This is just my lil story, not so much advice or anything. I lived in a regular coleman-esque camping tent for several months with my partner and a bird. I was always cold . We used the money we saved on rent from living in the tent to buy an old motor-home. I beleive it was 24 ft, not very large. WE LOVED IT!! We worked out our way of life to perfection, I even learned to sew standing up since there wasn't anywhere to set up my sewing table and sit. Again , we only lived in it for a view months, about 6 atcually. We eventually bought a house. IN order to justify the purchase (and makes me feel less guilty), we bought an old fixer upper that needed perserving. At present, we are working on the whole urban homestead 'thing' but I really wish we had a bus or yurt or something else. Now we have 2 kids so we have to take them in to consideration. Has anyone else ever 'given in' and felt like crap about it?
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California
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Re: traditional house , longing for something else.
Tue, June 10, 2008 - 6:46 PMand yes, I realize that post is full of typos... I'm just to lazy to correct them, and not really that anal -
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Re: traditional house , longing for something else.
Fri, June 13, 2008 - 12:24 PMI love my house because it is a storage space for my things and cats. I live there 3 nighs out of the week and then I stay in my car and camp the rest of he time. Just because you now have a house does not mean you have to be tyed to it.
Bob
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Re: traditional house , longing for something else.
Fri, June 13, 2008 - 1:23 PM"has anyone"
in a word, yes. But like cheesy bob said if you incorporate alternative aspects into your traditional home it can bring you to a better place. One thing that I think really helps is getting your fingers dirty with a garden. I haven't done it (since I was a kid) but a lot of my friends have and they really have a great thing to go home to. We have some tractor work to do before I can plant anything other than in pots.
I get really bummed out by all the bills that go with owning a home. It costs me about $230 a day just to live. (5 people) YIPES! That's a lot more than when I was living in the attic of an old barn. I lived in the office of my shop for a couple years too. Doesn't really work with three kids though. It's tough but all they really need is love and some stability.
Some days I want to sell everything and start over with some property and build out of pocket. My wife's not on board with that idea after it took about 8 years to remodel our current house and it's still not totally done. Are they ever done? It's not really a great time to sell a house either. I'm down about 25% from the high of a few years ago.
Just keep on keeping on and try to focus on all the great stuff in your life. I had to cut out all the "news" to keep from getting so depressed about all the shit going down around the world. I'm just trying to be positive in my local community. The world will have to take care of itself without me staying up all night stressing and worrying about it. -
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Re: traditional house , longing for something else.
Mon, June 23, 2008 - 4:17 AMAfter many years of being a shopoholic and subscribing to the "keeping up with the Jones'es" attitude, I finally realized that a house is nothing more than a place to store your stuff while you are out working in order to get the $ to go buy more stuff.
That said, having children does change things but I also know people who have kids and live on a boat, sailing around the world.
I think it's a matter of what is important to you. You already have the house and with the housing market the way it is, it certainly isn't the best time to even think about making a change.
Keep recycling, try buying only second hand stuff, grow a garden, hang your clothes out to dry on a clotheslines....being in a house doesn't mean that you can't still contribute to making this planet better. Also it should help even out your negative feelings. -
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Re: traditional house , longing for something else.
Mon, June 23, 2008 - 8:57 AMright on lee ann i second that, live WAY below your means and not only will you save money but you will also not only be living greener, you are also learning survival skills. I hate to make the comparison but if there was a food crysis or no electricity i think homeles speople would fare well as they allready live below most peoples supposed needs. if i had a dollar for every time someone asked me how to survive then upon hearing my answer replied but i NEED a second refrigerator.....but I need 2 bathrooms....but I need 4 cars....but i need need need neeeeeeed 41 pairs of shoes. I use a 1 cuft reefer on the boat, thats it. my electricity for a 30" ws lcd monitor, my pc and the reefer is 10 dollars a month AND I live in paradise!
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