How To Live Well With $11,000/ Year

from: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2011/10/19/the-secret-to-l...

Our last story on frugal living, “The Secret to Living Well on $20,000 a Year,” stirred up some heated comments, many of which argued that $20,000 a year represents a king’s ransom. “Someone should do an article on how to live on less than $10,000 per year. I am a single mother who is doing just that,” wrote Rici of Wyoming.

An anonymous commenter from Texas wrote, “[I’m] not impressed. I live on $8,796 a year.” “I am retired and living on less than $1,000 a month [from] Social Security,” wrote Liz Ortiz of Colorado. Glenn Morrissette, 42, wrote in to say that he lives on just $11,000 a year, and he does it by living full-time in an RV.

As a result, he pays no rent, needs no car, and can live wherever he wants. Unlike Joseph Fonseca, the writer we profiled in our “Living Well on $20,000 a Year” article, Morrissette has health insurance. A professional musician, he can work by computer from any location.

He might not have a family support, as the teacher living on $40,000 a year does, but we thought Morrissette’s story was interesting enough to share. We spoke with Morrissette, who is currently in New Jersey, about his lifestyle, which he also describes on his blog,

To Simplify. Excerpts:
Why did you decide to live in an RV
I had an apartment in Burbank and was the typical Los Angeles apartment dweller. I started to feel a strong desire to simplify my life. I had a garage full of stuff I never used, my closets were full, and I started to see that it was costing me money to have an apartment big enough to hold all the stuff I never use.

My initial plan was to scale back and move into a smaller apartment. Before long, I realized I didn’t need too much to be happy. I could fit into a small space. That’s when the RV idea occurred to me. I was just sitting in traffic and an RV pulled up. I said, “I could probably fit in that thing.”

The more I looked into it, the more I realized how practical it would be. For what I was paying for rent in LA, I could own my “house” free and clear and not pay rent, and own my car as well. How do you stay under $11,000 a year?

The two key things that make it possible are not having rent or a mortgage payment. I own my RV, so that was an initial expense [of about $14,000], but I have no house or car payment. Gas is controllable; I don’t drive if I don’t want to. Most months, I spend less than $300 on gas. I estimate that I save about $1,000 a month compared to what I was spending in La. What do you eat?
Read therest of the story here: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2011/10/19/the-secret-to-l...

Truck Tents: Avoid Sore Backs

from: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8851350.htm

The number one complaint among campers, is waking up stiff and sore from having slept on the cold, hard ground, or worse- a cold hard rock! Truck tents are a simple, cost-effective solution.

The Sportz Truck Tent 57890 is a popular model that sets up easily thanks to a color coded pole and sleeve system. Inside there is over five feet, five inches of headroom, two large mesh windows and ceiling vents, as well as a patented sewn in floor.

The various Sportz Truck Tent models fit such vehicles as GMC Sierra, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, Ford F Series, Nissan Titan, and Toyota Tundra. Larger tents that work well with SUVs, mini vans, sports wagons, and hatchbacks are also available.

The roomy 10’x10’x7’ Sportz SUV Tent 84000 has plenty of room for mom, dad, and kids. For those campers who prefer to travel light or by motorcycle a Sportz PAC fits the bill. The Sportz X-Plorer PAC 95600 comes with a tent, rain fly, sleeping bag and stool.

All of the items pack up into one heavy duty bag that can be thrown on the back of a motorcycle. The Sportz X-Treme PAC 9400 similarly comes with one tent, rain fly, two stools, two sleeping bags, and one carrying bag.

Air mattresses, screen rooms, extra rain flies and straps, as well as heavy duty carrying bags can also be purchased through the site. “I have a passion for camping. It’s an economical way to get out into nature,” said Peterson.

“I’m looking forward to the potential this can have in terms of supplying people a means of enjoying the outdoors and supplying a good income for my family.” Tents4Trucks.com is a customer service focused company.

Each tent and accessory has been screened for quality, durability, and affordability, and is backed by a satisfaction guarantee. Orders are filled and shipped promptly so eager campers can use them on their next outing. Feedback is always welcome; in fact, Peterson prides himself on his ability to personally answer all customer queries in a timely manner.

For additional product information and reviews, visit the site’s brand new blog, http://www.CTRShippingBlog.com. Peterson frequently updates the interactive platform with camping tips and personal anecdotes.

About the Company: www.Tents4Trucks.com
– a division of Choose The Right Shopping Online, Inc. – is owned and operated by web entrepreneur John Peterson.

Eco RVs - Converting Your Travel Trailer to Solar Power

By Sophia Rodriguez

Do you want to know how to go about converting your travel trailer to solar power? In today's economy and with the state of the planet, eco RVs are becoming more and more popular.

While many of today's travel trailers, camper vans and motorhomes can include such luxuries as air conditioning, television with 100 channels and microwaves, they do tend to use lots of electric power to run all these fun features.

Solar panels to the rescue! Solar panels for your RV can feed your hungry motorhome with free energy channeled from the sun and converted into super clean and quiet energy, regardless of where you are.

Although many modern RVs are equipped with a generator to run the appliances when boondock camping away from the grid, you don`t always want to hear a loud generator, especially when trying to hear different bird calls or the sound of the creek rushing by in the great outdoors. Never mind the price of gas to run the generator...

There are many solar RV kits on the market today that will supplement your power with clean energy, or you can choose to build your own if you are the do it yourself type. Recreational vehicle solar panels are usually mounted on the roof of the motorhome to collect the most sun energy.

The panel will normally be mounted on the roof or truck bed, and many companies sell a RV Solar Electric Kit that can make the installation of the panels easier. Some kits are specially designed for your brand of RV and you can also buy tiltable brackets that you can angle towards the sun when you are parked.

Of course, you will need to analyze how much power you will need and how often you will need it in order to determine how many solar panels you will need. Your RV solar panels will supplement your power as you travel and keep your batteries charged up and ready to go when you need them.

There are many online calculators that allow you to simply type in your needs and the calculator will let you know how much power you require. Whether you need to warm up supper in the microwave, recharge your cell phone, run your computer or recharge batteries, your solar panels will get the job done.

While it is unrealistic to think that solar panels will run an air conditioner, a hot water tank and a microwave all at the same time, RV solar panels will definitely make life more pleasant when you are camping in the wilderness and wish to enjoy the great outdoors in peace while still enjoying the comforts of home.

If you want to find out about the cheapest way to equip your rv with solar power, find out how to make your own solar panels. This video explains everything. You can have your cake and eat it too. Eliminate your hydro bills in 2011 and contribute to the greening of planet earth! Click here to find out more:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Eco-RVs---Converting-Your-Travel-Trailer-to-Solar-P...

How To Find Cheap Campsites

By Sophia Rodriguez

If you are wondering where to find the most relaxing cheap campsites, come along for a tour while we explore the answer to that question.

Camping is an amazing antidote to cure the stresses of everyday life or the stress accumulated from a particularly stressful period in your life.

Do you need to heal or do you simply need an escape?
Relaxing is a subjective thing. For one person, relaxing could mean in the middle of nowhere in a gorgeous natural setting, all alone in nature, free to think and reorganize one's life.

For another person, relaxing could mean in an organized free or cheap campground with the company of other like minded individuals gathering for a fire at night. Whichever style you prefer or if you would like to combine both camping settings in your adventure, that would probably be ideal for most people.

Luckily, there are many resources for people wanting cheap or free campsites in the USA and Canada, one example is that you can camp overnight for free at most Walmarts across the USA and Canada. Before telling you how to find these cheap or free campsites, I must warn you!

These are not fully serviced lots nor are there any hookups, services or entertainment. This is basic camping. This is no frills. Are you ready for this? Do you think you could enjoy roughing it from the comfort of your small RV or camper van?

Since most rvs and camper vans have electric generators, solar power, water, shower, hot water tanks and toilet facilities, you will not have to rough it all that much...you can still run your laptop and have lights and whatever small appliances you like.

Many people have found that a full time camping lifestyle is ideal to relax and just enjoy life. Are you itching to go camping along Canadian and American highways to have a great adventure and discover this beautiful and majestic country of ours.

Camping is an awesome way to escape the stress of daily life and to live for cheap...as long as you are very organized. Discover new people and places. It you long to go camping long term...for a month, two or more at a time, you can experience a truly fulfilling and adventurous life unlike the life lived when working 9-5 and cooped up in a house the rest of the time.

Be one with nature, encourage your best self to shine by taking a sabbatical from your stressful life and just go camping. Unplug your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever.

K Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure. Cheap Travel Lifestyle Information If you would like to read more about cheap camping, check out my blog: Cheap Camping Blog Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophia_Rodriguez

The Best Foods To Pack For A Long Camping Trip

If you are going camping and are looking for the best foods to pack for a long camping trip, read on...

Although this question seems straight forward, there are many possible answers to what are the best foods for a long camping trip. The answer will depend on many factors.

Are you backpacking, car camping or traveling in a camper van or RV? Do you eat meat or are you vegetarian? Will you eat just about anything as long as it tastes good or do you like to eat mostly healthy foods with a few treats in between?

Since I am a vegetarian who likes to eat healthy foods, my answers will reflect this way of eating. I will discuss the best foods for a long backpacking trip as well as foods you can bring on a long trip across country in a camper van or RV.

The Best Foods For A Long Backpacking Trip For a long backpacking trip, you will need food that gives you lots of energy and that keeps well. If you know what types of plants are edible close to your campsite, all the better since you will be getting fresh food that will spice up your camping trip.

Here are some examples of what you could take with you:
1) dried fruit such as cherries, pineapple, mango and apple 2) banana or plantain chips 3) a variety of protein bars such as Vega, Luna or Clif 4) trail mix 5) soy nuts 6) a variety of nuts 7) granola and dried soy mylk 8) foil packed meals such as Indian food that can be warmed in hot water 9) quick cooking pasta and vacuum packed flavored tofu with seasoning 10) tofu jerky

The Best Foods For A Long RV or Camper Van Trip Depending on how much space you have and your preferences will dictate how many or how few of the following items you can bring.

The idea is to inspire you to make a list of possible meals based on the items you bring so here we go...

Non -perishable Items
1) Flour,sugar & baking powder (to make biscuits, pancakes,pizza dough, bannock,etc...) 2) Granola or other dried cereals 3) Peanut butter and /or almond butter 4) Powdered milk 5) Dried pasta 6) Quick cooking rice 7) Spices, condiments and flavorings 8) Canned soups and chili 9) Canned beans 10) Canned pasta sauce & gravy 11) Trail mix, nuts, seeds & dried fruit 12) Popcorn and marshmallows 13) Cooking and salad oil 14) Airtight packed silken tofu 15) Syrup or honey Perishable foods 1) Eggs 2) Cheese 3) Veggie meats 4) Breads 5) Dairy or soy milk 6) Fruits & vegetables

Do you long to take off on a long camping trip. Live the adventure and discover a joyful way of life.

So, right now, turn off your television, shut out the world, curl up in a warm bed behind a closed door with this ebook loaded on your laptop and travel to a new destination: forever. Or you can print out a copy and take it with you anywhere and learn at your leisure.
Cheap Travel Lifestyle Information http://www.cheapcampinglifestyle.info

Van Camping 101

from: http://campingstove.all4campings.com/your-guide-to-van-camping/

Why van camping?
It certainly doesn’t give you the luxury of life in an RV, but then you don’t have the discomfort of sleeping in a tent, either. It’s cheap compared to an RV, and you can go places they cannot. That’s why we spent more than 25 nights sleeping in our conversion van last year.

Van Camping 101
You need a system of organization to keep your space inside the van livable. We noticed after our first long trip that we had brought many things we never used. We learned to be more efficient after that. We also learned how to keep the space open, by using plastic storage tubs. Not only do they stack well, but if you need more room at night, you can put them on the roof, because they’re rainproof with the lids snapped on.

You have to make your van into something that’s useable for you, especially if it’s going to be your residence for days or weeks at a time. This meant, for my wife and I, having space to move around. Removing the two middle seats gave us enough space for dressing or cooking. A bench-seat in back folds out into a comfortable bed, so we were all set for van camping.

Van camping can be cold, as it was for us in the deserts of Arizona last winter. We ran the van and cranked up the heater once in a while, but only for brief periods. Carbon monoxide poisoning is just too possible, so don’t leave the car running while you are sleeping.

Cooking a meal heats up the van, and our propane camp stove burned very clean. When it was cold, it was time to cook dinner, breakfast, or coffee. Cooking inside heats up a van, but again, because of carbon monoxide, don’t sleep with a burner going. Sometimes, though, a quick warm-up is all you need before you crawl under the blankets for the night.

What’s the secret to heating a conversion van when camping? Giving up was our solution. Just enjoy meal time warm-ups, but unless you have electric power, I don’t know of a safe way to heat a van all night. Heat yourselves instead. Use warm clothing, and bring more blankets than you think you’ll need. Fill a thermos bottle full of hot coffee each night, so it will be waiting in the morning. You warm the van making it, and warm up yourselves drinking it for breakfast.

Van Camping Advantages
Van camping obviously is cheaper than RV camping. Initial cost is a lot less if you buy used, as we did. The cost of driving a van is substantialy less – we averaged 18 miles per gallon on our last cross-country trip. An average recreational vehicle is lucky to get half of that, and will be very expensive to maintain.

A van is much more comfortable than tent camping. Also, if you do backpack, you’ll likely drive some kind of car to wherever you go. Use a van, and you can come inside if it starts to rain. When backpacking a long way from home, you can save on motels on the drive to and from the trailhead.

One great thing about vans is that you can park anywhere. We’ve napped in parking lots, and nobody was the wiser, thanks to the inconspicuousness of a van. We got the best spot at a free campground in Florida, on a bank overlooking Lake Talquin, because our van was small enough to fit there, unlike the RVs.

You can drive anywhere. With our conversion van, camping wherever we were when it got dark was no problem. We also went down desert trails that no RV could handle. That flexibility and freedom is what we liked most about van camping.

To read more about van camping and to find camp stoves and other camping gear, go here:
http://campingstove.all4campings.com/your-guide-to-van-camping/

Photo credit: http://www.hecktictravels.com/irish-photo-potpourri

The Ups & Downs of Full Time RV Living

from: http://www.cheapest-places-to-retire.com/rv-living-fulltime

RV living fulltime is a relatively new concept that is taking many by storm.

While some retirees find this sort of living inconvenient and unpleasant, many others are finding that living full time in an RV has many advantages. It lowers costs and enables one to travel at will. Living full time in an RV has its advantages and disadvantages.

A person that is considering living full time in a motor home should weigh ups the pros and cons and see if this lifestyle is one that he or she would enjoy.

The Advantages of RV Fulltime Living

Many retirees have a limited pension. fulltime RV living enables one to save a considerable amount of money. While travel expenses are quite high, many other expenses are much lower than average.

It has been estimated that a couple living full time in an RV could live comfortably on a bit over $40,000 a year. A couple that really wants to save money could get by on only half this amount.

Full-time RV living enables one to travel at whim. One could travel to Mexico for low cost medical care and then travel back to a United States campground that is set up with electricity, plumbing and other amenities.

A retiree living in an RV would be able to stay in the Northern United States over the summer and then move south for the winter.

The Disadvantages of RV Living Fulltime

RV living has its inconveniences. While many campgrounds provide sewer, water and electrical hook-ups, one will still need to install a holding tank and hot water heater.

Clothes will need to be washed at a Laundromat or by hand. One will need to install either a generator or solar paneling in order to get electricity; the latter option is usually best as generators can be quite noisy and expensive.

Many retirees enjoy living in a community. Selling the home and moving into an RV is a wrench.

Friends and family will be left behind and while one can make new friends among other retirees at campgrounds, this takes time and it is not the same as being around the same friends all the time.

Conveniences such as limitless hot water and air conditioning are often out of the question. Appliances such as dishwashers, dish dryers and microwaves cannot be installed in an RV, so one will need to do without them.

A person that has medical problems may find that RV living fulltime does take its toll, especially if one stays in out of the way campgrounds. RV living fulltime is a lifestyle that is appealing to retirees who are relatively fit and in good shape.