Trotsky

Picking up and moving does take planning. After I retired, my wife and I talked about doing something else. She agreed as long as she could keep working. We agreed on Barbados as we had been here many times and we were tired of the cold. It does take resolve as so many things can and do change. My kids are grown so it was just me and my wife. Having a pension made the whole thing possible. I also have an Irish passport and that comes with EU citizenship, but staying warm all year round was important to both of us. We got rid of so many things. My wife loved antiques, so we had allot of those to sell. They don't sell well, so we took a bath on everything. We got down to clothes, bicycles, kitchenware, books, electronics, and anything small. We have friends on the island, so they pointed us to a shipper and away it went. We found a nice place furnished to live and away we went. It all helps when everyone speaks the same language sort of. My wife looked into working here, but it didn't work out, as she only wanted to work part time, and the cost of the work permit was too high to work only part time. So she got a license in Florida and works there for a few months a year, and that makes her happy. She has looked into working in England or Ireland, but the process is incredible, and it would be easier to live there 5 years and get her citizenship. We are still in love with the Carribean, so travelling is the option. Once you move to one country, the desire to move again is alway there in your mind. Moving around the world is getting more difficult, as everyone is getting into security and some countries are not open to foreign nationals moving in. I have run into so many englush speaking people who have been travelling for years. It almost seems as if the Americans are the only ones not moving around. Of course most english speaking people all belong to the comonwealth, so that does make it easier. People are the same anywhere, so making friends is never a problem. I have friend here who volunteers at the same place I do, and she grew up in fayettsville, NC. She married an Aussie, lived in Austrailia for 30 years, raised a child, divorced, and married a Bajan here. So there are all kinds of stories in the world. I admire the young people who find ways to get work permits in other countries and establish their lives in those countries. Having a pension makes it much easier, as I am too busy being retired to work at a job.

rossiny

I am originally from Italy..with Italian citizenship and my legal green card for USA.. never applied for US citizenship .. 900$.. (dont know why ) I pay plenty in taxes ,, you figure would just be automatic after say 10 years...Lived here most my life here and only went back to Italy twice in the 50 years I have lived in the USA.. Just visited a few states.. would love to try bike touring.. I guess you have plenty to explore in Barbados..

rossiny

Sorry to get off topic. As far a simple living , I am in the process of downsizing. My home is very small but my remodel business has gone to some smaller rental properties as a necessity for work...I just feel a need to downsize and get rid of mortgages to simplify, if I will be able to do any touring .. hard to tour if you worried about tenants paying or calling for maintenance..🙄

technoD

Trying to Downsize, but lately it's been a Epic fail ! 😰 I moved to a Subsidized apartment building, but Still find myself Hoarding Camping and Survival gear ! I wonder sometimes if my subconscious isn't trying to prepare me for another stint of homelessness ! Being that Winter is around the corner, this would be unfortunate ! Then again, I've always had a tendency to collect Shtf gear ... As far as Vehicles, My Mountain bike is the Only thing that makes sense 👍

Nycycle

technoD

Well Nycycle , I'm Sure you've heard of Divorce Right ?? IF I Was was Married to a Woman prone to living on Pills and Opioids , I'd Be GONE so fast, she'd Feel the Breeze as I went Out the Door !! ☹️

rossiny

you must be young. Good time to do. Dont know how I would get the time to do . I am self employed, so basically would have to give up business for a while. Are you doing alone or in a group?

Smallwheels

I'm still living the simple life. My single rented room was finally feeling like home so I bought a sixteen cube shelving unit. It works great. My other furniture is a cot; a folding lounge chair designed for outdoor use, and a bar stool with a backrest. Now my landlord has taken in an ex con who tried to kill somebody. He smokes indoors when he knows he's breaking the terms of the lease. He sprays cologne to mask the smoke odor. He and his girlfriend have shouting matches with her crying baby visiting. Now he's added a puppy (pitbull mix obviously) and it's not so pleasant around here with his evil vibe. The landlord essentially wants me and the other tenant to catch him smoking before he will even say something to him. My point being that I'm glad I live simply because if this goes on much longer I'll have an easy time moving out.

Earlier in the year I ordered eight black plastic cargo bins. Those were to hold some of my existing items and to make moving much neater. Everything won't fit into them but I feel comfort knowing that I could be out of here in half a day if need be. The longest job would be disassembling my sixteen cube shelf.

I would rather stay here in this rented room than live in a van again, but if this scene becomes too bothersome I'll buy a used Uhaul box truck and put my rent money into making it beautiful inside and for future maintenance costs. There are plenty of gyms in town where I could shower every day.

Smallwheels

There is nothing wrong with having a high paying job and living the simple life at the same time. If you like your job and its benefits keep it. Just get rid of unneeded things and feel the relief of having less clutter. Having lots of money gives you more choices. Choices are good.

Depending on your age you might consider working a few more years and at the same time getting rid of clutter. Then all of that money you saved could let you retire and live on $5000 per year for the remainder of your life. If you take home $100,000 per year that alone would last twenty years. When I lived in my minivan I spent very little on living beyond food, water, gasoline, and car insurance. The van was old and was eventually sold for $300. I bought it for $800 two years earlier. At least $200 was spent on repairs and another $150 to turn it into a stealthy tiny house on wheels.

On this forum several years ago there was talk about the annual cost of an automobile. Some calculations had the price in the $4000 range. Others had it at $7000. If you lived in a van you could expect to pay that much plus other expenses like food and possibly health insurance. That could cost a fortune if you want health insurance. Unfortunately living simply in the USA requires earning a lot of money just to get by with shelter, transportation, and insurance.

Smallwheels

The individual mandate for people to purchase health insurance was repealed. Get insurance if you want it.

I-Like-To-Bike

What kind of "high paying job" do you have that doesn't offer health insurance benefits, or that doesn't provide enough income to pay for health insurance?

Smallwheels

It's the middle of October 2018. Even if what you read were true do you think the government would care if you didn't have health insurance for two and a half months? Don't worry about it.

kshapero

I sold my car and use an e-bike to get around. My wife has a Chevy Bolt all electric car.

gios

If I gave up my car I'd have to get a smart phone. It could be done.

bjjoondo 

Being honest, we were forced to give up our 30 year old Ford Ranger Pick Up Truck, with only our very meager SS retirement income we just couldn't afford to maintain it! Alas it died anyway, transmission failure, the steering column snapped in two and it needed engine work too!! Now we can't dream of ever affording a truck again! So I made us a home built utility trailer to haul on my 13 year old SUN EZ-1 SX recumbent bicycle, we live in a "as cheap as we could find and it's STILL TOO EXPENSIVE for our budget 1 bedroom apt. LOL, 1/2 of our living room is our "garage" were we house my bike, the wife's Terra Trike Rover X8 recumbent trike and the utility trailer!!! For us this is the BEST we can do, the next step down is living in a "carboard box" and being homeless, which is possible as the RENTS here in Colorado Springs, CO. have become INSANELY expensive!! We may be forced to find part time work but with Jo being a Type 2 diabetic with "Heart Problems" that's the best we can do as she's the only one of us with "skills". I was a laborer but due to wicked arthritis and bowel system problems just can't do "manual labor" much anymore. We get by but "just" and we hope this is as far "down the ladder" as we have to get till be pass on!!

StarBiker

The interior west is waaaay to expensive. You are going to have to move to the south east somewhere.

bjjoondo 

You are so right about the west and sadly Colorado is be becoming the most expensive part of it! I am a native of Colorado Springs so it sucks I might have to leave just to live! My only concern with the south is the weather! Tornadoes floods horrible humidity etc. That and I still need to be able to use the bike as main transportation so having bike paths and bike lanes is a needed situation! Plus I really don't have any idea where we should go?

StarBiker

Tornadoes aren't going to be the problem. It will be the Heat & Humidity in late Spring through very early Fall. And you get that weather all the way up to the Mid Atlantic.

I thought this past Fall sort of sucked. First part was to much like early summer, and now it feels like winter. We barely had two weeks of fall like weather.

One thing about the south is the closer you get to the coast it won't be to bad in the winter.

And don't be surprised if some places in the south east are just as expensive as the north east.

I see someplace in Florida working. Doesn't sound like lots of options.

LonelyFromage

Quite simply I'd say. Most luxurious item is a nice watch I guess.

Alan K

Reasonably simply… reason being the key concept! 😉