Living Car Free - $700-/month kind of life

I understand this is not quite a proper topic for this sub-forum. But
for months I have been reading threads here and I tend to see this place
more and more as promoting a lifestyle, i.e. reducing excessive materials
and increase efficiency by consuming less. It's this very kind of philosophy,
starting from replacing cars with bikes for transportation, that influences me.
The key idea is that, it's not about money and affordability, but more and higher
than that. It's all about, how much you can gain and enrich your live by consuming
less. There is a great thread by iBarne, all of you must have read that, initiates me
to share simple way of living. Here is my way:

Rent: I still live in an apartment with a roomie in the midwest, $270 /mon
Food: Cook mostly, $140 (grocery) + $50(some lunches outside just in case)
Utility: $40(electric+heating), we don't used gas. My apartment has internet and cable
included in the rent, but actually I can live without them. I do most of the surfing
in my office.
Phone: $70/mon, a family plan with my gf, who is living about 3hr away.
Car: Because of my gf, I can't live car-free (otherwise I'll be gf-free). I visit her every two weeks
during weekend. It costs me about $60 for gas. Locally I ride my bike to work.
Insurances: Health + auto = $60/mon

Total=$690

I am working on reducing the Food sector. The car sector is limited by the long-distance traveling:(

How about yours?

Jason

If your internet is broadband, drop the phone and switch to Vonage voice over IP for a savings of $45/mo on their unlimited plan.

If your internet is broadband, drop the phone and switch to Vonage voice over IP for a savings of $45/mo on their unlimited plan.


$45/mo? I pay $25/mo for unlimited. But I would guess his $70/mo is actually a cell phone plan.

-D

You need a local girlfriend within bike commute distance. Then you could sell the car and really save some money. You'd save on the phone bill too.
(Actually you could probably get unlimited long distance for about $50/month if you shop around)

You need a local girlfriend within bike commute distance. Then you could sell the car and really save some money. You'd save on the phone bill too.
(Actually you could probably get unlimited long distance for about $50/month if you shop around)



More than likely she is gonna be my undroppable fiance sometime :). Phone+Car is
like investment to me. My $70/mon is a cingular family plan for two lines, has unlimited miniute.

As for vonage, the downside is it's not portable. I know that migth be a bit of a luxury.
Once we get married and live together I will get rid off my cell I think. But probably will keep
one car for the family errand.

Once we get married
You won't not be able to mantain $700 lifestyle, even $1400. In my case it's over 4k. No mortgage, car spending is only about 150/month. Children are VERY expensive.

$45/mo? I pay $25/mo for unlimited. But I would guess his $70/mo is actually a cell phone plan.

-DI said he'd SAVE $45/mo. 70-25=45

Children are VERY expensive.

+100

About $2200 CDN a month including mortgage (which accounts for half of that amount), bills, and food.

Houses are expensive!

You won't not be able to mantain $700 lifestyle, even $1400. In my case it's over 4k. No mortgage, car spending is only about 150/month. Children are VERY expensive.

This is not universal. Funny you make the assumption that in order to be married you have to have a mortgage, a car and children. The good news is that you don't and assuming you find a spouse of similar values you can easily continue to live off of a small amount of money.

The good news is that you don't and assuming you find a spouse of similar values you can easily continue to live off of a small amount of money.
Congratulations! Looks like you did find the perfect woman.

yup my partner (and 2 doggies) are still living super-cheap. cheaper all the time, in fact.

yup my partner (and 2 doggies) are still living super-cheap. cheaper all the time, in fact.
Your partner. That option may not work for xpenny; he has got a girlfriend, not a boyfriend.

Your partner. That option may not work for xpenny; he has got a girlfriend, not a boyfriend.
Huh? Partner can be male or female, same-sex or other, married or shacking up....Or just somebody you're in business with. And how do you even know that xpenny is male, or xscoutx for that matter? You know what they say about assumptions.....

Huh? Partner can be male or female, same-sex or other, married or shacking up....Or just somebody you're in business with. And how do you even know that xpenny is male, or xscoutx for that matter? You know what they say about assumptions.....
You are right. He may have even meant this partner:

Main Entry: 1part·ner
Pronunciation: 'pärt-n&r also 'pärd-
Function: noun

4 : one of the heavy timbers that strengthen a ship's deck to support a mast

What's your point?

Huh? Partner can be male or female, same-sex or other, married or shacking up....

But don't you know, Roody, married = straight = couple with kids. :rolleyes: Heck, even in Canada where we got rid of the first part, people still equate marriage or "a family" to mean kids!

PS- you forgot common-law relationships. More legal recognition than "shacking up", somewhat less than marriage, depending on the jurisdiction.

You are right. He may have even meant this partner:

Main Entry: 1part·ner
Pronunciation: 'pärt-n&r also 'pärd-
Function: noun

4 : one of the heavy timbers that strengthen a ship's deck to support a mast

What's your point?
My point is you made a stupid comment.:p

Actually, looking back, several stupid comments. This is the internet. You don't know the sex or the sexual orientation of anybody. So don't make assumptions.

I figure I can make it easily on about CDN $1100 per month with some leeway. I live in my own place and drive an old car that doesn't move most days. My rent includes all my utilities except for phone and the infernalnet. I don't bother with TV cable since I would have to pay an arm and a leg to get anything worth watching. Geez, the only thing I seem to spend a fair degree of extra money on these days is bike stuff. I bought a new Surly Cross Check two weeks ago, had to get some additional lights, a new wheel for the Bianchi and had to get new brake pads for the 'goose.

I agree Roody ignorance is ignorance. Even if the assumption is correct (if the man or woman has a partner of the same sex)...what the f*** difference does it make. Gay or straight, living simply is possible regardless of what you do in the bedroom. Many children are had by gay couples and many straight couples choose not to have children. I agree kids are expensive, but don't make yourself look dumb by making assumptions!

I do not have to make any assumptions when people shouting so loudly about their problems. :D

I can live on $525ish a month. Of course this depends on what city you live in. My only expenses are rent, food ($100-125/mth), phone ($20), electricity and misc. I'm carfree, cellphone free, tv free, microwave free, computer free... whatelse is there? I need my own island.

My point is you made a stupid comment.:p

Actually, looking back, several stupid comments. This is the internet. You don't know the sex or the sexual orientation of anybody. So don't make assumptions.
On the net I assume everyone is a 35 year old male living in their parents basement until proven otherwise.

Children are VERY expensive.

Not if ya put 'em to work!

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/childlabor/empty.jpg

This is not universal. Funny you make the assumption that in order to be married you have to have a mortgage, a car and children. The good news is that you don't and assuming you find a spouse of similar values you can easily continue to live off of a small amount of money.

You have a keeper.

There was a thread not that long ago with this topic of mortgages and homes and if you can afford it, buy it. But there are far too many people living over their head trying to keep that mortgage afloat.

There was this one commercial on TV the other day where the poor guy was being pressured to buy into a mortage he knew was too expensive but eventually relented. I felt sorry for him.

Where are you living that you only pay $540/ month in rent?! :eek: If I found a place that cheap around here it would be slum central.

Where are you living that you only pay $540/ month in rent?! :eek: If I found a place that cheap around here it would be slum central.


my rent is only $290/month and im 1.1 miles from the center of downtown, lots of places around here in the $300-$400/month range

Where are you living that you only pay $540/ month in rent?! :eek: If I found a place that cheap around here it would be slum central.

That's one reason I left California. Housing was getting outrageous. I pay about as much for my apartment as I did in L.A. twenty years ago, and my paycheck is larger than I ever made in California.

my rent is only $290/month and im 1.1 miles from the center of downtown, lots of places around here in the $300-$400/month range


Rent for our 1 br apt is 475/mo. It's over a 4 car garage. Room enough for 2 people, 2 cats and eek! 10 bikes. $30-40 for home phone, $30 for electric. Keeping 2 old (12 & 15 yrs old) cars on the road (driven intermittently), buy food and other stuff we want/need. That's it.

Within 20 min walking distance: college (I'm a student), grocery, PO, bank, several other stores/shops, a few restaurants, hospital/clinic. Everything else in town in biking distance.

I sadly shake my head at all the McMansions they are building on the outskirts of the city.

When I lived in WY, I had a very nice large apt a few blocks from downtown for $300/mo.

$700 a month? I wish. I could maybe get a single room for that much...

I seriously don't understand how one can live on less than 600 a month. Admittedly my location kills me on rent (I pay nearly 1400/mo and the cheapest housing that is not public projects is appox. in the 700-800 range). As for the person who spends 150/mo on food, I just have to ask... how?! Assuming that one eats 2 meals a day and a month is 30 days, you are only spending 2.50/meal. What are you eating ALOT of plain pasta? Personally a more realistic number from my experience for eating cheaply comes down to about 5/meal (I actually like some fresh fruit and produce in my meals and I like cooking actual food) which means you spend a minimum of 300/mo on food.

beans n rice
homemade wheat bread made from scratch
potatoes
pasta

Foods like this dont cost much, keep the meat consumption down and stay away from expensive extras and it doesnt cost much for food each month, I cook prettymuch everyday and almost everything is done from scratch, my food bill is about $135/month and I eat about 4000 cals per day. I get fresh produce which is in season from the local farmers market and it costs about 10-20% of what the grocery store charges. The tradeoff is time, it takes time and effort to do these things.

Rent for our 1 br apt is 475/mo. It's over a 4 car garage. Room enough for 2 people, 2 cats and eek! 10 bikes. $30-40 for home phone, $30 for electric. Keeping 2 old (12 & 15 yrs old) cars on the road (driven intermittently), buy food and other stuff we want/need. That's it.

Within 20 min walking distance: college (I'm a student), grocery, PO, bank, several other stores/shops, a few restaurants, hospital/clinic. Everything else in town in biking distance.

I sadly shake my head at all the McMansions they are building on the outskirts of the city.

When I lived in WY, I had a very nice large apt a few blocks from downtown for $300/mo.

These are incredible prices. It goes to show you how inexpensive it is to live in the U.S. Only people on Section 8 housing have that kind of rent on the east cost.

My 1 bedroom is $535 including utilities. It's big enough for me, a cat, and 4 bikes. It's in the center of downtown. There are probably hundreds of shops and restaurants within an 8 block walk.

I pay $650 for a large and truly stunning (if I do say so myself) one BR apartment on the park. I could rent a brand-new loft near downtown for $585. Although these were snapped up so fast, I bet they'll be raising rents there soon.

I could do better on food prices. I do enjoy top-quality organic stuff, for which I pay a little premium. I save a lot because my other tastes are pretty simple--library books instead of buying new books; public computers instead of my own; only eat out once or twice a week; and then at inexpensive ethnic restaurants; I buy a lot of second hand furniture and clothing; and of course the biggest savings of all--NO CAR.

the biggest savings of all--NO CAR.
I bet you saved far more than that when you decided to go "open minded" :D

I rented a room in a house for $450/ month plus $30 for utilities while in college. I need to get out of California.

$435 per month for EVERYTHING. I live in a co-op house. My share is $435 for food, property taxes, utilities, heat, electricity, supplies (toothpaste, soap, laundry detergent, etc). Our house is on a lake in the middle of downtown Madison, Wi. The capitol is 4 blocks away, the UW - Madison is 2, and the main shopping district is 2 blocks away. Right now 37 people live here and a total of 5 have cars.

$435 per month for EVERYTHING. I live in a co-op house. My share is $435 for food, property taxes, utilities, heat, electricity, supplies (toothpaste, soap, laundry detergent, etc). Our house is on a lake in the middle of downtown Madison, Wi. The capitol is 4 blocks away, the UW - Madison is 2, and the main shopping district is 2 blocks away. Right now 37 people live here and a total of 5 have cars.
How big is that house with 37 people living in it? Is it a fraternity house?

It's 5 stories, probably comparable to a frat house. There are 31 bedrooms, and you can have a roommate if you wish. I think everyone with a roommate currently is a couple. There is a HUGE, restaurant size kitchen, and a great room for social interaction. There is a quiet room for reading (with a decent library), and 9 or 10 bathrooms. There are a couple of storage rooms downstairs, with room for 25 or so bikes inside plus the outside bikerack.

It's 5 stories, probably comparable to a frat house. There are 31 bedrooms, and you can have a roommate if you wish. I think everyone with a roommate currently is a couple. There is a HUGE, restaurant size kitchen, and a great room for social interaction. There is a quiet room for reading (with a decent library), and 9 or 10 bathrooms. There are a couple of storage rooms downstairs, with room for 25 or so bikes inside plus the outside bikerack.

Is this the one that i saw on myspace???

It might be on Myspace, I don't really know.

We only pay 260 dollars a rent for one of the best homes in our area - with about 3 acres of land. Utilities average about 40 dollars a month...

I teach in a school down here on Nevis; almost all money goes home to wife and daughter who won't be down for another 10 months. I live pretty happily with a view of the beach and the volcano for about $800 a month. That includes $475 for rent, $100 for power (that's no a/c, very expensive stuff down here), broadband (in lieu of a phone), and the rest, putting aside some money to fly home each semester. Commute by bike or walk most places.

It's 5 stories, probably comparable to a frat house. There are 31 bedrooms, and you can have a roommate if you wish. I think everyone with a roommate currently is a couple. There is a HUGE, restaurant size kitchen, and a great room for social interaction. There is a quiet room for reading (with a decent library), and 9 or 10 bathrooms. There are a couple of storage rooms downstairs, with room for 25 or so bikes inside plus the outside bikerack.

Wow, this is the way to live. Too bad people like to be so disconnected nowadays.

Some of you guys have increadable rent. I live in the cheapest part of town that I know unless you go further out and away from public transport (I am still 13 miles from the center of London or 40 min on the train) and pay £550 p/m with my girlfriend in rent for a small one bed flat excluding all bills. About £90 -100 on council tax plus £10 of electric + gas in summer £20 in winte + some some other random 3 month bills. So that is (550 +90 +10)/2=£325 approx minimum $605 USD + the other random 3 monthly bills just for a roof over my head. I have the cheapest rent of anyone I know most people pay £400 - £500 ($744 -931 USD) a month just in rent I don't have a high income either. This is one of the many things I hate about London

ctac, i'm female and my partner of 6 years is, yes, female!

[


Rent: I still live in an apartment with a roomie in the midwest, $270 /mon
Food: Cook mostly, $140 (grocery) + $50(some lunches outside just in case)
Utility: $40(electric+heating), we don't used gas. My apartment has internet and cable
included in the rent, but actually I can live without them. I do most of the surfing
in my office.
Phone: $70/mon, a family plan with my gf, who is living about 3hr away.
Car: Because of my gf, I can't live car-free (otherwise I'll be gf-free). I visit her every two weeks
during weekend. It costs me about $60 for gas. Locally I ride my bike to work.
Insurances: Health + auto = $60/mon

Total=$690
how about yours?[/quote]

That is pretty cheap, So cheap that is unbeliveable.
I rent 450 a month a guest house check the zip smokin dump.

I pay double almost everything you pay. I have a bus pass, I even pay more than double for your H/auto insurance and I dont even own a car. I pay for a phat pipe, and don't own a tv. I save though in cell, eating out (I go to the groccery instead so I eat out all the time), Gas (ick), and food. Work provides free food.


3hrs away, rather tough to be car free and not hardly any cost maybe motorcycle Lite. Or bicycle half way :)
You could find a regular ride that would help out maybe go car free.
Any public transportation options. Amtrack maybe?

Sounds like she needs to give and take IN my opinion if she loved me maybe once a month. Cause once would be enough. 12 hours in a cage no thank you lady.

Some of you guys have increadable rent. I live in the cheapest part of town that I know unless you go further out and away from public transport (I am still 13 miles from the center of London or 40 min on the train) and pay £550 p/m with my girlfriend in rent for a small one bed flat excluding all bills....This is one of the many things I hate about London

Ditto, ya gotta say that renting in the UK is not the way to go :( but who wants to get into a lifetime of debt - given the difference between house prices (at the moment) and what I'm gonna earn this year :rolleyes:

I think trying to save up a bit for when things even out is best...

You need a local girlfriend within bike commute distance. Then you could sell the car and really save some money. You'd save on the phone bill too.
(Actually you could probably get unlimited long distance for about $50/month if you shop around)
Vonage, $24.95 + tax, unlimited long distance, including Western Europe UK, All of N. America, and Mexico:D

I just started living car free after reading (and reading and reading) BF.net since early this summer. My car insurance ran out last Friday. Today biking in to work it was 33 degrees with a 25 mph headwind, and I couldn't be happier.

My expenses:
$390 rent and utilities - living with two roommates
$300 food - I could get by on a lot less, but I have a soft spot for Subway
$50 cell phone
$50 miscellaneous - occasional bus pass, household items

Total of $790 a month living in Las Vegas in a nice part of town. I'm now living on just a fraction of my income. I can't believe how simple and rewarding this is. Getting rid of my car has cut my expenses literally in half, and I rarely used it as it was.

My friends and relatives think I'm insane. It's good to be insane.