Budget Trivia

[carold]

My budget is simple-don't spend more per month than I bring in. Works for me. carold

[Liz]

I

Where are you staying to get such good campground rates? Are you staying mostly in state and national parks? Boondocking?

Out east here we don't have as many national parks, and state parks are more expensive unless you are a resident of that state. Both still look a lot less expensive than private campgrounds.

I've posted these before, but these are some of my resources for cheap camping. I especially like the Nat. Forest cgs as there are usually hiking trails.

www.forestcamping.com
www.corpslakes.usace.army.mil/visitors/
Www.freecampsites.net
www.freecampgrounds.com
www.casinocamper.com/States.htm

[Bethers]

My budget is simple-don't spend more per month than I bring in. Works for me. carold

And that's exactly why all of our budgets are different. Thanks, Carol.

[Irmi]

Steve & I together have spent:

Church $ 2.00
Groceries 537.32 This included a nice lunch out with Nan, tip included
Fuel 150.00
Laundry 6.00
Campground Fees 175.00
Camground Electric 28.98
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$ 1494.30 We do pay $ 295.01 for our health insurance for both of us. So that brings our total for this month to about $ 1800.00 a month for two of us. We're not complaining and we do track every cent we spend. So between the two of us, we averaged this month about $ 900.00 a month each.

[dpf]

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Just think what my wine budget would do to those figures...OMGosh ! !

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Want my recipe for homemade wine?

[mitch5252]

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Just think what my wine budget would do to those figures...OMGosh ! !

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Want my recipe for homemade wine?

ACK ACK. No.
But thank you.

[Sprinter]

Nooo...don't give up the wine Mitch! We all have our extras we like to indulge in

I had a great mentor in this full time lifestyle. Yes, it takes money to travel, but just as Beth does I stay a a while at one place to save for my travels. Although, I still have to work more, I just stay longer and get the monthly rate. Currently, I'm paying $290.00/mo plus $10.00 electric. I do have to get propane during the winter months at $20.00 per tank about every other week. But I have never lived cheaper! All the while, I still have a lot of fun! I attend rallies every month to keep my hitch itch at bay until summer comes and I can travel extensively. It's an awesome lifestyle!

[Paulette]

And your expenses are probably less than what I spend a month living in a sticks and bricks! And I don't get near the entertainment value for my bucks that you all do!

As to the wine budget...that's a necessity...not a luxury!

[mitch5252]

As to the wine budget...that's a necessity...not a luxury!

Ahhh, spoken like a true Lover of the Grape!

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[mizdeb]

Liz thank you for this post. It really helped me with my thoughts on full timing. I intend to sit down and take the time to figure out and compare living in my home until I retire or selling it and hitting the road full time this year after DH is gone.

My son made the comment today that he didn't like the idea of me living out here in the country by myself after his dad is gone, and he knows I want to travel by myself which is not making him happy. I just looked at him and said "I don't need a babysitter". My health is good and at 62 I definitely am not old and in need of a child who thinks he needs to be my parent. I am so looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

[JoanE]

Liz thank you for this post. It really helped me with my thoughts on full timing. I intend to sit down and take the time to figure out and compare living in my home until I retire or selling it and hitting the road full time this year after DH is gone.

My son made the comment today that he didn't like the idea of me living out here in the country by myself after his dad is gone, and he knows I want to travel by myself which is not making him happy. I just looked at him and said "I don't need a babysitter". My health is good and at 62 I definitely am not old and in need of a child who thinks he needs to be my parent. I am so looking forward to seeing how this plays out.

You could just say, "Because I'm the mother and I say so!!!"

[Echo]

MsDeb, that so tickled the heck right out of me!!!

My son is a worry wart from the get go. Altho he is behind my workamping 100% and thinks it's kool. He also worries about 'later' and what will happen to me. He had been making plans for a 'Mom' apt for me on what ever property he ended up getting so that he could watch over and take care of me. Talk about being floored from surprise. Told him thanks but no thanks. He asked just what I thought I was gonna do when I got old, feeble and couldn't run the roads any more? Told him that was somewhere down the road and that I would probably go into assisted living somewhere. HA! Did he ever get upset at that idea, that I would rather go into a home somewhere rather than live with him. Had to laugh and tell him that I would probably have more freedom in the home that his!!! I love my son dearly but he is a nag!

[JudyJB]

My two sons apparently had a discussion a few years ago and decided whch one would take care of me when I got "old." So, that son wants me to move near him in California and get "settled in" so I will be nearby for this "care." I told him I thought I still had a few good years in me and wanted to do what I wanted, which is to travel.

They are both nervous about my buying a motorhome and traveling alone, in spite of the fact that I used to do a lot of it for business and have made three trips to the UK, two involving a lot of driving in the country and one in busy and pickpocket-prone London.

These are the same kids I raised who are still doubtful about my ability to handle 2 or 3 kids overnight in their homes. And the one who thought I wouldn't know how to diaper a new baby because she was a girl!

I bought a long-term care policy a very long time ago when it was affordable, and am also planning on going into assisted living when I have to so I don't have to live with my kids.

[HorizonSeeker]

Judy, what you have to do first is something totally off the wall, for instance moving to Asia for 2 years to teach. My family was so worried I had lost my mind. Now that I'm back and just traveling around the country in a motorhome they don't worry at all. Not even when I pull a toad through New Jersey and New York City. You just need to give them some perspective.

[JudyJB]

I like that idea!

Might try Alaska or Mexico so they won't worry about me driving through the lower 48. I was worried about going over large bridges, so you are very brave for tackling New Jersey.

Do they really think someone is going to attack this short, overweight, old lady that I have become?