The American Dream You Have To Be Asleep To Believe iT!

I'm sorry if that's the impression you have gotten. In the 8-1/2 years SM has been open to the public, we have seen a few questionable characters but they don't usually last too long in this company. Most of us are basically friendly people with an abiding concern for not only their own security but that of others as well and always willing to share the benefit of what we have learned along the way. But make no mistake, we don't suffer fools or malicious intent easily. As we tell all new members upon their arrival "Our digital world is no different than the physical one in which you live, populated by people of diverse beliefs, personalities, experiences, and expectations and the Survivalmonkey forum is our community meeting room where our members can discuss everything from preparations to the good, the bad, and the ugly of their days. At it's best, you have arrived at a place where you might form friendships stronger than you would have imagined possible and the worst that can happen is that you might find a nugget of useful information that could, someday, save your life."

I believe that what you get in return is a reflection in the glass but we are not always aware of how our responses are perceived in the digital world. Absent face to face communication that includes facial expression and body language, it is easy to misinterpret the intent of a comment. That's something we all have to remember as we comment and question one another.

 

Good post RH. It's funny I was just having a very similar discussion yesterday on how what we convey in the written word can sometimes be seen entirely differently by one reading it. I know it has happened to me more than once. What I wrote and my intent was crystal clear to me but was completely misconstrued by another. I see this more in attempted humor, the joke is completely missed and the intent taken seriously. It is a tricky medium to converse in for sure.
By the way... this is MY dream home

 

Back to the main topic. Living mortgage free doesn't mean living in a tent. It is entirely possible to eliminate mortgage payments from your life, but you have to be willing to sacrifice and to drastically downsize. I think that is part of the "American Dream" con game is that you have to have the McMansion in the suburbs with the dog and 2.5 kids and drive the new beamer.
Now I am not being pompous or self righteous, just illustrating how I personally worked this. I deided early that I did not want to give my money away to rent someone elses house. So at 19 yrs old, newly married, I found an 8' X 54' trailer in a park for $1200. I bought it and we lived there for 2 years. I sold it for $1800. Next I bought a run down farm house that the realtor said needed to be torn down but I could move a trailer on the property. I borrowed some from family and bought it for $8000. I cleaned up the property and repaired and remodeled the house and sold it a couple of years later for $25,000. Next place I paid $15,000 cash for and same story, remodeled, cleaned up property, sold it for $35,000. Next house paid $25,000 cash for it and sold it for $55,000. I kept moving up each time to a more expensive and nicer place and never had a mortgage.
It wasn't easy but it can be done. Some of the places I lived were not much more than a shell. One house someone had stolen all of the copper wire and the well pump. We used kerosene lamps and heated with the fireplace. We hauled water from my granddads place and our bathroom was a 5 gallon bucket on the back porch. It took a few months to get electricity and running water to the place but we made it. And to this day my oldest still talks about the times we would play board games or I would read her stories at night by the kerosene lanterns. Those are some fond memories.
The less you owe to anyone the less chains you have on you. I think it should be a priority to anyone to be as debt free as possible. Even if that means you aren't living the "American Dream".
I live overseas now and it just sickens me to watch american television now. The blatant consumerism, the buy it now, you need this. It is nearly overwhelming after being away from it.

 

Even if you live it every day and don't puke, it can be overwhelming. But I digress--

Getting rid of debt should be a Number One priority. There is nothing to be gained by keeping up with the Joneses, nothing at all other than sinking on the same ship on which they are embarked. Without troubling everyone with the details, I have been on Federal ham and beans, and got out of that. Much later, sank to nearly the same level in jobless periods, and managed to clear things up in time to retire owing nothing other than to myself. It was worth the scaling back consumer instincts and raising the "do with less, use it up, wear it out" philosophy to get it done. Never did like paying interest on loans, but it was necessary now and then. So put the pressure on to limit that, and all should be well.

 

I did much the same thing as MinuteMan.... When Momma and I got engaged, I was looking for a place for us to live... I knew an old Guy who's Mother had Died, and left him a small house, near my Folks place. He was in town, cleaning it out, so he could do something with it. I went over and had a chat with him. He really wanted to get rid of the place, and told me, "Kid, I will sell you this dump for less than you can rent it. I will talk to your Dad, and we will cook you a deal." My father was the local Bank Manager. The house cost $10K and he carried the Contract at 6% and it was $100US/month. Took us ten years to pay that off, but, we burnt that mortgage and felt great. Then we needed to get a bigger place because our family was growing. Sold that place for $45k, and used that to build a bigger place, and only had to finance $40K at 6%, again... Paid that off in the next 20 years, and then moved to Alaska, into Company Housing. Sold that place for $145K, and banked those funds for future use. Then bought two 5 acre Lots, just 1.5 miles south of the Cannery, and built a Cabin, on the Beach Lot, with just $20k out of the House Fund. Been debt Free since moving to Alaska, and never looked back. When I reTired, in 2003, I took my Pension Money and invested it in long Term Annuities, and PMs that are banked off shore but close enough to get to, should I need to get to them. With what I make, plus my Social Security, we are easily in a Positive Cashflow, so the investments just ride, and build. It all started with that little house 40+ Years ago, and my Father, the Banker... Who taught all his children, to be very conservative with Family Money, and finances.... My Story, YMMV....

 

Sea in front, mountains behind, surrounded by pine forest. Pretty well self contained. Bottled gas for cooking, solar for water heating and radiant heating. 12,000 gallon potable water storage with 12 volt pumping system. Water is pumped from underground cisterns to holding tanks on roof that gives it the hydrostatic head for water pressure. A whole house generator for backup electricity. All in a country where you actually own your property. Taxes run about $56 per year and that pays for weekly trash pick up and 9 tons of potable water per month. If you don't want to pay it you have the choice to transport your own trash to the land fill and have a truck deliver your potable water or drill your own well. It's all up to you. Not the perfect survivalist retreat but not too bad.

 

Lots of sheep! There is a small orchard with 8 fruit trees. And about 2 1/4 acres adjacent that is for sale. Abundant small game in the forest. Rabbits, squirrels, dove. And a type of wild sheep. The nearby village has lots of chickens, eggs, and rabbits for sale or barter.

 

Ireland actually has a very attractive residency program with great tax advantages for foreigners. Money talks and in this depressed global economy nations around the world are fighting to attract foreign talent and investment.

 

131K with all the facilities...nice!!!

 

And I will not approach the banana comment!!