One of our own in a movie

[Gina D.]

Here is a good documentary on the full timing philosophy...for "less than retired" folks.

I was somewhat surprised to find Laurie, one of our members, and her 17 foot Burro "Dance Hall" edition in it.

Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/Lg37Cbx-kak

[mbbear]

Gina the documentary was great and helpful. Thanks, Michael

[Cathy P.]

I saw it a couple of weeks ago and I thought it was awesome. After belonging to websites where they insisted you needed $3,000 a month to full-time and being told that I needed to work until retirement age so that I would "deserve" the lifestyle!!! Well, I'll never be bringing in $3,000 a month and never planned to. I always knew better than what I was being told by "those that think they are all that and a bag of chips" because we have met people with a lot of different "situations" and it is every bite, maybe even more so, as diverse as stick/brick living.

I was really touched by it. You have to be very brave to buck the norm and people don't make it easy for you. "Oh, I would never do that." Well, I never asked since it is about me and not you.

Such a peaceful and pleasant life - escape the norm to really live.

[Dextersp1]

Originally Posted by Cathy P.

I was really touched by it. You have to be very brave to buck the norm and people don't make it easy for you. "Oh, I would never do that." Well, I never asked since it is about me and not you.

Such a peaceful and pleasant life - escape the norm to really live.

If this was the early 1960s I'd say there was a norm.

Today - there isn't a norm, nothing is really shocking, nothing is wacky.

If anything, what was thought to be the norm in the 1960s - husband, wife, 2 children, job and house is unusual. Especially, in a world of single parents, gay parents, subcultures of subcultures and any lifestyle you can conceive.

[Gina D.]

I am not sure I agree with the $$ amount a couple of these folks claim they live on. I can do it for under 1k (With part of that going into savings). I tried this winter, not by choice, to do it for 500. My savings got eaten away over a period of 8 mos and I had very little to travel on to a new job. I had to quit the park where I was because they didn't come through with the promise of a 40 hour week.

My needs are few, I just pay auto insurance, med insurance and a prepaid phone plan. Sometimes I only eat up 10 bucks a month on that, most of the time. My work usually covers space and ammenities. If it doesn't, I don't take jobs that want a lot for rent.

Tho I have boondocked like these folks do, I was working at the time. Its easy to do in Arizona. Now, my problem is tho I need/want to work, I just don't want to do it very hard LOL. I am currently working a "real job" for the summer to build my savings back up, but even then, I live in an RV Park and pay nothing as the owners want someone to be their eyes and ears at nite.

Living in a rural area helps. Its not so easy to just jump in the car and go to the mall, the bar or out to dinner. As an aside to that, I pay more for last minute groceries because the stores out in the woods are generally way expensive...as is gas and other junk.

[Cathy P.]

Originally Posted by Dextersp1

If this was the early 1960s I'd say there was a norm.

Today - there isn't a norm, nothing is really shocking, nothing is wacky.

If anything, what was thought to be the norm in the 1960s - husband, wife, 2 children, job and house is unusual. Especially, in a world of single parents, gay parents, subcultures of subcultures and any lifestyle you can conceive.

Not in the world of full-timing. It is much more class conscious than one might think. I often see the impression that once you are full-timing everyone is the same, just one big happy extended family. Very unrealistic.

On costs, I qualify for VA Healthcare, not the retirement thing, just because I am a veteran so possibly, some of these lower budget people don't have to cover that health care cost. I don't know, you would really be scrimping on $500.00 a month. Maybe forage and fish? And, location, location, location as Gina noted.

[Dextersp1]

Originally Posted by Gina D.

I am not sure I agree with the $$ amount a couple of these folks claim they live on. I can do it for under 1k (With part of that going into savings). I tried this winter, not by choice, to do it for 500. My savings got eaten away over a period of 8 mos and I had very little to travel on to a new job. I had to quit the park where I was because they didn't come through with the promise of a 40 hour week.

I wonder what people are doing for health insurance on $500/month or even the deductibles or a dentist?

[Cathy P.]

Here is the link for anyone interested in learning more about VA HealthCare: Health Benefits Home When you qualify, it does meet the health insurance requirement recently forced by our government. We use homeopathic medicine anyway but the VA offers many services, very generous I think if you go in for that kind of medicine. You are not required to submit to any services that you don't want and I kept saying "No. No. No..........." and then I explained that I am more than capable of making my own health decisions and am actually quite knowledgeable when it comes to natural medicine and a couple of other things regarding "treatments" and the medical money machine.

I tend to think those living on $500 a month probably have an emergency fund for things like dental.

OK, I am passionate about being frugal and about natural medicine. My "needs" have always been much simpler than others so I tend to understand that frame of mind.