Appalachian American Joining in
Posted: Sat Aug 31, 2024 3:54 pm
TLDR;
Female, 36, Schizophrenic, low income, fairly frugal. Have been reading ERE and the forums intermittently for years.
Hello! I am Violets. I am 36 and from the Appalachian area of the United States. I am excited to have been approved. I first found ERE years ago, but my intent at the time wasn’t to retire early but to slow travel and live in many states in the united states…Although I wasn’t saving for retirement, many of the Ere tenets came in handy–I took the 200-300 a month rent to heart and lived in Colorado for 100$ a month by renting space in a garage and access to a kitchen and bathroom, in hawaii for no money by caretaking an offgrid residence and WOOfing, in Utah for 200$ a month by renting a three bedroom apartment with 6 roommates, in arizona by a combination of hostels for showers and living out of the back of my truck, and in florida and oregon through job provided housing. I often lived walking distance to groceries and, although I always had a car, I always paid cash for it. So for my twenties, I was able to work and live in multiple states that I wanted to visit on very little money, because of ere. I often returned to read the blog or forum for inspiration on living cheaply and well–high quality reading content, always thought provoking and inspiring.
In my early thirties I experienced a Traumatic event and afterwards developed either schizophrenia or PTSD, the psychiatrists didn’t agree. As it progressed I was unable to work for a couple of years and was eventually hospitalized due to the severity of the symptoms. With Treatment I experienced no symptoms, but it changed my goals in life. Due to a strong network of friends and family, during my progression into disease I wasn’t homeless, was fed, and had intermittent odd jobs for cash. I developed alcoholism during the time my symptoms were present, drinking to escape the fear and delusions that accompany the disease. I still struggle with that. My financial goals, as such, are not foremost for early retirement but to buy a house and invest enough to pay property taxes in a walkable/bikeable area. I want to have a place to live, legally, as I cannot ask my friends and family to support me again if the symptoms return as often do and being homeless in the United states, which I have high odds of experiencing, is a less than appealing proposition.. When I achieve that goal, of having a place to legally exist, I will probably pursue financial independence, but it will probably be in stages of investments funding utilities, then food, and so on, securing safety should I be unable to work again. (I did qualify for disability after being hospitalized but did not pursue it, as after treatment I did not have symptoms. If they return however, that may be an option. It would be easier to live on with a paid off house. In my area it is roughly 800 a month and would be a challenge to live on.)
Luckily, I currently have a job that provides housing, utilities and wifi as part of the compensation package. While I do not make a lot, barely above poverty level, I am able to save close 50% of my income when paying attention. The last 6 months I’ve backslid on my savings rate, so I thought I might come here, make a journal, and seek friendship with people that inspire sticking to a good savings rate. (I am pursuing higher paid employment, but time will tell how that pans out.)
I’m sort of intending to use this post to start my journal.
Anyway–I hope that wasn’t TMI and I look forward to interacting with all of you in the future!
Female, 36, Schizophrenic, low income, fairly frugal. Have been reading ERE and the forums intermittently for years.
Hello! I am Violets. I am 36 and from the Appalachian area of the United States. I am excited to have been approved. I first found ERE years ago, but my intent at the time wasn’t to retire early but to slow travel and live in many states in the united states…Although I wasn’t saving for retirement, many of the Ere tenets came in handy–I took the 200-300 a month rent to heart and lived in Colorado for 100$ a month by renting space in a garage and access to a kitchen and bathroom, in hawaii for no money by caretaking an offgrid residence and WOOfing, in Utah for 200$ a month by renting a three bedroom apartment with 6 roommates, in arizona by a combination of hostels for showers and living out of the back of my truck, and in florida and oregon through job provided housing. I often lived walking distance to groceries and, although I always had a car, I always paid cash for it. So for my twenties, I was able to work and live in multiple states that I wanted to visit on very little money, because of ere. I often returned to read the blog or forum for inspiration on living cheaply and well–high quality reading content, always thought provoking and inspiring.
In my early thirties I experienced a Traumatic event and afterwards developed either schizophrenia or PTSD, the psychiatrists didn’t agree. As it progressed I was unable to work for a couple of years and was eventually hospitalized due to the severity of the symptoms. With Treatment I experienced no symptoms, but it changed my goals in life. Due to a strong network of friends and family, during my progression into disease I wasn’t homeless, was fed, and had intermittent odd jobs for cash. I developed alcoholism during the time my symptoms were present, drinking to escape the fear and delusions that accompany the disease. I still struggle with that. My financial goals, as such, are not foremost for early retirement but to buy a house and invest enough to pay property taxes in a walkable/bikeable area. I want to have a place to live, legally, as I cannot ask my friends and family to support me again if the symptoms return as often do and being homeless in the United states, which I have high odds of experiencing, is a less than appealing proposition.. When I achieve that goal, of having a place to legally exist, I will probably pursue financial independence, but it will probably be in stages of investments funding utilities, then food, and so on, securing safety should I be unable to work again. (I did qualify for disability after being hospitalized but did not pursue it, as after treatment I did not have symptoms. If they return however, that may be an option. It would be easier to live on with a paid off house. In my area it is roughly 800 a month and would be a challenge to live on.)
Luckily, I currently have a job that provides housing, utilities and wifi as part of the compensation package. While I do not make a lot, barely above poverty level, I am able to save close 50% of my income when paying attention. The last 6 months I’ve backslid on my savings rate, so I thought I might come here, make a journal, and seek friendship with people that inspire sticking to a good savings rate. (I am pursuing higher paid employment, but time will tell how that pans out.)
I’m sort of intending to use this post to start my journal.
Anyway–I hope that wasn’t TMI and I look forward to interacting with all of you in the future!