Hello, how are you folks doing? Your Disgruntled Old Coot still has a shanty to dwell within but the future is still bleak for various reasons. Therefore, I am preparing for the possibility of living again in my vehicle. The various physical maladies smacking me have made entering the pick-up bed difficult. If my decrepit body deteriorate more I fear I will be unable to enter the camper shell-covered living space no matter how hard I try.
I paid extra for 4-wheel-drive due to living in a state with lots of snow for several months and the anticipated need to be able to commute to work while living in a rural area without much snow removal from the roads.
The plans to teach school thus having a regular job and also being able to work and live in a rural area with low housing costs were for naught. That was back in 2004 if my memory is correct. A similar shattering of planes is to be found recently with the many college graduates unable to grab a decent job that would place them on a path towards a decent lifestyle.
The USA is changing in many ways I declare. And I believe that some of the negative changes are because of an ongoing class war. Read about the many horrors confronting the USA and the common, non-elite class folks, living there at my other blogs that can be accessed by the links on the right side of this page and all the other entries, also.
I have been watching for a decent, affordable used van in this area. I believe that the growing number of local folks who have and are taking a financial beating and unable to afford new vehicles are causing used vehicle prices to increase. It also seems that businesses that use full-size American-built cargo vans, the type I am looking for, are keeping them longer and putting more miles and wear-and-tear upon them than in the past.
It is often less expensive to repair a vehicle than selling it and buying a new one. But, there comes a time when repair costs become high enough that buying a new vehicle makes financial success. A firm using a vehicle for business may also require consistent reliability to keep customers happy. I guess it is luck that allows a buyer to find the right van at the right price. If repair work is needed that may lead to the seller reducing the price.
There are many aspects of buying a used van that must be “juggled” to make an informed purchasing decision. A long-wheel-base cargo van would be an excellent house vehicle:
Being able to access the rear living area would be much easier for an Old Coot such as I and would be less conspicuous than entering the pick-up truck. Stealth is important to assist in avoiding the jack-booted thugs who enforce the orders their masters give them. The law enforcement overlords of the actual uniformed thugs obey their elite-class masters and those elites so often despise us folks at the bottom levels of the socio-economic hierarchy.
Homeless folks are especially hated; perhaps because being visible causes guilt within those skimming wealth from the lower classes… the people actually creating wealth through their labors. Assuredly not all of the elites feel guilt when seeing the many poor folks and the poorest who do not have a traditional house to live in.
Maybe the elites fear that too many visible poor folks might lead to the masses striking back at their ruling masters and altering society to the extent that those ruling masters might lose some of their immense wealth and power.
“Worthington’s Law is the law which dictates that a person who makes more money than you is better than you, and therefore beyond criticism. This law reads “More Money = Better Than” and it’s used to gauge the value of human worth”
Christmas is approaching at those people with kids may have trouble proving gifts when living costs take all or most of the income.
There are many different organizations in larger cities and usually a smaller amount of availability in smaller cities and towns that assist in getting Christmas presents to kids. Ask around and find those sources and register early. Sadly, there are always despicable, greedy punks who abuse the good deeds of others.
Back in the late 1980s I helped out at a church that was giving away food, clothes and toys to needy folks. I never volunteered again after watching so many people arrive and grab large amounts of offered goods. I remember well the male in his 30s wearing an expensive business suit and driving a new expensive BMW car arriving and watching with hands in pockets as us volunteers made several trips carrying a large amount of food, new clothes and Christmas presents. Not a word from that guy; not even a nod of recognition. When we finished he hopped into that car and off he went. BAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not all the USA poor folks act that way or take advantage of a situation that exists to assist the truly needy people. If the charity/charities in your area are overwhelmed or you are not able to access the offerings you may be on your own. The basics always come first. Food and shelter and hopefully not medical care are needs that come before things such as gifts. It is nice, though, to be able to give your kids a gift or two or three for Christmas. Depending upon your kid(s) age/ages you may be able to give them a really great gift at little to no cost.
(link here died. sniff. it was great while it lasted)
To use cardboard boxes as a gift you will likely need a house for the kids to play in. A homeless shelter may have an area where the kids can use boxes as playthings. Avoid taping the boxes so that they can be folded and those boxes can be easily stored until the next play time. If storage is not needed grab some appropriately-sized tape to allow the kids to build a fort or whatever. A box can be many things in a kid’s mind. Wheeeee!!!! It’s a submarine… maybe a ship. A house where kids can play with dolls in their own “house.”
Always use care if cutting a box to, perhaps, make windows or a door or whatever. It is often best for an adult to cut cardboard unless older capable careful kids are involved. Be creative!!!! Kids enjoy using their imagination. I remember a Christmas LONG ago when Dad had found around 200 leftover wood block-sized rectangular-shaped chunks a few inches long and perfect for building whatever came to mind. I used them for several years until I grew old enough for other activities and lost interest and the blocks went to a younger neighbor kid. I do not remember any other Christmas present received that year but I can still see within my mind those blocks on the floor in front of me.
Gotta’ go… may be back to add to this post or may start a new one.
A Happy Thanksgiving to all you folks and I hope there is as much peace and goodwill possible for all.
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Post updated July 13, 2022
Alternative Living Options 