How can we plan for retirement with very little savings; and get our homestead sooner?
SO HERE’S THE GRAND PLAN {HA! as if those ever worked out…}
Also! “How we saved the Down Payment in two years”
- Spring 2019
- $5-6k- Used truck
- $27-33k- Raw Land- (+/- 2 acres)
- July/August
- $8k- Used Travel Trailer
- MOVE onto land
- $500/mo. Savings!!
- Autumn ’19
- $2-3k- DIY Shed, Generator, Wood stove, Livestock/Garden prep.
- Spring/Summer 2020
- $10k- Well/septic/block foundation/electric hook up/permits etc.
- Autumn 2020
- $12-18k- Used Single wide MH 3bd/2bth {actually bigger than what I have now!}
After extensive research: we nixed the notion of a Pre-fab cabin, yurt
or modular kit as a year-round residence. A tiny house under 400sf would suck long term. We lived 2 yrs on the truck… just ask me anything about teeeeny living... O.o
Prefab Kit builds over 600sf: Adding any electrical, plumbing, etc. is pricey. Though we’re still considering a tiny ‘something’ as a guest room or AirBnB, but not for a couple years.
Manufactured Homes: Why yes! I have spent weeks researching every tidbit. Craigslist. LandWatch. AutoTrader and RVTrader. Finally, we found one used MH dealer Homenation.com (by state). ALSO Factory Direct.
Land Loans {and/or rolled into a ‘Land/Home’ next year}: Most require 20% down payment. Pre-Approved is not the same as Pre-Qualified.
- HOW WE SAVED THE MONEY:
- Baseline figures: 20% x $33,000=$6,600.
- Down payment:
- [1 year: $132.00 x 50 weeks]
- [2 years: $66.00 x 100 weeks]
- OUR 2 year method: $50 weekly; [Feb. 2017-2019]
- then added: bonuses, overtime, tax returns.
- Top money saving tips:
- Write out a budget. Say “no more stuff.” Repeat often.
- Secondhand only, DIY or do without.
- Plan less trips to the store. Plan meals around sales.
- Get a side gig. Use your skills.
- Upwork, Thumbtack or Taskrabbit
- Or find free courses to learn new skills.
- [I walk dogs and Mturk in between writing & merch]
OUR #1 prerequisite for all of this — It all must be paid for in 8 years. Hubby retires in 10. Thus why we’re doing this in increments, and saving additional money by holding over this winter [and budgeted for] a travel trailer.
Other considerations: Grid-tied for health reasons. Yet enough land to sustain a simple, back-to-basics lifestyle. Close to our jobs. Close to daughter’s family AND close to my Dad. Must have trees and a good stretch between neighbors. 😀
Frugal now; peace of mind later, Friends and Confidantes – Grandma Auburn
#homesteading #retirement #budget #truckerswife
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Some pictures I’ll go back an tag, as I don’t recall the place right off the bat. However, I can tell you Louisiana is unmistakable. The flooding” August 2016 – We took a load of generators in to the relief effort. #proudtruckingmoments
A bit of background. My husband drove 53ft dry van OTR [Over The Road] for two years. [This was the second time for him. I stayed home the first time to raise our daughter.] We put everything in storage and I rode shotgun. I didn’t drive, but he called me his ‘Nag-a-vator” [instead of navigator! HA!] And I learned real quick how to stand outside the truck and back him into a spot; without getting run over.
Grandma Auburn Designs 