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Shadow, I have done the same thing. I have been buying used cars and paying cash. I easily get 4-5 years out of them, and I pay between $3K and 4K. Unfortunately I don't have enough to buy a brand new car, but when I had new cars in my younger days, I maintained them properly, used car and caution when I drove, and got years out of them too.
RV pads with hookups not cheap. The wandering vagabond thing gets old quicker than some think. Have discussed the lifestyle with many RV nomads/couples in SW US where use to live.
For seniors who can park their RV on family/friends residential lot, assuming there are no trouble making neighbors or problem HOA to start trouble, it's doable (if you can connect to power and dump your waste water, etc. Worked in senior services for years and found it damn challenging to deal with many elderly seniors. They and other seniors I've dealt with can be stubborn in the extreme, and more than a few will obtain an attorney to keep social workers off their property. Seen first hand the aging baby boomer thing is becoming bigger problem every year. Have no idea where it's headed.
For younger, healthier retirees, more doable. With advancing age and health issues, challenges mount. Easy to go from pretty healthy to not so healthy especially after sixty-five. Not to knock anybody's dreams, but reality has a way of creeping-in. Anyone else notice the escalating lot fees of doublewides on lots? Many are what cheap apartments cost ten years ago. The Arizona retirement parks I checked out over past decade just kept raising the lots fees. Hard to find any affordable living options these days. When couple/single elderly loses ability to drive and has no family or relatives will to take-up being their taxi, it gets dicey, and of course many elderly tend to isolate themselves from others.
The problem ahead is when the motor assist battery goes. That's about a $4,000 item. That cost wipes out most of the gasoline expense savings over the years versus a similar gas-only vehicle.
My battery went at 86,000. Warranty was 'til 80k. But fortunately, a class action lawsuit extended that battery 'til 92k. Drove it until 126k but figured I was on borrowed time. Now it's someone else's time bomb.
I had a 100,000 mile warranty, but past that now. The Prius batteries are reported to be lasting 12 to 15 years....although, of course, not everyone gets that far. I have almost 9 years on mine....knocking on wood. If I get another Prius, it won't be for the gas savings.....I don't drive that much now that I am retired.....but it has just been a really good car and the environmental impact matters.
Solar is not necessarily expensive, btw. Similar to buying a car, choices are endless
Our used solar panels seen below cost us only $1000 for eight
Brand new batteries for the solar will also be about $1000.
The 8 panels will power our 850 ft newly constructed home
I need a/c, otherwise 4 panels would suffice.
Solar panels are not pretty and they're huge but that's what happens when you choose to spend less.
Either a Solar guy will install but my husband is planning to do it.
The leaning attached greenhouse should provide much of our heat at no cost.
See example below. We'll just open the windows
Otherwise the brand new Mini-Split a/c & heater should work fine- cost: under 1k. These don't have extreme temperature differences thus it's similar to central heating and air
Installed via watching a youtube video or pay an electrician.
We spoke with an electrician whose installing alot of these mini splits. His fee is $500
Generator- $1000 used
Greenhouse is also where our goldfish pond will be which the fish will be a huge portion of our dog food. Fish we feed at no cost due to opening the panels, hanging meat in a bucket, then maggots will show falling into the pond. Compost pile has worms and we'll grow duckweed in the pond as food for ourselves and the fish.
BBQing outside, using the dead trees as fuel should keep the house cooler in summer when temps push 95 degrees outside
Pics below needed to be cropped to fit
Propane for the refridgerator/freezer & an Emergency generator if there is ever a catastrophe.
RV pads with hookups not cheap. The wandering vagabond thing gets old quicker than some think. Have discussed the lifestyle with many RV nomads/couples in SW US where use to live.
For seniors who can park their RV on family/friends residential lot, assuming there are no trouble making neighbors or problem HOA to start trouble, it's doable (if you can connect to power and dump your waste water, etc. Worked in senior services for years and found it damn challenging to deal with many elderly seniors. They and other seniors I've dealt with can be stubborn in the extreme, and more than a few will obtain an attorney to keep social workers off their property. Seen first hand the aging baby boomer thing is becoming bigger problem every year. Have no idea where it's headed.
For younger, healthier retirees, more doable. With advancing age and health issues, challenges mount. Easy to go from pretty healthy to not so healthy especially after sixty-five. Not to knock anybody's dreams, but reality has a way of creeping-in. Anyone else notice the escalating lot fees of doublewides on lots? Many are what cheap apartments cost ten years ago. The Arizona retirement parks I checked out over past decade just kept raising the lots fees. Hard to find any affordable living options these days. When couple/single elderly loses ability to drive and has no family or relatives will to take-up being their taxi, it gets dicey, and of course many elderly tend to isolate themselves from others.
Great post. The other factor is many purchase a new or fairly new RV that are a pricey buy and a rapidly depreciating asset.
To me, the best case scenario is to have a home base and travel in an RV/travel trailer in spurts. Even I snowbird for 2 or 3 months, I think I would rather rent a condo than live in my RV.
Great post. The other factor is many purchase a new or fairly new RV that are a pricey buy and a rapidly depreciating asset.
To me, the best case scenario is to have a home base and travel in an RV/travel trailer in spurts. Even I snowbird for 2 or 3 months, I think I would rather rent a condo than live in my RV.
If people are so poor to be living in a motorhome, which as stated is fun short term, then they should probably still be working. A job such as caregiving, or with the Developmentally Disabled population can provide a home &. bed to sleep a few days a week at no cost.
We knew a couple who for whatever reason, was almost indigent. They couldn't do much at 70, a bit frail.
They got jobs for the same Supportive Living Agency 2 days a week. Acting more in a grandparent role than an authoritative roll like all the other staff. Job Provided them two nights of sleeping in a bed, showering in the shower, a home like enviornment. Both said it made Motorhome living bearable since it wasn't 24/7. Paid min wage but most of it was saved so they were able to eventually obtain a tiny home saving up their income. They enjoy the "tiny home" just 550 sq ft... more than the motorhome. They rent the land for $100 a mo. w/water. Have dogs & a vegetable garden w/their own large shed.
This is ideal for those who find themselves poor later in life thus still need to save for a livable abode.
No one wants to live in an RV their whole life.When you become elderly, that becomes difficult
I’ve been simulating retirement for almost two years now. Didn’t work for over a year after I shut down my business. Been working a little part time since spring. Wife still working though but not for a lot of take home but plenty to buy the groceries. I still pay all the household bills from savings from the business and stuff I sell from time to time. I’m two years into a ten year part time garage sale so to speak.
Everything is paid off, no credit card bills. Own our home. Her health insurance is heavily subsidized. I’m covered 100% by the VA.
We have been doing just fine with our limited income and limited outlay. The experiment is going just fine on our own.
I originally thought I’d punch the SS ticket at 62 but the way things are going, I can sit back and enjoy the ride for now.
As for 401K’s and IRA’s. We’ll just tap into those when we’re required to, RMD’s.
How’d we get here form six figure household income to now? Bought everything we needed, and high quality so our stuff would last and it is. Took care of it including the vehicles too and still do. Cut spending down to almost nothing. We don’t need it, it doesn’t get bought.
Twenty year old A/C went out this summer. Wrote a check for a new one that is now saving us almost $50 a month this summer.
We’ve run the numbers again and again. We’re set until WE decide to pull SS and that will for the most part be our fun money.
1. Lack of services
2. Crime
3. Oh yeah, YOU HAVE TO LIVE THERE!
Low COL in the US most likely crime ridden as well.( not cartels crime but their tentacles- city gangs)
A lot of retired Americans live in Mexico successfully.
Personally, I would not like to live in Mexico as those who “have “must live behind locked gates to protect themselves and property from those who “have not”
Low COL in the US most likely crime ridden as well.( not cartels crime but their tentacles- city gangs)
A lot of retired Americans live in Mexico successfully.
Personally, I would not like to live in Mexico as those who “have “must live behind locked gates to protect themselves and property from those who “have not”
It really depends.
I live in a small metro in Tennessee. The total crime rate is much higher than national averages here, but it's almost all contained to a relatively small subset of the population involved in drugs and drug related crime. A smaller subset are sober, "white trash" domestic problems. Aside from that, random violent crime basically doesn't exist.
Rv life is expensive, I thought about it at one time. Instead I bought a small (2 acre) place out in the country with a mobile home. It is important to choose the right area so taxes are low. Mine are 295 dollars a year. (Missouri Ozarks) So I have plenty of privacy and lots of room for my dog to run around. It only cost me 25 grand. Yeah I had to fix it up but it was not hard at all. Mobile homes are easy to work on.
For me the best way to a good retirement was a paid off country place. Now I just got to keep healthy and keep growing a huge tax free garden. I already have fruit trees producing and berry bushes doing their thing.
Think back a few generations ago they did not know what retirement was. So do not short change yourself you can find a way to retire even if you are broke. I did and it has worked well for me.
Depends on what kind of RV your talking about plus like a said I can fix most things myself. I do all my own vehicle repairs even transmissions, overhaul engines nothing I can't fix. I buy older cars spend less then $1000 make them like new most people are lazy plastic parts break they dump the vehicle go buy new.
I grew up in the 80's I think it was the last generation of fixing things yourself. When I was a kid my father fixed everything we even put a new roof on our home. Today everyone I meet at work is so lazy they just pay someone to do everything, or buy new rack up bunch of debt. I have no debt even my house is paid off I made double payments.
The reason I want the RV is we want to travel for at least 5 years before we get too old to see North America we even plan on driving to Alaska. When we get too old we can sell the RV we can buy something.
I know someone who moved to Ecuador he said the cost of living is so good he has $5000 a month disposable income over what his cost of living is per month. He just became citizens now he can use their health care I guess. I rather stay in the US not into 3rd world living lot of corruption.
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