Not a rant, just a grump!

[Bethers]

Talking about possibilities - this summer

2 guys that live at the park I'm at have an old Class A with a small car. They came here last winter, wanting to spend some time on the beach and went out to get parttime jobs. Within a week they were working full time at a large condo complex doing housekeeping. One got promoted shortly thereafter to managing some of the housekeepers, the other moved to the front desk. Both moves got them promotions - and now both are on the front desk. No, not glamourous or high paying, but more than cover their monthly rent (less than $400 - which covers the space, cable, water, sewer, free wifi and use of all the park's amenities and being able to participate in all the park's activities. Only extra - electricity. They intended to stay a short time and move on - but love it here. They drive the rv at least once a month to keep it in roadworthy condition - and the little car gets them the 4 miles to and from work and to shop - with a great mpg.

A college student came here to visit his grandparents. They got him a workamping job at the park. They helped him purchase a very old Class A. He worked the grounds 4 days a week (paid for the site and gave him some cash) and he went into town and got a job at a restaurant waiting tables. Made big money there during the busy summer months and I'm told all that got banked for college.

So yes, there are other ways to do things. And you don't have to workamp (look at the first example) as you'll have a vehicle - and there are jobs out there - just not necessarily high paying ones - but the service industry is almost always hiring (hotels, motels, restaurants, etc) if you're willing to consider those.

Now, for many people I wouldn't even suggest what many of us are telling you to consider. But this is part of your dream - and you might be able to swing starting to live your dream on a smaller scale - if you think it through. If you keep putting money into rent (house or apt) and buying everything to put in it, etc, you'll probably never be saving to do this.

So, think long and hard on what you need to do - and if you can save to get something to start doing it. TT's are less expensive - especially used ones, but if you have to buy a newer truck, it might be less to look at used Class C's and A's and an older small, towable car. Just think about it. Oh, and with this lifestyle, if you do nothing but save enough money to put aside for the possiblity of having to pull out cuz you aren't happy somewhere - you're living on wheels - you don't lose your home - just where you might park it.

[Paulette]

Heck ladies, just reading all these responses has ME wanting to jump in MY mh and head for a workcamping position anywhere that it doesn't get cold and snow! Unfortunately, my life isn't that flexible right now. But Echo, I think you should probably do a "what if" spreadsheet that shows your expenses now and what they would be if you were living in a rig of some sort and workcamping. I think you will be surprised at how "doable" it will be. And think of how good you will feel telling that place to "Take this job and shove it"!

[Echo]

Well as to work camping some place that offers housing that's gonna be a no go for us. I might do it if it were only me? But not the two of us and Shade. If something didn't work out we would either be stuck or living in motels and eating in restaurants or living on sandwiches between jobs. If it were summer we could use the tents.

We have been talking of little else except what we might do come March. Right now the thought is to see about picking up a cheap older RV next year and put it in one of the mobile home lots here. Between what we can save and our income tax returns we should be able to get something half way decent. Then when we are ready we can sell the thing. This winter we might look into getting a pickup that we can use as a tow vehicle. Living in a camper and only paying lot rent will be a whole heck of a lot cheaper than a house or apartment. So as to that we could also put away that much more money. So that is the tentative plans for now. But you know how plans go. Shoot might even find a half way decent Class C next year. Never know. Of course I will still try to win the lottery without spending a fortune on tickets. I'm not really much of a gambler anyway. LOL

I really want to thank all of you and let ya know that I'm really grateful for the words, advice, care and concern. You sure do know how to make a sistah feel lots better.

[wickedxgrl]

Thought I'd put my (scatterbrained) 8 cents in...

I'm not looking forward to having to pack everything up and move again. In Sept of '02 mom and I moved to Maine. Stuff went to storage and then to an apt. In late 2004 she moved to another apt and my stuff and I went to Connecticut. Spent yule there then flew to Seattle and lived there for 2 yrs. Feb of last year I packed up again and this time my stuff went into storage in Penna. In May we got mom's stuff from Maine to Penna as well. Feb of this year we brought it all down here. Only in the last couple of months or so have I finally unpacked 99.5% of my stuff. Now I have a big, cluttered, disorganized mess and neither the time nor the energy to really sort it all. I have storage tubs and rolly carts and surfaces jam packed. It will probably take me the next 6 months to go through it, at the rate I'm going. I know that I'm going to have to downsize a lot. It's just another process to go through.

Part of me would really like to get a 2br house with a yard big enough for Shade to play in. Bedrooms bigger than 10x10. Yes, I know, what am I going to do when my "room" is what, 5'x8' or less? Lol. I'd love to find something cheap enough to still be able to put back a decent chunk of change every month. Certainly can't do much right now. As mom said, we're footing most of the bills. We've been hashing things over, talking about finding cheaper, saving money, etc. Cutting down the cell bill to less minutes and no air cards. Smaller electric bill (the kids love to leave lights on!), less groceries and hopefully better paying jobs.

The other part of me wishes that we could put back enough money to combine with our income taxes and possibly our share of security deposit on this place once the lease is up and just go. Would love to hit the road, goof off for a little while (month or so? without going overboard) and then get workamping jobs somewhere and settle down for a bit. I think the toughest things right now are the job, bills, the stress that comes with it/them and the nagging wanderlust!

I know that the blazer isn't going to last (knock on wood). I'm with mom on not wanting to buy brand new. But a decent used truck would be great. I've told mom we should get a truck and a small utility trailer like she wants (bottom and short sides, no roof), load up our camping gear, the motorcycle (if she wants to keep it) and just go come March. I could deal with communal bathrooms better than a house with 5 females trying to share just one, lol!!

For now, we have the next 6 months to try to figure things out. I just hope and pray nothing big, bad and/or ugly happens between now and then, lol. Hope the car doesn't die and hope for better health and better jobs.


/end transmission

~Wicked