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Old 02-20-2009, 09:44 PM   #1
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Hello, I'm so happy I came across this site during a web search this evening.
After dumping over $18,000 in rent this past year I decided no more.
We have a 25 ft Nomad and we're looking into buying a 5 acre place.
Looked into water containment and a generator today.
With the economy going the way it is and feeling like paying rent is throwing
away money, next week we're moving into our camper at a camp site till we
can close on a piece of land.
We're tired of being broke all the time and this will help us save money
with hopes of buying 20 acres and building a straw bale house in the future.
I have to admit, I'm both excited and scared about this adventure.
Seems like in the US we all want everything super sized, including our homes.

I'll read up on back posts and learn all I can that way, however if anyone wants to send some
advice and words of wisdom, please feel free to. I was so gun ho about this and now
that it's about to happen, part of me is saying, GIRL !!!!! what in the world are you doing.
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Old 02-20-2009, 10:24 PM   #2
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This a good option in this day and age. Good luck.
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Old 02-21-2009, 01:17 AM   #3
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I was so gun ho about this and now that it's about to happen, part of me is saying, GIRL !!!!! what in the world are you doing.
Welcome and best wishes.

Gina D. posted a link in the thread Les Stroud, OFF the Grid to some YouTube video's you might find worth watching given your situation.

Parts of the video's might scare you a bit more, but in the end, you should find them inspirational.
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Old 02-21-2009, 03:11 AM   #4
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Thousands of people live in mobile homes and are quite happy doing so -- Especially the Full Timers who move them around occasionally. I lived for nine years in a Jayco 16' and then my Scamp 13'. You might even reconsider bothering to build a straw-bale home -- Why bother? <g>
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Old 02-28-2009, 08:53 PM   #5
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Sure appreciate the encouragement and we're looking forward to living simpler, paying off bills and saving.
I'm now actually looking more forward to it and it's getting less scary.
I'm getting good at realizing I don't need all the 'stuff' I have.
Having so many things one doesn't use is kind of like a sort of bondage.
(worrying about it, storing it, etc.)
I can't get over how much 'stuff' I keep that I never use.
On other hand, I learn to spin today and am looking forward to
buying a spinning wheel and doing that in our cozy little trailer.
With the slide out is sure is roomy.
Caroline M
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Old 02-28-2009, 09:57 PM   #6
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I have a trailer but do not live in yet but maybe soon as things are going. I happen to spin as well and have a wheel for sale if you are interested. Where are you thinking about getting your land maybe we could meet and spin together?

Alexandra
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Old 03-01-2009, 01:14 AM   #7
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Hi Caroline, I lived up until recently, in a 30ft. travel trailer for 15yrs. The pad fee fluctuated at the end it was $250 per. month including hydro, cable, water. Although it was just myself I managed ok. I did have an addition build and installed a small wood stove for when it got really cold. The spot that I lived in was focused on tourists during the warmer months, but there were about 8 of us that we there permanently. I eventually put a metal roof over the whole thing because the trailer leaked.

There were hard times for me one time or another and I always felt that I could always handle the pad fee if anything went wrong. My situation is very different now working fulltime for a few years now so, have bought myself a mobile home which I have paid off last month in less than a year. My modest lifestyle has allowed me a couple of trips to Hawaii, helped my adult children out, and remained debt free. I don't know how many times that people have said to rent an apartment, but I coudln't bare to. Good luck Bonnie
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Old 03-01-2009, 02:04 PM   #8
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Hi Caroline, straw bale house building caught my attention last year. Are there local examples that you can point a link to for us?
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Old 03-01-2009, 07:42 PM   #9
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hey Caroline

bought another wheel today I spent the whole day spinning.

Alexandra
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Old 03-01-2009, 08:42 PM   #10
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in 21 days i'll be fulltiming in my 13" boler for just over 6 months! It is somewhat comforting to know that there are other people out there as crazy as I am. I don't think it will be too bad, at one point i was forced to live out of the back of my truck for a month, so I figure that the boler is luxury in comparison! I hear you on the rent, I am sick and tired of paying someone else's mortgage! Best of luck to you!
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Old 03-01-2009, 11:17 PM   #11
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14 days till we're fulltime camper/rv folks
Just typed a respomse to the posts above and then lost it before I
was able to hit the reply bottom, getting late, will retype it tomorrow.
Mike, will post links to the straw bale site I know of,
Alexandra, I'm jealous, you got to spin, however I did get some crocheting in today.
Started a blanket for my newest granddaughter (7 months old)
Is your other wheel still for sale?
Caroline M
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Old 03-01-2009, 11:56 PM   #12
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Caroline, Good Luck in the coming months and years.

Mike T, maybe this site will be of help to you:
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/stra...use-design.htm

Some years ago while we were out on a drive up in the Black Range of the Gila Nat'l Forest we drove around in the old almost Ghost Town (now coming back to life) of Kingston, NM. They had some StrawBale homes built and one was under construstion, very neat method, very sound, good insulations, very green. http://blackrangelodge.com/lodge2.html
http://www.strawbalecentral.com/
http://www.strawbalecentral.com/newSBHome.html
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Old 03-02-2009, 12:06 AM   #13
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Exclamation

Then there always are tiny houses:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm

and:

http://www.discoverys.net/Tiny%20Texas%20Houses.htm

Minimum living at its best.
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Old 03-02-2009, 07:16 AM   #14
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sent you a PM about the wheel, but we have 5 wheels now another adiction be caredul.

Alexandra
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Old 03-02-2009, 09:48 AM   #15
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Then there always are tiny houses:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses.htm

and:

http://www.discoverys.net/Tiny%20Texas%20Houses.htm

Minimum living at its best.
Those remind me of the little house of "grandfather" in the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang... Anyone remember?


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Old 03-02-2009, 10:19 AM   #16
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Hi Caroline, straw bale house building caught my attention last year. Are there local examples that you can point a link to for us?
Hi Mike,
There are at least three straw bale houses here on Pender Island, including one built by the current building inspector here on the island. I'M sure if you contacted the Capital Regional District buiilding inspector's office on the island (250-629-3424) Chris would be able to steer you in the right direction.
There's also a fellow in the island building a stackwall house, using concrete and (essentially) firewood.
cheers
Ian
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Old 03-02-2009, 01:08 PM   #17
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Way to go, Caroline. Wait til you see how good it feels to live more simply.
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Old 03-07-2009, 10:36 PM   #18
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Bittersweet day, gave up the horses today, it's been costing us $450 a month
to feed all them mouths. And that was getting off cheap by buying from a local farmer.
I thought I'd be heart broken, but althought theres a little tug at my heart, I actuaslly feel relief from the responsability and worrys of what if one gets hurt, can we really afford a vet bill.

There will be other horses in the future when we're better set up.
I'm beginning to find this moving into our travel trailer kind of liberating.
We're looking forward to relaxing instead of being so tense trying hard to save everything.
Sometimes having things aren;t worth it, one spends all week fretting over the bills and costs so theres really no time to enjoy what you're working so hard to keep.
Am I making any sense?

Caroline

ONE MORE WEEK till fulltime RV folks
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Old 03-13-2009, 12:05 AM   #19
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MikeT, as far as the straw bale house. Years ago I checked them out, when a school was built in our county out of straw bale. At the time there was a company that you could go and learn to build your own, if I remember right they were in either AZ or Calif. I remember you went to their business it was kinda like a dude ranch but I suppose you could call it a staw/bale ranch. Any way you went and got hands on training. Everything I found out about the construction is very easy! That being said, I understand a little about conventional construction so the info given seemed like it was buildable. Sorry I don't have a company name ( it was a good 10 years ago when I was looking into it) But you may want to search for it. Good Luck! Robin
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Old 03-26-2009, 09:40 PM   #20
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Well, we did it and I LOVE it. I really like my travel trailer. Wish I had done something like this sooner.
And the bedroom has a cozy cave feel. We've already been looking at a slightly bigger size to buy
when we save the cash up which we figure will tale about a year and a half or so.
We did have a few snags, found a couple of leaks in the propane system so we have a new regulor and
a new hose coming. And we have had to run the fridge on propane instead of electricity cause an element was bad and that part is on order.

To think this all worried me and it feel great.
We gave away, sold and donated so many things we held on to for years and never used.
Thanks everyone for all the encouragement.

Oh and one question, how do I get my wireless to work in the trailer?
I have to use the laptop outside or in the car to be able to get a good signal.
Any suggestions?

Caroline
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