Remeber also that 'doable' means so different to so many.
Some can easily do it and live a full happy life, some can't even think of doing it and either happy/or miserable.
What we value to pay our money towards is how we live.
John&Joey wrote: When was the last time you went to China to see the great wall, or Greece to see all of the history, Europe to followup a WWII hobby. How about going to a nice country club, doing 18 rounds, drinks, and supper with the one you love.
At $11K a year.....never. Like I said, live small based on income, and your world becomes small. The person just might not know it since they have nothing to compare it too. Then again, they may feel out of place when around those that do.
I totally disagree. Soe of the smallest minded people I know have money to burn, and that is exactly what they do trying to become fulfilled. Oh the other hand some of the most worldly people I know live on less than 1/3 what I do.
Having the money to go to china and see the wall, or visit a french battleground does not make your world any bigger than the man who spends time teaching kids about the wall, or WWII
Btw...it does not cost anything to go to Gettysburg, or Little Big Horn and see tose battlefields
Alaska is next! Still trying to fit the pontoons to the RV so We can get to Hawaii!
The wife and I have TRICARE, she has TRICARE Prime, I have TRICARE For Life due to being a disabled military retiree. All told we pay $20 a month for medical. Dental insurance costs more at less than $100 a month. We're full time RVer's by accident, we thought we bought a house in Tennessee, but the financing hit a snag and it could take months if not years to fix it. This snag might be a blessing in disguise as we are able to pay down a lot of bills, and with owning the RV outright we have no housing payment, only site rent that includes electricity and water. Having been assigned overseas for most of my military career, I saw Europe but have yet to see a lot of the U.S. Perhaps this is the time.
Richard L. Ray
SSgt USAF (Retired) Life Member DAV
W4RLR 146.52 mhz
2005 Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab
1995 Jayco Eagle 277RBSS fifth-wheel
"Never ask a man what kind of computer he drives. If it's a Mac, he'll tell you. If not, why embarrass him?" Tom Clancy
Seems to me that 11,000 is worth about 8 now that the trickle down effect of oil prices has seeped into everything.
I spends on average 100 - 125 per week on food now, for me and the dog. Thats 5 - 6 grand a year on food alone. Need tires for the truck and the rig? You'll have to give up eating for a year.
Need clothes? Need gas to get to places where you can stay? Need money to stay? You know you wont be living on the street. 11000 simply isnt enough unless you are living on the street, and you're but one set of bad tires away from living in a cardboard box.
Sorry, that isnt independence or romantic in the sense of sounding good to do.
I've been reading the posts and trying to figure out how to not sound condscending or a know it all.
I've lived like that when young, until I went into the Army. Tee shirts, holes in shoes long walk to school, ridicule by classmates.
If there is only the couple and they have their home and rv paid for they can do some living. It will be tight as compared to what we softies now accept as normal. We make ten times that amount and don't feel we have enough room to squeal. Everything has more than doubled since 09. The dollar buys a lot less of inferior grade food and just about everything else. A trip to the Drs takes about 80.00 in one case and 100.00 the other. Fuel for one week was over 300.00. Food; just basic foods takes 300.00 a month not counting the extras.
Utilities take 300.00 in the summer for 3 people. 400.00+ in the winter. That doesn't include much cooking. A thousand or less a month id doable but hard as we see exampled quite often.
I would like to see an accounting as it might suggest ways to cut our expenses.
We're not on a budget but find it hard to spend a lot of money. Granted we live in Mexico but insurance for autos, rvs, medical is still an expense. I went back and checked the month of April and we spent 168 dollars on groceries including alcohol. We don't eat out much. As someone else commented, we cook better at home and are never disappointed unlike most restaurants today.
I've never been to China although I would like to. Not a big deal when you are retired. No plans, can take a flight whenever, last minute. One just needs to plan a little bit.
Looking around this morning and thinking a lot about this thread, I can't think of anything I really need or want to buy. Maybe a solar panel. Designer stuff never interested me. At 55, I doubt anyone is interested in seeing me in Calvin Klien underwear.
The smaller you live and the less you consume the less damage you do to the planet. Everything requires fossil fuels in the production process. RVs included.
qtla
I agree for me personally. I bought tons, had designer everything when younger. now into the 50s there isn't any 'stuff' I truly want. I think life just has so many changes thru it. One day you love xxx, next day you won't spend a dime on xxx...but want something else.
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