Survive on $600 living out of vehicle??

[SoulRaven]

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.

Things may have changed in the meantime, but years ago I was sitting in a truck stop when a blurb came on the news that so infuriated me, that I still remember it.

Some congress critter had got elected, and proceeded to serve only a very short time in office, seems like it may have only been a week or two...  Anyway, he got ousted due to some sort of a scandal.  I don't think I ever knew any of the particulars about that part.

What got to me, was that it was on the news that since he had served the minimum required one day in office, he was entitled to his full pay and benefits for life.

Maybe things have changed, either in reality, or in what they want us to believe is true.  I just know that I will never trust them, and I will never put myself into a position where I have to rely on the government or anybody else to support me as long as I have better and more reliable options available to me.

 

[akrvbob]

We're off topic, which is living on $600 a month and as part of that should you take SS early or wait.

No more posts about Congress members, they will be deleted.
Bob

 

[Wanderer]

I have an income from Social Security of $600 a month. I am in the process of converting my 2014 Ford Escape as my dwelling vehicle for now. 

I am a little apprehensive about being able to live on that amount without extreme hardship. I have no bills to have to pay monthly. My vehicle and insurance is being taken care of from an agreement made that is pretty secure and will be ongoing. So my only expenses will be food, gas, and general living expenses to keep me safe, and secure. I looked at the expense chart that Bob put up on the front door of the site. It does show the example of living a sparce life on $500 a month. And it doesn't show anything about camping fees.  I could swing that of course with what I receive but I certainly would have to be just about completely dependant on Free camping. I know that I will have to be heading West for the BLM and other Free type of dwelling camping, because I don't think it would be that easy here in the Eastern US.
So, my basic question is,  would that be doable without really suffering? I am a very frugal person, and don't have to have a lot to keep me happy. 
Here is a link to the budgets.
http://i2.wp.com/images.cheaprvliving.com/budget-table-index.jpg

Here out west, we have a LOT of BLM land, free boon docking places  and Walmarts (Hee hee hee)

I eat (3-5 days a week) can of chicken, can of veggies (Mixed) and package of Ramen (Chicken flavor preferred) Total cost? About $2.....Not because I have to, I chose to.

I also work in a deli, I get my meat cheap at times (When we have "Hidden" sales) What the price may show on the price bar, is not what the scale will show. Like $6.98 for Turkey and it's $3.50 a lb instead...

If you're a veteran, there's deals for camping permits that can be free and this is on govt camp sites.....

So, you may be living "Low" but High off the hog....  

I'll take my SS at 62....I have had a heart attack at 50. So I may not even make 62, but that's my target date.

 

[Cammalu]

Here out west, we have a LOT of BLM land, free boon docking places  and Walmarts (Hee hee hee)

I eat (3-5 days a week) can of chicken, can of veggies (Mixed) and package of Ramen (Chicken flavor preferred) Total cost? About $2.....Not because I have to, I chose to.

I also work in a deli, I get my meat cheap at times (When we have "Hidden" sales) What the price may show on the price bar, is not what the scale will show. Like $6.98 for Turkey and it's $3.50 a lb instead...

If you're a veteran, there's deals for camping permits that can be free and this is on govt camp sites.....

So, you may be living "Low" but High off the hog....  

I'll take my SS at 62....I have had a heart attack at 50. So I may not even make 62, but that's my target date.

What vet deals for free camping permits?

 

[BradKW]

What vet deals for free camping permits?

While not in the free category, here in KW vets are able to use the campground facilities on Sigsbee base for very little money. Last I heard it was $11/day for a site with no hookups on the beach, with very well maintained shower/restroom buildings. I would bet there's many little perks like that around the country if a person looked for them...

 

[Cammalu]

While not in the free category, here in KW vets are able to use the campground facilities on Sigsbee base for very little money. Last I heard it was $11/day for a site with no hookups on the beach, with very well maintained shower/restroom buildings. I would bet there's many little perks like that around the country if a person looked for them...

Thanks Brad. I knew about Sigsbee and it's on my list of places to go. I believe there are about 90 sites with elec at 25 a day and you can only stay in those sites for 14 days then you have to move to the overflow sites of which there are around 400. The overflow sites are $13-15 a day. Not bad for Key West. I'll be doing that one day.

 

[LeeRevell]

While not in the free category, here in KW vets are able to use the campground facilities on Sigsbee base for very little money. Last I heard it was $11/day for a site with no hookups on the beach, with very well maintained shower/restroom buildings. I would bet there's many little perks like that around the country if a person looked for them...

Is this deal for any GI vets, or only retirees?  There are many of us vets who did one or two hitches, and then got out.

 

[Goshawk]

Support your veteran friends. Share the costs and save on fees. As long as you have a DOD identity card think they let all reserve the camping spots. Might be a priority system in place.

 

[Wanderer]

What vet deals for free camping permits?

http://store.usgs.gov/pass/senior.html

Below a snippet from the web page...

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Overview of the Senior PassPass Use | Benefits[/font]

---

1. Where can I get a Senior Pass?
   You can buy a Senior Pass in person from a participating Federal recreation site or office. See Site Locations that issue the Senior Pass.
   You can buy a Senior Pass using the USGS online store. Applicants must fill out the Online Application and upload proof of residency and age. This may be done by photographing your document and uploading it to the order. You will need to provide a credit card payment of $20.00 ($10.00 fee for the Senior Pass, and an additional $10.00 document processing fee). Once the documentation is verified and payment is received, a pass, with the pass owner’s name pre-printed on it, will be issued to the applicant. If you cannot order a Senior pass online, you can submit a Paper Application by mail to the USGS using the paper application and enclosing the same documents and $20 fee.
   Online Senior Pass applications are processed and shipped within 3-5 business days from the day they arrive at USGS. Transit time varies, and is dependent upon the service selected:
   
       • USPS - typically 5-10 business days
       • FedEx Ground - typically 3-5 business days
       • FedEx 2nd day - typically 2 business days
       • FedEx Overnight - typically 1 business day

 

[LeeRevell]

Support your veteran friends. Share the costs and save on fees.  As long as you have a DOD identity card think they let all reserve the camping spots. Might be a priority system in place.

Ah.  That card thing negates most of us veterans.   Unfortunate.   Guess I will need to wait a few years til I qualify for the Senior deals.  

 

[pnwgypsy]

http://store.usgs.gov/pass/senior.html



Below a snippet from the web page...



[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Overview of the Senior PassPass Use | Benefits[/font]

---

1. Where can I get a Senior Pass?
   
   You can buy a Senior Pass in person from a participating Federal recreation site or office. See Site Locations that issue the Senior Pass.
   
   You can buy a Senior Pass using the USGS online store. Applicants must fill out the Online Application and upload proof of residency and age. This may be done by photographing your document and uploading it to the order. You will need to provide a credit card payment of $20.00 ($10.00 fee for the Senior Pass, and an additional $10.00 document processing fee). Once the documentation is verified and payment is received, a pass, with the pass owner’s name pre-printed on it, will be issued to the applicant. If you cannot order a Senior pass online, you can submit a Paper Application by mail to the USGS using the paper application and enclosing the same documents and $20 fee.
   
   Online Senior Pass applications are processed and shipped within 3-5 business days from the day they arrive at USGS. Transit time varies, and is dependent upon the service selected:
   
   
   
       • USPS - typically 5-10 business days
   
       • FedEx Ground - typically 3-5 business days
   
       • FedEx 2nd day - typically 2 business days
   
       • FedEx Overnight - typically 1 business day
   

---

This is for all seniors, not just vets.

 

[debit.servus]

I basically eat 1 big meal a day, buy loss-leader/reduced food, do ALL my own repairs, shop at thrift stores/flea markets, don't eat at restaurants and do my own cooking from scratch, avoid (expensive) junk food, and never camp where I must pay. Lot's of other stuff, much of it a minor saving per individual case, but all adding up to major savings. Wal-Mart, Amazon, Craigslist and Ebay are my friends. ..Willy.

Wow, what does your monthly income loook like?

Having a 12v compressor cooler/freezer (now got 2 of 'em!) REALLY helps insofar as I can buy 'family packs' of 'reduced to clear' meat, then individually bag 'n freeze, and on-sale frozen veggies as well as keep fresh perishables for longer. Right now I've got about a month's worth of cheap frozen meat in my Engel and fresh veggies in the smaller Waeco. This drastically reduces my food expenditure and, being powered off solar, isn't costing any extra to maintain.
Another very important thing is TOOLS, got tons of them, which can be bought cheaply at garage sales & flea markets. Doing my own maintenance/repairs saves a bundle and learning how to do so, IMO, helps keep the mind 'flexible'. ..Willy.

That is the way to think, comparing the total money AND time costs between different ways of life. Great advice to have tools and a 12v compressor fridge or two.

...

I would also ask if you've ever done anything like this before.   Do you consider yourself a camper?   My experience with road life, even in a small class A, is that ... sometimes I just wanted to *really* be inside, with space to move around, a real bathroom, reliable temperatures, no rain beating on the roof, a sense of being in a "normal" space with privacy Same here.

...

...
a new friend's driveway (or couch), and so on.
Usury? Making friends just to use them for their couch and showers until they kick you out?
...
Same with free or cheap showers. You may have to bend some ethical rules to get them, but still, that $2 donation to the state park entitles you to a shower in the campground, right? If all else fails, there is the family restroom at Walmart. It's cheaper in the long run to invest in shower equipment, both in money AND time costs.

... 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. Exactly...

...Paying even $5 now brings about a fair bit of deliberation for me.

Sometimes this happens to me too, when I am down to just a few dollars in change and in the bank. I need a larger income.

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.

This is similar to my situation. Being stuck in a clashful enviroment affects my health. But that is where all the subsidies are...

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. Off Grid 24/7, How is traveling 18,000 miles and eating out 2-3 times a week possible on $6800 a year?????

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.  Same here, except I am OK with public showers.
...

 

[Willy]

I'd like to note that both of my electric coolers were bought used, 1 off Craigslist (Engel) and the other from a friend (Waeco), for less than 1/2 the list price. My previous Waeco CF-50 (used for abt a decade) I bought for $350 CDN and sold for $200. I'm a big fan of buying used/on sale.
The same goes for my solar. The 2 62W Unisolars I got for free, sale price on the 120W polycrystalline, and got the 100W monocrystalline used. My 1000W pure sine I picked up from Canadian Tire, on sale for $100 off, it being a rebraded Xantrex that sells for considerably less to start with. My AGM's were bought used (from a friend) for less than 1/3 list. Furnace I bought used for $35 CDN. The wave 3 I picked up for $200 CDN (w. cover and 10' extension w. regulator). The deals are out there if one looks hard enough.
The upshot of this, buying used/cheap, is that it enables me to live very well on a super tight budget and to outfit my rig in such a way that I end up saving money later. ..Willy.

 

[gojo]

You know I don't live in a van as of yet. I thought of something, I still should try to live off $600 a month or less. Start training myself for the future of living in a van.
My wife will retire in a little over 3 years and I should be well trained by then. I don't own a penny on my property, just annual property taxes. I should get my electric cut off and go solar, replace my electric water pump with a hand pump. I do have a wood stove for heat and gas, on hot summer nights I could sleep on the out side in my tent.
Then when the day comes to hit the road, I'll feel at home.

Convincing my wife might a problem, we been married 37 years and we usually agree on most things....

Maybe I should get a horse and buggy and like the amish and use that for going to town to buy supplies and grocery?

 

[SoulRaven]

Gas: $2200/yr

Groceries & Snacks: $1500/yr

Insurance: $648/yr

Internet/Phone: $360/yr

Eating out: $780/yr

Kerosene for cooking/heating: $112/yr

Oil changes & maintenance: $189/yr

Ice: $60/yr

Laundry: $120/yr

Everything Else: $832/yr
-----------------------------------------

Total expenses for 2015 = $6801.00

$6801 / 12 = $566.75/mo

 

[minimotos95]

For February I am spending:
$220 on lot rent(my equivalent of gas and insurance)
$55 on cell service, could go cheaper if I wanted to.
$50 food, I don't eat out and eat very simple, coffee is included in that $50
Propane I will round up and assume the weather is no warmer or colder than January so $35
Half a IsoButane canister, I want to say around $3.
No insurance, gas or maintenance on my van, there's a chance my pedal bike will need repairs so say $10
So $373... But I need to upgrade my batteries too along with getting some new ring terminals and potentially hardware for a battery box. That might be up to or over $200 total.

Last month was almost identical but I was paying $50 more lot rent with grid power and invested $155 in going off grid with the renogy 100w kit, I also splurged and bought a new holster which after redeeming some cash back was $13 out of pocket, so totalling a just under $600.

 

[SoulRaven]

Wow, $50/mo for food... I guess I love good food and good meals too much for that. In all fairness I don't do coupons though, but I do usually shop for in store specials.

 

[minimotos95]

What saves me the most besides not eating out is not buying any meat unless it's chicken leg quarters or atleast half off. I generally only eat meat once a week or so, but I think I am eating better than when I ate red meat every day but also ate more processed meals everyday too.
Sometimes there's insane deals like a rack of spare ribs for under $2(price gun mistake?) if you talk to vendors like little Debbie or frito lay you can sometimes score "stales" for dirt cheap.
I haven't figured out how to make my coffee addiction cheaper other than cutting back on sugar usage. I'm already drinking cheap folger's, the biggest size cans are not available locally but would save me a buck or two.

 

[Willy]

Strangely enuf, the pork here in Osoyoos is often cheaper than the chicken, and near every day there's 50% reduced packages of oink. ..Willy.

 

[Patd4u2]

If you were in the military and over 65 you might qualify for a pension along with your SS.

Hi,
If you did your 20 years or over in the active military you will get your retirement each month and it will start the month after your retirement and when you hit 62 you can take your SS early. you will not be penalized for having a military pension, The SS will supplement it.