Frugal Living in Retirement – Consider Living in an RV

Frugal living in retirement brings up thoughts about doing without…eating dog food…and other unpleasant thoughts. It does not have to be like that at all.

The current economic mess is causing all of us to rethink our plans for the future, especially those retired or thinking about retirement. We have seen big hits to our investment accounts…some are saying “I can’t afford to retire now”…really?

Have you considered lifestyles that are cheaper but also fun? I am talking about hitting the road in an RV as your retirement lifestyle…you will have lots of company.

Not all are suited for this mobile lifestyle. After all you don’t see many RV’s towing snow blowers or riding lawnmowers. These machines are for those that life on the road just may not work. Hopefully you can do without using those 2 implements when you retire.

The primary cost saving in the RV life vs. having a home…are those costs associated with home up keep. Mortgage payments, taxes, home insurance, utilities, home maintenance are obvious costs, but how about the ancillary costs like: country club dues, gym dues, entertainment costs, clothing costs (suits and work dresses) and other expenses you have when you are trying to earn a living.

These costs are replaced by park rental, which includes your utilities, reduced clothing costs, and fishing licenses.

Most are trained to think they will spend the same after retirement as they do while working. This does not have to be the case. It is very doable to spend 25% or less of what you spend living in a house vs. living on the road full time as a retirement lifestyle.

One of my favorite RV quotes came from a fellow I met at Yellowstone, he said” I don’t care what type of house I have as long as it has a steering wheel in the living room”. That pretty well sums up the freedom that living in an RV gives the retiree.

It offers not only freedom location wise but freedom from many of the expenses associated with home ownership.

Frugal living in retirement, living in an RV, is not only cheaper than a house it is a lot of fun.

Think you just can’t retire now…think again, hit the road and experience freedom from boredom and cold weather…enjoy.

Gary Pierce is the webmaster of http://www.frugal-retirement-living.com he retired early at 49, he is still retired at 63. He has experience in lifestyles that are both fulfilling and frugal. Living in an RV. It is 2009 and many are wondering if they can ever retire. Don’t give up until you check out this website. Enjoy.

Do You Have These Frugal Living Habits?

Frugal living requires skills and ways of looking at things that help you take advantage of the money-saving opportunities in life. The truly frugal person makes these into habits. Six of these habits are outlined below. These are techniques that can be learned in a matter of a day or two, and made into new habits a few weeks. Then they will save money for you for the rest of your life.

1. Frugal living requires a knowledge of values. How can you get a great deal on a car if you don’t know what a great deal is. Get in the habit of educating yourself on prices, especially before you’re ready to buy anything that costs a lot. It takes a few hours of looking at listings for sale, for example, to know what homes are selling for in an area, but this is knowledge that can save you thousands.

2. Learn from other people. Most of us know someone who always gets the best deal on cars, boats, homes, or even groceries. Why not ask him or her how they do it! One person will tell you that the cheapest coffee in town is $3 per cup, while another will say 50 cents. Ask the latter about coffee shops. People near you are living a good life on half of what you make. Investigate that. See how others do things, and you’ll know your options.

3. Frugal living means always looking for alternatives. You might have just as much fun taking a discount trip to Mexico as you would going to Jamaica. Maybe you happen to enjoy pizza more than fine French dining. If so, why not skip the expensive restaurant and call Dominoes. This isn’t about sacrificing, but about getting even more of what you really enjoy by paying less for cheaper alternatives that work just as well.

4. Pay cash. What happens when everything you buy costs an additional 20% because of the interest you pay over the years? You can’t buy as much! Everything is cheaper when paid for in cash instead of credit. If you want that new patio set, divide the price by the number of weeks you can wait to get it. Set aside that much each week, and buy it for cash when you have the money. Not only do you save on interest, but you’ll often get a better price when you pay cash.

5. Learn to do the math. Did you really save $400 on that car if it costs you $500 more in gas each year? Did you know that some stores are cashing in on shopper’s assumptions that larger is cheaper? It’s true. That gallon of pickles might actually cost more than four quart jars. Make it a habit to do the math if you want to save money.

6. Tell people what you need. Mention it in conversations. Many people get free or cheap things, just because they talk. For example, a neighbor wanted to upgrade her living room debt, and was thrilled that I would take her three-month-old couch off her hands for $30. I sure am glad that I mentioned I was looking for one. You need to make this little trick a part of your frugal living habits.

About the Author – Steve Gillman has studied unusual ways to make money for thirty years. To learn more, visit his website, Unusual Ways To Make Money.

Some Reasons I’m Frugal

I’ve been a slacker blogging lately. I’ve also been a slacker in my frugalities. I do this on occasion and the only realistic solution I’ve found is to catch myself quick as I can and get back on track. We can all redirect ourselves as often as necessary. One of those ways I redirect myself is to remind myself the reasons I’m frugal in the first place.

1. I LOVE being a Mom. I love being home with my kids as much as possible. The more I spend, the more time I need to spend away from home earning money to cover it. The less I work, the more time I have to work my budget and use my time to stretch our dollars.

2. I feel responsible for being a good steward of the money we’re are blessed with.

3. I feel good about myself when I have frugal shopping success and end up with extra cash to deposit into savings or put towards a debt.

4. A frugal lifestyle gives me power. I can control many aspects of my finances. (yea… so the car breaks down – I can meet that challenge with my emergency fund that I’ve been funneling my extra cash into)

There are so many reasons I’m frugal and those reasons have changed and evolved over the years. My main priority through all these years however is still freeing up time for my family.  What are YOUR reasons?
Yes… It’s time to buckle down and get back on track. Who’s with me?

JOY

New to Frugality-Where to Begin

One thing I find as the owner of Frugal-Families is that the newest members of our forums generally want to know how we manage to spend so little on things. Well, like any skill (and saving money and stretching the dollars until the eagles scream is just that-a SKILL) time and practice make perfect. We didn’t come to this point in our frugal lives overnight.

Like anything else, change in our lives didn’t come easy. I can remember trying to implement too many frugal tactics and getting frustrated and feeling overwhelmed. Once I cut back and focused on just one new thing it was much easier. I had to think about each frugal tactic when I first implemented it-it was a chore. Within two weeks, it wasn’t a chore and just part of my routine,that is when I would implement another frugal tactic.

Soon frugality was just part of my life. I had woven it into every aspect and I was enjoying the benefits of my labor-using our saved money to pay off credit cards, feeling more secure about me staying home with the boys (I didn’t have to work as much to make ends meet), and using our “found” money to do more things with our family like camping.

So, while you read through the blogs and the articles on frugality, don’t think you have to do it all NOW. Pick one thing and focus on it. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Frugality can be fun and rewarding (nothing like getting 17 tubes of toothpaste for FREE at the local drug store!).

Set a goal for your frugality and write it down. Maybe your goal is to go from $800/month in groceries to $400. What are you going to do with your extra money as you slash away at the grocery budget? $400 will do a lot in a budget! Perhaps payoff that credit card that’s been saddled on you for the past seven years? Build an emergency fund so you don’t have to use that credit card when Murphy knocks on your door (he always does you know!). This can be a big motivator as well.

Whatever you do-have fun! Challenge yourself! Take baby steps and soon you’ll be on the path to hardcore, money-saving frugality!
Tammy