The key to cheap living in the Keys
is camping. You are ex military, camping on base is cheap. $15 a night($450/month) and no stay limit for a site with no hook up. Sites with hookup are more and have a 2 week limit. This also puts base amenities like the PX/commissary/ect at you disposal. This is my Father's plan once his disability gets straitened out.
Javelin wrote: Our only debt is the actual house, and we can cover the mortgage on about 1/5th of take home. We're just realizing that all the other stuff we pay for (cable TV, internet, smartphones, work clothes, insurance, gas, car maintenance, child care, taxes, etc) can all go away because there's no reason for any of it.
Ok. Then get rid of some of them. But in some cases, you'll trade one expense for another. Boats are not cheap to keep afloat and you'll still be putting time and money into the engine or sails, etc. An RV isn't much different. I actually know a couple who live f/t on an RV and they bring with them a whole different set of expenses.
And don't believe for a second you'll get away from taxes. You'll pay in one way or another. "Senor... it would be a shame if something were to happen to your boat..." Not to mention having to pack up and get the hell out of dodge once in awhile during hurricane season.
Bannerman's Island might be just the ticket. Yeah, the place is a "fixer-upper", and both the EPA and ATF might be interested in the stuff buried there, but ... it's a castle! On an island!
Find some cheap, relatively flat acreage in southern Appalachia and build yourself a small sustenance farm. Sure, still have taxes, politics, local issues, whatever, but youre far enough removed from a bunch of the rat race stuff that youll feel like youre somewhere else. Go off grid as much as possible - solar electricity, bio-gassifier for heat, compost for your sustenance crops, grow your own feed for some goats and chickens, and live off your military income when you must use money. I dont think you have to go anywhere exotic (unless you specifically want to see the beach). Id say USVI or Puerto Rico offer the least buck for the bang so to speak if you absolutely need tropics - US Citizenship means way less visa/immigration woes.
neon4891 wrote: The key to cheap living in the Keys
Hohohohoho!!!! I did not think of on-base camping! That really is a boon because as you said, access to the PX, commissary, medical, etc is all right there. No crime to worry about. Hmmm.....
What about Costa Rica?
http://geology.com/articles/mineral-rights.shtml said: In addition to a signing bonus, most lease agreements require the lessee to pay the owner a share of the value of produced oil or gas. The customary royalty percentage is 12.5 percent or 1/8 of the value of the oil or gas at the wellhead. Some states have laws that require the owner be paid a minimum royalty (often 12.5 percent). However, owners who have highly desirable properties and highly developed negotiating skills can sometimes get 15 percent, 20 percent, 25 percent or more. When oil or natural gas is produced the royalty payments can greatly exceed the amounts paid as a signing bonus
I gotta chime in and say save up and get a property with gas rights or something. A little something something to keep the minimal stuff in the background.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: You are getting hung up on expenses. If you take somewhere by force you can use it's indigenous people as slaves to get the farming going. Did the spanish teach us nothing? Conquest gets cheaper with each success story.
Exaaaaactly.
Land in Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia and other places in Africa can be really cheap, and if you stay away from areas that are under religious conflict, can be mostly peaceful. Corruption will obviously be a problem, but your coming in with so much money that your really buying friends who will benefit you for a long time.
I've heard that South America can pretty cheap too, and less removed from the drug trade than Central America.
In the end, the happiest life is one that is the most paid for. Whether that's owning land in some far away place, or owning land someplace with low/no taxes.
The other option is get out of the rat race as you know it. Just because you hate corporate America does not mean that owning a bakery in a small town will make just as unhappy. Being a logger, farmer, or deck hand on a cruise line may still be a normal job, but its freedom or work environment may completely change your opinion on life.
mguar wrote: At any one moment there are approximately 15,000 sailboats cruising the world as a full time live aboard. England and Germany have a large disproportionate percentage of their population doing just that while United States does dominate international Cruising.
I know a lot of folks do it. That's not the point. I've never met one who's doing it because it's an inexpensive way to live.
" 7. Chisinau, Moldova
Currency: The Leu, with plans to convert to the Euro in 2010-2012 Language: Romanian Weather: Hot, dry summers and mild winters Hardship Level: 30% Things that are cheap: Groceries, alcohol Corruption: 2.9 Miscellaneous: With warm summers and mild winters, Moldova has ideal weather for growing grapes, which means excellent wine and a well-established wine industry. Jobs for foreigners may be difficult to find; it’s estimated that 25% of Moldovans work abroad.
Currency: The Romanian Leu Language: Romanian Weather: Average summer temperature is 73 degrees Fahrenheit, windy because of the Romanian plain, and winter weather below freezing. Hardship Level: 30% Things that are cheap: Alcohol and tobacco Corruption: 3.7 Miscellaneous: Once called “Little Paris,” Bucharest is home to an eclectic culture that includes great nightlife, numerous museums, French-influenced architecture, and numerous cultural festivals throughout the year.
Bucharest Expat is a good information source with over 2,000 active community members.
Currency: The Denar Language: Macedonian and Gheg Albanian Weather: Humid, subtropical climate with hot and wet summers. Winter months are equally wet and often snowy, though rarely freezing. Hardship Level: 30% Things that are cheap: Recreation, culture, and restaurants Corruption: 4.1 Miscellaneous: Skopje is a mix of Christian and Islamic culture. A major earthquake in 1965 destroyed some of the historical architecture, but the city is being rebuilt with an emphasis on public parks and preservation of the remaining Ottoman architecture, including medieval hotels.
Pristina, Photo: Alchaemia
Currency: The Euro Language: Gheg Albanian Weather: A humid, continental climate with average summer temperatures in the 80s and snowy, mild winters Hardship Level: 40% Things that are cheap: Education and groceries Corruption: 2.8 Miscellaneous: In the summer, locals spend as much time at outdoor cafes as possible. Cafe culture is as much about being seen as it is about drinking coffee. The streets are said to be safe after dark, even for single women.
For information on toddler play groups to women’s clubs in Pristina check out inyourpocket.com/kosovo.
Currency: The Bulgarian Lev Language: Bulgarian Weather: Because Sofia is located in a high valley, it has cooler temperatures than the rest of Bulgaria, with summer temperatures in the high 70s and winters in the mid 40s. Hardship Level: 30% Things that are cheap: Household costs like electricity, rent, and taxes Corruption: 3.6 Miscellaneous: Sofia is one of the best locations on this list, bordering the Black Sea and Turkey. Expats consider it a “large small town,” easily walkable, with opportunities for rugby and outdoor activities. Sofia is a great jump-off point for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer in Vitosha, a mountain town just south of the city.
For an expat’s guide to living in Sofia, try ExpatinBulgaria.com.
Currency: The Albanian Lek Language: Tosk Albanian Weather: Tirana has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Hardship Level: 40% Things that are cheap: Groceries, healthcare and personal care Corruption: 3.3 Miscellaneous: With daily power outages and no international train service, Tirana is not the easiest place to live. Tirana is an ideal place to learn Albanian as very little English is spoken.
Currency: The Marka Language: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Weather: Proximity to the Adriatic Sea keeps Sarajevo’s climate moderate with an average of 170 days of rainfall. Hardship Level: 40% Things that are cheap: Education and household costs Corruption: 3.2 Miscellaneous: Described as a “little city or a big village,” Sarajevo is dealing with post-war reconstruction, political corruption and social instability.
Read one expat’s interview about daily life in Sarajevo.
From Matador Network
http://www.xpatulator.com/
slantvaliant wrote: Bannerman's Island might be just the ticket. Yeah, the place is a "fixer-upper", and both the EPA and ATF might be interested in the stuff buried there, but ... it's a castle! On an island!
It's actually Bannerman's Castle, located on Pollopel Island - I live about 30 minutes from there. Part of the NY State Park system, IIRC, so I don't think you'll be able to buy it. Been off-limits for years, but I heard they've recently started allowing small tour groups. From what I hear, the snake and poison ivy populations make it a bit less than hospitable.
So my brother and I were tossing around the island idea this morning, but I can't be the hoe, I gotta be the pimp. This website is pretty cool. Lots of stuff for around a million - two million. Of course you'd have to Option C: Work hard, save your pennies, deal with the berkeleyers for a few more years, and say berkeley YOU ALL!!!
http://www.privateislandsonline.com/islands/reklusia-island
How about under $30K in Canada for a 6 acre island?
Might want to plant some trees. lol
Anti-stance wrote: How about under $30K in Canada for a 6 acre island? Might want to plant some trees. lol
There's that pesky spring flooding thing too. 
Be a 26 hour a week handyman. Live with free rent in Hawaii.
http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/apa/3226429122.html
In reply to Datsun310Guy:
I would do that in a heartbeat.
Keven wrote: What about Costa Rica?
My employer has a couple of people working for us down there. From talking to them it looks like the cost of living itself seems to be fairly low, but a reasonable place to live at least in San Jose isn't cheap by US standards.
A lot of my coworkers have been retiring to Costa Rica. I plan on taking a picture of a bus and when I find a place where noone knows what it is I'm staying.
The Isle of Mann. English speaking, relatively little nanny state BS, no speed limits in some areas, strong motorsport culture, friendly with the US of A. It looks tricky to get in, and cost of living isn't particularly low. You'd want to get yourself a farm of some sort. No coconuts to trade, but you might get somewhere bartering wool.
Sailor up, Coastie. I'm working at HQ and want to (figuratively) kill myself. I've never worked for the future like I am right now- get me back in a herk in a few years and life will be complete. You've gotta find some good in what you're doing, man. There ain't no place like our country to find yourself.
Fix bikes in boulder and enjoy being poor doing something you love. Or whatever it is!
Mike wrote: The Isle of Mann. English speaking, relatively little nanny state BS, no speed limits in some areas, strong motorsport culture, friendly with the US of A. It looks tricky to get in, and cost of living isn't particularly low. You'd want to get yourself a farm of some sort. No coconuts to trade, but you might get somewhere bartering wool.
BTW, it's the Isle of Man 
.
IIRC unless you are related to a Manx resident, you pretty much have no chance getting a residency and work permit. Actually it appears to be the "work" part that's the problem even for me as it's not part of the EU. I'm allowed to reside there but not work.
That said, it's probably the most expensive part of the British Isles to live in with the possible exception of certain really expensive parts of London. Due to the low taxes it appeals to a lot of people who think they need to live in a tax haven.
Come to think of it there might be a few islands off the coast of Scotland that might be happy to welcome a couple of new residents. You probably won't be able to understand what the locals are saying (I still have problems understanding a proper broad Scot accent, and I lived in the UK for over a decade) and the weather is distinctly coconut-unfriendly. The joke about the weather up there is - "you don't like it? Wait fifteen minutes and it'll get worse".
You'll need to log in to post.
