Retire and live in a tent all year? Meet the couple who does... (move, communities)

[Missourimomo]

This is my kind of living! Close to nature. Low monthly bills. What are your thoughts on living year 'round in a tent? Maybe you could retire earlier Mathjak!

Web site here...North Woods Ways :: Classic Wilderness Guiding

[mathjak107]

well i love camping and i have done my share of winter tent camping and as a novelty its great..

but not eactly how i envision my golden years

[Tesaje]

As they age, the Conovers wonder how long they'll be able to continue their quirky, woodsy lifestyle, but they don't obsess over it. "Sooner or later, you won't be able to lug wood or sled groceries or get your wheelchair up and down the trail - whatever it comes to," Garrett says flatly. "So then you do something different."

People have lived in tents for a couple 100,000 years so it isn't really surprising that people can live happily like this. A Vermont castings wood stove is a pretty good heat source. But eventually, you get old and need more help. When your whole community lived like this, the help was at hand if they know how to deal with it. Now, our communities are in buildings and towns.

I stayed in a tepee for a little while once (when I was young). It was surprisingly roomy and comfortable. There are all different ways to set up a life. So long as it harms no one else, it is fine.

One of the things I'm looking into is a very small trailer to do some roaming around and temporary living in while I figure out where I want to land for my retirement. The real stumbling block is bathing. I want it to be very inexpensive because if you put too much money into it, it quickly becomes more reasonable to just use hotels.

[Missourimomo]

The real stumbling block is bathing. I want it to be very inexpensive because if you put too much money into it, it quickly becomes more reasonable to just use hotels.

This web site will answer that question and alot more....
About Us

[austin-steve]

People have lived in tents for a couple 100,000 years so it isn't really surprising that people can live happily like this.

They also died at an average age of 28.

Last time we did serious tent camping (5 days straight in Lake Tahoe) my baby boomer body was crying uncle. We even had some pretty good inflatable mats to soften the sleeping surface, but still, the first night back in a hotel bed sure felt nice.

But I'm intrigued by the idea of mega-frugal living once the kids are gone to college and beyond. My wife and I discuss it all the time, though we call it "Super Downsizing" and think we'll have about an 8 year window of retirement years when we're still in our 50s, without kids at home or grandkids coming to visit, and we'll be fairly mobile and do lots of traveling while still in good health. Then later, maybe settle back into a comfortable home and remain there.

But I don't think I'd be good in a tent more than 2 or 3 days in a row.

Steve

[Tesaje]

That couple is not retired. They run a business and appear to spend quite a lot of time at it. They have chosen a lifestyle that is extremely frugal. Their tent is quite large and is a permanent structure on their land that they own. What they do without is plumbing. They have a wood stove to keep the space toasty and they cook and bake on propane fueled stoves. It isn't on the same scale of backpacking tents that I used in my youth - far more comfortable. They also anticipate a time when they are older when they think this won't work for them. But, this lifestyle doesn't cost them much and it keeps them fit and hardy.

The average lifespan of 28 was due to very high infant mortality and accidents. There is little evidence of disease-caused deaths and many remains show quite severe injuries that they healed from. Most of our current life expectancy increase is due to much lower infant mortality rates. Statistics are only meaningful if you fully understand what they are calculating.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by Missourimomo

This is my kind of living! Close to nature. Low monthly bills. What are your thoughts on living year 'round in a tent? Maybe you could retire earlier Mathjak!

Web site here...North Woods Ways :: Classic Wilderness Guiding

Add 15 years to their ages and tell me if they can still move in the morning.

[MotleyCrew]

I could live in a very small cabin, but not a tent. The bugs alone would kill me. The biggest problem I find when looking for a piece of land to build 800 to 1,000 square feet of living space is the minimum house size requirements being 1,200 to over 2,000. I do wish some states that preach a "green" lifestyle would put their money where the ideology is and give seniors who downsize and live green a break on the property tax. I would be in WA tomorrow with hammer in hand. LOL

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by MotleyCrew

I could live in a very small cabin, but not a tent. The bugs alone would kill me. The biggest problem I find when looking for a piece of land to build 800 to 1,000 square feet of living space is the minimum house size requirements being 1,200 to over 2,000. I do wish some states that preach a "green" lifestyle would put their money where the ideology is and give seniors who downsize and live green a break on the property tax. I would be in WA tomorrow with hammer in hand. LOL

KB Homes is now building itty bity 800 sqft homes in Houston that start at $69K. I'm not a fan of KB, but I do like the concept.

Something like this would be a frugal option for retirees who need a real house , cheap to own and operate, but not much space.

In the 1940s, many homes were 2 bedroom and 800 sqft. Not many remain, at least around Austin, because the lots are worth $300K and people just tear down the little houses and build McMansions.

Steve

[mongoslade223]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

KB Homes is now building itty bity 800 sqft homes in Houston that start at $69K. I'm not a fan of KB, but I do like the concept.

Something like this would be a frugal option for retirees who need a real house , cheap to own and operate, but not much space.

In the 1940s, many homes were 2 bedroom and 800 sqft. Not many remain, at least around Austin, because the lots are worth $300K and people just tear down the little houses and build McMansions.

Steve

Got a link? Thanks