flyfishing3 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 whats the +/- of internet? entertainment, knowledge etc i guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon35T Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Internet is an interesting one. Knowledge is the only value added that is worth it. Sarah and I have decided that we'd upgrade her phone and utilize the "mobile hotspot" app. She wanted a new phone anyway and it only costs us $15 per month. The internet isn't fast and therefor can't be used for entertainment (easily) but it does give us the ability to stay connected and share/recieve knowledge. Also, it requires no additional power/equipment. Value added is worth it in my opinion. Though, I imagine we'll both migrate away from it as time goes on. In the mean time, I have internet and such at work and that's all I need. I simply text things to my email and then pull that up at work as needed. Oh, we already upgraded her phone and have been using the phones internet interface. This morning we finally set up the hotspot thing and have it working. Internet CHECK ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 thoughts on illegal things. ie, jail break phone to get free internet, free texting etc. killing animals out of season, for food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon35T Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Illegal things wont be done but don't need to be. If we want internet we can pay for it. Killing animals out of season really isn't required as we have 3 sources of meat (assuming you count eggs). However, I am trying to help out the local quail population a bit. Once they are doing well I will be able to regularly harvest them without damaging the population. All other "game" animals would be taken in season and in a manner that will not cause undue damage. If you kill and eat everything then you will run out of things to kill and eat, haha. There's a real nice buck by my house. HUGE 10 point which is odd for the desert. I'm not going to take him though because I want his genes in the gene pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 kind of a personal question so you can be vague, but what are you doing with all the money you save by not having all the distractions of the masses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge_Brownie Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 So once you retire, and potentially get rid of the cars, what will you replace them with for travel? Bike? Horse? Do you plan on making your own clothes? And what about medical supplies (like medications, 'family planning' products, and feminine hygine)? Soap? Will you wash your clothes by hand? In the event that the septic needs pumping, do you make an exception and have it pumped? Or do you get a shovel and spread it all over the neighbor's yard? Or will you begin using an outhouse to supply fertilizer? And I should have been more clear when I said "round the clock". I meant that in contrast to "in preparation for disaster". You've answered that though. Mike, he's paying off or already paid off his mortgage ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 i'm more thinking of kids college, catastrophic damage from nature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon35T Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 kind of a personal question so you can be vague, but what are you doing with all the money you save by not having all the distractions of the masses? No problem - I've been slowly contracting away from the mainstream for years. Even as my income continued to rise. This money has been set aside for two purposes. 1) To purchase all the initial items I need. The house/land (my biggest expense so far), solar, cisterns, gardening equipment, outbuildings, etc etc etc. But, I'm not fully off grid yet. The cars are paid off but so long as I work I will need to supply maintenance, gas, and insurance. Even if that stopped I'd still be less than self sufficient however. I currently spend $100-$200 per month on misc items that we need regularly but still don't produce. Keep in mind, if you were to combine every dollar that I must spend every year including the preretirement expensive (like vehicles) I'm still under $10k. (Only because my car building has slowed/stopped ) 2) To provide the financial base for early retirement. Even if I were 100% self sufficient I'd still need to pay property taxes. Therefor, I needed to estimate property taxes for the rest of my life and have that set aside for that purpose. The same reasoning was applied to several other things. Then there's buffers to consider. It's pretty in depth but it boils down to living cheap BEFORE living cheap, haha. It's been in the works for a while. Though, I initial had planned to do this in another country. I revised those plans when I met the only woman on this planet that can possible tolerate me.Fudge - What type of travel is required? Your second list of items loops back to my "value added" topic. It's far easier to store a life supply of those items instead of producing your own. You're question about the septic is a good point though. The septic will only recieve liquid waste so it will never require pumping. As far as the mortgage I have none. I buy everything cash. Not gonna lie, it sucks to part with that much money at one time. But it has MANY benefits. Fly - My previous comment addresses the "oh stuff" fund kind of thing. Kids are not a consideration as I can't have them. Catastrophic damage from nature ... The only danger in the desert is fire and that's not a worry where I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfishing3 Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 seems like you have a good line on things. carry on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesoam Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 i'm more thinking of kids college, catastrophic damage from nature. Be more realistic....Zombie apocalypse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon35T Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Fly - That's why I've spent so many years researching, haha. A lot of people try it and fail because of poor planning. Mesoam - I'm not ruling it out. I'm also well prepared for any type of apocalypse involving things trying to get near my house ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge_Brownie Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Fudge - What type of travel is required? Your second list of items loops back to my "value added" topic. It's far easier to store a life supply of those items instead of producing your own. You're question about the septic is a good point though. Do you plan on becoming a doctor and a pharmacist as well? If you're approaching 30, you've got a decent amount of life ahead of you, with plenty of potential for health problems. You'll want ways to transport yourself to the doc, and then you'll need ways to obtain any prescriptions you may need. I don't want to debate the "over-prescription" society, as most people agree there's at least a handful of problems that are common and solved almost indisputably by prescription. Will you carry catastrophic health insurance? How will a potential cancer diagnosis go? Trips to the hospital are frequently and expensive in that case. How are you inflation-proofing your money supply allocated for taxes? I think there's a strong argument that taxes will increase steadily paced with inflation, so unless you think the money's going to deflate.... you'll need a plan there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gideon35T Posted December 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Doctoring is done a few ways. The primary step is to have a healthier life. Secondary, is that I have extensive training (thanks Army) and have been educating Sarah. Our medical related equipment/medicine/documentation is continuously growing as well. Lasty, ever heard of 911 ;-). Furthermore, government mandated healthcare for those with no income is free and mandatory. I don't like it or want it but I wont have a choice so what is my alternative? Property taxes increase at a rate proportional to inflation (not "real" inflation mind you) and is therefor structured based upon the highest anticipated rate (compounded) and then given a buffer. Example: Taxes = $100 y1 -> Taxes =$103 y2 -> Taxes = $106 y3 -> -> -> Taxes = $181 y20 ... So on and so forth assuming a 3% rate. So, lets say that the total (based upon life expectancy) equals $5000 (I know it doesn't, this is an example after all) I would then apply my 20% buffer rule and subsequently plan for $6000. You should see all the excel spreadsheets I've made ... yuck ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesoam Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Mesoam - I'm not ruling it out. I'm also well prepared for any type of apocalypse involving things trying to get near my house ... We're all carriers, no need to be bitten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fudge_Brownie Posted December 3, 2012 Report Share Posted December 3, 2012 Lasty, ever heard of 911 ;-). 911 does solve transportation problems for urgent problems, but doesn't take you to the doc because you have a bacterial infection, pneumonia, or need an MRI. Does that plan include purchasing taxi services in those situations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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