Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cheap-Ass Chinese motorcycles and scooters (Part 2)

When considering whether or not you should purchase a cheap “generic” scooter or motorcycle from China be sure you know full well what you are getting into. I’ve been looking into these things for several months and will probably continue to do so for a few more before I decide whether or not to purchase one.

I can tell you this however. The more I read up on these things the more convinced I become that a Chinese motorcycle or scooter is a really good deal. I know some of you will want to throw the ole “you get what you pay for” line at me so I’ll address that right now.

You can spend a thousand bucks (give or take a couple hundred) and buy a 25 to 30 year old Japanese machine or you can spend the same amount of money and have a brand new bike from our good friends over in communist China. There will be certain issues you need to deal with regarding the new Chinese bikes of course but there are also issues you will be dealing with if you buy a Jap bike that’s two or three decades old!

While it’s really hard to predict what sort of troubles you may encounter with something 25 to 30 years old, with a new Chinese piece of crap you can look at all the information available on the internet, study it till your blue in the face, and pretty soon a pattern will begin to emerge. You can see the big picture for what it really is.

90 percent of the bad reviews I’ve read deal mostly with little stuff like cheap plastic panels that don’t exactly fit as they should, Speedometer cables having to be replaced, lights and blinkers that quit working because of a poor quality bulb or a wire that came loose. Most reviewers of these infernal machines suggest that you tighten every single nut and bolt when first purchased. It also seems that the poorest quality batteries and spark plugs are installed before they’re shipped from the factory. All miner stuff that can be easily dealt with.

As far as the other 10 percent of negative crap I’ve read about these bikes; most of it was by people who never owned one but were only parroting all the bad crap they had heard. I haven’t read one thing yet about some cheap-ass P.O.S. Chinese scooter that had the motor blow up a few months after it was purchased. I haven’t read anything about the frame on one of these things snapping in half on some collage punk coming home from a frat party!

Everything I’ve read about these machines suggest that you can have a fairly decent and reliable means of transportation (after the initial break in period) for about 20 percent of what you would pay for a brand new Japanese bike. There is a certain amount of maintenance that is required every so often such as cleaning the carburetor and adjusting the valves but so what? Every motorcycle or scooter will require some maintenance to keep it in good running order. If you aren’t willing to do that then you shouldn’t even consider buying a motorcycle or scooter, be it Chinese, Japanese, or whatever.

Now let’s look at some of the different types of bikes you can buy. You’ll see numerous “name brands” such as Tank, Jonway, TaoTao, Roketa, Lafan and a host of others but generally speaking this doesn’t mean much. These are generic bikes and you should keep that in mind. The individual bike you purchase is more important than the name on it. So if at all possible avoid buying one of these online. Make your purchase from a local dealer so you can inspect it beforehand. Also make sure the dealer carries spare parts or can easily order parts for the model you purchase.

50cc Scooters-Some of these are manufactured for kids and are generally too small for adult riders but you’ll have no trouble finding plenty of scooters in this class that a full grown person can comfortably ride. These things start around $500 and can get upwards of 100 miles to the gallon! Unfortunately you won’t be able to do much more than about 35 miles per hour. You might get one up to 40 if you’re going down a steep hill and you have a strong wind at your back. This might suit your transportation needs, depending on your individual circumstances, but for the most part these are just big toys.

150cc Scooters-Now we’re getting into the “big boy” bikes. These scooters start at around $700 and go up. They get around 80 miles to the gallon and can reach speeds of 55 to 60 miles per hour. Not something you want to take out on the freeway but certainly adequate for most day to day use. The engines in these and the 50cc scooters are often referred to as “Honda clones” but are in fact a Chinese design known as the GY-6. From what I can tell these things are pretty reliable so long as they are properly maintained! There’s a really good article you can read about these engines HERE!

250cc scooters-These are much more expensive than the 150cc scooters starting at about $1500. Many of these come with water cooled engines which adds to the cost and complexity of the bike. These things can go up to 80 miles per hour and get about 70 miles to the gallon. This class of scooter should probably be avoided unless you can find a used one in decent shape for a good price.

200cc to 250cc duel sport bikes-In my opinion these bikes will give you the most bang for the buck. For not much more than $1000 you can have an on/off road bike that will give you 70+ miles to the gallon. These “enduros” to use the old school term will reach Highway speeds and can be ridden on public roadways or on back wood trails. Because of the duel nature of these bikes they are constructed much tougher than a scooter and (from everything I’ve read so far) have much fewer problems than the cheap-ass Chinese scooters. This is the kind of bike I am currently leaning towards.

Having said all of that let state once again that if you can find a good running, used Japanese bike at a reasonable price then you should go that route. In my location however you can’t find anything 10 years old or less for much under $2000. Believe me, I’ve been looking and they are hard to find.

Whether you choose either cheap Chinese crap or old Japanese crap a small scooter or motorcycle makes too much sense. With gasoline prices headed back up towards the four dollar a gallon mark it will take the average SUV owner close to a hundred dollars to fill up. What will you do when it reaches eight dollars a gallon? Don’t think it can’t happen anytime soon. With the Government soon to be more than twenty trillion dollars in debt and no way to pay it other than inflating the money supply and with the possibility of peak oil just on the horizon-well who knows?

If you don’t choose a scooter or small motorcycle as your primary means of transportation then you should still consider one as your “plan B” strategy. And if you’ve done your homework well you can get a lot of bike for a little bit of money. Google Chinese motorcycles and scooters to start you search. Good luck

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Cheap-Ass Chinese motorcycles and scooters (Part 1)


My goal over the last year or so has been to work toward leaving the rat race and all the crap that goes along with it. The hardest part in doing this is of course finding a place to live. I bought a small patch of dirt for $400 and found an old junk travel trailer for another $200 and pulled it out to my land. It’s a crappy little shack but it solves the question of where to lay my head for the night. With a little work it should be quite comfortable.

The next “major” problem to be solved is of course transportation. A bicycle would certainly be the best option as far as cheap transportation is concerned. No gas to buy, no insurance needed, and it would provide daily exercise to help maintain good health. If I were going to be living in town (or even a few miles from town) this would definitely be the way to go-no pun intended.

My “zombie hideout” is 18 miles from the nearest population center however and almost 9 miles to the nearest convenience store! It would take two hours to get into town on a bicycle and another two hours to get back. For once a month trips this might work but for day to day needs this is impractical. I need a cheap-ass means of transportation that’ll get me where I need to go in minutes not hours. A small fuel efficient scooter or motorcycle should do the trick and over the last several months I have be looking into this option.

Relying on a motorcycle or scooter as your primary means of transportation does have  its downsides of course. You can’t ride in inclement weather. It’s pretty dangerous in heavy traffic and even in areas where traffic is light you still need to practice defensive driving techniques much more so than you would in a car or truck. But I think the benefits outweigh those negatives. At least they do for me as I will not be living in a major population center and if I’m no longer whoring myself out to “the man” for slave wages then I’ll just stay put when it rains.

Now let’s look at some of the benefits of using a small scooter or motorcycle to get your ass from point A to point B. They’re cheap on gas, getting between 50 and 100 miles to the gallon (or more) depending on several factors like size of the bike, how you ride it, the weight of the rider, etc. Basic liability insurance is much cheaper than an automobile, costing just a few dollars per month depending on your driving record and who you are insured with. Finding a place to park is usually pretty easy and you can go places on a bike that you wouldn’t even dream of with a car or truck.

Clearly a small scooter or motorcycle is one of the best options you can choose for transportation if you are living on a small amount of money. A good used Japanese bike is certainly your best bet but finding one at a reasonable price now days is next to impossible. Time to look at the dreaded cheap-ass generic China bikes. 

These things are produced by the millions every single year at numerous factories in China under a multitude of different brand names. Some factories produce these generic bikes with no "brand" on it at all allowing the importer to put their own stamp on the bike.When I first started looking into the option of buying a motorcycle or motor scooter for transportation it was for the simple reason that I'm a broke bastard who rarely has much money so naturally I began looking at the cheapest crap I could find.

Again let me state that if you are lucky enough to find a good used Japanese bike at a reasonable price then you shouldn't even consider anything else. Especially if a motorcycle or scooter fits into your personal zombie survival strategy. For those who aren't lucky enough to find a good deal on a Jap bike however a china bike could be a good choice if you are willing to do the homework before you purchase one.

Keep in mind that even the best Chinese motorcycle or scooter is going to require more maintenance and repairs than the worst Japanese machines. But at 20 to 25 percent of the cost what do you expect. If you have very little money to live on and you don't mind doing a little work on your bike from time to time then you might be able to make this strategy work for you.

 In part two I will go over some of the different sized bikes that are available and discuss some of the problems you can expect to encounter when you purchase one of these Cheap-Ass machines. I'll discuss in more detail why you should consider buying one even if you don't plan to use it as your primary means of transportation. And as always I'll try to provide you with plenty of food for thought about the subject.


Sunday, August 19, 2012

Batch cooking



I ran across this idea a few years ago in a book I found at the public library. I can’t really remember the title of the book or its author but it was a book about foraging for wild eatables. The one section that caught my attention the most didn’t have anything to do with collecting wild food but I thought it was good enough that I took notes.

Cooking from scratch with basic ingredients bought in bulk can save you a ton of money. It is somewhat time consuming and most people usually opt for quick meal ideas over cheap meal ideas for this reason. The idea here however is to make large quantities of a “mix” from scratch and use it as needed. Store it in the freezer in two cup quantities.

Mix 8 cups of flour, 3 cups of skim milk, 5 tbsp. sugar, 5 tbsp. baking powder, 1 tbsp. salt, and 1 lb. (about 2 cups) shortening or 1 ¾ cups vegetable oil. Blend everything together until it is the consistency of cornmeal. Store it in 2 cup quantities in the freezer. Here are just a few things you can do with it.


Biscuits- 2 cups mix, 1/3 cup of water or just enough to hold it together. Knead only a little then pat into ½ inch layer and cut into biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes.


Corn bread-2cups mix, 1 cup corn meal, 2 eggs, and 1 cup of water. Mix thoroughly and bake in a greased skillet or baking pan for about 45 minutes at 375 degrees.


Pancakes-2 cups mix, 1 egg, and ¾ cup of water. Mix well and pour into a preheated and greased skillet, turn over when bottom is brown.


Muffins-2 cups mix, 1 egg, ½ cup of water, a little bit of sugar if you like em sweet. Mix lightly until just blended and bake in greased muffin tins at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. You can add blueberries or other fruit if you like


Coffee cake-2 cups mix, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and ½ cup of water. Beat egg and water together then stir in mix and sugar. Don’t over stir. Pour into buttered square baking pan, and add a topping of your choice before baking.


Sugar cookies-2 cups mix, 1 cup sugar, 2 small eggs, 1/3 cup of water, and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract. Mix well and drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Sprinkle with sugar immediately after you remove from oven.


Brownies-1 cup mix, 1 cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of cocoa, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 2 eggs. Mix everything together well and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.


Bad banana bread-2 cups mix, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 1 or 2 bananas past their prime mashed up, 1 or 2 tsp. vanilla extract and enough water to make a smooth batter. Mix thoroughly and bake in bread pan for about 1 hour at 375 degrees.


Fruit pudding-2 cups mix, 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ cup of water, and two cups of fruit. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a baking pan or casserole dish. Pour fruit onto bottom of pan, mix other ingredients well and pour on top of fruit. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until done.


Beer and apple bread- 2 cups mix, 2 tbsp. Sugar, 1 cup of apple sauce or finely chopped apples, and enough beer to make a medium batter. Bake in a bread pan for about an hour at 375 degrees.


Cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be time consuming but it does usually require a little planning ahead of time. Collect recipes that use mostly basic ingredients and plan your menu for the week in advance. Use the batch mix cooking technique described here to create your own recipes and you will save a lot of money.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Free campers and travel trailers

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When I was finished with the last post I began to wonder if maybe I could find any travel trailers or campers for free. I started looking around and found ads for more than two dozen old campers that people just wanted hauled away. Unfortunately most of the ads were deleted by the person who posted it. I presume it was because it only took a few hours or a couple of days at most before someone responded to the ad.

This is understandable because a mobile home requires professional movers to do the job but anyone with a pick up truck can hitch up a camper or RV and do it themselves. I was however able to find a few ads that were still listed. Here are the ones I found.

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$225 FREE Travel Trailer -Needs to be cleaned up! (4318 Big Bend Rd. #35 Yankee Hill, CA)


Date: 2012-08-14, 12:48PM PDT
Reply to: cdqk9-3180326591@hous.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


I have a travel trailer for rent in the Big Bend Mobile Home Park. I own the mobile home park. The last tenant left it dirty so if you clean it up it will be yours, You would just pay the monthy space rent with a 12 month lease. I will even discount the space rent for the 1st 6 months!! It's vacant, just qualify, clean it up, paint it or whatever you like and move in. Regular monthly space rent is $325 and that would be reduced to $225 for the first 6 months. I also require a $500 deposit but willing to work with a qualified tenant and split that in payments if needed. call Simplistic Solutions Real Estate (530) 899-xxxx for an application via email and more info. undefined


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FREE Travel Trailer (Old Forge, NY)


Date: 2012-08-13, 7:17PM EDT
Reply to: q79bd-3203700192@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


1969 Concord travel trailer located in Bald Mountain Colony in Old Forge, NY. Good condition. 24 feet in length. It has been there since about 1977. Weight is 3,850 pounds. You are responsible to pull it off the site and it is FREE. Call Dave at 315-725-xxxx. undefined

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FREE Travel Trailer - $1 (Carson City)


Date: 2012-08-01, 5:04PM PDT
Reply to: wmk3z-3178001625@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Free 1973 30 foot self-contained Terry travel trailer. It was used for construction sites and has been sitting for about 4 years on our property. We had put new holding tanks, water heater, plumbing, propane tanks on the unit. Air conditioned. All glass intact. The walls and ceiling are paneled in knotty pine making the trailer very heavy. The ceiling over the shower has come down due to a leak. The step below the door needs repair. It has a five foot refrigerator which runs on electricy. And, it is really dirty inside from having set in a field for years. If cleaned it would be a servicable unit. Person taking the trailer has to haul it away as we have no capacity to do so. It will probably take a F250 or equal truck to move it. The title has been lost and it has no license plates. Tires are still good. Call 775-721-xxxx 

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*FREE* "SIESTA" Camper. You Haul. (Logsden, OR)


Date: 2012-07-24, 10:22AM PDT
Reply to: tpfbp-3160032475@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


(i had posted this same Ad before. due to medical issues at That time, i was unable to reach the majority of you who Had called and Were interested about the camper. im back now Though!)

Used and Sitting "Siesta" Camping Camper. Was used for Storage for about a year - Used for camping Before. In picture # '3' you will see a slight Separation. the separation was due from misc. things that were stored up in the bed area. Ripped due to it being to heavy? who knows.

this camper can be sold for scrap metal, used for personal use, etc. - You haul. So bring your straps, rope, whatever it is you'll be using to haul this Bad Boy out of here Once and for all! :)

no paperwork with the camper. didn't come with to Begin with.

my name is JEFF and can be contacted about the camper At; 541-992--xxxx, call on the week days 9-5pm Only, Leave a message and i will get Right back to you ASAP! Thanks! 


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FREE CAMPER TRAILER


Date: 2012-07-17, 2:25PM PDT
Reply to: qqwjx-3145855335@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]


Free Camper trailer .. u move ... some water damage .. not bad ... Please contact Kaitlyn @ 541-654-xxxx with any questions 

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Monday, August 13, 2012

More free mobile homes

By far the most viewed post on this blog has been "Free mobile homes" so I thought it would be fun to do a follow up. These are just a few of the free mobile homes I found on Craigslist that are up for grabs right now. Check em out and then go to the Craigslist for your area to see what's available.


$320 FREE fixer-upper mobile home WITH 6 months PAID rent!!!! (Rockford)


Date: 2012-08-13, 12:11AM CDT
Reply to: tjkjb-3179791506@hous.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

We currently have a few FIXER-UPPER mobile homes available for no charge with 6 months lot rent paid up front. Non-neg so please don't expect a free trailer unless you can pay the 6 months up front. These are not in great condition, but if you're handy, and willing to fix up yourself, this is a great deal for the right person. Rent is based on # of occupants and pets. Base rent (one person, no pets) is $320/month. $10 additional per person and/or pet. Call 815-988-0925 for more info or to schedule a showing. 


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free mobile home (sophia)


Date: 2012-07-16, 8:52PM EDT
Reply to: bgnpd-3144026587@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

12x65 mobile home free includes 16 bulb tanning bed. mobile home has axles and tires in rough condition. must be moved asap. for more information you can call Kenneth @ 336-460-xxxx


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***FREE MOBILE HOME***


Date: 2012-08-09, 10:56AM EDT
Reply to: jmnjx-3194068857@hous.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

I have a 16' 70' trailer home I would like to give away. It has to be moved. It is liveable or can be torn down for scrap. I do have paint for the outside, and the inside I have put sub flooring down in the bathroom, kitchen, and livingroom. I do need it gone very soon so I may allow someone to tear it down where it sits if it will be quick. 


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2br - FREE MOBILE HOME 14 X 48 (Logan NM)


Date: 2012-07-04, 12:17PM MDT
Reply to: familyofhale@gmail.com [Errors when replying to ads?]

I have a 14 x 48 2br mobile home to be hauled away.. It has a corrugated steel roof . Free to any one that will haul it.. 


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Free mobile home (Salida)


Date: 2012-07-31, 1:32PM MDT
Reply to: wkgf5-3149703685@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Free 1972 60x12 mobile home!!! 2 bed two bath. Has to be moved of shangrila mobile home park in salida. Might have to stay in the county as well. Please email me for further details
970481xxxx. It needs to be moved on a flatbed trailer, and can't be moved out of the county.
Thanks
Benjamin


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FREE MOBILE HOME (Gunnison)


Date: 2012-08-06, 4:56PM MDT
Reply to: f4mtb-3188437901@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Free, mobile home, 12'x44', in good shape, everything works, most furniture will remain in home. Free, but you must move, Must have out of the park by Oct 1, 2012
Please call Scott @ 970-210-XXXX


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FREE mobile home. Must be removed from park. (Genesee, Ontario, Livingston County)


Date: 2012-08-12, 9:23AM EDT
Reply to: cqm3p-3147294928@hous.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Free mobile homes available in various mobile home parks in Genesee, Livingston, Seneca and Ontario County areas.

Must be properly removed and transported from the mobile home site/park at your expense.

Could possibly be rehabbed for hunting cabin, storage unit etc.

For more information please call Jeff at 585-226-xxxx


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STILL AVAILABLE---FREE MOBILE HOME TO BE MOVED (Aitkin)


Date: 2012-07-26, 8:25PM CDT
Reply to: g6ggz-3128864965@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

FREE TO BE MOVED mobile home located 13 miles northeast of Aitkin. 1974 Detroiter, 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Needs some TLC has been sitting vacant for 3 years Would be a good cabin or hunting shack. Wheels and axles are under trailer not sure if tires will hold air for moving. I will be at the property Saturday, July 28th for anyone who is interested in seeing it THIS WOULD BE THE DAY. I WANT IT GONE!!! S E R I O U S I N Q U I R I E S O N L Y P L E A S E !!!!!! 


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2br - free single wide mobile home (fall branch,tn)


Date: 2012-08-11, 7:08PM EDT
Reply to: w87sb-3199605217@hous.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Free. 1970 single wide mobile home 12ft by 50ft. Must move. Kinda rough. But fix able. New vinyl Windows, new front door. Floors 80%. Master bedroom floor is the worse. Need work but it's free. Would make a good hunting lodge. 


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Free Mobile Home (Lake Stevens)


Date: 2012-08-07, 3:10PM PDT
Reply to: wm2xp-3190617789@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

I have for free a 10x55ft rex park model mobile home single wide trailer. Brand is REX Park model possible 1960??.Trailer needs some work and some TLC but its more than we want to take on.You will have to come haul it off the lot yourself.It does have tires and wheels 3axle trailer but these have been on there since it was place in the spot.Its a good little trailer someone could put a bit of work into and you could have a nice little rental.I will be posting a few pics later.Like i said you would need to haul it off the lot.Not sure of the year or model but it was there on the lot while i was growing up so its at least 50 years old or older.This is a situation where you should come see what i have and see if its possible to get it removed.The trailer is nose in to a waterfront lot on Lake Stevens with another rental home close.Trailer would need to be spun around so its facing the other way without causing damage to drivewayA concrete patio under the awning i think would need to be removed first before the trailer can be removed...This is a as is deal no warrentee involved .Unknown where title is but we do have a serial number we can write up a bill of sale.this should be ok.a trip permit would be needed for haul off by new owner ..If interested call john at 425-750-xxxx...PLEASE READ THE ADD THIS TRAILER IS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY AND HAULED TO WHEREVER YOU WANT IT.PEOPLE CALLING WANTING TO USE IT FOR FREE ON THE PROPERTY DONT BOTHER CALLING.aGAIN IT MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE PROPERTY YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY PERMITS NEEDED FROM THE CITY OF LAKE STEVENS AND THE COUNTY. FOR HAUL AWAY..ALL UTILITIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND TRAILER MUST BE REMOVED WITHOUT DAMAGE TO DRIVEWAY OR PROPERTY. 

The picture at the beginning of this post is of the free mobile home listed directly above.





Friday, August 10, 2012

Living on less than $10,000 a year


Is it even possible to live on a small amount of money in today’s world?  I was asked this question recently by someone when I told them of my plans to reduce my expenditures to just a few hundred dollars per month. They couldn’t seem to grasp the fact that there are a lot of people in this world who live on very little money already and are not completely miserable.

But what is misery? Is it being unable to drive the newest, shiniest, gas guzzling car on the road? Or is it slaving away at some job you hate 40+ hours a week so you can pay for that new, shiny gas guzzler? All things in life are relative and you have to decide what is important to you

Food, water, clothing, and shelter from the elements are pretty standard items on anyone’s short list of necessities. Once those needs are met though everything else is merely icing on the cake. So do you think you could provide those necessities for under $10,000 a year? Sure you can. If you paid $600 a month for rent that would leave you $2800 for everything else.

Rent a house or apartment (all bills paid) and take in a roommate or two that can help out with the rent and you can easily cut your housing expense to $600 or less. That leaves $233.33 a month for everything else. Purchase a good used bike for a hundred bucks or so and your transportation needs fall to almost nothing. $233 a month is certainly enough money for one person to eat on for a month. If you’re really frugal in this area then you should be able to cut your weekly grocery expense down to $35 a week or less.

If you can do that then you’ll have nearly a hundred bucks left over for other things you want or need. Buy a cheap prepaid cell phone from the dollar store for $20 and purchase minutes when you have the extra money and conserve minutes when you don’t. Buy most of your clothing from thrift shops and yard sales.

Keep track of your expenses so you can see where the money is going and make adjustments as needed. A couple of years ago I was living in a large metropolitan area and I kept track of every cent I spent over the course of a few months. I was able to reduce my monthly expenses to just over $500. I met those expenses by working odd jobs in my spare time.

You probably think that I was miserable but I really enjoyed myself. I worked less than twenty hours a week at times that were mostly convenient for me and the rest of the time I spent exploring the city. It was more like an extended vacation to me than some poverty stricken existence.

Now let’s say that you can find a way to reduce the cost of most of life’s necessities to near zero! Do you think that you can live a pretty decent life on $10,000 a year? Remember, everything else is just icing on the cake and $10,000 can buy a hell of a lot if icing. It might seem impossible to reduce your expenses in this area to almost nothing but it is entirely possible.

If you traded in your car for a good running van and converted it to a “mini” motor home all you would pay for is gas, maintenance, and liability insurance. If you didn’t drive around all day then you could get by on two or three hundred a month-not including food. Check out the web sites, Cheap RV living and Cheap green RV living for plenty of good info about this lifestyle as well as articles about converting a van into a home on wheels. You can find links to these sites on my links page.

Living in a van seems a bit extreme to most people however so if this isn’t for you start your search now for that perfect little place you can call your own. Buy a cheap-ass piece of land somewhere and a cheap-ass crappy trailer. Pull your trailer out to your land and set up camp. If you can pay cash for the land and the trailer your rent dilemma is solved. If you can’t get the money together to pay cash for a chunk of land then pay it out. Don’t go into debt long term however.

In fact if you have a lot of debt right now you should work as hard as you can to eliminate that debt because that’s a disaster waiting to happen. Pay it off as fast as possible and implement a “cash and carry” policy in life. Look for ways to reduce or eliminate monthly bills and you can live pretty damn cheap!

Monday, August 6, 2012

How does your garded grow?

I realize that most of you would rather die an agonizing death than to put the ole lady on the handlebars of your Huffy bicycle and peddle her ass on over to the homeless shelter soup kitchen to get something to eat, no matter how hungry you are. So bread lines and soup kitchens are definitely not in the cards for you.

Digging in the trash behind the local Piggly-Wiggly will provide a lot of usable food. Most people though feel this is too demeaning. They feel it is beneath them. After all, what would their friends and family say about such behavior? Time to look into more conventional strategies to put grub on the table.

The “respectable” approach to cheap food acquisition is of course to grow as much of the stuff as you possibly can. Growing your own food is one of the best strategies you can implement in your quest to achieve an independent and self-sufficient life. If you can only grow a small portion of the food you consume you will still be able to reduce the amount of money you spend at the grocery store significantly.

While it may be too late in the season for you to start a “survival” garden you should still start thinking about one for next year. With the drought we are currently experiencing, and with inflation on the rise you can only expect food prices to go up. So start planning now and get yourself ahead of the game.

Go to your local public library and read as many books as you can on the subject. Even the smallest public library will have dozens of books about gardening so you’re sure to find much valuable information. The internet is of course a gold mine for such info. Plan now for next year’s food supply and you won’t have much to worry about when the price of groceries gets so high that you have to go to bed hungry every night. The following chart will give you some basic info you can use to start planning your garden for next season.



 Ease of growing
Suitable for freezing
Length of growing season
Yield (lbs. per square foot)
Tolerates frost
Asparagus
medium
yes
52 wks.
3.3
yes
Eggplants
easy
yes
9 wks.
11.0
no
Beet
medium
yes
8 wks.
4.4
yes
Fava beans
medium
yes
20 wks.
8.8
yes
broccoli
medium
yes
8 wks.
4.4
yes
Brussels sprouts
easy
yes
8 wks.
3.3
yes
Cabbages
easy
yes
10 wks.
8.8
yes
Carrots
medium
yes
8-12 wks.
4.4
yes
Cauliflower
difficult
yes
8-10 wks.
10.0
yes
Celery
difficult
yes
14 wks.
8.8
yes
Chicory
difficult
no
12 wks.
0.9
yes
Chinese cabbage
easy
yes
8 wks.
3.3
no
Zucchini
easy
yes
8 wks.
3.3
no
Cucumbers
easy
no
8 wks.
6.6
no
Snap beans
difficult
no
8 wks.
4.4
no
Garlic
medium
no
12 wks.
4.4
yes
Jerusalem artichokes
easy
no
52 wks.
5.5
yes
Kale
easy
yes
10 wks.
3.3
yes
Lettuces
easy
no
7 wks.
2.2
no
Leeks
medium
yes
18-20 wks.
3.3
yes
Snow peas
easy
no
12 wks.
3.3
no
Melons
medium
no
7 wks.
3.3
no
Okra
easy
no
7 wks.
4.4
no
Onions
medium
yes
10-26 wks.
3.3
no
Parsnips
medium
yes
14 wks.
3.3
yes
Peas
easy
yes
12 wks.
6.6
no
Peppers
easy
yes
9 wks.
3.3
no
Potatoes
easy
yes
14-22 wks.
6.6
no
Pumpkins
easy
yes
8 wks.
6.6
no
Radishes
easy
no
3 wks.
0.9
yes
Spinach
easy
yes
6 wks.
3.3
yes
Squashes
easy
no
8 wks.
4.4
no
Sweet corn
easy
yes
10 wks.
1.1
no
Tomatoes
easy
yes
10 wks.
5.5
no
Turnips
easy
yes
6-10 wks.
3.3
no