Yahoo article living on 11,000USD a year in RV

[wildmountainhoney]

Can someone tell me what the vehicle is he is standing in front of? It looks smaller and like something i might be able to handle. Wish could see inside. Just curious. Thanks!

 

[sl1966]

Can someone tell me what the vehicle is he is standing in front of? It looks smaller and like something i might be able to handle. Wish could see inside. Just curious. Thanks!

<br /><br />Sure, here's his website ...&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tosimplify.net/">http://www.tosimplify.net/<br /><br /></a>

 

[wildmountainhoney]

p.s. I think it is pretty cool that he eats clean food. It is something important for anyone, especially trying to stay healthy! But, everyone should. I had started looking into that and changing my eating habits when I became ill and had time on my hands to read up. I started going to the farmer's market and basing my weekly meals on the in season produce I picked up there. It really isn't that much more expensive.. certain things yes, like meat. But, I think it's worth the investment and the only health insurance I have. I am not 100% clean but I am working towards that goal.

 

[wildmountainhoney]

thank you sl1966!<br /><br />I was thinking how i eat healthy and affordable is by making a one pot meal that lasts me pretty near all week. A soup or stew based on what I can get on the cheap... I usually do oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, again the fruit based on in season and on sale... might not be easy if living in the car.&nbsp; If I get tired of the meal I freeze it and pull out what I got tired of last week. And, there is always eggs.

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

Hes said on his blog that when he was required to get a campsite, that it was only the second time hes paid for a site, so i guess he always boondocks.&nbsp;

 

[offroad]

Just the original article is well worth the reading.

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;11 grand a year.. I'd be LOOKIN' for crap to buy, just in order to spend that much!! ..Willy.

 

[IGBT]

&nbsp;11 grand a year.. I'd be LOOKIN' for crap to buy, just in order to spend that much!! ..Willy.

<br /><br />Really?&nbsp; Are you guys able to actually make do on that amount or less?<br /><br />Ok, I think you mentioned you have free healthcare, and we are a couple, so maybe 22 grand + 8 grand in healthcare isn't a super extravagant budget.<br /><br />Then again, things are not always double in cost for 2 people.<br /><br />I think our budget will end up being sporatic.&nbsp; We might only spend $1000 a month or less while boondocking on BLM land in the southwest, but I can imagine spending much more $$ in the Florida keys (and gas getting there!).&nbsp; Maybe it all works out...

 

[ped]

Really?&nbsp; Are you guys able to actually make do on that amount or less?<br /><br />Ok, I think you mentioned you have free healthcare, and we are a couple, so maybe 22 grand + 8 grand in healthcare isn't a super extravagant budget.<br /><br />Then again, things are not always double in cost for 2 people.<br /><br />I think our budget will end up being sporatic.&nbsp; We might only spend $1000 a month or less while boondocking on BLM land in the southwest, but I can imagine spending much more $$ in the Florida keys (and gas getting there!).&nbsp; Maybe it all works out...

<br /><br /><br /><br />How do you travel or fulltime&nbsp;on that large of a budget? Don't you need at least one subtantial fulltime job? <br /><br />I don't simply "make do" with&nbsp;quite a bit&nbsp;less, I live pretty comfortable......occasional&nbsp;steaks and wine&nbsp;included. <br /><br />I don't have money in the bank and I don't want to work all year so I rearrange and budget for what I have, not what I merely want.<br /><br />You can always find ways to spend more.

 

[IGBT]

<br /><br />How do you travel or fulltime&nbsp;on that large of a budget? Don't you need at least one subtantial fulltime job? <br /><br />I don't simply "make do" with&nbsp;quite a bit&nbsp;less, I live pretty comfortable......occasional&nbsp;steaks and wine&nbsp;included. <br /><br />I don't have money in the bank and I don't want to work all year so I rearrange and budget for what I have, not what I merely want.<br /><br />You can always find ways to spend more.

<br /><br />We haven't started our travels yet.&nbsp; We still have 3 more years of indentured servitude...er, I mean work before we cut loose.&nbsp; $30,000 is my estimate of what a conservative portfolio of 60% stock index, 40% bond fund can generate in perpetuity.&nbsp; If we can live off less than $30,000, so much the better...we can share with others.&nbsp; I am spending some time before we sell everything and buy an RV researching budgets and how people live on the road.

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;My biggest expenses relate to my rig.. insurance, gas, maintenance/repairs. Another person doesn't really add to that, expense-wise. Medical is free. Food is cheap (and often free!) if a person knows how/where to find it. I suppose that it's not just one or two things that make for cheaprvliving (couldn't resist), but a whole lifestyle. ..Willy.

 

[ped]

We haven't started our travels yet.&nbsp; We still have 3 more years of indentured servitude...er, I mean work before we cut loose.&nbsp; $30,000 is my estimate of what a conservative portfolio of 60% stock index, 40% bond fund can generate in perpetuity.&nbsp; If we can live off less than $30,000, so much the better...we can share with others.&nbsp; I am spending some time before we sell everything and buy an RV researching budgets and how people live on the road.

<br /><br />You could do it with 1/4th of that If you wanted to. Well sans the insurance thing. But if you were forced to do it like me and I'm sure others as cheaply as possible you would find the ways. There's just no incentive for you. Heck I bet&nbsp;if you generated double your yearly income you would wonder how anyone could possibly do it on a mere $30k!<br /><br />It comes down to <br /><br />-Boondock, no campgrounds<br />-drive less and slower<br />-reduce food costs by creativity

 

[IGBT]

<p>Like I said, you are fortunate with the free medical.&nbsp; We might be going that route in the USA but it is taking some time and may get worse before better.<br /><br />I think gas and insurance will also be huge for us.&nbsp; These rigs get 10mpg at best.&nbsp; $4 a gallon gas, 500 miles a month..whoops, there goes $200.<br /><br />Worse in Canada...you have $6 gas.<br /><br />Here is my monthly budget guestimate:<br /><br />RV repair/maintenance: $200<br />RV insurance: $100<br />RV gas: $400<br />RV parking/camp fees: $200<br />Food for 2: $400<br />Medical for 2: $600<br />Internet/Entertainment: $100<br />Clothes, toiletries: $100<br />Boat launch fees: $100<br />Boat/RV registration: $100<br /><br />Total: $2300/month $27600/year<br /><br />I rounded to $30,000 because I know I am overlooking stuff.</p>

 

[ped]

RV repair/maintenance: $200

<br /><br />Yearly? One or two oil changes a year. Breakdowns are almost always things one can fix themselves. Alternators, flat tires, water pumps, radiator hose, etc. For catastrophic breakdowns I have a credit card so I don't really count that. <br /><br />I would say something like 1/10th of that. <br /><br /><br />

RV insurance: $100

<br /><br />Mine is $120 a year.<br /><br />

RV gas: $400

<br /><br />That's your call<br /><br />

RV parking/camp fees: $200

<br /><br />Dispersed camping only except the occasional tuna can when a dump is needed or something. Even then you can do it for $5-10 at flying J's for instance.<br /><br />

Food for 2: $400

<br /><br />You could cut that in half if you wanted.<br /><br />

Medical for 2: $600

<br /><br />A month!&nbsp;Ouch, bend over....<br /><br />

Internet/Entertainment: $100

<br /><br />Net is free in towns. Bitorrents<br /><br />

Clothes, toiletries: $100

<br /><br />Toilet paper ain't that much!<br /><br />

Boat launch fees: $100

<br /><br />National forests usually have free boat ramps all over the place.<br /><br /><br />Also don't forget propane. If you're running your fridge on it that's about a tank a month. Plus winter heating. <br /><br /><br />

 

[sl1966]

$4 a gallon gas, 500 miles a month.

<p>That might be less depending on how often you move. Since I'm still sticks and bricks I drive about 500 miles per month going to/from work, and weekly trips to the market. When I was homeless I bunny hopped from park to park every month to two weeks. I started in TX and ended in CA over several months. My cost in gas for it was less than half of what I spent per month.&nbsp;<br /><br />

<br />Medical for 2: $600<br />Boat/RV registration: $100<br />

<br /><br />Wait, why are you paying $100 per month to register your Boat/RV? And is the $600 for medical ins per month or year?<br /><br /><br /></p>

 

[IGBT]

Ok, maybe my budget estimates are crude at best.<br /><br />I figured someone would eventually want me to pay off the credit card that I used to&nbsp;pay for&nbsp;the transmission repair in the RV so I put in $200/month.&nbsp; Probably it would be something like $10 every month, then bam, $2000.<br /><br />Dang..ok the boat/rv registration should have been a yearly thing.&nbsp; But you also need the national forest passes (at least in the Northwest) for your RV.&nbsp; Lets cut that one down to $150 a year, or $12 a month.<br /><br />Medical ins will probably be around $200 a month for a catastrophic policy, but the deductable may well be $5000 to $7500.&nbsp; So $2400 a year for the base policy and assume you eat up some of the deductable each year.&nbsp; Also, there is the dentist...&nbsp;&nbsp; Note that Obamacare as it stands may let people in our situation get away with heavy subsidized healthcare as they only base it on income (which we would have very little).&nbsp; No asset testing as it currently stands.<br /><br />Toiletries doesn't mean just toilet paper.&nbsp; Toothpaste, deoderant, shaving cream, razors, kleenex, those things women use that was talked about in that other thread, etc.&nbsp; But maybe $100 per month for this and clothes is too much...probably $50 more reasonable.

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Willy's revised list:<br />&nbsp;<span id="post_message_1274753491">RV repair/maintenance: $20<br />RV insurance: $100<br />RV gas: $200<br />RV parking/camp fees: $0<br />Food for 2: $150 (high on the hog)<br />Medical for 2: $0 (here)<br />Internet/Entertainment: $10<br />Clothes, toiletries: $10<br />Boat launch fees: $0<br />Boat/RV registration: $0<br />&nbsp;Total=$490 ..$460 for lil' ol' me and the dog.<br />&nbsp;'Course, I DON'T pay to camp, don't own a boat (wouldn't pay to launch it either.. would go somewhere else instead), don't pay medical, shop Value Village &amp; thrift stores, shop the 'loss-leaders', and do my own repairs. I also must mention that some months I use very little gas, just sitting around somewhere, and others I travel a lot (11.5 MPG @ $1.30 L here). ..Willy.</span>

 

[ped]

&nbsp;Probably it would be something like $10 every month, then bam, $2000.

<br /><br />The thing with drivetrains is that them breakingdown isn't a yearly occurance. Or even a 5 year occurance. They need regular fluid changes and an understanding how to properly use them....like not being in OD uphill, etc. other than that they don't need annual rebuilding.<br /><br />For that reason including that in a monthly estimate is a bit misleading. Have a CC or a savings for such rare events. Maintenance&nbsp;funding is things you know&nbsp;you'll need to take care of.&nbsp;<br /><br />Cutting out $50 a month here and there all adds up to many&nbsp;of thousands a year.

 

[IGBT]

Ok, I have never owned an RV so just assumed something big would break every year heh heh.<br /><br />The boat is a luxury but it is a sailboat and does not use any fuel or require much maintenance.&nbsp; It is very fun too.&nbsp; Most launch areas are around $5..but obviously we would not be doing this everyday.&nbsp; $100 was too much.&nbsp; Call it $20.<br /><br />So lets trim the budget for two a bit more:<br /><br /><br />RV repair/maintenance: $50 (trusting you guys here)<br />RV insurance: $100<br />RV gas: $300 (we will cut back on driving or hope gas drops to $3)<br />RV parking/camp fees: $100 (more BLM/walmart, less Nat. For/RV park)<br />Food for 2: $400<br />Medical for 2: $600<br />Internet/Entertainment: $100<br />Clothes, toiletries: $50 (stink a bit more, save cash)<br />Boat launch fees: $20 (more reasonable figure)<br />Boat/RV registration: $12 (yearly $150)<br />Propane: $30 (monthly fill on a 10gal tank)<br /><br />Total: $1762/month $21144/year<br /><br />That would leave us with almost $9000 a year unspent from dividends and interest.

 

[Seraphim]

If the funds are from a tax deferred account, are you figuring in taxes? Have you made plans for the possibility of long term health care? That can destroy your assets. Research a trust account.

RV repair will depend a lot on the age of the unit.