On 10/27/2017 at 9:06 AM, whj469 said:

What facts did she distort? Kirk: you do exactly what you stated that the author does! I know that when you post it will be from a far right position and being a liberal myself, I will always respond to such foolish and unfounded post.

The entire tenor of the article was distorted by who she chose as her sample base. She went after people who are close to penniless. I am only 40 pages into her book (as I bought it late last night) but I have read enough that I can promise you she did not spend any time at all with people who have $250,000 rigs and live in a true RV by choice rather than a beat up, poorly converted van by necessity. That is a concise definition of the difference between homeless and houseless. The assertion that many poor people are poor because of their lifestyle and choices is a valid one. A lot of those people who live like paupers also do not use what resources they have wisely.

And while you are "liberally" responding, maybe spell check so you get "liar" right..... your post will hold much more validity if we know you can spell simple words correctly. I get that people make typos, but the "a" key and the "I" key are on opposite ends of the keyboard.

(See now how foolish YOUR post looked to ME when you decided to bring left vs right into it?)

Edited October 27, 2017 by eddie1261

Do you know how many older people are living on SS and not much else? Do you know how many older people who have SS that is it is more then 50% of their income? I don't care what you think and particularly after your many posts. They were totally off point. I know at least nine older people or couples who are very poor and live in broken down trailers that they told me that they live there because that is what they can afford. That is within 5 miles from my ranch.

Okay, so let me reply categorically. Do I know how many older people are living on SS and not much else? No, nor do I care. The article, which was a sales pitch for her book (which I bought), when on to glorify people who live on nothing. If that is something to praise in your mind, so be it. My deeper thought is why they make so little on SS. Given that your SS rate is based on what earnings were during the recipient's working career, if they make squat on SS, it's because they made squat when they worked. Who is responsible for that?

Whether you know at least 9 older people who are poor or not is also not my concern. Do you only know those 9 people? Do you not also know people who managed their life better and are now NOT forced to live in broken down trailers? How did those 9 people you know live before they retired? In nice homes or just in better trailers?

So where is it that I am off point?

I know that I am an older person who lives on SS and disability. I worked hard at decent jobs my whole work life, jobs that paid reasonably well because I also worked hard at my education, an education that I traded 3 years of my life to earn. Nobody gave it to me. Anybody else had the same opportunity.

I don't know about those 9 people,  and I am not saying they are the way I am about to describe, but far too many people chose to live beyond their means in younger years thinking that Uncle Government was going to take care of them forever.

The book in question speaks to cheap living out of necessity. I am THE cheapest human being you will ever know. I wear clothes for 7-8 years. My hair is still long NOT because I necessarily want it long, but I don't want to pay for haircuts. I have not been to a movie theater in a decade, I have not dined in a restaurant of any quality for over that same decade. I don't smoke, drink or do drugs.  (Just curious. How many of those po' folk you mentioned, those 9 people. live in their broken down trailer but have money to smoke and drink? 7? 8? All 9?)

Jessica's book has one common theme through all her case studies. Every one of them had a huge house, much bigger than is practical for 2 people, and were heavily invested in the stock market. Then came the (premeditated) bank crash and real estate crash in 2008 and they lost all of that. (Hmmm... who was elected president in 2008?)  Most of her case studies are also divorced, and the man lost half of what he had. Are people really more comfortable in the $360,000 house than they would be in a $90,000 house?

One of the subjects in her book is a woman who makes a lot of noise about "freedom and independence". That same woman spends months parking in friend's driveways, sponging off her daughter who has a family of her own, and the last pages I read mention that her daughter is now paying for her unlimited cell phone plan. How is that "freedom" and "independence"? That is the definition of codependency, and if you need help with the word, codependency is a situation where one person can't make it on their own and demands that others around them become subservient to their needs. Guilting one of my kids into pitying me because I didn't plan well enough during my working years is not a place I will ever be. I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees. After a car accident, while afflicted with a major concussion, I had 2 people offer to come over and cook, clean and tend to my dog. I declined. My life and my affairs are my business. I do not ask for pity nor do I give any.  So, those people in her book who work those awful 10-12 hours a day of backbreaking work also tell their story in a way that they are looking for sympathy. Not from me. Never.

While it may not be the case of your nine people, a LOT of people created their own poverty. Her book is clearly a deep dumpster dive into the worst case studies she could find. While I know there are people on these forums who are workampers,  I have some doubts whether any of them MUST work rather than choose to. What I can say for sure is that I am not about to walk a half marathon every day in some warehouse no matter HOW my financial situation gets. Plus I have a dog who can't be alone for 10 or more hours at a stretch. If I DO think I'd like to pick up an extra 100 bucks here and there I can always find a coffee shop and play a set of music for 50 bucks and tips. And maybe even sell some CDs. 

And until you read this book, I will not revisit this with you. Its a $13 Kindle download from Amazon. It is well written, well researched. I just find the subject matter to be borderline pathetic. It will also open your eyes no matter which side of that equation you happen to reside.

Edited October 30, 2017 by eddie1261

I write about full-time RVing and working-while-RVing -- have for the past 25 years. I get contacted by "journalists" on a fairly regular basis. They usually don't ask for facts; or about our experiences as working RVers; or about what we have learned from communicating with, and working with, full-time RVers over the past two-and-a-half decades. Instead they state their agenda, and ask me to put them in contact with people who fit it and who can back them up as living examples. There seems to be quite a few "journalists" who desire to portray full-time RVers and working RVers as poor, downtrodden victims. By the way, I do not give those "journalists" names or contact information.

  On 10/28/2017 at 4:34 AM, eddie1261 said:

Then came the (premeditated) bank crash and real estate crash in 2008 and they lost all of that. (Hmmm... who was elected president in 2008?)

I hope you are more knowledgeable than to imply who was elected in 2008 was in any way responsible for the housing bust.  Otherwise, you post was pretty interesting.

  On 10/28/2017 at 5:05 AM, Coleen said:

I get contacted by "journalists" on a fairly regular basis. They usually don't ask for facts; or about our experiences as working RVers; or about what we have learned from communicating with, and working with, full-time RVers over the past two-and-a-half decades. 

Did you get contacted by Jessica Bruder?

  On 10/28/2017 at 6:08 AM, Zulu said:

Did you get contacted by Jessica Bruder?

I don't know. The name sounds familiar, but I can't say for sure. When I let them know I won't be supplying private information, and won't be helping them support their agenda, that's usually the last I hear from them.

  On 10/27/2017 at 11:10 AM, eddie1261 said:

 

I will buy her book but I will read it with an attitude of "Don't let this happen to you". And yes, I can sound a little snobby, but the day I have to poop into a bucket with a toilet seat, I hope one of my friends complies with my wishes and just shoots me.

 

I gotta correct you on one point here...

A bucket with a toilet seat beats your back on an oak tree wrapped in poison ivy.....  

Friend of mine did this on a hunting trip.... it's still funny to a select group today!

I think they made a movie on this subject. It was called The Grapes of Wrath

I know many people both in and outside of the RV world who are just getting by and what I call living under the radar. Many have low paying jobs working for cash or tips and never file a tax return. They can barely afford gas for their broken down vehicle to get to work but always have beer and cigarette money but never money to fix their vehicle. While I was going to school at night to get my degree they were hanging out at bars playing billiards and drinking. They chose the life they are leading and I chose to get an education which lead to a better paying job. I am not putting them down for their choice. Most are very happy to have an unemcombered lifestyle, no bills etc. I am only saying that they made a choice and are now living with it. 

  On 10/28/2017 at 9:06 AM, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

A bucket with a toilet seat beats your back on an oak tree wrapped in poison ivy..

Even without the poison ivy it isn't great.

How is a bucket inside anywhere not better than the slopjar I had to empty

I had a house that sometimes got the sewer line plugged by roots. It always seemed to happen on a holiday or when I had vistors. I also had 3 kids and a mom.  Thank god for buckets when I had an emergency until I could fix it.

It has been said not to muddy the water around us as we may have to drink it soon.  I think that was in a Kingston Trio song and I take it to mean don't be so judgemental of others as your situation could be just as bad or worse soon.

I must have missed something. I can't say I would ever have considered Kirk as far right.  Sometimes I might think he is a little squirrely but I never would have thought far right.