The transition from the "North American Dream" to being a Professional Hobo was an extremely difficult thing to do. It involved lots of sacrifices of personal comforts (be they material posessions or just knowing you have a "home" and "job"), and stepping way outside my comfort zones.
However, the calling was strong, and I simply couldn't live the rest of my life as I was. It was kind of a shame - I had established quite the business and had a lot of media notoriety in my field.
Having said that, I couldn't imagine my life any other way now. Every day is an adventure, and one worth living to the fullest! Who knows where I'll go next - waiting for the next opportunity (and being flexible enough to take it on) is like gold.
Sacrifices like distance from family and lack of some personal comforts were things I had to suck up. Like Philip said in his recent article, sometimes these changes are enlightening and help us to appreciate what we have all the more.
To anybody who shares this dream, if it speaks to you strongly, see what you can do to live it. I haven't looked back once!
If your having problems try it on a random car with a dent. There should be no paint issues with it if you let the crystals dry first. Do it exactly as it's done in the video and you should be fine. Don't believe me? I had several dents in my Mercedes, a hot air blow dryer, and a can of this stuff took most of them out. The car looks great, It even took out a hail damage type dent aht I got form something falling on i suppose. TRY THIS it works for most dents.
I shut off my cable for one reason. It was not about being frugal, but being able to live alone with complete silence and enjoying it. I wanted to experience being alone without depending on neither the cable nor the noise that it emanates. I wanted to experience food for the soul, and it is FREE.
The first week was tough; I couldn't live without my fav shows, or the noise that I gotten so used to. But the second week, I began to experience an inner joy, knowing there is no one talking garbage into my unconscious self. I am enjoying the sound of the rain, the wind and the awakening of fall. Now could you get that poetic if all you do when you come home is switch the television and leave it on continuously? I am experiencing new joy. A sense of peace and quietness to think and ponder. Now that should be a good enough reason if not only saving money as a reason to feel happy! That saved me alot of money going to a shrink too (if I ever needed one!).
Mine started off about 5 years ago when I realized I was in way over my head in debt. It took me 5 years to pay it off, but last month I just made the last payment on $20,000 dollars worth of credit card bills. It felt amazing!
I cook meals at home at least 25 days out of the month, my husband takes his lunch to work, and we have lived in all sorts of places over the years to save a few hundred each month in rent. Both our cars are paid for, and if we want something major we budget for it and put a little bit aside each month in order to get it.
Now, I am going to buckle down again and save for a down payment on a house. I plan to have 20% down so I can avoid PMI, and I plan to do it in a years time. I get a rush now out of saving money!
I just started cloth diapering my son as well, to save on diapers.
Capital One credit card is out of the statute of limitations here in Florida. Capital One sent this to an attorney who sent me a letter saying that I agreed to a repayment plan. This letter says that they demand the full payment of 2,000. I have never entered into an agreement at all but they say that I agreed to pay a payment of $2,000 by September 28. This attorney wrote this letter but I did not agree to anything. Can an attorney make false accusations about payment plan I never agreed on? What can I do about this false payment plan? By the way the statute of limitations is up.
I actually find periods of extreme frugality to be highly energizing. (Although I should note that this applies when it's *voluntary* frugality, working toward a goal, and isn't as energizing when you have $5 in the bank and your rent is past due.)
Sometimes, I'll take a week and allow myself $25 total in spending money. (This is for gas and groceries, but not utility bills.) I'll drink a lot of water, brew coffee at home, and eat ramen and saltine crackers. I crank out more during one of those weeks than I do in entire months, and it sure makes me appreciate my discretional spending money later on.
1-you can still have an outstanding mortgage balance and still get a reverse mortgage-think of the elderly widow who is 75 with an outstanding balance of $100,000. and 95% of her SS check goes to paying the mortgage every month-she MAY qualify for a RM depending on her zip code and the amount of equity in her home-this could be a godsend...and she may be able to carry on her life with some dignity
2-an experienced RM loan officer would never reccomend that a borrower take a "lump sum" unless that were planning on spending immediately for some kind of major purchase(i.e.-a car, another home, medical expense, gift to child, investment, etc), therefore they should never put that asset at risk and merely put those monies into a bank account
3-the funds awarded by virtue of the RM proceeds "earn credit line growth" by staying in the account with the lender and are NEVER at risk
because it appears on their local county records that the lender has a lien for the entire amount to protect the lender and the borrower
4-most seniors would prfer to stay in their own home that they have inhabited for the last 20-50 years and the traumatic experience of moving, selling the home, finding a new abode, are totally lost financially and emotionally by virtue of a 5-6% real estate commission, cost of moving, loss of tax and interest write off, etc
5-a senior could use the proceeds of a RM to have a visiting nurse or caregiver in order to remain in their own home
I could go on forever about your hair-brained blog here about your mis-guided views on Reverse Mortgages-you are obviously a simble man that does not know how to do his homework before your put your foot iin your mouth-you should shut your stupid mouth and do some more investigating BEFORE you hit "enter"
SHUT UP AND QUIT MIS-REPOTING THE "FACTS".....stupid
That's funny - in that third paragraph from the bottom, the one with examples of extreme frugality - I do all that stuff, year round. I never thought of it as "extreme" though. Just what's necessary to get out of debt and save.
Oh MAN!!! How I would LOVE to pick up and go, live like this!
The "American Dream" is sooooo boring to me usually. The only thing that keeps me doing the same dishes everyday, vacuuming the same floor everyday, scrubbing the same toilet everyday, walking the same boring town everyday, etc....is that my Family lives 1/2 hour away, and I could never ever leave them for very long. Well, just my Dad and my Sister, that is. (my Mom's deceased.)
(I've tried to convince them to "come with me" and start life different somewhere else, but there's always the money/job opportunities, etc....p'tuey!! Of course, I don't work, so it sounds easy for me! I just have to take care of the kids!)
I've never been out of the US, except for Canada, and I feel like I'm missing out on so much life.
I know...I'm venting.
I was just so affected by this article. Just knowing that the possibilities are there, and so cheap...I almost wish I'd never read this, cause now it's gonna bother me even MORE, doing the same dishes, walking the same town, shopping the same Walmart....
Siiiiiiiiiigggggghhhh.
I gotta go fold the laundry.
:(
Last month out of a necessity to cut our bills, my husband and I decided not to eat out all month. If you know us, you know that was a BIG goal! I don't particularly like to cook, and it's all too easy just to have him pick something up on the way home.
However, after getting through the month (and meeting our goal), I can tell you our mindset has changed. We have a tight schedule today, my husband and I are going out, and we're getting a babysitter for the kids. I honestly don't have time to make dinner, and we don't want to leave the babysitter a big crockpot meal to clean up, so we're going to pick up a pizza, and it's SO HARD to even think about spending the money on pizza. A month ago we wouldn't have even thought twice about it. How things change.
The hotels I have worked at are very similar. Of course, our rates were a lot lower (usually in the 70-120/night) but they were chains in South-East Ohio. If I remember right, we were told the rack was the absolute minimum, the break even cost was usually about $20 less than the rack. There are usually things that warrant discounts, but there are also some that are ridiculous. I believe people have been given discounts because they wanted to stay here and use the pool, even though there were big signs on the doors that said "Pools closed for repair" and they were told that at check-in, they get most of their money back. Of course, these are often people that live in town anyway.
The only other advice I can give is to mention any family you have working at a hotel. I worked for a Super 8 a year or two ago. At the time, my father went to one near Toledo (I think) and they were asking him about discounts. He mentioned that I worked at one and they took 15% off. I know that employees get the family discounts, but this was just him claiming I worked at one, no documentation provided and no questions asked.
For the record, both chains I have worked for charge the same for walk in and phone reservations. I don't know about internet reservations through the chain website, but most come through at the same price. If Orbitz or someone is charging less, they lose money. I believe in most cases they still pay 80-90% of the room costs. I could be wrong about this, but I am pretty sure they pay 70-80 for a room in this town, which means they only make a small margin.
Another thing to do is if you come in late, be sure to ask for the room for day use. We run all paperwork between 3-4am, and after that the room can be sold as day use. Of course, it's the same price, but it allows you to stay in the room after the regular check out time and use it until the next evening. A lot of people argue that a room that goes unsold by 5 am should be sold at bare minimum prices (I had a person offer $5 for the time from 6 am - 12pm). This will probably not help. Offering that low of a price shows that you expect to be given a room, but if you ask for a discount, it usually works. Again, this is not sneaky or against any laws, it is just being polite and asking for the right things. Since I first worked in a hotel, I don't believe I've paid full price at any of them, even when I actually probably should have.
I believe lotteries are more attractive to individuals from lower socio economic backgrounds. I think people would definitely benefit from taking this approach, providing they can get an interest bearing account with such small initial deposits
I've just spent a ridiculous amount of time browsing the WWOOF pages thinking about how nice it would be to learn how to build a rammed earth house in Portugal....NICE resource! Thanks!
It is one incredible piece of good PR for the band. I also don't think it hurts that Radiohead are one of the most talented and original bands in the last 30 years. Something tells me that if Britney did the same stunt, she's still have to pay people to download her mass-produced garbage.
If only to show my support of their efforts and hope that they are successful enough to encourage other "big" bands to try it as well. There are plenty of success stories of indie labels doing well and I think the future will likely be a combination of what Radiohead is doing and something like Dischord. Small boutique labels that can cater to a unique collection of bands and handle some of the more mundane chores.
So yes, while I can't stand the band I will definitely buy the album online for at least $10.
I didn't start off buying them, but somehow they just slipped into my basket and now - out of habit, there is always a bag of them in the fridge. However...this will be the last bag.
Thanks for the informative reminder!
They get money from tickets, get money of new products with their brand, at the end their are a brand as any other.
See, Prince (or whatever is his name now) let his new songs to be downloaded for free and really after that he announced a new tour, that completely sold out.
Reinvention,
I love the idea but how do new artists get the money needed for promotion and touring without something like a label? Don't get me wrong the market is showing the multiple problems with the current revenue model and most of them can be laid at the doorstep of the major labels.
So this will work for Radiohead and other already 'popular' artists, but what about new artists trying to get radio airplay, exposure to new venues, websites with enough bandwidth to allow extensive downloading, etc? I don't have a good answer.
I don't understand your logic here, why is the 'negligable' transaction fee important at all in this case? If they're selling purely digital, the distribution and processing costs are very low, so nearly all the money goes right to the artist.
These are all great ideas, especially for someone who's a bit more footloose than I am. That Hawaii gig sounds awesome. (Also, I've been trying to come up with a way to sneak coppicing into a post, without success so far. It's a cool sustainability technique that's not widely enough known.)
Coming up with cheap or free housing is the key to extreme frugality, and those last two resources were ones I was not aware of.
While I commend them on this new trend in music sales, the reality is it will never last. The first few that do it may succeed, but eventually the only way a band will make any money is if that "negligable" transaction fee is enough to survive.
There are definitely limitations to HIPAA, and it isn't decided that I'll go with a HIPAA plan. (A lot more research to do before I make any decision.) But before I had been thinking that I ought to get an individual plan early, so that if I turned out to have trouble getting insurance, I'd have time to come up with an alternative. Now, though, it seems like it would be safe to stick with COBRA to the end (while doing cost-benefit analysis between the HIPAA plan and an individual plan, that might be cheaper but would be cancelable if I got sick).
One advantage with waiting is that I've currently got cheap insurance from my employer (while my severance period lasts), so I'd only have to pay the high COBRA rates for a few months at the end. I had been worried that, if I waited, I might get stuck with no insurance and not enough time to come up with a solution.
Derren Brown is the best in the world at his field. he is totally honest about his skills - never claims he can do anything like twats like david blaine
I love your article. I do this with everything from food to school supplies and i save an average between 60-90% each time i do..we work all the money saving angles when stocking up with sales,loss leaders,coupons and rebates! we have the conveince of having exactly what we want need and use right in our home whenever we wish. so theres no shopping when the weathers bad or we're busy or the kids get sick. Plus the money we save on gas to us is priceless, Because we stock up all at once when we go to shop for those things. And at a savings of 60-90% on food and goods, the savings equals up to what i would make at a part time job. Which is great, makes our meager income spread so much farther.
STOCK PILING ROCKS! i have been doing it for like 3 years and i am beginning to teach my kids the art of doing it. Now i no longer get bored i get a thrill each time i can save 60-90% on things we use and need everyday. It makes us feel more in control financially as a family.
The transition from the "North American Dream" to being a Professional Hobo was an extremely difficult thing to do. It involved lots of sacrifices of personal comforts (be they material posessions or just knowing you have a "home" and "job"), and stepping way outside my comfort zones.
However, the calling was strong, and I simply couldn't live the rest of my life as I was. It was kind of a shame - I had established quite the business and had a lot of media notoriety in my field.
Having said that, I couldn't imagine my life any other way now. Every day is an adventure, and one worth living to the fullest! Who knows where I'll go next - waiting for the next opportunity (and being flexible enough to take it on) is like gold.
Sacrifices like distance from family and lack of some personal comforts were things I had to suck up. Like Philip said in his recent article, sometimes these changes are enlightening and help us to appreciate what we have all the more.
To anybody who shares this dream, if it speaks to you strongly, see what you can do to live it. I haven't looked back once!
Reminds of the 80s movie The Grifters, honestly.
If your having problems try it on a random car with a dent. There should be no paint issues with it if you let the crystals dry first. Do it exactly as it's done in the video and you should be fine. Don't believe me? I had several dents in my Mercedes, a hot air blow dryer, and a can of this stuff took most of them out. The car looks great, It even took out a hail damage type dent aht I got form something falling on i suppose. TRY THIS it works for most dents.
I shut off my cable for one reason. It was not about being frugal, but being able to live alone with complete silence and enjoying it. I wanted to experience being alone without depending on neither the cable nor the noise that it emanates. I wanted to experience food for the soul, and it is FREE.
The first week was tough; I couldn't live without my fav shows, or the noise that I gotten so used to. But the second week, I began to experience an inner joy, knowing there is no one talking garbage into my unconscious self. I am enjoying the sound of the rain, the wind and the awakening of fall. Now could you get that poetic if all you do when you come home is switch the television and leave it on continuously? I am experiencing new joy. A sense of peace and quietness to think and ponder. Now that should be a good enough reason if not only saving money as a reason to feel happy! That saved me alot of money going to a shrink too (if I ever needed one!).
Mine started off about 5 years ago when I realized I was in way over my head in debt. It took me 5 years to pay it off, but last month I just made the last payment on $20,000 dollars worth of credit card bills. It felt amazing!
I cook meals at home at least 25 days out of the month, my husband takes his lunch to work, and we have lived in all sorts of places over the years to save a few hundred each month in rent. Both our cars are paid for, and if we want something major we budget for it and put a little bit aside each month in order to get it.
Now, I am going to buckle down again and save for a down payment on a house. I plan to have 20% down so I can avoid PMI, and I plan to do it in a years time. I get a rush now out of saving money!
I just started cloth diapering my son as well, to save on diapers.
Capital One credit card is out of the statute of limitations here in Florida. Capital One sent this to an attorney who sent me a letter saying that I agreed to a repayment plan. This letter says that they demand the full payment of 2,000. I have never entered into an agreement at all but they say that I agreed to pay a payment of $2,000 by September 28. This attorney wrote this letter but I did not agree to anything. Can an attorney make false accusations about payment plan I never agreed on? What can I do about this false payment plan? By the way the statute of limitations is up.
I actually find periods of extreme frugality to be highly energizing. (Although I should note that this applies when it's *voluntary* frugality, working toward a goal, and isn't as energizing when you have $5 in the bank and your rent is past due.)
Sometimes, I'll take a week and allow myself $25 total in spending money. (This is for gas and groceries, but not utility bills.) I'll drink a lot of water, brew coffee at home, and eat ramen and saltine crackers. I crank out more during one of those weeks than I do in entire months, and it sure makes me appreciate my discretional spending money later on.
You are an idiot
1-you can still have an outstanding mortgage balance and still get a reverse mortgage-think of the elderly widow who is 75 with an outstanding balance of $100,000. and 95% of her SS check goes to paying the mortgage every month-she MAY qualify for a RM depending on her zip code and the amount of equity in her home-this could be a godsend...and she may be able to carry on her life with some dignity
2-an experienced RM loan officer would never reccomend that a borrower take a "lump sum" unless that were planning on spending immediately for some kind of major purchase(i.e.-a car, another home, medical expense, gift to child, investment, etc), therefore they should never put that asset at risk and merely put those monies into a bank account
3-the funds awarded by virtue of the RM proceeds "earn credit line growth" by staying in the account with the lender and are NEVER at risk
because it appears on their local county records that the lender has a lien for the entire amount to protect the lender and the borrower
4-most seniors would prfer to stay in their own home that they have inhabited for the last 20-50 years and the traumatic experience of moving, selling the home, finding a new abode, are totally lost financially and emotionally by virtue of a 5-6% real estate commission, cost of moving, loss of tax and interest write off, etc
5-a senior could use the proceeds of a RM to have a visiting nurse or caregiver in order to remain in their own home
I could go on forever about your hair-brained blog here about your mis-guided views on Reverse Mortgages-you are obviously a simble man that does not know how to do his homework before your put your foot iin your mouth-you should shut your stupid mouth and do some more investigating BEFORE you hit "enter"
SHUT UP AND QUIT MIS-REPOTING THE "FACTS".....stupid
That's funny - in that third paragraph from the bottom, the one with examples of extreme frugality - I do all that stuff, year round. I never thought of it as "extreme" though. Just what's necessary to get out of debt and save.
Oh MAN!!! How I would LOVE to pick up and go, live like this!
The "American Dream" is sooooo boring to me usually. The only thing that keeps me doing the same dishes everyday, vacuuming the same floor everyday, scrubbing the same toilet everyday, walking the same boring town everyday, etc....is that my Family lives 1/2 hour away, and I could never ever leave them for very long. Well, just my Dad and my Sister, that is. (my Mom's deceased.)
(I've tried to convince them to "come with me" and start life different somewhere else, but there's always the money/job opportunities, etc....p'tuey!! Of course, I don't work, so it sounds easy for me! I just have to take care of the kids!)
I've never been out of the US, except for Canada, and I feel like I'm missing out on so much life.
I know...I'm venting.
I was just so affected by this article. Just knowing that the possibilities are there, and so cheap...I almost wish I'd never read this, cause now it's gonna bother me even MORE, doing the same dishes, walking the same town, shopping the same Walmart....
Siiiiiiiiiigggggghhhh.
I gotta go fold the laundry.
:(
Last month out of a necessity to cut our bills, my husband and I decided not to eat out all month. If you know us, you know that was a BIG goal! I don't particularly like to cook, and it's all too easy just to have him pick something up on the way home.
However, after getting through the month (and meeting our goal), I can tell you our mindset has changed. We have a tight schedule today, my husband and I are going out, and we're getting a babysitter for the kids. I honestly don't have time to make dinner, and we don't want to leave the babysitter a big crockpot meal to clean up, so we're going to pick up a pizza, and it's SO HARD to even think about spending the money on pizza. A month ago we wouldn't have even thought twice about it. How things change.
The hotels I have worked at are very similar. Of course, our rates were a lot lower (usually in the 70-120/night) but they were chains in South-East Ohio. If I remember right, we were told the rack was the absolute minimum, the break even cost was usually about $20 less than the rack. There are usually things that warrant discounts, but there are also some that are ridiculous. I believe people have been given discounts because they wanted to stay here and use the pool, even though there were big signs on the doors that said "Pools closed for repair" and they were told that at check-in, they get most of their money back. Of course, these are often people that live in town anyway.
The only other advice I can give is to mention any family you have working at a hotel. I worked for a Super 8 a year or two ago. At the time, my father went to one near Toledo (I think) and they were asking him about discounts. He mentioned that I worked at one and they took 15% off. I know that employees get the family discounts, but this was just him claiming I worked at one, no documentation provided and no questions asked.
For the record, both chains I have worked for charge the same for walk in and phone reservations. I don't know about internet reservations through the chain website, but most come through at the same price. If Orbitz or someone is charging less, they lose money. I believe in most cases they still pay 80-90% of the room costs. I could be wrong about this, but I am pretty sure they pay 70-80 for a room in this town, which means they only make a small margin.
Another thing to do is if you come in late, be sure to ask for the room for day use. We run all paperwork between 3-4am, and after that the room can be sold as day use. Of course, it's the same price, but it allows you to stay in the room after the regular check out time and use it until the next evening. A lot of people argue that a room that goes unsold by 5 am should be sold at bare minimum prices (I had a person offer $5 for the time from 6 am - 12pm). This will probably not help. Offering that low of a price shows that you expect to be given a room, but if you ask for a discount, it usually works. Again, this is not sneaky or against any laws, it is just being polite and asking for the right things. Since I first worked in a hotel, I don't believe I've paid full price at any of them, even when I actually probably should have.
Brad
I believe lotteries are more attractive to individuals from lower socio economic backgrounds. I think people would definitely benefit from taking this approach, providing they can get an interest bearing account with such small initial deposits
I've just spent a ridiculous amount of time browsing the WWOOF pages thinking about how nice it would be to learn how to build a rammed earth house in Portugal....NICE resource! Thanks!
It is one incredible piece of good PR for the band. I also don't think it hurts that Radiohead are one of the most talented and original bands in the last 30 years. Something tells me that if Britney did the same stunt, she's still have to pay people to download her mass-produced garbage.
If only to show my support of their efforts and hope that they are successful enough to encourage other "big" bands to try it as well. There are plenty of success stories of indie labels doing well and I think the future will likely be a combination of what Radiohead is doing and something like Dischord. Small boutique labels that can cater to a unique collection of bands and handle some of the more mundane chores.
So yes, while I can't stand the band I will definitely buy the album online for at least $10.
I didn't start off buying them, but somehow they just slipped into my basket and now - out of habit, there is always a bag of them in the fridge. However...this will be the last bag.
Thanks for the informative reminder!
They get money from tickets, get money of new products with their brand, at the end their are a brand as any other.
See, Prince (or whatever is his name now) let his new songs to be downloaded for free and really after that he announced a new tour, that completely sold out.
Reinvention,
I love the idea but how do new artists get the money needed for promotion and touring without something like a label? Don't get me wrong the market is showing the multiple problems with the current revenue model and most of them can be laid at the doorstep of the major labels.
So this will work for Radiohead and other already 'popular' artists, but what about new artists trying to get radio airplay, exposure to new venues, websites with enough bandwidth to allow extensive downloading, etc? I don't have a good answer.
MAK
I don't understand your logic here, why is the 'negligable' transaction fee important at all in this case? If they're selling purely digital, the distribution and processing costs are very low, so nearly all the money goes right to the artist.
These are all great ideas, especially for someone who's a bit more footloose than I am. That Hawaii gig sounds awesome. (Also, I've been trying to come up with a way to sneak coppicing into a post, without success so far. It's a cool sustainability technique that's not widely enough known.)
Coming up with cheap or free housing is the key to extreme frugality, and those last two resources were ones I was not aware of.
While I commend them on this new trend in music sales, the reality is it will never last. The first few that do it may succeed, but eventually the only way a band will make any money is if that "negligable" transaction fee is enough to survive.
There are definitely limitations to HIPAA, and it isn't decided that I'll go with a HIPAA plan. (A lot more research to do before I make any decision.) But before I had been thinking that I ought to get an individual plan early, so that if I turned out to have trouble getting insurance, I'd have time to come up with an alternative. Now, though, it seems like it would be safe to stick with COBRA to the end (while doing cost-benefit analysis between the HIPAA plan and an individual plan, that might be cheaper but would be cancelable if I got sick).
One advantage with waiting is that I've currently got cheap insurance from my employer (while my severance period lasts), so I'd only have to pay the high COBRA rates for a few months at the end. I had been worried that, if I waited, I might get stuck with no insurance and not enough time to come up with a solution.
Derren Brown is the best in the world at his field. he is totally honest about his skills - never claims he can do anything like twats like david blaine
I love your article. I do this with everything from food to school supplies and i save an average between 60-90% each time i do..we work all the money saving angles when stocking up with sales,loss leaders,coupons and rebates! we have the conveince of having exactly what we want need and use right in our home whenever we wish. so theres no shopping when the weathers bad or we're busy or the kids get sick. Plus the money we save on gas to us is priceless, Because we stock up all at once when we go to shop for those things. And at a savings of 60-90% on food and goods, the savings equals up to what i would make at a part time job. Which is great, makes our meager income spread so much farther.
STOCK PILING ROCKS! i have been doing it for like 3 years and i am beginning to teach my kids the art of doing it. Now i no longer get bored i get a thrill each time i can save 60-90% on things we use and need everyday. It makes us feel more in control financially as a family.