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

[Eagle]

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.

We get 2 weeks off in between working.

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.

Thanks for responding and clarifying.

You don't need your check stubbs if you have access to your account online right? All that is needed is to log in and to review the last few months of deposits. But let's go with your estimate of $1500 every 2 wks. If you get paid $1500 every two weeks then you're making $3000 a month when you're at work for 4 weeks. So one month you make $3000. The second month when you are 2 wks home and 2 wks at work you make $1500. So you make $4500 every 8 weeks. Do you get vacation? Do you take more time off?

Your current expenses are not $1300 a month it seems. You said your $1300 a mo current expenses didn't include health insurance or your 401k. Is there anything else not included? Also, you have variable income and not fixed. You'd need to look at your budget as the 4 weeks when you're at work (see below in orange) and the month when you split between 2 wks hm and wk (see below in green).

Expense | Month at Work (4 weeks) | Month Split at Home (2 wks wk, 2 wks hm)
Gas to get there 150 | 150 <--- Gas to get back hm
Car Insurance 70 | 70
Car Maintenance 20 | 20
Cell Phone 100 | 100
ProActiv 50 | 50
Hotel 250 | 250 <--- hotel to get back hm
Entertainment 0 | 50
Toiletries 100 | 100
Total 740 | 790

Or perhaps I'm looking at this wrong? Do you spend $150 for gas and $250 for hotels each way when you go back and forth to work? You have little to no expense during the 6 weeks at work. You make $4500 every 6 weeks. You spend $1530 every 8 weeks.

That is $2970 unnacounted for.

The reason www.mint.com is useful is because you can add your bank account, credit cards, etc. all to one website that allows you to see exactly where all your money is going. If my calculations are right above then there's over $2000 that is unnacounted for. You should be saving a lot more than $900 a month. Where is your money going?

[BuckyBadger]

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

Okay, so you don't make enough money to live cheaply in a mobile home, right? You can afford the home but not the lot rent and the ongoing costs. So you need to make more money.

Yet you say that there are ALL THESE THINGS that you refuse to do.

Is there also a list of things that you *would* do? Does *that* list exist?

Reality check - a lot of people aren't lucky enough to have a job that they really truly *love* to do. The vast majority of people "pick the subject they loathe the least and then do it every day." That's life. We do something that we don't mind so very terribly much and enjoy our weekends and evenings. Those who are inspired enough live very frugally while doing that and retire as soon as they can.

There is no magic way for you to buy a house with $12,000 that you can then afford month-to-month. Not unless you make more money. And you are COMPLETELY UNWILLING to do ANYTHING that might make it possible for you to earn more money. You're COMPLETELY UNWILLING to wait until you're in a better financial place to try to buy your own place.

If there is nothing you are willing to change, then there is nothing that anyone on this board can do to help you. Simple as that.

[bjl584]

If there is nothing you are willing to change, then there is nothing that anyone on this board can do to help you. Simple as that.

+1 to this.

[Eagle]

@GaiaGoddess

Further Questions:
A) The job good job you had for 18 years. Did you not save any money or put anything in retirement accounts?

B) Or was the money you saved used up when you were unemployed?

C) What happened to the equity of the house you were buying?

Lots of 40’somethings still rent. According to this link in 2013 from the U.S. Census Bureau roughly 65% of Americans own a home. 29% own it free and clear. This means about 111 million Americans still rent (as of July 2014 the U.S. has about a 319 million population).

An 11 hour trip shouldn’t take 2-3 days. If you are wanting to buy a house or mobile home you should probably spend 1 night at most. It would save you money in the short term and allow you to move out quicker in the long term. Food for thought.

I guess if your goal is to be happy then you need to make some changes. Particularly if your definition of happiness includes owning your own place.

“Live like no one else (today) so you can live like no one else (in the future).” - Dave Ramsey

The definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

I realize most people don’t want to be rich. However, most people want to be wealthy, to be able to provide for themselves, and retire comfortably. Getting there is the trick though. It means making sacrifices, planning, and working smart (not necessarily hard).

[Eagle]

@GaiaGoddess

Re: Hobbies and Interests… And being stuck to a job you don’t necessarily enjoy. That’s the problem right there. Your job isn’t supposed to make you happy. Your job is a means to an end. But a career? That is something you can grow with and succeed with. You need a career not a new job. One of the ways to get a career is to get further training or education. We work to live, not live to work.

I agree particularly with BuckyBadger the majority of people have to grow up and take responsibility for themselves. That often means studying subjects we don’t like or making changes in the short-run that are uncomfortable to help us succeed in the future.

I worked in retail/sales at times full-time and others part-time for nearly a decade. I hated it. Why did I do this? I was in school and the hours were flexible. But it was very difficult and I didn’t think I’d ever get a job outside that industry. Horrible managers, co-workers, customers you name it. I hope I never have to be in sales or retail again. Yet it was a means to an end.

You are doing a really good job in responding to people on the thread. Yet you are not open to the changes we suggest. I would agree with BJL584, BukyBadger, or Dawnwes that it seems like you are not really willing to change your mindset. That is unfortunate.

[Petunia 100]

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.

I chose ND because I did not know where your "home" was. The site referenced shows costs for all 50 states. From the same link:

Minnesota West Community and Technical College - Minnesota West Community and Technical College is a comprehensive community and technical college with five southwestern Minnesota campuses: Canby, Granite Falls, Jackson, Pipestone, and Worthington and three learning centers in Fairmont, Luverne and Redwood Falls Minnesota. Students have the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree, Diploma, or Certificate in more than 60 disciplines.


Tuition - http://www.mnwest.edu/business-office/tuition-fees/ – Tuition rates for fully online courses is $177.45. This rate does not apply to web-enhanced courses. Programs or specific courses may carry a higher per credit rate
Online Programs - http://www.mnwest.edu/minnesota-west...line-programs/,

https://mnwest.ims.mnscu.edu/

Minnesota West Online Programs include:
Apply now for online programs!
Accountant, A.A.S.
Accountant, Diploma
Accountant Clerk, Diploma
Administrative Assistant, A.A.S.
Administrative Assistant, Diploma
Biofuels Technology: Biodiesel Certificate
Biofuels Technology: Ethanol Certificate
Business, A.S.
Business Management, A.S.
Education Paraprofessional, Certificate
Energy Technical Specialist, A.A.S.
Healthcare Supervision and Leadership, Certificate
Information Security and Assurance, A.A.S.
Information Security Management, Certificate
Liberal Arts, A.A.
Management and Supervision in Healthcare, A.S.
Medical Administrative Secretary, AAS
Medical Secretary, Diploma
Medical Coding Specialist, Diploma
Three Year Nursing Program (Online) A.S.
Practical Nursing (Online) Diploma
Nursing A.S. (Online)
Receptionist, Certificate
Supervisory Leadership in Management, Certificate
Windsmith, Certificate

There is info for other colleges in Minnesota as well.

[Petunia 100]

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.

Have you ever considered self-employment?

[Petunia 100]

Here is another site I think you may enjoy. The author is no longer blogging, but you can read through the old posts. This family bought a house for 13k cash and moved to the middle of nowhere. The wife/mother had a part-time online job, and supported the family on that. Her job required a good deal of education, so is not a possibility for you. However, I think you may find it an informative and enjoyable read.

http://budgetingwiththebushmans.blogspot.com/

[Petunia 100]

And you know, there is a blogger here who lives full-time in an RV parked near the entrance to an oil field (if I recall correctly). She is a paid security guard. Does anyone know who I am thinking of? She has not made any new posts in a while. Still, I recall her giving some information regarding how she got this job. You could read through her blog.

I think there is a solution out there for you somewhere, but I am not certain how flexible you are willing to be, or what you are/aren't willing to do.

[cardtrick]

How about taking the amtrak from MN to ND and timing it so that you don't need to spend $500 on hotel stays every month? Would also save you that $150 in gas money.

It comes down to this: Cut costs or make more money. Unfortunately, no one is going to pay you a lot of money to do unskilled jobs that require no customer interaction. So, if you want to make more money, you will have to "suck it up" and do something you don't enjoy.

Social anxiety can be controlled if not completely eliminated. You just have to work on it little by little.

[Eagle]

I have never tried to skate by on as little as possible...hell i'm working 84 hours a WEEK right now, I work harder than all of my friends combined! I am fine with hard work, what gets me is DESPITE my hard work, I have nothing to show for it. I'm not saying I deserve to live in a mansion while working part time, I am saying I deserve a roof over my head, that is all. I would live in a trailer park or an RV in a campground even!

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!

I'm getting the feeling your friends may not be good comparisons. Do they make minimum wage as well? Do they own homes?

It seems you do have something to show for your hard work. 12k in cash and your 401k. Assuming you retire around the age of 65 you have about 24 more years of work left. The way you post you'd think you are in your late 50's or early 60's.

What you can do is keep working the job you have for another 5 years and live with roommates while renting. If you can save up $12k a year that would be 60k in 5 years. So that means you'd have 72k saved up (12k you have now and the 60k you'd make) and your 401k on top of that. (I think you could save up more personally unless I'm not looking at the numbers correctly)

With 72k you could buy a house outright in many places. Or at least put half down on a decent house.

Your situation isn't really all that bad (you have a steady job, money in the bank, you are saving for retirement, and you probably will have a pension for the 18 years you worked at your previous job) considering you are unwilling to help yourself by changing your situation.

[hamchan]

I wasn't suggesting you go to school for something you wouldn't like. Merely pointing out there are many many options out there. My mom is 62 and she cleans bathrooms at a theme park 50+ hours a week. She is in excellent physical condition, but it's very hard for her. And at some point her age will not allow her to keep doing that kind of work. She owns her own land, but has no house. At least she has kids who will support her if the need arises. You don't. You may want to eally think that over.

[GaiaGoddess]

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.

The school I wanted to go to was called McNally Smith, which is $13,000 per SEMESTER, times 4 per year is $52,000. $56,000 for 4 years of the U of M. Sorry I said per year, I meant that's what it would be total. Still way too much, I don't even think i'll have my job long enough to save up that much.

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

I WORK in ND, I live in MN.

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

Yeah, that's why I didn't make a big deal of it, but still explained why it wasn't an option I was willing to pursue.

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?

I've already said, I have 401k money I can't touch til I retire (which is enough to buy a cheap mobile home), I also will be getting social security, I don't remember the amount because I haven't gotten a statement in a few years but it doesn't affect me now anyway. I believe it's around $600 a month. And I never said I was going to retire early, I might not even retire at all, I just want to LIVE CHEAPLY, i want to live smart and use my money for what I need.

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

Hostility!?

[GaiaGoddess]

Thanks for responding and clarifying.

You don't need your check stubbs if you have access to your account online right? All that is needed is to log in and to review the last few months of deposits. But let's go with your estimate of $1500 every 2 wks. If you get paid $1500 every two weeks then you're making $3000 a month when you're at work for 4 weeks. So one month you make $3000. The second month when you are 2 wks home and 2 wks at work you make $1500. So you make $4500 every 8 weeks. Do you get vacation? Do you take more time off?

I work for 6 weeks, not 4. and yes I can check my account online, I just rarely do it so it slipped my mind. I just logged in now, and double checked. My last few 2 week paychecks were; $1535, $1478, and $1478 again. (i'm assuming it was different because of insurance, since that's the only variable, my hours are always the same, pay is always the same, and 401k is always the same.) Since I work a full month one month and 2 weeks of the next month, I always just figure I work 3 weeks a month, and $700 times 3 is $2100, so I figure I bring home $2100 a month.

Your current expenses are not $1300 a month it seems. You said your $1300 a mo current expenses didn't include health insurance or your 401k. Is there anything else not included? Also, you have variable income and not fixed. You'd need to look at your budget as the 4 weeks when you're at work (see below in orange) and the month when you split between 2 wks hm and wk (see below in green).

How is my income not fixed? It's the same every time, depending on if that's the check health insurance comes out of. and yeah I wasn't counting insurance and 401k in there since those are taken out before I get my checks.

7Expense | Month at Work (4 weeks) | Month Split at Home (2 wks wk, 2 wks hm)
Gas to get there 150 | 150 <--- Gas to get back hm
Car Insurance 70 | 70
Car Maintenance 20 | 20
Cell Phone 100 | 100
ProActiv 50 | 50
Hotel 250 | 250 <--- hotel to get back hm
Entertainment 0 | 50
Toiletries 100 | 100
Total 740 | 790

Or perhaps I'm looking at this wrong? Do you spend $150 for gas and $250 for hotels each way when you go back and forth to work? You have little to no expense during the 6 weeks at work. You make $4500 every 6 weeks. You spend $1530 every 8 weeks.

That is $2970 unnacounted for.

The way you're figuring it is making my head spin, lol Its much easier if you average it out over a 2 month period, like I explained above...I work 6 weeks out of every 8 so that's 3 weeks every month, it makes it easier. Yes my expenses are more when i'm travelling and when i'm home, but I average them out so its spread over a month so I know what my monthly average is. It's too hard to remember 2 different numbers, especially when they can vary.

From home to work i'll spend $150 in gas, then from work to home is another $150. Then while i'm home I usually fill it at least one other time just driving around home. So $300-$400 total for 2 months but it's easier to split it in half and just do it monthly. The hotel expenses vary depending on the time of year, in the winter I stay longer to wait out snowstorms plus it's harder to switch my sleeping schedule in the winter because it's dark most of the time so I sometimes stay 3 nights in a hotel, actually MOST times leaving work i'll stay 3 nights because that's when it's the hardest to get up early enough to check out.

The reason www.mint.com is useful is because you can add your bank account, credit cards, etc. all to one website that allows you to see exactly where all your money is going. If my calculations are right above then there's over $2000 that is unnacounted for. You should be saving a lot more than $900 a month. Where is your money going?

I can see on my account statement where all my money is going, every transaction is listed there. There are no surprises. Some months I spend more in hotels, some months I spend more with my cellphone (i've gone up and down with my data plan a few times), I had some medical bills over the last 4 or 5 months, I paid over $100 for that that insurance didn't cover, it's just small things here and there, then there was Christmas, I usually spend at least $500 on Christmas presents. Birthdays, mothers day, fathers day, my brothers birthday, my 2 nephews birthdays, etc.

[GaiaGoddess]

Okay, so you don't make enough money to live cheaply in a mobile home, right? You can afford the home but not the lot rent and the ongoing costs. So you need to make more money.

Yeah, I can afford the home itself but not the rest of it. It's close, but there's nothing else I can cut. You HAVE to have insurance, food, a phone, gas, etc.

Yet you say that there are ALL THESE THINGS that you refuse to do.

I made that list to give examples of the kinds of jobs I can't or won't do (can't, in most cases). I figured people would offer suggestions as if I hadn't already thought of it myself, so I wanted people to know I have already been there and if I wanted to be doing one of those jobs I would already be doing it.

Is there also a list of things that you *would* do? Does *that* list exist?

Well, this is the way it goes; I end up with a job I am willing to give a chance to, and most of the time I end up quitting for some reason. I can go into detail with some explanations so you know what I mean...

My first job was McDonalds and I sucked so bad at working with customers that they had to stick me in the back, in the grill area. That job was minimum wage and I wasn't getting full time hours so I had to get something that paid more.

My 2nd job was the factory I was at for 18 years. I was doing various light manufacturing jobs, some were as easy as sitting in a chair and putting folders into boxes. Even handicapped people could do it (and did). I would have stayed there forever, at the point I got laid off I was up to $15 an hour.

My 3rd job was an awake overnight person at a teenage shelter. I was the person that prepped their meals for the next day, did their laundry, and paperwork. That stuff would have been awesome but another part of my job was answering the phone and taking in new kids and that was the part I couldn't handle. These kids were troubled and on drugs and had behavioral issues, that I wasn't trained for and I couldn't handle the stress, I also have a phone phobia so I actually got in trouble for not answering the phone and when I did it a few times I had a panic attack. I knew I had to get out of there. I wasn't getting full time hours anyway so that wouldn't have been good enough.

My 4th job was housekeeping at a bed & breakfast. Unfortunately, it was working morning hours and I quickly realized how bad my DSPS was (the circadian rhythm disorder). I couldn't get more than an hour or two of sleep a day. I had to quit just because I couldn't get enough sleep. That job was only part time too though so I still wouldn't have been able to stay there.

My 5th job was at a thrift store where I priced and sorted clothes and hung them in the right areas in the store. Although I wasn't cashiering, I still had problems being around customers. I would feel overwhelmed and stressed out just being in the store. Many days I dont know how I made it through, customers were asking me questions and I can't handle that for very long. I felt drained and stressed out and it wasn't even a full time job. I had that job for 2 years until I finally found something that would allow me more of a peaceful atmosphere...

My 6th (and current) job is a prep cook, and since i'm working overnight, 90% of my shift is when there's hardly anyone in there so I rarely have to deal with customers, I pretty much do my prepping alone in the back and it's awesome. It's the only job i've ever had that I could say I loved. But it isn't permanent, and nobody knows how long it'll last.

As for things I enjoy doing when i'm not at work...photography, writing, researching things, reading, learning, enjoying nature, travelling, I love storms, spirituality, metaphysics, organic food, herbs, etc.

I have researched MANY careers that involve my interests but I haven't found a single one that allows me to make a living. Some of my interests don't even have jobs that involve doing them. I love stormchasing but you can't get paid for that, the "professionals" that do it pretty much do it in their spare time and it's super expensive so if they are lucky enough to sell a video or picture to the news or something, they don't make enough to cover what they spend.

Reality check - a lot of people aren't lucky enough to have a job that they really truly *love* to do. The vast majority of people "pick the subject they loathe the least and then do it every day." That's life. We do something that we don't mind so very terribly much and enjoy our weekends and evenings. Those who are inspired enough live very frugally while doing that and retire as soon as they can.

Well that's what makes me different, I think it's insanity to go through life settling on something just because that's how most people do it. Nobody LIVES, they just exist to pay the bills. That isn't enough for me.

There is no magic way for you to buy a house with $12,000 that you can then afford month-to-month. Not unless you make more money. And you are COMPLETELY UNWILLING to do ANYTHING that might make it possible for you to earn more money. You're COMPLETELY UNWILLING to wait until you're in a better financial place to try to buy your own place.

If there is nothing you are willing to change, then there is nothing that anyone on this board can do to help you. Simple as that.

Most people are conventional and will offer advice on what they've done, what everyone else has done, but that doesn't mean it's right for everyone. I guess I was hoping for someone else with my views on life who thinks out of the box. I feel like there HAS to be an answer out there somewhere. I still haven't checked those links somebody posted for me, I had a wedding today and have been getting prepared for that and now i'm going to prepare for my return back to work so don't think i'm not taking some of this advice, I am just short on time and i'll get to it eventually.