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| The secret of living well on $11,000 a year; complete with healthy food and health insurance | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 21 2011, 09:31 PM (1,054 Views) | |
| Pat | Oct 21 2011, 09:31 PM Post #1 |
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Fire & Ice Senior Diplomat
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What we have become accustomed to and what is possible can amount to tens of thousands of dollars each year. I have talked to full time RV'ers and assume now after reading thsi article, that many of the retirees are living that lifestyle with very little monthly outlay. Since the first nomadic ancestors decided to settle down in a hut, we have been anchored to fixed costs that when you consider them, are more like lodestones around our necks. I could never sell the idea to my wife or family to pack up the RV and move away from all of this stuff. In some ways simple and practical does sound appealing. http://financiallyfit.yahoo.com/finance/article-113691-11403-3-true-story-living-well-on-11000-a-year The Secret to Living Well on $11,000 a Year Kimberly Palmer Thursday, October 20, 2011 Our last story on frugal living, "The Secret to Living Well on $20,000 a Year," stirred up some heated comments, many of which argued that $20,000 a year represents a king's ransom. "Someone should do an article on how to live on less than $10,000 per year. I am a single mother who is doing just that," wrote Rici of Wyoming. An anonymous commenter from Texas wrote, "[I'm] not impressed. I live on $8,796 a year." "I am retired and living on less than $1,000 a month [from] Social Security," wrote Liz Ortiz of Colorado. Glenn Morrissette, 42, wrote in to say that he lives on just $11,000 a year, and he does it by living full-time in an RV. As a result, he pays no rent, needs no car, and can live wherever he wants. Unlike Joseph Fonseca, the writer we profiled in our "Living Well on $20,000 a Year" article, Morrissette has health insurance. A professional musician, he can work by computer from any location. He might not have a family support, as the teacher living on $40,000 a year does, but we thought Morrissette's story was interesting enough to share. We spoke with Morrissette, who is currently in New Jersey, about his lifestyle, which he also describes on his blog, To Simplify. Excerpts: Why did you decide to live in an RV? I had an apartment in Burbank and was the typical Los Angeles apartment dweller. I started to feel a strong desire to simplify my life. I had a garage full of stuff I never used, my closets were full, and I started to see that it was costing me money to have an apartment big enough to hold all the stuff I never use. My initial plan was to scale back and move into a smaller apartment. Before long, I realized I didn't need too much to be happy. I could fit into a small space. That's when the RV idea occurred to me. I was just sitting in traffic and an RV pulled up. I said, "I could probably fit in that thing." The more I looked into it, the more I realized how practical it would be. For what I was paying for rent in LA, I could own my "house" free and clear and not pay rent, and own my car as well. How do you stay under $11,000 a year? The two key things that make it possible are not having rent or a mortgage payment. I own my RV, so that was an initial expense [of about $14,000], but I have no house or car payment. Gas is controllable; I don't drive if I don't want to. Most months, I spend less than $300 on gas. I estimate that I save about $1,000 a month compared to what I was spending in LA. What do you eat? I eat pretty well. I don't skimp on food. I eat a lot of grass-fed meats, fruits, and vegetables ... some people call it the caveman diet. I go to farms, farmers markets, and health food stores. I probably spend about $250 a month on food. I could spend a lot less if I didn't care about eating well. Do you have health insurance? Yes. I'm self-employed so I purchase my own plan. I have a high-deductible plan and pay $80 per month. It would be even cheaper if I was 28. I don't understand young people who say, "I can't afford health insurance." Last year, my appendix ruptured, and the insurance was a life-saver. I learned my lesson. What about clothes? I'm a pretty basic jeans and T-shirt kind of guy. I don't have to go to the office, so I don't need a wardrobe. I have nine to 10 shirts and a couple pairs of jeans. I do have a suit so I can get dolled up when I have to, but my normal wardrobe is pretty minimal. I do one load of laundry every week, and I don't see the point of owning more clothes than I can do in one load of laundry. Do you spend money on entertainment? I don't go out much at all. I prefer the food I make to what I get in restaurants. More often than not, I'm disappointed. I'm pretty health-conscious and I want my food to be real food, so I'm content eating what I make. The idea of spending $30 at a restaurant--that seems like four to five days' worth of food to me. Years ago, I ate out every single meal. I'm kicking myself now, if only I had invested that money instead. I'm not a big drinker, although I drink somewhat socially. I'm a pretty simple guy. Music is my life. Even if I'm not working, if I have a free day, I will spend a big chunk doing music. It's a profession and a hobby. Do you splurge on anything? The food I eat. I don't feel like I'm skimping at all. It's a form of health insurance to me. And I just try to put myself in interesting places. I'm surprised how easy it is to do that. A lot of stuff is free out there. There's a lot of beautiful scenery in this country and it doesn't cost anything just to park. You can just drive into a national forest and live there for two weeks. I always try to give myself great real estate, whether it's by an ocean, a lake, or in the center of a cool little town. So I always have a great front yard, real estate that people would pay millions of dollars for, and it doesn't cost me anything. I'm pretty frugal otherwise, and I don't miss it. I used to be part of the whole consumerist cycle, buying stuff I didn't need, and I don't do that anymore. It's liberating. I can maximize my savings. That's true freedom, to get to the point where I can say no to work anytime I want because I have a big enough nest egg. I'm not there yet, but that's my goal. Do you have a retirement account? Yes, I'm an avid investor. I guard my nest egg like crowned jewels. But I don't see myself ever retiring. I love what I do. I'd much rather do what I love and live small, and enjoy life. |
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| colo_crawdad | Oct 21 2011, 09:42 PM Post #2 |
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Suppose that folks bought those RVs on $11,000 incomes? |
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| Pat | Oct 21 2011, 10:00 PM Post #3 |
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I doubt it Colo. What is your point? |
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| Deleted User | Oct 21 2011, 10:03 PM Post #4 |
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His point is that the article does not ring true. He is not living on 11k a year. He got money somewhere to buy the rv Then there is the fact that living "wherever he wants" means in front of your house. He will pay no taxes, no cg fees, not contribute one dime to the community. And most likely dump his sewage straight into the sewer as thats how people have been caught doing it here Thats his point |
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| Pat | Oct 21 2011, 11:24 PM Post #5 |
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Granted Joe, there are plenty fo deadbeats out there who couldn't fathom gathering together a measly fourteen grand in the richest country in the world and the one with the most opportunities, so let's just leave them living in the streets and concentrate on those who can fathom it. The last i heard, it isn't illegal to park an RV along most streets and public lands. And let's assume the guy is paying all the taxes he should. The fuel to run his RV is taxed. The goods and services he buys are taxed. What taxes is he running away from illegally? And what makes you assume law abiding people cannot find a free sewage dump station? As far as parking in the street outside your home, I assume you don't own the parking area in the street and as long as he leaves after the legal time he is allowed to park there, what's wrong with that? |
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| Deleted User | Oct 22 2011, 01:39 AM Post #6 |
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For one, property taxes or rent. He is not contributing any. He is not paying to maintain the roadways or the streets bridges. He is not paying to maintain the sewers, street lights or any municipal costs of a city or county. If he rented a camp ground spot thats one thing but not for 11k a year Two, would you want to pay taxes on your property only to look out your window and see an old broken down motor home parked at your curb all the time or even just nightly? Be honest Pat, we all know the answer. NO! Remember Pat your first line plenty of deadbeats and living free off the streets and not contributing to society is my definition of a deadbeat Do you think at 11k a year and with the cost of gas, insurance etc he is going to be putting many miles on it ? This guy is from Burbank where it is illegal to park a motor home overnight so is he going to come to my block and park because he chose to freeload? We have them in our neighborhood, I feel for them but I don';t want to look out my window and see them or hear their generator running. In Venice they line the block, dump their sewage into the storm drains. Would you like a line of motorhomes dumping their tanks on your block? And furthermore, you say there are plenty of deadbeats who cannot put together 14k to buy a motorhome. Tell me Pat at minimum wage a person grosses $15,080 a year. Let me know how that person can live on 15k a year. Forget medical or sundry costs just thing day to day living costs. Afterall Pat these are the available jobs these days and these are the jobs many of you claim these folks should do |
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| colo_crawdad | Oct 22 2011, 02:33 AM Post #7 |
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If he doesn't park where he doesn't belong and parks in motor home parks with hookups, that will cost him $20 - $25 per night. Let's see, that is a minimum of $7,300.00 per year. That leaves less than $4,000.00 for food, clothing, and fuel, not to mentor RV repairs which will be costly on any rig that one can purchase for $14,000.00. |
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| Pat | Oct 22 2011, 02:33 AM Post #8 |
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Come on Joe, the guy is paying fuel tax on the gas he burns and therefore is paying his way when it comes to the roads and bridges.. He's not renting or buying a hose so why should he pay property taxes? The guy in the article doe snot have a run down motorhome and he has a job. Are you jealous that the guy is having a wonderful life on eleven grand and you're not? I'm not in fact I applaud him for his frugality. Deadbeats could learn a thing or two from him. |
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| Jim Miller | Oct 22 2011, 03:42 AM Post #9 |
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Liberals don't like to see people not needing government. |
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| campingken | Oct 22 2011, 03:59 AM Post #10 |
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This is true Jim and it is why liberals just LOVE public school teachers. The artice is somewhat mis-leading. There is no way that a guy making $11,000 a year could come up with $14,000 cash for his RV or afford the payments. Even up here a very CHEAP RV site runs $350 a month Edited by campingken, Oct 22 2011, 04:02 AM.
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