Minimalist Homestead Requirements To Live On $500 A Month In Oregon.

[Camelfilter]

I can only haul about 100 gallons per trip in my Corolla. It could be done in a weekend. I would be double handling the water though. It would take some effort to figure out fuel cost per trip.

Ahh, thought you u had a truck & tank...

 

[oremike]

I know this is about living on the cheap and off grid but if I was going to do so as a full timer I think I'd want to subscribe to at least a water and propane service. I see having bulk propane a real asset and you can do a lot with it heat, lights, charge batteries, ect particularly in adverse conditions. Water weighs about 8.34 lbs per gallon so how many trips hauling 834 lbs in your Toyota before it breaks and you are without transportation?

 

[arakboss]

Ahh, thought you u had a truck & tank...

I had a truck but got rid of it. I kept the tank and built it in to one of my outbuildings. It looks like this one.




Then I have three of these guys.



I don't use them anymore but may if I get another truck. I have water that runs through the property during snow melt season. If I was living there I could capture some of that water and use it for toilet. There is a pond in the forest about a 1/3 of a mile from my place. I could grab some water from there as well.

The pond is pretty full right now. I took this photo over the weekend.






I also have some 55gallon plastic barrels. Lots of storage potential.

 

[doninoregon]

You will want to filter and disinfect any surface water before you store it, or it will be algae city in those barrels and totes.

Rainwater catchment is very effective even off a small roof area, if you have a few thousand $$ for large tanks. 2500 gallon is a good size.

 

[Camelfilter]

I had a truck but got rid of it. I kept the tank and built it in to one of my outbuildings. It looks like this one.

View attachment 1890385


Then I have three of these guys.

View attachment 1890386

I don't use them anymore but may if I get another truck. I have water that runs through the property during snow melt season. If I was living there I could capture some of that water and use it for toilet. There is a pond in the forest about a 1/3 of a mile from my place. I could grab some water from there as well.

The pond is pretty full right now. I took this photo over the weekend.



View attachment 1890387


I also have some 55gallon plastic barrels. Lots of storage potential.

By figuring out your time & fuel use, with what you do have, you can figure out if water delivery would be worth while. Never done such. No idea.

As towards your handling the water twice, in your current situation. Doesn't matter. You would handle it twice wether you take 1 trip, or a thousand.

Use that in your time calculation.

Everyone who has a use for a truck, should have a truck. Even if just a yard truck. Looks like you have uses for a truck...

 

[The Heretic]

Everyone who has a use for a truck, should have a truck. Even if just a yard truck. Looks like you have uses for a truck...

Yup - I've barely used my truck - but I do use it - and would use it more if SHTF. A diesel powered one ton 4x4 with a 12' steel flatbed (18" sideboards) is very useful for a farm. I could even haul a small tractor on it in a pinch.

 

[arakboss]

By figuring out your time & fuel use, with what you do have, you can figure out if water delivery would be worth while. Never done such. No idea.

As towards your handling the water twice, in your current situation. Doesn't matter. You would handle it twice wether you take 1 trip, or a thousand.

Use that in your time calculation.

Everyone who has a use for a truck, should have a truck. Even if just a yard truck. Looks like you have uses for a truck...

When I fill the 5 gallon jugs at the pump house, I can bring them in the house and use them as needed. If I fill the 5 gallon jugs bring them to the property and dump them in a 275 tank, I will have to drain that water from big tank back into 5 gallon jugs to use in house. That is what I meant by double handling.

 

[Camelfilter]

When I fill the 5 gallon jugs at the pump house, I can bring them in the house and use them as needed. If I fill the 5 gallon jugs bring them to the property and dump them in a 275 tank, I will have to drain that water from big tank back into 5 gallon jugs to use in house. That is what I meant by double handling.

A hose could fix that. Simple or as complex as you wish.

 

[Benchrest]

I have to wonder how people lived and continue to live happily with meager surroundings and little to no healthcare.

These people seemed happy even before they had a nice place.

They worked until they died

 

[The Heretic]

Water is heavy.

Yup - considering what it will take to make a fire pump skid with a separate IBC tank. One tote is about the max I could put in my pickup, maybe 2-3 of them on my flatbed. A two axle HD trailer could haul 500 gallons along with the pumps (separate scavenge and pressure pumps) and hoses and fuel.

 

[arakboss]

Yup - I've barely used my truck - but I do use it - and would use it more if SHTF. A diesel powered one ton 4x4 with a 12' steel flatbed (18" sideboards) is very useful for a farm. I could even haul a small tractor on it in a pinch.

Trying to live on $500 a month would be a struggle with one car that gets great gas mileage. Adding a second vehicle to the mix would be very difficult. I really wouldn't have much use for a truck otherwise. Packrats would probably tear it up anyways.

 

[Benchrest]

Hell, with a Porsche, who needs water?

And that really got me thinking, water and Porsche are so yesterday!

Called up my buddy Elon, discussed some of life's greater hurdles, was promised a Star-Trek-touch-less-no-water car cleaning ray-type-thingy by mid next week

I mean, seriously, does one really want to get a $2,000,000 car wet? Let's not be savages

 

[Nosferatu]

Trying to live on $500 a month would be a struggle with one car that gets great gas mileage. Adding a second vehicle to the mix would be very difficult. I really wouldn't have much use for a truck otherwise. Packrats would probably tear it up anyways.

What are you going to do when you eventually kill that vehicle because you're constantly overloading it and driving it on bubblegum dirt roads? It's going to get to a point where it's beyond repair, or the repairs out cost what you can afford.

With $500/mo, you aren't likely to have any savings. You're not going to be financing anything since many banks wouldn't touch the kind of vehicle you'd be able to afford on that income.

 

[Yarome]

Long term is not in the least feasible on $500, IMHO. $1000 a month is more realistic if you're extremely careful and well practiced with a minimalist lifestyle. Short term you certainly could, so long as you had the money to first invest heavily into your "infrastructure". Long term there are just too many fixed costs. IE., Insurance, vehicle registration, consumables like water filters/TP/detergents/etc, vehicle maintenance and you obviously need to be saving monthly for longer term consumables like clothing, footwear, vehicle tires, solar equipment replacements (components and battery bank), genset repair, electronic devices, etc etc.

Everything wears out eventually.

Water is the biggest issue. You can certainly process your own potable from a local source, but on location would be ideal. You'll need a water purification system either way.

As a boondocker I've experimented with minimalist living quite often. Not including the cost of... and starting out with full fuel tanks, (Diesel, duel 30lb LP's) along with 36gal worth in jerry cans and all fixed costs already paid... just "nut" expenses... the best I've done averaged out to about $300/month over 3-1/2 consecutive months. That was just food, fuels, consumables and "services" billed monthly ($22/month internet, $5/month phone, $12/month land pass, etc.) and really not moving around at all. IE., averaged about 2 driving trips per month for relocation, food and/or water. To note, that doesn't include any annual expenses. IE., licensing, registrations, insurances, etc.... or... any long term consumables like water filters, vehicle maintenance/repair, etc.

That's living 100% on solar, processing all my own potable water with a mobile purification system, Onboard trailer water tank, 60/gal collapsible water bladder +24gal's in jerry cans.

The trailer is also optimized for low power and water consumption. IE., cold water return hose to the potable tank while waiting for hot water, an accumulator, recovering all gray water for flushing, etc.

Food... that was during spring when foraging was amply available and the food bill was additionally heavily offset with fishing and small game.

If you had a permanent home on your own land... largely living off your garden, harvested protein and wood stove... you might get by on $500/month for short periods, but I highly doubt you could sustain that for months on end. Annually? Not possible, IMHO. (Unless you like suffering and are okay with living outside the law )


ETA: That $300/month was for 1 person.

 

[arakboss]

What are you going to do when you eventually kill that vehicle because you're constantly overloading it and driving it on bubblegum dirt roads? It's going to get to a point where it's beyond repair, or the repairs out cost what you can afford.

With $500/mo, you aren't likely to have any savings. You're not going to be financing anything since many banks wouldn't touch the kind of vehicle you'd be able to afford on that income.

Dave would say buy another jalopy.

 

[Nosferatu]

Dave would say buy another jalopy.

I'm probably going to be sorry I asked, but who's Dave?

 

[trevi]

Seriously, where!?

In March looked at 20 acres for $9999, annual taxes were $108. Now, this was OFF grid, quite a bit further than I wanted. I think electricity was over ten miles away, would never happen at that address.

 

[arakboss]

I'm probably going to be sorry I asked, but who's Dave?

 

[Indy62]

View attachment 1890410

Man, please tell me you don't drink that guys kool aid..

 

[trevi]

Water supply on the property seems to be a popular item on most people's list. I can tell you in the area where my property is, only a lucky few have that. Most rely on community well, dragging in water from town or have it delivered. I can get by without it and would rather spend the money elsewhere.

My list would include:

Property
Shelter
Car
Woodstove
Lighting for shelter
Bed + bedding
Easy access to firewood
Toilet
200watts of solar
Enough battery storage to run lighting for at least a week.
A solar powered DC freezer would be nice but not necessary.
Camp stove and at least a months worth of propane.
At least one shotgun, one AR15, one hunting rifle and one pistol plus ammo for each.
Basic cordless tool set
Yard tools
Chainsaw
Fuel cans
Toiletries and various soaps, towels, detergents.
Clothing
Basic furniture (chairs, table, couch)
Totes
Place that allows shooting on the property or within walking/biking distance.
Bicycle.
Small generator.
12v pure sinewave inverter/power supply
Cell phone with generous data plan.
Ice chest two or three.
Trailer for car and trailer for Bicycle.
Various handyman supplies.
Reloading supplies, components and gun maintenance equipment.
Water jugs, lots of water jugs.

I am sure there are a few more things I missed. Doesn't look very minimalist does it.

That is luxury!