Article "Too Poor to Retire and Too Young to Die"

[rodeosweetheart]

Some discussion on another forum of this very interesting article:

http://graphics.latimes.com/retirement-nomads/

I thought that the video carried a very different message than the article itself--an interesting dichotomy.

I find this kind of article pretty scary these days, and have always wondered about the expenses involved in the RV lifestyle.

[razz]

It is hard to be independent and mobile on limited funds.
Years ago, houses used to rent out rooms with meals to singles providing a home for the solitary and income for the homeowners. Is that coming back due to need? One can find stuff to do as long as one has a safe roof and a warm bed with meals.

[rodeosweetheart]

It is hard to be independent and mobile on limited funds.
Years ago, houses used to rent out rooms with meals to singles providing a home for the solitary and income for the homeowners. Is that coming back due to need? One can find stuff to do as long as one has a safe roof and a warm bed with meals.

My great-aunt used to run a boarding house, called more commonly a tourist home in the south. I can remember visiting and eating dinner with her boarders, around a long table, with family style bowls and platters of food in the middle of the table.

Had not thought of that in years. Maybe the time has come to go back to that model.

[JaneV2.0]

What an intrepid woman; I wish I had half her energy and resourcefulness.

[ApatheticNoMore]

She makes interesting choices that many would judge in a world of bleak practicality, but like she says keeps her soul alive, like choosing the Frank Lloyd Wright tour over the dentist. And trying to eat organic over fast food for her health.

[rodeosweetheart]

She makes interesting choices that many would judge in a world of bleak practicality, but like she says keeps her soul alive, like choosing the Frank Lloyd Wright tour over the dentist. And trying to eat organic over fast food for her health.

Right, I think "bleak practicality" is a good descriptor. I had to laugh about that one, as we once went to Taliesin and so much wanted to go on the tour, but it was too expensive, and we just had to look around where we could. I am shocked at how much tickets to things like this cost these days.

[Float On]

All three of those stories were a bit depressing. The 2nd story, a couple. I wonder what kind of old debt payments they are making every month when they can barely make it on his $2,700 a month military, IRA payouts, disability, plus their part-time jobs. All three examples seem to have old debt they didn't get rid of before starting this RV livestyle.

[Williamsmith]

Property ownership has always been the key to security and freedom.

[frugal-one]

Very depressing...

[Gardenarian]

Well, that was kind of depressing (I wasn't able to watch the video.)

Property ownership has always been the key to security and freedom.

This seems true to me. The trick is getting that first mortgage paid off when you are young.
Where I live, it is hard for younger people to make enough money for a down payment - never mind trying to pay off a loan quickly. The rents are high all over, making it much harder for people to save.