What If?

rodger5959 · Jul 7, 2011

What IF!!! IÃ¢Â€Â™m going to be 61 years old, and a lot of time to think about things. Like whatÃ¢Â€Â™s really important in life, what do you really need? And if I had done this, or that, where would I be right now?  20/20 hindsight is fun, but does not help. Or maybe it does!  What IF? 1.      In 1969 I bought a 1966 chevelle SS for $1,800.00 and kept driving it and maintaining it value now about $25,000.00 plus would have a very cool car.2.       In 1970 I bought a small 2 bdrm 1 bath on 5 acres in Ca. Valley for $8,500.00, payment $78.00 month. Its value even now $150,000.00. 3.      I had saved the $78.00 a month since 1970(78month x50 years @ 4%=$153,000.00)4.      I had only worked just enough to maintain those items, and a healthy life style, save myself 15 hours a week of work(15 x 52 =780 hrs a year x 40years =31,200 hours enough hours to get Dr. Degree in about anything)5.      What if? I did not spend all this time chasing the American Dream, and realized I already had it?  Well thatÃ¢Â€Â™s all good you say, but how does that help me?1.       What if in 2012 I bought small truck and put a diesel engine in it and ran it on biodiesel and used veggie oil and maintained it myself for the 40 years (cost @.20 a mile X12, 000yr transportation total $2,400.00 year. But only have to drive 500 mile a month=$100.00) 2.       What if in 2012 I bought an acre in a Midwestern state for $1,000.00 and put $7,500.00 in to materials to build a small passive solar eco friendly home and maintained it myself. (total cost to sewer, water, electric, cable, garbage, phone, taxes, Insurance and internet $200.00}3.       What if I took the $78.00 I was going to save and put it into a green house and garden and recycled everything and bartered extra veggies for meat and staples? (food 78.00 month)4.       What if I worked only enough to maintain that lifestyle (transportation $100.00. Housing $200.00, Food $78.00 month = $378.00 divided by min. wage $7.00 =54 hours a month or about 14 hrs a week and with a life partner additional $78.00 a month= $450.00 or 8 hours each week.)5.       What if I spent all this time living the American Dream, and realized it? In life, no matter how rich you are, the only thing you cannot buy is more time!!!!                              Just thinking,  What if?  Thanks Rodger

Butternut · Jul 7, 2011

Sounds like a good plan!

user 423 · Jul 7, 2011

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans..." John Lennon

stude53 · Jul 7, 2011

Welcome, Rodger Glad to have you with us. I understand you have been a full-time RVer for 9 years. Please give us some of your story and what you are doing now, and in what state? Bob (aka stude53)

dragonflyinthesky · Jul 7, 2011

Awww, thanks Roger, you wrote a beautiful little essay-sp?, please write more, I enjoyed thinking about it.

rodger5959 · Jul 7, 2011

Hi Bob.  I have have been busy with a friend just got back to the road  a month ago. I'm the living in a step van story guy on this forum, just pondering life today and thought aI would pass a little time. Life's Good!

rodger5959 · Jul 7, 2011

Oh! I forgot to tell you about my new 3.9 diesel. well new to me had 150,000 on it, burns veggis oil and gets about 18 miles to the gallon.

Guest · Jul 7, 2011

Welcome!

sl1966 · Jul 7, 2011

Hi and Welcome. So you lived in the valley in CA. Shouldn't the poem start with "As if?" <img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/rofl.gif"><div> </div>

rodell · Jul 7, 2011

It has always amazed me how so many of us will work so hard to have the things we think we need and then once we get them we wonder what we are going to do with them.

stude53 · Jul 7, 2011

Hey, Rodger Do you have any pictures of the inside of your step van? I really enjoyed your description. Bob (aka stude53)

rodger5959 · Jul 7, 2011

Hi, Bob That van I talked about was ten years ago,This winter I decided to rebuild to make changes that would make it better for me and the new economy. So I gutted it completely, pulled out the old motor and bought a 3.9 turbo diesel and had a couple of modifacations like a second tank for veggie oil and nessary screenng. not counting cost of engine and modifacations my fuel costs will be about 1.25 a gallon and about 20 MPG. I also have a plan for a toilet shower combo with two ten gallon water tanks and a built in portable generator and redoing the back doors money comes slow  it will take another 3 months. I don't have a bucket list any more,Itrying to take care of them as the come up. Life's Good !

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