The way to ER immediately?

Early on... about 30 years ago, in a short period of semi-depression over the j*b, I spent some time with Mother Earth News, and a large book on basic, low cost, back to nature living. Kids were out of school, and "other" reponsibilities were at a low point, imagination ran wild.
Found some super "cheap" wooded hillside land in the Adirondaks, small stream, with a fairly large well built natural log cabin, hunting lodge. In this "dream", DW and I could live off the land, trade services with neighbors, and eventually build a business or businesses in things that we enjoy the most...

In retrospect? It could have worked. The place where dreams meet reality is "age"...
 
+1 I recall at one point in my 30s I thought about ditching it all, buying some acreage and a cabin and living off the land - gardening, canning, hunting, fishing, heating with wood harvested off our land, etc. We would have needed to pay for electricity, property taxes, gasoline and some other costs but we did have a decent nestegg at the point. I think we could have made it work but the more I thought abut it all that gardening, hunting , fishing, chopping wood, etc sounds like a lot more work that what I was doing at the time.
 
pb4uski said:
+1 I recall at one point in my 30s I thought about ditching it all, buying some acreage and a cabin and living off the land - gardening, canning, hunting, fishing, heating with wood harvested off our land, etc. We would have needed to pay for electricity, property taxes, gasoline and some other costs but we did have a decent nestegg at the point. I think we could have made it work but the more I thought abut it all that gardening, hunting , fishing, chopping wood, etc sounds like a lot more work that what I was doing at the time.
Click to expand...


Where do I sign?

Too bad DW would never go for it in a million years.
 
pb4uski said:
+1 I recall at one point in my 30s I thought about ditching it all, buying some acreage and a cabin and living off the land - gardening, canning, hunting, fishing, heating with wood harvested off our land, etc. We would have needed to pay for electricity, property taxes, gasoline and some other costs but we did have a decent nestegg at the point. I think we could have made it work but the more I thought abut it all that gardening, hunting , fishing, chopping wood, etc sounds like a lot more work that what I was doing at the time.
Click to expand...

It probably would not take much outside income to live like the Amish, but their lives seem to be filled with hard work.

For us the 80/20 is downsizing, decluttering, and sustainable living practices, but no crops, livestock or canning is involved. I'd rather save money by shopping at ethnic markets and Costco and have free time to spend at a park or the beach than grow my own food.

We live near a lot of ethnic markets, so I can get a big basket of fresh produce each week for around $15. I just got a 10 pound bag of potatoes for $2. If I could plant higher cost food like frozen pizzas, then it might be more worth it.
 
Lcountz said:
....
PS I analyzed my own tire situation and realize I have 20, including spares. ( SUV, vintage car, Harley,tiller, snow blower and riding mower.)

For ONE person. Does that not seem excessive?!?!?!?!?

Think Im gonna by stock in Goodyear!!!!!
Click to expand...

Now, you've got me counting tires.
4+1 for the car + 8 for the 4 bicycles + 2 for the manual push mower = 15 for 2 people.
 
Talk about wheels and tires, I had to make a list...

Darn! Total of 50 (including spares that are mounted on the vehicles)...

If that seems excessive, remember that I also counted the two wheelbarrows (one at each house).

Oh wait. I see that someone also counted his hand truck. Damn!
 
OK, my hand truck is a cheapo one with solid wheels. Phew! Still at 50.
 
For just myself its 13 tires, wheelbarrow, bicycle, lawn seed spreader (yep that push thing has pneumatic tires) trailer w/spare, and a car w/spare.

And I agree, they are a pita, just got 4 new ones for the car. I will NEVER buy those 'green' high fuel economy tires again. Awful ride and in the winter its like having bald tires!
 
Ok, this wheel thing has got me thinking and it is not good. DW used to race road and mountain bikes for many years. I ride, too. While I only have three bikes, DW has more bikes than I care to count. And then there are all the extra wheel sets. Just an estimate (since I can't recall what is in the garage at our second home & I really don't want to know), we could have over 50 bike wheels. The saving grace is no wheelbarrows or hand trucks. The next time DW complains about the number of jeans I have, I am going to remind him about all his wheels. At least my jeans don't require a second garage.
 
Wow, I guess my life is simple. Two wheels for me here in the Philippines (motorcycle) and two wheels in the USA (bicycle).

Maybe we have stumbled upon a new "Simple Life" metric . . .
 
Once I start counting the tires on our bikes and kids bikes (total of 9.5 bikes), number of tires quickly goes through the roof. We need another metric, like number of tires / person.
Otherwise, it is unfair that Kramer can get away with a smaller household number :).
 
hsv_climber said:
Once I start counting the tires on our bikes and kids bikes (total of 9.5 bikes), number of tires quickly goes through the roof. We need another metric, like number of tires / person. Otherwise, it is unfair that Kramer can get away with a smaller household number :).
Click to expand...

Kramer will get a unicycle then :).
 
Only that other Texan can go sans clothes, and really just without his shirt!
Put your pants back on! :D
 

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Sarah in SC said:
I'm willing to just count combustible engines. Of those, I also have too many.
Click to expand...

OK. By that measure, it's 14 for me.

The above includes 2 gensets among 12 vehicles (7 are 2-wheelers). Note that I have no gas trimmers, nor chainsaws to count. Mine are all electric.

Oh, this reminded me that I still have a gas mower that I have not used and need to get rid off.
 
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HFWR said:
If your engines are combusting, you may want to have someone look at them... :LOL:
Click to expand...
It is true that combustion engines are also combustible.

While I have to take my chances with the 2-wheelers and the cars, I carry fire extinguishers in my RV, because a motorhome often catches fire from the house section, and not from the engine compartment. Well, it may not make much of a difference. Like this. Observe the propane tank pressure relief valve starting to vent intermittently at 2:15, then continuously at 2:42.

Motorhome catching fire - YouTube

Or the following class A whose fire seemed to start from the propane fridge. That's a nice diesel with a tag axle.

Motor Home Fire - Nelson BC TMTV News - YouTube

Or this one that started from the rear bedroom, while parked in a residential area.

RV in flames.wmv - YouTube
 
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