Pondering minimalist post-employment living options (in NH)

[glostamon]

Yep I've considered roommates as well as a camper. They are also options on the table, especially the "roommate" option... I may be able to stay in current house if I can get the expense of it low enough by having someone share a room. In fact, I may do that anyway even during good times... the more money that can be saved, the better.

Roommates suggestion-Two hot nymphos that do kick-A** hand gun ammo reloads & own a liquor store

 

[BenDover]

These guys list a lot of camps....

http://raydavisrealestate.com/

If I had an extra 100K this place would be mine!!!

http://www.raydavisrealestate.com/camps/listings/l0020.html

 

[Johnny Redhorse]

I have a couple of those containers and have never had a problem. also they are movable once you get the camp up and going. and as far as the jobs it tough going here as well.

 

[Prepper]

Interesting idea on the nymphos. I'll run that by the wife and see how that goes.

 

[Prepper]

I have a couple of those containers and have never had a problem. also they are movable once you get the camp up and going. and as far as the jobs it tough going here as well.

What kind of equipment do you use to move them? I'm assuming they aren't sitting on wheels anymore. Plus, I don't have the front half of a semi to hook up to them.

What makes the jobs more difficult for me is I'm in the high tech industry. So, I'm used to things like office parks, stores, etc. Those very rural areas of Maine have none of that... you make your own job somehow, all that rugged individualism stuff. Or, commute to a city that is near enough. Carpentry, auto, construction, etc... I don't know any of that so employment in rural area would be a problem, unless I can find something in a city that I drive to. Fortunately, Maine gets rural very quickly when you step outside the city areas.

 

[Johnny Redhorse]

the containers are the ones that they use on ships they don't have wheels. mine came on a flatbed tow truck, he dropped it where I needed it. it only weighs 5,000 lbs empty so I can drag it with my tractor. I got mine frome Maine trailer in Bangor. http://www.mainetrailer.com/storage.html

 

[glostamon]

Interesting idea on the nymphos. I'll run that by the wife and see how that goes.

I gotcha,I don't always associate married couples and looking for "Roommates" together.
...My Bad!

 

[Harleynut]

Well you could always start a gun loving commune. Kind of like they did in Waco.....
Hmmmmmmmm never mind.

 

[theGringo]

As for shipping containers, I have heard of that one before. It wouldn't look much like a shed though. It also qualifies for the "last resort" living option, but it certainly would make a good storage area for my stuff.

http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/tiny_houses.html

 

[Patriot]

After having 2 major layoffs at work since January, I'm starting to get more concerned. I may have a 50/50 chance of staying employed the next year or so. If I get unemployed, it is likely I won't find anything in the same industry, which means I'd have to go to earning perhaps 1/10th of what I am now if I took a low-end cashier type of job (since writing software is the only skilled job I can do without extra schooling that I can't afford right now). I wouldn't even be able to make the house payments with that.

So, I'm pondering what my options are if that happens. My main expense is the house (and I have no equity anymore). Everything else is paid for. I'll be out of money almost immediately if I have no paychecks coming in. I figure I'd get unemployment checks for 6-9 months, which won't even cover the house payment after taxes. I'm not sure if that would then let me qualify for an Obama mortgage modification or not. I'd consider stop paying my mortgage payments and see how long I can stay there before they kick me out... that would get me free housing for a while, letting me figure out what else to do (and also saving money for alternate plans -- see below).

Anyway, my thinking is along the lines of how cheaply I could possibly live in a rural area of NH. (NH because it is free, cheap, and closer to possible high tech jobs should I find one again.) I see plots of land for sale for as low as $12,000 or so (for 5 acres or more), sometimes less, but then you are getting into landlocked land, unbuildable conservation land, or extremely tiny plots of land that aren't rural. 0.15 acres for $4000 sounds great until I see it is surrounded by suburbia, and I'm thinking of doing something that'd violate their zoning laws -- so whatever I buy needs to be way out there where people won't mind me doing crazy things.

First wild and crazy housing idea: tool shed. Big one, like 12x16 with a loft. Tool sheds have much less regulations than a house, plus they are extremely cheap. Like a couple thousand for the materials. I'd have a little heater (propane, kero, or I'll rip my pellet stove out of my current house, or use a little wood stove [can get those cheap]), probably insulate it. Its not illegal to live in one, right? I think I just have to make sure I don't put plumbing in it, or wire it up to the grid. I'd need a water source somehow, so a natural brook nearby could help, or maybe a well point as a last resort. Plus, I'd need a place to crap in. I see outhouses in Maine every so often... still legal in NH right? Or maybe just a portable chemical toilet. I just don't want to do that makes my tool shed become a "house".

Next idea: tow a dumpy (but not too dumpy) old camper or trailer onto property, then live in it. If it is a camper, it doesn't actually have to be drivable more than once, just to get it there. I think people get rid of these cheap when they are old, although I'm not sure how you tow one if all you have is a car. I'm assuming I'd have to pay someone to move it for me.

Other ideas would get into the area of tents, like a fancy $1000 yurt hut. But then I'm really roughing it. I'd prefer to avoid that.

Another issue is that I'll need a place to put my stuff, and what I describe above won't hold it all. Maybe a 2nd tool shed just for stuff, or use a storage place you pay for, or a root cellar if I'm really ambitious. What I'd be storing would mainly be guns, supplies (food etc) and equipment. All that fancy stuff I own now like furniture, book cases, TVs, etc. would all have to be abandoned or otherwise disposed of.

I also have 2 cats; they MUST be with me. My wife won't go along with any of this, so she'd most likely be elsewhere.

Thoughts? Am I nuts? Whatever I do, I don't want to end up in a tent city in CA... so planning ahead can be useful. Hopefully it'll never come to any of this, although I wouldn't mind buying a plot of land in advance just in case.

You need to watch that PBS program "Alone In The Wilderness." It sounds good if you
are in the Alaskan bush, but NH? Too populated by Ma**h***s. Maybe Me.

 

[K-DUB]

I also have 2 cats; they MUST be with me. My wife won't go along with any of this, so she'd most likely be elsewhere.

This is the best line in the OP. He's a man who has his priorities straight.

I hope it doesn't come to you having to rough it Prepper. Times are bad for a lot of us. It'll get better!

 

[highscore]

Lo and behold, I actually took pictures of that new cabin I mentioned that I didn't get. Look how cute that is! Has well and septic and everything. I can't seem to find any others like this anymore, on 5 acres. Oh well. Anyway, this is an example of the ultimate minimalist housing that I'd want to get. An old trailer for $1000 would be a worst case scenario that I'd prefer to avoid.

I like it! When did you look at it and how much was it. I'd love to find something while the prices are low. Not exactly a good time to buy but...
Highscore

 

[green_metalflake]

If it is the size of a tool shed, I'd like it to cost as little as a tool shed.

.......and, where do I keep all my stuff? Ah, shipping container on site, got it!

 

[green_metalflake]

I know for a fact that many people up there live in really odd ways...

A friend of ours long ago had a family place in Wakefield, NH that started out as a trailer and transmogrified into something resembling a home over a 20 year period. It had many unusual structural &, ahem....design choices.

 

[Hiltonizer]

A quick and dirty solution would be to park a travel trailer at a year-round RV park.

The parks are about 2k/year, and a quite livable 28' travel trailer can be had for 5-6k on craigslist.

Those RV sites will also have cable, sewer, water, and electric in most cases.

I've been looking into this too recently, firstly as a vacation spot but now as a minimalist option.

 

[Prepper]

I might consider the RV park if I had to. A sheeple mostly liberal friend of mine was talking about doing that a while back if he lost his job. It surprised me a bit, considering his politics.

Dumb question, are these "travel trailers" things that have an engine and you drive there with it? Old cheap campers tend to not be drivable after a while (was actually wondering if it could just be towed there if the engine was bad enough).

Edited to add: Looks like you hook them to a pickup and tow them. I don't have that capability... I suppose I could hire someone to tow it?

 

[Prepper]

I've been browsing Craig's List for a bit... and I must say it is absolutely amazing how fast a $50,000 toy can depreciate in value. Those poor slobs must feel pretty stupid spending all that money on a trailer they hardly use only to have it be almost worthless in just a few years.

Anyway, that could work out quite nicely. I wonder how difficult it would be to put one on my own plot of rural land... would need to hook up to water and septic somehow. That would cost quite a bit so paying campground hookup fees may be more cost effective. Plus, I think campground have Internet these days, right?

 

[Hiltonizer]

I've been browsing Craig's List for a bit... and I must say it is absolutely amazing how fast a $50,000 toy can depreciate in value. Those poor slobs must feel pretty stupid spending all that money on a trailer they hardly use only to have it be almost worthless in just a few years.

Anyway, that could work out quite nicely. I wonder how difficult it would be to put one on my own plot of rural land... would need to hook up to water and septic somehow. That would cost quite a bit so paying campground hookup fees may be more cost effective. Plus, I think campground have Internet these days, right?

Most of the campgrounds I seen have WiFi, just be sure to check.

And in regards to moving it, they are unmotored, and typically require nothing more than a 1500 pickup to move... i'm sure you got a friend with an F150 or a Tundra. If not, you can rent one from uhaul or enterprise.