holds so the decision of whether to take it early or not is simply a bet.

My father worked at a job that made him unhappy all his life, retired at 60 without ever having to worry about money again. He was dead at 62 from cancer.

I'm betting on present happiness over possibly empty future promises. Everybody has to decide for themselves.
Bob

 

[rvpopeye]

"possibly empty future promises" good point Bob.
I have seen some politicians refer to Social Security as "welfare".

 

[akrvbob]

"possibly empty future promises" good point Bob.
I have seen some politicians refer to Social Security as "welfare".

I wasn't talking about SS, I was talking about living long enough to make up for waiting. Time to enjoy the extra pension after 66 was the empty promise.

I'm 60 and I'm reasonably confident that I'll get all the SS money I'm owed, Baby Boomers are too powerful a voting block to piss off. 

It's pretty hard for me to imagine any politician being that foolish. If so he'll soon be voted out.
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

I wasn't talking about SS, I was talking about living long enough to make up for waiting. Time to enjoy the extra pension after 66 was the empty promise.

I'm 60 and I'm reasonably confident that I'll get all the SS money I'm owed, Baby Boomers are too powerful a voting block to piss off. 

It's pretty hard for me to imagine any politician being that foolish. If so he'll soon be voted out.
Bob

What on earth makes you think they care if they get voted out?  Once they're in, they get their salary, raises, and benefits for LIFE !!!

 

[BradKW]

What on earth makes you think they care if they get voted out?  Once they're in, they get their salary, raises, and benefits for LIFE !!![/color][/b][/size]

OF course they care about getting re-elected...that's really what being a politician is all about anymore. That any [federal] politician can collect a full salary after one term is a long abiding urban myth...in fact, their pension is capped at 80% and they have to serve for about 67 years to reach that cap under existing formula.

No member of Congress is eligible for any pension unless he or she has served in Congress for at least five years. (Senators serve six-year terms; House members must seek reelection every two years.) To collect, a congressman or senator must be age 62, or be at least age 50 with 20 years of service, or be any age with 25 years of service.

A three-term congressman (or one-term senator) who has now reached retirement age would be eligible for an annual pension of $17,588 for six years of work. That's generous, but not close to full pay.

Retired members of Congress can get health coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which covers more than 8 million federal employees, retirees and their families. The federal government pays between 72 percent and 75 percent of the premium cost. With exchanges established under the Affordable Care Act, members of Congress are required to participate only in those health plans.

 

[gojo]

Being that I'll be 66 next month, I'll probably wait a couple a more years. I do have another income and my wife will qualify for full retirement in about 4 years plus 401K.
And if I die before retirement, well I'll be in a better place.