Pammys Path

[pammys]

Did our taxes over the weekend. Got a refund, which is good and bad. Getting married and me being a student contributed to that, plus the child tax credit and being on the lower income end also helped with that, so I wasn't too surprised. I know hubby will need to change his W-4 withholding, no problem. And I am unsure how the stepson's age will affect next year, he turned 18 a month ago and will be off to college in the fall, so the refund won't be as large next year, I think, need to check on that. I tend to like being close to $0 at the end of the year, the hubby is thrilled about the refund. I am working on him, lol.

We had some issues with the land come up this past week. It may be a no-go on that part, it's family land, yada yada yada... Honestly, I am okay with finding our own land that isn't tied up in family matters. The land belongs to his grandmother, who is parting it out to children, one being his late mother, which is why hubby (only child) get's part. Now an aunt wants to move and is pressuring the grandmother to sell and move with her (she takes care of her). Another aunt also lives on the land. Since the part that belongs to hubby is at the back of the land, with access through the other's property, it would be an issue if the other parts are sold, easement wise. I don't want any of that headache, to be honest. Better if we find our own, not tied with anyone else's. So moving will take longer than expected. It's okay. Place we live is still cheap and we can take our time finding the right place. I'm over it. And hey, this just makes the argument for the acquiring of the deep freezer sooner just more sound, haha.

[George the original one]

Don't let easements stop you, if the property otherwise suits you. Easements can be written into the deeds, which is a minor fuss.

On the other hand, if you think there are better properties, by all means continue the search!

[pammys]

Still waiting to talk to the grandmother about the land. You are right, George, easements can be written into the deed. Good point. Will know more once we get to visit with her, without the aunt around, find out what she really wants to do. She'll be turning 76 this year and built her home with her late husband over 40 years ago. I want to find out if she truly is considering moving or is being pressured. All good. I am okay where we're at for a while. Still cheap living.

Budget-wise, guess I'll post some numbers, see if anyone has any suggestions for things to work on.

WHAT WE PAY ON MONTHLY:
Lot rent: $180 monthly, includes water/trash/sewer
Electric: $250 monthly average, goes down in winter, up in summer. Rural electric, we pay higher rates than city, older mobile home
Gas: $30 monthly average, goes up in winter, down in summer.
Internet: $66 monthly, only service available out here, a bit better package to stream since we don't have tv service
Car ins.: $80 monthly, 3 vehicles liability, I pay twice yearly to save $$
Cell phone:$60 monthly, 3 prepaid cells, no contract, no data, unlimited talk and text on towers in range, discounted multi-line
Vision ins. $32 monthly, stepson has medical need, born with eye defect
Netflix: $8 monthly, entertainment
Car gas: $120 monthly, working on getting this down
Amazon: $8 monthly average, prime for free shipping and entertainment
Blow: $100 monthly, 2 hour trip to see grandson, keep hubby peace, etc. can work on this if absolutely need to
Clothing: $10 month, maybe. Thrift store a few times a year
Taxes: $41 monthly average, includes mobile home and 3 vehicles
Total Average monthly expenses: $985

Seems pretty low, but I'm always looking at ways to cut more. Some of this will come down when stepson goes off to school, and he'll start picking up his share of car expenses now that he's working. And I know what is missing on here, groceries. Since this is an extreme website, I hope I don't catch too much crap for it, we qualify for food benefits. I use all resources available, and we qualify. I qualified when single, reported change and they adjusted, still qualified. However, their estimation is way over, in my opinion. The way I shop and cook I spend way less than what they give us monthly, I buy actual ingredients and do not take advantage. Will make this stretch as long as possible, it is a resource I treat like any other. I really debated on whether to put this on here. Doing everything I can to get a leg-up. I hope I don't offend anyone.

Things we don't pay on:
Mortgage-own the mobile home
Vehicles-all bought with cash
Health insurance-dh will be looking soon when his runs out from previous employer, stepson covered through his mom, mine from subsidy

Well, this is how it looks, folks, from low-earners. Starting from scratching-to-get-by and going to FI. Long way to go!! I have a little more than a year to go before I'm done with school and income will improve, thank goodness. One step at a time, one step at a time....

[SavingWithBabies]

Is your current heat gas or electric? I don't have any suggestions either way just curious as always heard heat would be more in a mobile home but your averages are reasonable. If you want my opinion on the benefits, it is if you qualify, you qualify. I also think it's great you are using them frugally.

[bryan]

I thought you meant something else for "Blow"

[pammys]

@Savingwithbabies- heat is gas, it's the only thing running on natural gas, everything else is electric. The colder months can run it up to $100 or more, the warmer months it's $7 basic fee. Utilities-wise, this company charges a fair rate, same as city. It's the rural electric company that takes advantage, imo. Same with internet, they know it's our only option available out here. The perks of living away from town, haha. I could be paying more in lot rent in town versus here and have cheaper rates on utilities, but I suppose it's a wash. It's pretty quiet out here, though, so I'm content.

@bryan- haha, should have re-worded that to 'Blow money'. The other, there would definitely be a problem, lol.

[pammys]

Haven't updated in a few, thought I would.

Finally got the deep freeze, it's half full already on sale meat in bulk. Have a list going of this weeks sale to stock up a bit more. Yay!! Probably 2 months worth of food stored up.

Things are happening with the possible move. Had a talk with the grandma, she definitely does not want to move. She gave more info about the land, including the septic being grandfathered into the new ordinance being passed on septic systems in the county. The hubby Is going back out there right now to fix the water issue: blown fuse and water pipes from the well busted with a freeze. So there will be water out there soon. Went out there earlier to see what all it needed, changed the fuse, found the leak. Walked the land where we want to move, found the spot where his mom's place was, still see some hoses that were ran, and cinderblocks where the previous home sat. Will definitely need some road work done, not just the washed out bridge parts, but past the grandmother's leading to where our place would sit.

Looks like the place where it would be would tie on from grandmother's water well, meaning we wouldn't have to dig one ourselves. Sweet!!! And already septic, sweet!! The area is back behind the grandmothers, away from the road, and behind a hill with lots of trees surrounding. Quiet. The Oklahoma wind would be for the most part blocked by the hill and trees on either side. They had the previous mobile home set with the length with long sides facing north/south, short ends east/west, which works perfect with my wanting to orientate the home (if we move this one) with the long window-less side facing north, and the windowed long side facing south. There is one neighbor house we can spot, barely, through the trees, otherwise, it's secluded. Previous thought of our part was 14 acres, which is incorrect, it's 14 acres divided 3 ways, ours would be over 4 acres, still plenty in my book to do what we could ever want to do with it.

Some good news, electricity went down this past month. Hot water pipe leak that went undetected for too long. We assumed it was the hot water heater going out as we couldn't get a few minutes of barely warm shower before it was cold. But, hubby found the leak and fixed it. Sure made a difference on the electric bill. Really hot water for days now and no new water heater needed, sweet!!

Taking the summer off of school. Ready for a break, health statistics is kind of kicking my butt this semester, will appreciate the break. Going to try my hand gardening in some pots soon. Keeping my eye open for yard sales selling pots, and at the thrift stores.

Otherwise, things going good here. Hubby started new job, liking it, more income helps. Have an emergency fund and the bills are quite manageable. Should have enough cash flow to work on things slowly getting ready for move. While we work on that we will also keep our eyes open for a heck of a deal on another mobile we can possibly move and work on before we completely move out there, to make the transition smoother, then sell this one, probably to the park owner. If we can't find another one cheap, will just move this one, we will see. That's all for now. Things are in the works!!

[SavingWithBabies]

What are your expectations for a potential mobile house to put on the site (so you don't have to move yours)? I'm curious if it is typical that one can buy a used mobile home that is already in good enough shape to move in or if you typically need to do a bit of painting and/or more substantial work on it. I'm wondering what is usual or what you would look for. Locally, I see one place that sells mobile homes that you'd move onto your own land or a rented spot but I think they only sell new (going to call and ask). Then there are a fair number of used ones but they seem to assume you'll be taking over the rent on the land as opposed to buying it to move it somewhere new.

[pammys]

I am hoping to find something similar to what I currently live in if we decide to locate another home to move to the land. For a few reasons:

1) They're cheap. most people selling older ones to upgrade to newer ones just want the old one gone. They aren't worth much. Some are even given away for free if you move them, which would be awesome! I got this one for $1500 because the people were moving states and just wanted to unload it fast. Older ones are eye-sores to many and just want them gone, those are the gems I'm looking for.
2) Older ones are made with slightly better materials than newer ones. Better wood in structure, from what I've read, pre-85's used better sized support wood for the structure (not sure how to say that technically). Newer ones seem to have more and more particle/pressed wood and don't hold up for as many years, comparatively. Better bones, if you will.
3) Paint is cheap. Especially white in 5 gallon buckets. White is clean and opens up the space to make if feel roomier than it is.
4) I won't care how old the outside will look, won't be many people seeing it besides us and friends and family, it will be out in the boonies. As long as the inside is comfortable and fits our needs, who cares if the outside is dated looking.
5) Newer ones seem to have put more emphasis on cheap "pretty" fixtures for aesthetics, older homes used more functional materials.
6) You can work on them fairly easy. Plumbing is fairly easy to get to. You can always replace windows or flooring or just about anything, it's pretty DIY friendly.

Expectations are that they will need some work. Like this one, it needed some floor boards redone (thanks dad!), then I had new carpet and linoleum in kitchen put in. Painted every wall and some ceilings. Total spent was about 4k, including house. It's comfortable and clean and meets our needs. Not the prettiest to look at, no. So be it. Would rather I had something not so pretty that was all mine than something pretty that I'm paying to a bank monthly for the privilege of sleeping in it with the hope of many years later owning it. Plus, I get to re-use something not wanted that may have wound up junked.

(didn't mean to go on and on, lol. sorry. I just know older mobile home ownership isn't for everyone and was listing some reasoning for the choice, just in case any others may have not considered it a viable option for cheap living)

[SavingWithBabies]

Oh, no, thank you for going on. I have no practical experience with mobile homes so I wasn't sure what is involved but it clicked -- particularly getting an older one that people just want gone. I have seen ads like that locally (they weren't quite free but fairly close). Now I'm going to go do more research. Thank you.

[pammys]

Haven't updated in a while, wasn't much going on, but now there is.

Some people cut down the downed trees that were covering the road needing repairs, so it's ready for work. The daughter's hubby is coming down next weekend to do it, he's had years experience doing road work and we just need to rent the equipment, place in town has rentals. He will also be dozing a road past the repaired road to our spot on the land. Yay!!

We've decided against moving current home, and are looking at buying a used RV to put on the property. It will be a temporary solution, maybe a year or two, until we decide on which permanent home to put there. Will sell current home, no problems with park management, new buyers just need to pass background check. My sis owns an rv dealership, we're hoping to get a deal on one of her trade-in's on a used 5th wheel. Most have a decent floor plan and better storage over a travel trailer, plus, the bro-in-law is a certified rv mechanic, should we have any issues. Bonus: he also delivers. Looking for used and will be paying cash. Also plan on installing metal cover to go over rv plus extend out on the south side for covered porch area. Will add to outdoor living space. Will put where water well lines and septic are for hookups. Electricity will be connecting to nearby pole, done previously, shouldn't have problem. Heat/appliance will be propane, will use portable tanks that come with rv's until we can locate a bigger one.

Goal is to have this all completed by next year: Land accessible, rv purchased, set up, utilities set up, sell current mobile home, have college completed, and work started on getting land layout workable (gardening and other structures placement). Once these steps are completed, expenses should be very low, plus I'll be able to look for work in my field making income increase. One step at a time.