Converting vehicles to moderate stay campers?

[freebeard]

Suzuki Samurai rock-crawlers put their roll cage on the outside to preserve interior space.

If you put your polyurethane foam on the outside you could carve it into something more aerodynamic. Just wrap it with vinyl or canvas for UV protection.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

That might be the average, but there is certainly tons of room for improvement for the frugal.

Most people concentrate their thinking almost entirely on the income side to deal with their financial problems, and give little thought to the expense side of the equation.

Very true. I too don't spend near average and am able to be a sole provider for my family with a part time job while still not living off of any welfare. And I owe that to holding a tight budget, instead of trying to work two jobs and insisting that my wife does the same.

But one thing is for sure. Housing is increasing much faster than wages and jobs are. Especially here where I live. Studios used to be $400 just a couple years ago, now most are over $1,000. One and two bedroom apartments used to be $600 to $800, and are now $1,400 and up. Less than 5 years ago my parents bought a decent two bedroom house for $60,000. Now you can't find a vacant lot for under $150,000, if that. I'm seeing houses for $400,000 and up! I bought my trailer for $500 less than a decade ago. Now the trailer next to me is up for sale for $150,000.

It's rather sickening and does have me a bit scared. Once my landlord kicks the bucket and her children get their hands on the lot I rent I'm not sure what will happen to my situation. Maybe it's time to sell and go somewhere else. But I have too many ties to this place to leave just yet, if ever. But if push comes to shove, either I'll have to move to another part of the country or make my Avalon into a camper car.

[freebeard]

Now the trailer next to me is up for sale for $150,000.

What is it, a Bolus or a Spartan Carousel?

I paid $900 for my R-license park model 15 years ago.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by freebeard

What is it, a Bolus or a Spartan Carousel?

I paid $900 for my R-license park model 15 years ago.

I don't know. But it's a fairly newer single wide two bedroom trailer home, not a camper trailer. But still, that's a lot of money for a used trailer home especially when you factor in you're paying lot rent on top of that!

[slowmover]

Moving to where “opportunity” lays is the “answer”. But Lack of extended family means higher overall expenses (third-party) for those with children.

Thus welfare means better outcome. (And there are those who don’t believe this a war).

Or get the tribe to move. That’s the sensible decision.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by slowmover

Moving to where “opportunity” lays is the “answer”.

Yes, but only to a degree. The worldwide tendency is that the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Many experts say this tendency is here to stay.

A lot is to blame to the same thing that led to the creation of the middle class in the first place, the industrial revolution. Back when the industrial revolution began it created the need for many workers. It made many people rise up out of poorer conditions since it was still profitable to the rich to pay more to the poor. The standard of living rose in many parts of the world as a result.

But now the technology that we have built is actually making more jobs less necessary. Machines now can run themselves without the need for near as many workers. When cars can drive themselves better than humans can, who will need drivers? When robots can perform surgery better than surgeons, who will need doctors? Computers can already monitor bank accounts and keep records of transactions and make automatic payments with little help from humans. The world being ran by robots sounds like science fiction, but it's a reality that is already started.

Many are recognizing the trends caused by this. I read a recent article that said Millennials, who generally are stereotyped and are blamed for not buying enough new homes and cars, actually are on this trend because they can't make enough money, not because they prefer to living in Mom's basement playing videogames. The study stated that Millennials have basically the same working and buying habits that previous generations did and are even very comparable to the Baby Boomers. The difference is that Millennials are feeling the technology takeover in the world of labor and therefore simply have less opportunities to make as much money.

Sure, there still are those who can strike it rich. But you need more talent, skills, be willing to work more or to born in the right family more so than back in later half of the 20th century in order to make it into that higher standard of living.

[freebeard]

The worldwide tendency is that the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Many experts vested interests say this tendency is here to stay.

It's rather sickening and does have me a bit scared. Once my landlord kicks the bucket and her children get their hands on the lot I rent I'm not sure what will happen to my situation.

I have theories about low-cost/high performance housing. If worse comes to worst, PM me for details.

[hayden55]

What does everyone in here use for cheap hot spots and cheap smart phones? Anybody using freedom pop? 6$/mo for 1gb data call and text isn't half bad.

[freebeard]

I spend $0.00 on any of that, so there's your baseline.

The downside is I don't have soulless corporations analyzing every twitch of my thumb.

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by freebeard

I spend $0.00 on any of that, so there's your baseline.

The downside is I don't have soulless corporations analyzing every twitch of my thumb.

Yeah its one of those millennial vs baby boomer things. lol