I need advice on how to use my money for a cheap place to live

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I wish you could clear the time to look at some education possibilities that might lead to a job you enjoy, that pays better, and that is one you could likely do even as you age. There are just all sorts of things out there. Just as an example, you can learn phlebotomy (blood drawing) in three hours a class, three classes a week for 11 weeks. Then you do 15 days of supervised clinicals and you're in. That pays about $15/hour.

[hamchan]

You could look into building your own little house on a trailer. Then you could haul it around with you, but still have your vehicle free. Lots of people are doing it. There are tons of blogs and videos and "how-to" things out there.

I would also encourage you to look into some kind of vocational training. The return on investment is often better than many college degrees. And if you're not interested in working in a cubicle (I'm not either) vocational courses have a lot to offer in that vein. I have a manicurist license and a massage therapist license, and my husband is a certified personal trainer. None of those took more than 9 months to do, and they all pay at least twice minimum wage. And no cubicles.

[GaiaGoddess]

I think that you need to start thinking and approaching life completely differently if anything is ever going to get better for you. Several people have offered advice and suggestions, but every time you respond with endless excuses and rationalizations as to why things are the way that they are, why nothing will ever change, and why no idea that anyone has offered could ever possibly work. If you are content with your current life situation, then fine. Carry on. But, I would have to think that if you came to this forum, then you must be wanting to change something about your situation. But, you seem to have this mindset that nothing will ever change and no idea, plan, or course of action will ever change anything or make anything better. Until you come out of your comfort zone, then nothing ever will change for you. You have to be willing to do something different or you will just have to be content with the way that your life is now. Like I said, you must at least be thinking in the back of your mind that you need to do something different or you wouldn't have came to this forum. Unless you are trolling. Either way, you should seriously consider listening to the people on here. Best of luck to you.

What do you mean by trolling?

I AM listening to people, i'm just answering their questions and explaining more in detail why I am in the situation i'm in. All I wanted was to know if there were other ways of owning a home that I'm not aware of, and the best way I could utilize the $12,000 I have right now.

[GaiaGoddess]

It doesn't seem like a good idea to buy near where you work if there's a good chance the work will evaporate in a couple years.

I understand that around the energy-extracting areas of ND there is an upward price pressure on housing, both rentals and individually owned--not to mention just a plain shortage. So you'd be in competition with a lot of people. No wonder the workplace has provided some housing.

No i'm not trying to find a place to live in ND, I already have a room at work. I'm trying to find a place in MN where I live (when i'm not at work, lol). I know the job won't last forever and this is where I grew up, where my family and friends are.

Wherever you work or live, have you looked into "lease to own?" That is an option that could ease you into ownership while giving you the freedom to pick up and leave as needed to follow a job, or whatever. I caution you that a lot of lease-to-own situations fall through because the aspiring owner really doesn't have the income to keep up with the responsibilities. You, however, have shown that you can save in tight money circumstances. Your money discipline might mean that you are one who could benefit from lease-to-own.

Sometimes lease-to-own is offered by people who have been unable to outright sell their house, whether because of condition, undesireable area, falling local population, poor local incomes, whatever. Owners offering such a contract may be willing to negotiate terms.

I'm doubting that there are any such situations where you work now. But perhaps you could find one if in the future you move to a larger city, one with a bigger pool of and variety in housing.

I don't know much about lease to own except that my best friend did that with a house and ended up getting screwed really badly. It was a horrible experience for him. I am not against it though. I haven't seen a mobile home or RV up for lease though, they're all for sale, final.

[GaiaGoddess]

What qualifications would you need to be the boss? You enjoy the work you do now, so becoming the boss would be one way to earn more. The more you earn, the sooner you can reach your goals.

To be the boss there you just have to work your way up, suck up to the managers, pretty much LOL But I want nothing to do with being a boss, it's stressful (probably why most of them drink), and my current boss who isn't a drinker but he is quitting because it's so stressful. It's stressful enough for ME and I'm pretty low on the ladder!

Are you familiar with such sites as Early Retirement Extreme and Mr. Money Mustache? I think you might find some useful ideas on the forums. Those sites are full of people focusing on living inexpensively in order to retire early.

Ooh thank you!! These sites sound interesting, thanks for sharing!

[GaiaGoddess]

Just another thought.

How about ownership of a "rear house" or carriage house on a city lot? In my city there are some lots that include two houses. Usually the one in the back is smaller and was built for family back during the Great Depression or earlier. But often the first house is small as well. This means that modernly, there are people have two inexpensive houses that "should," by some standards, sell for nearly as much as a single big house. Yet those with enough money will buy the single big house, and people who want out from under the double house situation are stuck unable to find a buyer. (This was the case here, even at the height of the real esate bubble.) I imagine if proper arrangements could be made with the city, then then at least one house could be given its own address, with or without accompanying ground. That would make it an inexpensive house to buy because the situation is so unsual.

I've never heard of that, wow! I'll look into that! Would these houses be listed on a regular real estate site? I have been keeping an eye on what goes up for sale here but have never seen anything like that, unless there is a special place to look for them.

[GaiaGoddess]

Where are you looking to buy? It sounds like housing is taken care of at your job, where you are most of the time, but then you have to travel a great distance to go 'home' where your mother lives, but you really are only there a few days out of the month.

I'm looking to buy in my town in MN where I really live, because I know I won't be at my job forever, I have no desire to stay in ND after i'm done there. But I want something ASAP because I can't stand living with my mom, yes it's just a week or so every other month but it's almost unbearable for me.

[GaiaGoddess]

$600 a month isn't bad. That was still 42.3% of your income though. So what happened to this house?

The person I shared it with bought a different house so he said I could stay there or we could sell it. I couldn't afford it alone and didn't know anyone who was looking to rent, so I had no choice but to sell it.

[GaiaGoddess]

Gaia, from what you listed I only see $1290 in expenses. And that is on the high end with $500 for hotels.

Gas $300
Car insurance $70
Car Maintenance $20
Cell Phone $100
ProActiv $50
Groceries $100
hotels $500
Car Payment $0
Entertainment $50
Toiletries $100
Total 1290

That is my current expense list. The bigger one was the one for when I have a mobile home (assuming I buy one, which is the most likely scenario). So I was adding lot rent and homeowners insurance to that, plus gas & electric bills, and cable/internet too.

You said you make $10 an hour. Assuming you get paid time and a half (or $15 an hour) for the 44 hours of overtime… Your checks should be weekly about $1060. Take $250 (23.6%) out for taxes and your making $810 a week. In 6 weeks at $810 a week you’d be making $4,860.00.

I don't feel like digging around for my check stubs wherever they are but I know my 2 week checks are always about $1500. And for one week it's a little over $700. I also put some into a 401k and they also take some out for health/dental insurance.

You work 6 weeks straight at a time. How long between going back and forth to work? A week or two?

We get 2 weeks off in between working.

You saved 12k over the last year or 1k per month. Where is the rest of your money going?

See your list up there, that's my current expenses list, about $1300 a month. I take home on average about $2200 a month, my expenses are $1300 a month, so i'm saving about $900 a month, for a year that's about $12,000.

No I've never heard of that Mint.com site, but I never saw the point in stuff like that when you already know where your money is going. I have my bank account online, I can check that.

[GaiaGoddess]

@GaiaGoddess

An observation: Making a decision when you are desperate (to get away from Mom) is not a good idea. That’s what it seems like with this idea of moving out and buying your own place.

I'm only desperate now because it's making me depressed and affecting my relationships with my family members. I wasn't desperate when I first moved back here (4 years now). I was actually researching RV's longer ago than that, when I lived in my apartment (which was 7 years ago now). I knew renting was throwing money away but I couldn't afford the house by myself and I wasn't about to move in with my mom so I HAD to rent. But then I got laid off from a good paying job I had for 18 years, survived off unemployment money for a while then I lost the apartment. So this isn't just something I thought of this week or this month or even this year, i've been trying to find a cheap way to own a place to live for about 7 years now.

I agree with other posters renting is a better option for you right now. Get a couple roommates and you can probably get a place for $300-500 a month. It would be a win/win situation as you’d be gone 6 weeks at a time anyway right? Or why not live up in North Dakota?

I'll never buy a house in ND, lol I HATE that state. I guess having roommates might be my only option. I was planning on having a roommate in my mobile home but even that would cost too much (once I quit this job, that is). As much as I hate living with people and need to be alone, I guess i'd rather live with 2 or 3 other roommates than with my mom. Ugh it just seems like i'm settling. I want to own something because how many 40-somethings still rent if they can help it? I wouldn't be truly happy with people around me all the time, and that's the whole point, to get into a place where i'm happy. I'm constantly surrounded by people at work and here, I never get any time alone except when i'm sleeping or travelling which is why I always take 2 or 3 days to do an 11 hour drive, being in a hotel is the happiest I ever am, lol

At 41 you are not considered old. If you were to get further education or certification it might take you 2-6 years say. 2-3 years for a certification or 4-6 years for an education. Either way you’d still be in your mid to late 40’s. The average life expectancy for women in the U.S. is 81 years.

I know, I tend to age myself faster than other people do. I just feel like college is for 20-somethings and I should have my **** together by now, lol It has been together a few times, it just fell apart. I also struggled with what classes to take, since I have no interest in any of the stuff people go to college for. My list of interests and hobbies are just that, hobbies.

There is no such thing as getting rich quick. Wealth is built over time, takes planning, and takes a lot of effort.

I dont even want to be RICH, I just want my own roof over my head. People who live in trailer parks are NOT rich.

So the way I look at it you have a few options:

1) Keep doing what you’re doing. Ride the wave of this job for a few more years then get another $8-10 an hour job near where you live. (This looks like what you are expecting right?)

This is probably the most likely option, I was just hoping all the money i'm saving could be used towards a place, so by the time I dont have this job anymore, I wont need a lot of money anymore. I was thinking the price of the home, specifically. I COULD buy a mobile home right now no problem, and have no mortgage for the rest of my life! But lot rent along with other expenses just came to more than I thought it would. This WAS my plan, and since now I am aware it won't work, that's why I'm asking for more options that I haven't seen yet.

2) Keep doing what you’re doing. Ride the wave of this job for a few more years then possibly get a better job where you currently live. (Possible but unlikely)

Yeah, possibly but unlikely is right! This would be the best option, then I wouldn't even have to worry about anything anymore! I COULD afford to live in a mobile home!

3) Keep doing what you’re doing. Ride the wave of this job for a few more years then possibly get a different or better job where you. (Have you thought of this?)

You didn't finish, did you mean where I work? Yes I have thought of it, and here are the 2 options there;

1) Keep getting jobs that provide housing- but they are phasing those out, they won't be around much longer. I could go into detail but in a nutshell, the county where these camps are located in are eliminating them and putting up hotels instead.

2) I could get a "normal" job in ND which pays good also but those don't offer free housing, and all my money would go towards housing then, if I was even lucky enough to get a place. The housing shortage is the reason why these camps and hotels are going up, the city just doesn't have enough apartment buildings and houses for sale. Some people even live in their cars. Most apartments are going for $2000 a month and up.

4) Change jobs to something more local to where you live (near your Mom) and pursue some kind of education or certification to improve your situation. (This has the potential of landing you a better job and a real career wouldn't you agree?)

Well again we're at the obstacle of not wanting to take any of the classes that are out there. I have literally NO desire to be a nurse, secretary/office worker, doctor, lawyer, dental assistant, court reporter, veterinarian, massage therapist, computer engineer, banker, manager, social worker, saleperson, construction worker, I could go on. The idea of picking a subject you loathe the least and paying to be taught it and then being stuck having to do it every day just makes me want to run away and live in the woods in a tent. lol I would do that if I lived in the south, but that stuff doesn't fly in the north, lol

[GaiaGoddess]

As a ND resident, tuition PER YEAR is only $4,000. And if you don't want to do a 4 year degree you could go for a 2 year degree or certificate program. It is mostly online too.

See my previous post where I said "I HATE North Dakota, I would never live there" lol It's not worth an education. The sad thing is you can learn how to do ANYTHING online, for free, and if it isn't there it's in a textbook somewhere or even in a normal book in the library. I despise the entire education system. If I had kids I wouldn't even send them to school, i'd home school them. I can't stress enough how against paying for education I am. But that's another whole subject, this isn't really the placee to go into my views on that.

My real question has nothing to do with income, but what it is you might actually enjoy doing. Right now you are dead ending.....very little in terms of savings, retirement, future, etc....

I have more savings NOW than I ever have in my life! I have money in my 401k, something most of my friends don't have. I will be getting social security from the job I had for 18 years. I dont know what more I can do, I'm saving everything I can trying to buy a place to live!

Where do you want to be in 10 years? 5 years? Heck, even the next 2 years? Do you want to keep earning $10/hour at a job you hate? If so, then keep doing what you are doing. If not, find a way out of it and into something else.

Dawn

I don't hate my job, I never even said that. But it's not permanent so it doesn't matter, it's the only job I can get where i'm actually able to save money. And I can answer your question with the same answer no matter how many years you go forward; I want to own my own place to live and be able to afford it, that's all! I don't even care if I only make $1 more than my expenses are, I just want to be able to have my OWN place. It doesn't even seem that difficult, I've seen people who have bad credit who didnt even graduate high school who live off welfare and haven't had a decent job past McDonalds LIVING IN A NICE MOBILE HOME!

[GaiaGoddess]

That is the cheapest you have seen? Where are you looking? According to this link, the cost per unit at community colleges in North Dakota, for both tuition and fees, is $182.92. A two year degree requires approximately 60 credits. That is a total cost of $10,975.20 for two years. Books are extra, of course. Certifications typically require less than 60 credits, though of course it depends on what program you choose.

Well I live in MN so I am not checking for ND schools. Look at the U of M or any of the community colleges around Minneapolis/St.Paul.

[GaiaGoddess]

I wish you could clear the time to look at some education possibilities that might lead to a job you enjoy, that pays better, and that is one you could likely do even as you age. There are just all sorts of things out there. Just as an example, you can learn phlebotomy (blood drawing) in three hours a class, three classes a week for 11 weeks. Then you do 15 days of supervised clinicals and you're in. That pays about $15/hour.

When I was unemployed for a year (this was 6 years ago), I did research education possibilities. I was required to look for jobs every day in order to keep getting unemployment, and I got more and more upset. I didn't want to do anything out there, and I wasn't qualified anyway. Then I thought ok what do I want to do, and I researched that stuff, well, what they even have jobs for, and all that stuff isn't even a guaranteed career, it's only stuff like you might get lucky and can quit your day job. As for phlebotomy, no. I dont want anything to do with needles. I dont want to be a nurse. That's probably the least desirable job I could think of. It's just not me at all. I dont even go to doctors myself unless it's an emergency. That's another subject I could go on for hours about, how against it I am. I certainly wouldn't want to work in a profession I don't believe in.

[GaiaGoddess]

You could look into building your own little house on a trailer. Then you could haul it around with you, but still have your vehicle free. Lots of people are doing it. There are tons of blogs and videos and "how-to" things out there.

I have looked into that, but I still can't tow it with my vehicle.

I would also encourage you to look into some kind of vocational training. The return on investment is often better than many college degrees. And if you're not interested in working in a cubicle (I'm not either) vocational courses have a lot to offer in that vein. I have a manicurist license and a massage therapist license, and my husband is a certified personal trainer. None of those took more than 9 months to do, and they all pay at least twice minimum wage. And no cubicles.

lol Funny you mention massage therapist, that was one of the jobs I listed as something I would never do! I'm not a touchy feely person, I barely touch my family, friends and the men I date, I certainly don't want to be touching strangers, lol Just not for me.

[dawnwes]

Univ. of Min. is lower than $14,000 per year. The community college is $5,000. Your estimation of $40,000 is still way off.

We were confused about your location because you mentioned ND earlier.

However, it looks like you are not willing to go to school anyway, so that is out no matter what.

I still don't think you are looking at your future at all. You are 40. When you are 70, what retirement funds will you be living on if you are living month to month now?

We are all trying to help but every suggestion is met with near hostility.

Well I live in MN so I am not checking for ND schools. Look at the U of M or any of the community colleges around Minneapolis/St.Paul.