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Entrepreneurship:  money matters  |
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cecelia
True Blue Farmgirl
497 Posts
cecelia
new york
USA
497 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 11 2005 : 5:32:59 PM
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I do not want to get personal in this topic, but I have been wondering something which kind of goes along with entrepreneurship, taking care of ourselves, etc. This is it: if you had a house/farm/trailer with a few acres, and enough savings to feel comfortable, how much income do you think you could live on? I don't mean with a family or children, I mean just by yourself? I have not been alone for some time and have been wondering just how I used to do it! I'm really not into buying a lot of things, and like to get a good value for my money (i.e. buying the best garden equipment I can afford, which will last, etc.) Do any of you live alone, and how are you doing!
Cecelia
ce's farm
"Curiosity is one of the forms of feminine bravery" Victor Hugo |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2005 : 1:51:58 PM
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I was recently, temporarily by myself while my husband was still working in FL and I was here in GA working on the house.
If the house/few acres were paid for, then just enough for the electric bill and about $40/week for groceries (less is definitely achievable - it's just what i had to pay recently without a kitchen to cook in, just a microwave and a grill, so things aren't as cheap) |
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LJRphoto
True Blue Farmgirl
760 Posts
Laura
Hickory Corners
MI
USA
760 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2005 : 11:57:14 PM
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| We are working on living with less and having more. It was something that I noticed in my son. He was always looking for the next thing and not enjoying the things that he has. It made me look at myself and consider the fact that it is probably something I am inadvertantly teaching him. So, while it will take time to get out of the hole we are in, I'm looking forward to seeing just how little we can live on and have more of the things that matter and more time to enjoy the things we have, especially eachother. |
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realme52
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Klara
Gatesville
Texas
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - Jul 22 2005 : 05:16:57 AM
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Cecelia,
I would love to have an answer to your question since I am very interested in this subject of "what can you do with". However, I think it's really hard to answer, because it depends on so many individual factors: Where you live (heating/cooling/electric/gas/solar,etc, if you grow your own food or do mostly "decorative" gardening, if you eat out a lot, have pets, etc.,etc. Of cause I am also in a different situation, because I don't live alone. They always say that it is more expensive when you are by yourself, since you need the same amount of energy to heat your place no matter if there are one or two persons living there, amongst other things....
Laura,
I don't know how old your son is. But there is an age span when kids typically work hard on experiencing the boundaries of just about anything. His tendency of seemingly not enjoying what he has but looking for "more" may be partly due to his need to find the limits of "what can be". In other words, the clearer it is made to him where those limits are, the less time he needs to spend on exploring how far he can push it. Just a thought....
from this hour i ordain myself loss'd of limits and imaginary lines -Walt Whitman |
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hapyhrt
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2005 : 12:50:54 AM
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Great question! I'm thinking that without house or car payments and no excess expenses like medical costs I could maybe get by on around $500.00 a month. Figuring in the property/school taxes, utilities, insurance fees, groceries and gas I'd say making ends meet on that much of a limited income would be do-able. 'Course that's taking into consideration that NY has the highest taxes and utility costs of anywhere or so I've been told! :(
Also, I'd have to have a few dollars to continue to add to savings for things like repairs, out of pocket medical charges and unexpected events.
Hmmm....ya got me thinking...just where does all the money go??? Oh, that's right, forgot about pet supplies, vet fees, cable tv, phone service, eating out at McDonald's or Pizza Hut and last but not least the much needed crafting supplies (cheaper than therapy! Ha!) Ü Birthday gifts for family and special occasions such as weddings. Oh well, so much for keeping it simple, eh!
Anyone have some frugal tips to make ends meet even with all the little extra's added in? That's what I'm really needing! Ü
"Think HAPPY Thoughts...any others aren't worth your time!" Ü |
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Jana
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Jana
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
USA
482 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2005 : 10:49:33 PM
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IF we were living in a place that was paid for and had no other debts outstanding and the taxes weren't too bad, I figure my husband and I could do it on less than 2000.00 a month, after taxes. We do have some health issues that would cost us more than healthier people!
Right now, I admit, we are struggling. We want to sell our home, but one basement wall needs replacing first, which we cannot afford to do. We have a debt against the house from a business venture that failed and also credit card debt. With the coming winter and the cost of heating and gas for the cars (tearfully thinking of selling mine), I really don't know how we are going to make it.
All I can say is, prepare for the unexpected. We did not and are in a mess!
Jana |
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laluna
True Blue Farmgirl
295 Posts
New York
USA
295 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2005 : 2:11:17 PM
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| Jana, I can empathize with you, as we recently *needed* to do some structural work to our house, which required a big chunk of our home equity loan, add to that mortgage, cars, and credit card debt, I feel like we're never going to get out of it! I can only hope that by steadily chipping away, in a few years' time, we will be much closer to the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. And if anyone has any suggestions or advice or experiences to share, I'd greatly appreciate it! |
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Entrepreneurship: money matters |
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money matters
