Bret Favre stage...

You know what I mean, retired, un-retired, retired..  and now completely UN-retired.

I am beat.  I took this Friday morning kind of slow because I'm just whooped.  I am having trouble getting the amount of work I have scheduled done in the time frame I want because I'm out of shape, and it being 93 degrees with a 100 degree comfort index isn't helping much either.

As I was talking with a friend of mine who I often hire to help me out (laid off, 4 kids, decent sized home payment, 2 newer cars, etc) the subject of working less of course came up.  His wife is in a teaching type position where she works 9 months and is off 3 months, but gets paid across the summer.  He feels like she should get a summer job of course.. (And I'm the one single!!!  sheesh)

But finally the point..  Why not work every day like this and "get all the money".  Well, I don't want "all the money".  Also, something I think I've never mentioned, is that I have 2 friends who retired, one had a minor medical procedure done while still on his company insurance, and died of it, 5 days before retirement.  No telling where "all the money" went with him.   Another friend of mine retired.  He was pretty active for awhile, but slowly spent more and more time on the couch, and passed away 2 yrs after a 40 year career.  I know where "All the money" went in his case, I'm friends with his children and they inherited nicely, and I'm sure that pleased my friend.  But, I don't think 2 yrs on the couch was the plan.

My point..I have to resist these urges to hug the couch on my down time.   Which has a lot to do with the loads of work I put on myself in my Bret Favre stages of un-retirement because I put too much on myself.
See the balance problem?   So I guess my "system" does have its flaws but I don't intend to go back to a 9 to 5 anytime soon.  I think double scheduling jobs will be a thing of the past.. after I knock this one out.  I also think my retired phases need to have a hobby (paying or not) or some kind of activity planned.

I have a friend who is burning her candle at more than both ends.  I think she's got a hot spot in the middle as well!  It kind of made me realize my own balance.  My much sought after "personal time", or retired stages, don't have the quality they can if I'm always recovering from a huge surge of work after sitting on my ass for extended periods.

Options.  Well obviously I can be in better shape, and that NEEDS to happen.   Are you listening, ME?
Hobbies need to be re-ignited.  I have a vehicle I want to rehab.  I've considered getting back into the real estate game, get me a fixer upper home.
And I'm thinking of learning to fly.  Not in a plane.  More like a flying squirrel.. by jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.

And maybe I'll do NONE of that, because I'm already stressed over that like its a to-do list.  Or maybe I'll do some of it, and something else.. or some of it and nothing else.   Balance.

I tried to stand on a friends balance board.  Its a board slightly wider than a shoulder width stance, on a log like tube.  The object to balance by standing on the board on top of the log.  What I found out is you don't get up on it and stand there balanced.  You have to continually adjust.. a little this way, then a little that way, and when you can do it without over correcting one way or the other, then you were balancing. 

So thats my goal.. I need to swing a little more to the active side because I don't want to just die (hopefully metaphorically) while I'm retired.  But I don't want to over correct and work 2 jobs all the time either.

Fat checks though.  I do remember the consumerism trap!  What can I buy???  Burning a hole in my pocket!!!

The Man Owes you Less than Nothing...

A guest post on "Planting Dollar$"   I don't have a post ready but I liked this post today on a blog I follow in my google reader.

It's funny how you can say some things.. sometimes powerful things... secrets if you will (though really just another way of thinking) in big black and white letters on the free, world reaching web.. and still be in no danger of your market being flooded.

That's how strong preconceptions and assumptions can be.

Check out.. The Man Owes You Less Than Nothing on Planting Dollar$. 

Geo Arbitrage for us semi retirees.

I just saw the term recently on a blog I have followed for years.  I don't know how 'linking' is done properly so I'm not going to link, but the blog is titled "Early Retirement Extreme".  Anyways, that was the term and this is the following description...

4. Geo-Arbitrage

Geo-Arbitrage, loosely, is when you generate income in a country with a high-value currency and spend it somewhere with a low-value currency. To the business tycoon, this might mean purchasing goods in China to sell in America or setting up an Indian call centre to serve clients in England. My experience in geo-arbitrage was far more modest: I simply generated money in Scotland (through work) and moved to Canada, where British money goes a little further than the Canadian dollar. The C$450 I spend from savings per month took me only a week to earn in Scotland. I’d advise anyone to do the same thing: work somewhere lucrative for a while and relocate to somewhere vibrant and cheap, while maintaining a minimalist and frugal lifestyle.

Now if you want to see an extreme example of this I highly recommend George and Tioga. Again, google and you shall find.. but George lived in the high dollar state of California, and retired with very little income and means to support himself, so he bought Ms Tioga, his RV, and went on his vagabonding adventures.  He now mostly lives in Mexico, and blogs fully of his lifestyle.. right down to his income and expenses.  What a life he lives now, compared to retired and near destitute to maintain a 'life' in California.

But back to me.. because really, this IS all about me, right?  :)  I live in what is probably the most expensive part of the state of Kansas. But don't get me wrong, in most cities there are still affordable places to live.  And forget for a moment that I own my "building" and rent pays most of my overhead.  Even assuming it did not, with my room mate, and the going "rent" I would still be able to live here fully for under 600 per month.

So my "geo arbitrage" was more of a Situational arbitrage.  I created a situation where I already was that I could live how I wanted.  My formula works more in the way that I've created a VERY inexpensive way of living, and I make a VERY high income relative to my expenses.  Would my income cover your expenses or be considered high to you?  That doesn't really matter, it more than covers mine, even if I only work 4 or 5 days a month.  Was it easy?  No way.  In fact, in certain ways it was forced. (which I shall touch on very soon in a new post)  But it can be done, and it can be done about anywhere.  But if you can really take advantage of the GEO part... and why couldn't you in this world of the far reaching internet..  how bad would it be to sit on the beach in Mexico every winter spending dollars made in the US or some other high overhead country?  Ask George, american money still goes a long way in Mexico.

Working less... Semi Retired.. need to Live more

I have 2/3 of the title of my blog down.  I'm definitely working less, which is basically semi retired so I do realize the redundancy.   What I'm not doing much of is living.  I  mean sure, I have my interests and I pretty much do what I want.. but I'm also a worrier. 

I worry about my money and remaining in my semi retired state.  Like I had posted earlier, I got back down to one car, and made a pretty good deal on another, so my "stash" is back up to mostly healthy.  Also I have secured an amount of work that would take me OUT of the semi retired status for a month or two.  All of this will combine to stuff my bank account, at least for the foreseeable future, so why do I worry so much about spending a little on living?

Well, the fact is, you can have a pretty good life without spending a ton of money.

Some things I'd like to do more of revolve around just getting out of the house and out into nature, nature not always being the forest or the lake, but just out into human nature as well.  And that doesn't have to tap into your savings.   I can go to the local swimming pool for just a few dollars.. and who doesn't know about the wildlife you can often view there?!?!  I have three dogs, and I admit taking all three can be a chore and next to impossible, but I can take turns, and get them out for walks, trips to the dog park, the lake, and even over to the pet store when its time for supplies.  They would dig that for sure.

I am dipping into the stash for a poker tournament this weekend.  I love poker but consider the expense unjustifiable even though I occasionally win and have some decent skills.  But I've abstained for several months and I feel like I'm due.  I will keep you posted on the results.

So those are some of the things I'd like to do more of.  What do you do on a budget that makes life enjoyable to you?

Terms like retirement or employed don't have to be permenant.

Right now I have a load of work coming on that is probably going to last the rest of the summer.
And that's ok.  We all know the story of the squirrel and the grasshopper... and I prefer to be the squirrel.
I need to get some "nuts" stored up for the long cold winter.. and starving or freezing has never been the intent of my semi-retired frugal ways.

My point today is that people tend to look at phases of their lives as definite.  I'm retired. I don't work. Or on the other hand.. I'm a ________. Fill in the blank.  But you are defined by your status.  

I just don't agree with such hard and fast lines in my life.  Right now I'm going to be fully employed.  And it's healthy, as I need to get functioning, in better shape, fatten up the bank account.. and  just generally change the gears of my life right now... keep it fresh!   Those of you sitting in the same cubicle, waiting for one of your four weeks of vacation, or at least the weekend, know what I'm talking about.   How nice it would be for a change.. something FRESH.

Well, I was mostly retired all winter.  I've been semi-retired all spring as I dealt with some medical issues.  And now I need to work, for the winter will be here before we know it and in my line of work and skill, work is just not as readily available.

I will say this.. I don't know what field you're in, or skills you possess, or your desire to live a life of more change..(change sucks sometimes)..  but back to my point.  I basically ran a few craigslist ads, put the word out to my social circle that I was looking for a little work, and within weeks I am booked for the summer with some jobs possibly becoming recurring maintenance contracts.

The bottom line, I'm in control of my life.. in as much as the levels of work, the length of work, and even the work I decide to take.   Does it scare me in between times of such income, and times of semi-retirement? 
Yes.. it still does.  But my confidence grows over time,  just like with anything.

So what are you doing today?   I'm going to replace a shower door, and work on a remote controlled entry gate to an apartment parking lot.   Its a nice sunny day.   Not bad.

Attachment

I finally got a comment, and it's great to have a topic come to mind because of it. Thanks user!

Please read yesterdays post if you missed it... but I intentionally related the difficulty of my search for a certain type of vehicle... because now that I finally own it I may have decided to sell it, and it brings up my feelings about attachment.

Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose

Janis Joplin

 

Attachment can range from simple things like family hand downs, to people with serious problems like hoarding.

Have you seen the new show on cable, "Hoarders", I think some of the subtitles are "buried alive" and such descriptive lines about not being able to give up ownership of anything?  It's incredible, but very eye opening on a grand scale of what the inability to give anything up can do to you.

 

Another good example comes from the Bible... those who know me, don't pass out here.. I do believe there are some good moral lessons in the book.

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God

Taken literally it obviously seems like just another silly story of the good book. But when you take it in context with when it was written it is simply a great piece of advice.  The "Eye of the needle" was often a very small opening in a wall that protected most large cities in those times. You could simply focus a defense on a small area much more successfully. 
Camels, quite often loaded down with passengers, products, and wares could not get through these small openings without completely unloading all of their "holdings".. often times having to crawl through on their knees. (I know, another interesting tidbit that you can focus on yourself. )

But now lets think about it.  Putting down all your possessions, and squeezing through the eye of the needle.
Isn't that a great metaphor, even for living today?  Sometimes you just can't carry it all to get where you want to be.  And I'll leave you with the final truth... No matter what you believe, what you have now, you cannot take it with you... except maybe one good suit and some small personal family items. :)  

So full circle to the truck.  I have it after a long and enjoyable search.  And it sits in my driveway.  I drive it a couple times a week, and it has even come in handy a few times already.  But am I still doing cartwheels?  Nope.  In fact, now I'm paying property tax and insurance on two vehicles. BOOOO.
And its not perfect.  It needs things, to be gone through, to be brought up to my standards of how I like my vehicles... clean and dependable.

So would I sell it?   Yup!   For the right price, most things I own are for sale.  My doggies excluded.. at any price.

Besides... maybe I want a black one instead.   Just one more "specific"... which may take me two years to find... and who knows, maybe that won't make me eternally happy by then either..

Loose grips hold.... tight grips choke...   Hold on loosely...  .38 Special!

 

 

What to do when you get fired...

Well, I guess I can't get fired, because I QUIT! haha.

But I've had a month where I didn't get too much done. Maybe how you might feel if all of a sudden your income was shut off.

Well if you've lowered your expenses then there's not a lot to worry about. And I believe having these big houses, and big new cars, and these rooms full of items that made you feel better at purchase, but now sit around taking up space...are all about attachment.

Last month I bought a truck. It was a truck for which I've been searching quite long. It has everything I wanted, which was very specific and why the search took so long. I was very gratified to let a few thousand dollars out of my grip! haha (if you only knew). But now that I own it, I find that it's not as exciting as the search, and its not really perfect.. and life is not really that much better for owning it.

So luckily, even though I wanted this truck badly.. I still bought it as my personality led me.. which means I drove a hard bargain and I believe I bought the truck at the right price.

Which means, I think the search is back ON, because said truck is for sale, and I expect to make 700-1000 profit because of how I bought it, and how I will market it.

So even though I spent the month "fired"... I have options. I'm not attached to my possessions, and in fact, I rather enjoy the feeling of want, and pursuit.. and so in a way, that pursuit produced an income, and because my expenses are low, probably 2 months of income, doing something I like, for a couple hours (the buying and selling, not the search).

Anyone want a shortbed chevrolet silverado, in the 90's OBS style? V8 automatic. Pretty hard to find, and I'll make you a great deal.. ;)

New Blog Title

Well, since all 6 of my readers are just reading, I came up with a blog title myself... cmon guys! At least tell me what you think of it.

I think it's more honest. I work. I have "jobs". I just have a lot less than most people, which allows me the time to live more.

Now, semi retired? Depends on how serious you take the word "retired". I think you can retire many times. It doesn't have to be a one time event.

So anyways... how was my week? Well, I was fully retired this week. I am wrapping up a few medical issues that hindered my ability to work in my field and expect to be a little busier next week.

And that's what my blog is about. I didn't ask for time off, I didn't have to have a mandatory Dr appointment, and I didn't have to stress out over what my boss or co-workers thought about my inability to work for over a week.

You might say.. I didn't make any money. Yea. You would be mostly correct.. and correct enough that explaining is moot.. I didn't make any money. And I bet I STILL will have more left over at the end of this months expenses than most people. And if you think NOT.. I bet you don't know that a larger percentage of people than you think earn LESS than their monthly expenses, and are living on credit.

So anyways.. I just have to get this darn medical thing cleared up so when I'm semi-retiring, I'm not laid up on my ass!!

For my next posting trend, I think I'm going to touch on how I was FORCED into this minimalist lifestyle I talk about here. It's not really easy to go against the grain... swim upstream.. step outside of the box. And I admit, given a choice I probably wouldn't have done it either.

Life kinda helped me along... and thats where I think I'm going next.

Also, happy to start a discusssion.. anyone? Buehler? Buehler? Buehler?

Thinking of changing the title of my blog...

I hear you.. I do have a JOB. Not every day, not every week, but I make money by having a job, and then the job is over. So actually I have a LOT of jobs.

I guess my intent when I started this job was that I didn't have a full time job. A "9 to 5" job. Something with seniority, or tenure, or really, responsibility.

But I am beginning to concur, my blog title is a little mis-leading.

So, aside for asking for your help with readers and participants... I"m looking for a new title for the blog.

Please, suggestions and comments in the section below.

Some of my thoughts...

Living on Less

Semi Retired Minimalist

Making it with a part time job

I hate having a job (OK, just kidding. sorta)

Live by doing what you love

And you can see MY trend.. but what do you get from what I'm saying?
Please leave your comments. Love for SOMEONE to bust my comment cherry!
Come on, you know you wanna.. there will only be one..

Extended leave of absence...

Sorry for being gone... But it was kind of nice to not have to ask anyone for time off, being on any supervisors crap list, nor worry about how I'm going to make it without a salary for a few weeks.

I developed a skin infection, probably caused by staph, which resulted in a few very painful skin lesions. Basically I've been unable to sit (butt) or walk (knee) for a few weeks, but I seem to have turned the corner and making a recovery. Hopefully the dent in my ass where Staph decided to have a picnic will smooth over for the most part.

Just wanted to say that I hope to be back regular immediately, or soon. I do have a few jobs backed up obviously and need to get em done for this months operating expenses.

Also, have been hoping for some new readers, and I really don't know how to market or network, but would like to maybe have some discussions, or maybe a guest post, or something of that nature.. so if you're one of my few readers, and think you might know someone who'd enjoy this topic, please invite them to stop by, and everyone, please feel free to make a comment, suggestions, or even start a topic. I'd love the participation.

Dave.

Some of my favorite blogs

About living cheaply, read about George and Tioga! I've been reading this blog for years. George has no secrets about how he lives in paradise, leading the vagabond life in his golden years. He discloses ways of living on less, and even discloses his full balance sheet monthly.
http://blog.vagabonders-supreme.net/

Another blog I frequent is by a young man who has retired in his mid 30's. He also gets right down to the numbers and how he accomplished this feat and tells you how you can do the same. No matter your income, the math remains the same. I'm also a fan of how he lives affordably in 232 SF of living space with his wife and small dog. Check Jacob out at..
http://earlyretirementextreme.com/

And just one more for today. Talk about working from anywhere. This young man has figured out the way of the new world. He has lived in more cities in this last year than in his previous entire lifetime. Check out Everett Bogue at..
http://www.farbeyondthestars.com/

Information is power! Charge yourself!

PS. I am looking for blog post ideas. Do you have any specific questions? Would you like me to talk about how I deal with certain aspects of a semi retired/employed lifestyle? Please email me or drop me a comment below. Have an idea for a guest post? I'd love to talk with you about it.

A Benefit of being unemployed

Have you ever heard the quote

"nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so

I know thats not exact, and also that there are several versions, but I think it means to make the best of your situation.

There was a time when I could never have imagined not working for someone, reporting to work on a regular schedule, getting that check every Friday, and maybe getting a few benefits like insurance or some paid days off.

Now, honestly, I'm quite unemployable, and if you were in my position you might well be the same, or you might well be going crazy wondering how you were going to survive. It's different for everyone and everyone has a different threshold for risk.

But I did say BENEFIT, and here is what I'm thinking lately. I'm getting kind of tired of where I live. And since I don't have a "job", and of course I live minimally without an over abundance of property... property that can often end up owning you.. I really just think I'd like to pick up and move somewhere else. I'm nearing my 45th birthday next month and but for some brief vacations I've lived in my city and surrounding area my entire life. I really don't know if I mean another suburb of Kansas City, or if I mean an entirely different state. A new climate, a new culture, and a new start might be just what I need, but then again I have family in the KC area, and though with my semi employed status I could return often, this is the one sticking point I'm not sure about. So I may be looking into the country areas surrounding my current city... something within an hour to 90 minutes. The trouble with being out of the metropolitan areas would be getting enough work to keep the budget floating, but that is balanced by the much cheaper cost of living.. so this will need to be thought about.
But still... can you think about that right now, knowing you have to be at work tomorrow at 8am. And the next day, and the next.. for say the next 20 years.. or until they don't need you anymore?
I think these options are one of the best benefits of being unemployed.. or semi employed, however you like to look at it.

I wonder how hard it would be to be semi employed in Miami... or San Diego? Anyone?

How to make money by not spending money

The best way to get a raise is to spend less!

Lifestyle. Thats a pretty broad word. I don't intend to cover my entire life in one blog post, but I wanted to talk about how I live.

I've mentioned in a post that I live in a duplex, and I rent out the other side which covers 70% of my house payment. I also have a roommate that pays the remainder or my house payment which leaves me with utilities, cable, internet access and my cell phone. As I've said before, my entire monthly budget is WELL under $500.00.

Some things I do to further trim my budget.

I buy work shirts, tshirts, and sometimes even very nice dress shirts at my local Goodwill and Salvation Army Thrift Stores. You'd be surprised in our throw away society what can be found in your local thrift store.

I've been cutting my own hair for over 15 years. I know it seems like such a small thing, and maybe some of you ladies will draw the line on this one.. but for me, its very simple, very easy, and I've never had one comment good or bad about my cuts.

I RARELY eat out. Before you begin your whine about how convenient this is, let me say that I eat very well, and I still have treats.. and I have no problem maintaining my weight of 175 at ALL times. I am 6 feet tall.

I have mentioned that I have no credit cards, and no car payments. I realize you may not be there now, but you can get there if you want to bad enough. I was forced there by circumstances like divorce, job loss, and some job disability. Those are very motivating factors, but you don't need that kind of motivation to reach the same goal.

One of my next moves which I'll write about in my next blog is finding a low priced home, fixer upper, must-sell or some similar situation involving a great price on a home. Why you say, when I'm living so cheaply? Well, I can get an additional FULL rent on the unit I'm living in, and if I buy properly this will help pay my mortgage on my new property, and increase my equity building efforts by paying off another asset.

I'll go over the numbers I'll be trying to attain in my next post. Come back, I'd love your comments on my ideas. Still waiting for my first!

Remember, I'm not a financial planner, and not telling you how to make fast money, or get rich quick on the internet. Just telling you how I live on what I have, which I believe is very minimal compared to todays standards.

Another Funday Monday!.. but might work a little tomorrow...

Being your own boss

Well, not much has changed.

That big chunk of work we picked up off a one weekend post in Craigslist Barter section is still keeping us busy.. busier than we would like to be.

And here is where its hard to have a "no job" mentality but a contract responsibility to a client.

So we're busy this week trying to be work like. And I know this part is whats so contradictory to the title of my blog, and I've often thought of changing it. But I really don't have a job. I have a task I agreed to perform for someone for a set task.

So let me say what I DON'T have that I might have with a job.
I will not be taxed on this job, at least until I spend the money.
I will not have insurance provided on this job.
I will not be paid more or less based on how many hours I put in on this job, I am committed to my word and my bid.
I will not be guaranteed any work beyond the scope of this one bid.

So, is it a job. Yes, by Websters definition I'm sure it is a job. But I'm talking about a career I guess. ANd even if your career seems like a job, if you're locked into doing it every day then it is your career, at least for now, even if it is delivering pizzas.

I had a last minute Dr appointment today. I did not call anyone, I did not ask to be off, I am not in trouble, and I absolutely am not worrying about it. In fact I"m sitting on my couch after eating lunch at home, pondering even going to the "job" at all today. My client is ok with it. I do great work, gave her a great price, don't take any money up front, and have lived up to my word. (remember, never over promise and you'll never have to "explain")

So, that's where we're at today. Punch list on a friends rental, and some deck repair, and a bathroom finish. Will keep you posted on hours involved and profit.. See how my estimate stacks up.

I enjoy thinking of the stress I miss out on by not having to ask for time off from my postal supervisor. Ahhhhh.

Busy schedule for being semi retired.

Remember, I said I'm going to try and post at least every other day, and I intend to give it every effort.

But this week I have a full sheet.

From a craigslist ad I am installing about 160 feet of privacy fence. I was negotiated a little cheap for this job, and honestly with what else has popped up I may have to pass on this one. We have reached a number of $1100 for 3 days of work for 2 guys. I know, not too shabby, but digging 30 fenceposts is NOT why I got into a minimal living situation. Jury is out on this one.

Also picked up 2 smaller interior repair jobs involving paint, drywall, texturing from a craigslist ad posted in the BARTER section. I love bartering and have posted recently about it, please look for it in my post archives.

And I have a punch list for a rental move in involving those small irritating tasks that never seem to get done.. door stops, cleaning, trim, paint touch ups.. etc.

So whats the numbers on this week? I think an interesting thing to do is to estimate it now, and come back and revisit this next Monday, and see how close I am.

The fence on hold for now, I think it is about 30 hours, and about 900 dollars, cash or trade. I hope to do a little better if more of the pay is in trade, but stay tuned, lets see how this turns out.

How to trade up for nicer things.

This works in all kinds of areas, from small items all the way up to homes and beyond I suppose. In my instance today it is related to my ever changing vehicles.

Earlier I've blogged about how much I like cars and trucks, Chevrolet is my car of choice, but I like about anything with 4 wheels.

Last winter during my slow months I found a place, Copart.com, and signed up to be a buyer. I bought a few cars and made a few bucks. By the time I bought my 1999 Volvo for $575, I had made that much in profit so the Volvo was free and clear. Without over explaining, with fees, repairs, and other things cars invariably need during ownership, I am ALL IN (I love poker, especially Texas Holdem) for about $1100.

I love the Volvo, but I need a truck.. it's hard to be a handyman in a Volvo, as sweet as the car is to drive. So for about 6 or 8 months I have been looking for a shortbed, regular cab, chevrolet with a V8 and an automatic transmission... and as is my style.. at a great price! If you think I took my time, I didn't! I looked almost daily.. try finding one if you don't believe me. (And if you don't want it, email me! haha)

This week I finally found it! It is all of the above, and I'll go more into this in a post soon, but it "had all the RIGHT things wrong with it". And to save the full explanation til another post, by RIGHT I mean things I can do, or like to do, but that affect the price of the vehicle.

I gave $2200 for this truck, and being an expert in value (you'll become one too when you spend 6-8 months looking for something) I know I can re-sell it right now for 3000-3500 dollars.

So you say.. I'm still out the $2200. Not exactly. Being a minimalist, at least the best one I can be, I can only have 1 vehicle. (when I get better it might be NO vehicle, but that will have to be later) And we arrive at aforementioned Volvo.. which I just sold on Craigslist for $3000.

So, I sold a car I bought on profits from a hobby, used to money to buy a vehicle I need (and like) and put $800.00 in my pocket. What do I have now? An asset in the $3-3500 range plus $800 cash, all derived from doing something I enjoy. All with NO debt, and loosely speaking, no depreciation. (since I bought under market value, will enhance the value with repairs and TLC, and there is a bottom to depreciation eventually or at least it becomes marginal)

It's fun to do things differently. I know it's different, because the big news this week is that General Motors paid back 8 BILLION dollars in loans. Business is booming in the new car industry! If you're lucky enough to buy without DEBT, you won't be as lucky with depreciation.

The latest way to Make it without a job...

Win the darn LOTTERY!

Just found out on the news that a guy from Missouri won a quarter of a billion dollars in the lottery!

WTH!?!?!

I guess I'm cursed by the fact that I can do math. Math like..

Your chance of winning I think is 1:250,000,000 or better.

The guy who won bought a $5 quick pick.. his total cash net worth was $28...in other words, wagered near 20% on a 1 in quarter billion shot.

HALF.. needless to say he'll be seeing WAY less than 1/2 of the money. Can we say TAXES!

And he'll lose even more because the smart bet is to take all your winnings upfront, and to do so you'll give up even more.

So the poor schmuck will probably end up with a measely 70-80 million dollars of his quarter BILLION buck winning ticket.

I hope he reads my blog, I can give him a hand about living frugally so he can probably give up that convenience store job he's working at $7.25 per hour!

:) Really though, congratulations dude. If you need someone to hold any of that for you, drop me an email.

Earth Day 4/22

Instead of throwing out old linens and towels, donate them to a local animal shelter. Your trash might be a shelter dogs bed! They'll love you for it.. and you'll feel pretty good about it too!

So what does Earth Day have to do with not having a regular job?

A lot actually! At least for me. For starters, giving things away, recycling or free-cycling not only helps the earth, but also helps your budget!

An example is automobiles. Now I know you're probably not going to give your car away, but it is something that we do buy a lot of USED. I notice a trending news topic is how GM is paying back their government assistance loans.. our money.. ahead of schedule.. in fact they've paid back 8 BILLION dollars already. They obviously are selling plenty of cars and have saved plenty of money with all the cut backs. The other side of the spectrum is my car. It is a car I bought from an insurance company at an insurance salvage auction. It is a 1999 Volvo S70 AWD Turbo. The top of the line for that model year. I paid $575.00 for it as you see it in the picture above, and after fees, and repairing the car to road worthy I laid out a total of $1100 bucks. What is your car payment? Do you owe more than it's worth? hmmm

Less extreme examples, well, are everything else! It's 2010, everything is available in places other than retail! I love to say it... say it with me... CRAIGSLIST! My friend just laid out $6600.00 for a bedroom furniture set. I will tell you, its really nice. I have less than $100.00 in my entire bedroom. Sure, its not as nice but its FAR from unacceptable. And like the old Motel 6 commercials, what does Tom Bodett say.. our rooms look the same as theirs WITH THE LIGHT OFF. What if that 66 hundred dollars was invested for the next 20 yrs? hmmmmm.

So anyways, it's Earth Day. Being Earth concious can help you and the earth live a happier, longer life. And please, I'm not trying to tell you to live a way you're not comfortable with.. that is entirely against my true point of living the way you WANT! If you need that new car, or that new furniture, or 40 pairs a shoes, then just be earth concious when you need to make room for new. Don't contribute things to the landfill that still have use in them. Make someones day and see how it makes you feel.

Please adopt your next pet! Overpopulation is the #1 killer of dogs. Supply is met, continued breeding is not necessary and based on greed and consumerism. There are purebreed rescues for EVERY breed. They are part of our earth too.

Working for barter instead of cash

I put an ad in the Craigslist "Barter" section this weekend. Would like to trade my handyman skills for trades and barters... and of course cash works too.

A couple of things happened... First I received 4 inquiries about bartering on small to medium sized jobs, in my area. Just what I was looking for!

Second.. this morning I found out my ad was flagged. Haha. Good ole Craigslist flagging nazis.

Have you ever thought about taking something other than cash for your services? Quite often you can get much more for your efforts than simply cash. There are no taxes on "trades", except when you trade your efforts for cash. Also there is a depreciation factor of items to trade, yet I value my work at the going rate. Say I value my efforts on your behalf at 500 dollars and we begin to barter the compensation. Well, just because you have something that you paid 500 dollars for as a consumer, meaning you bought from a retail provider at a retail price, does not mean that it is worth 500 dollars now. In fact in my experience I get almost double the value when I barter than when I take cash. Let's face it, if you're willing to trade me for my efforts you have already determined that you don't need your barter as much as you need my services. On the other hand, if I need your barter then it is quite possibly worth much more to me in as much as I do not have to visit the same retailer and pay top dollar for your item. And if I don't need it specifically then of course I can sell it myself for cash or trade and the depreciation factor is not as much of a factor because I will be suffering it myself.

So if you've never thought of trading and bartering I think you're missing out on a beneficial and sometimes very fun and entertaining activity.


On the second note... Flagging on Craigslist. I do not condone misposting or spamming of any kind, and yes my ad is very solidly a service ad and I suspect the reason I was flagged.. BUT, I am willing to trade my services for non-cash items in a barter situation so I think I'm solidly blurring the line on this deal.
What NOT to do when re-posting on craigslist is to make comments about being flagged. It is blood in the water for flagging nazis. Take advantage of the situation and TOP POST! That's right, your ad is no longer on craiglist and therefore eligible for re-posting, right at the top of a brand new day. Thank you very much!

So now to call these leads and see what might be available for trade. Seriously, to me this is VERY fun. Like a treasure hunt. This kind of takes the JOB out of a job.

Looks like Monday is going to be Funday! woohoo.

Is it Sunday?

Have you ever thought about how defined we are by what day it is? I will tell you that I used to be there too. Today I hardly know it's Sunday except for a few things... one is obviously sports!!! It's Nascar today! And all winter it's NFL, for some of you it's Church day, and etc.. you get the picture.

An example of how it still affects me is a job I have lined up. It's a two day deal, and as you can expect, it will cover yet another month of my living expenses, but that's not my point. I would have loved to have started today. But the homeowner isn't accustomed to working on Sunday so they would like me to start tomorrow. And an interesting side note is that this client is retired and does not attend church services, but is so ingrained that Sunday is not a work day that it just goes against his belief to start today.

Another thing I see are the "Friday Freaks".. you know who they are.. Monday morning they are already whining and complaining that they can't wait til FRIIIIIIIDAY. Monday SUCKS.. Tuesday SUCKS almost as much, Wednesday is HUMPDAY.. Thursday is the day before Friday.. and FRIDAY is AWESOME.. (Though still a work day)

I think that's why the bars are so full on Friday Happy Hour. A lot of people just can't wait to let off the steam. Show that they have some control of their lives. That job doesn't control me.

And then it's Saturday. I have to leave Saturday alone.. Not a work day for most, not the big sports day.. just a day. A happy day usually. Though as a postal employee just another work day, except on rotation where you would get Saturday and Sunday off together. I think once every 6 weeks if I remember right.

But what about Sunday? That's almost as interesting as Monday. Sunday is NOT a work day for most, but let the griping begin! These weekends are too short! I hate my job! Have to go to work tomorrow! ETC. I wonder if anyone can do math, you still have HALF of your days off left. I suspect it's the same logic of why everyone is so happy to WORK Friday, and dislike their day OFF Sunday.

I don't get it.

This morning, over cooking breakfast, I really had to think.. Is it Sunday? (Now I know a lot of you guys who are reading this just thought.. If I'm cooking, it's Sunday. I know the ritual.. I was there. But you better get in there and be cooking a few other days as well.. unless you want to be single like me. But I digress... )

Nascar. Yup, it's Sunday. Guess I'll work tomorrow. And since I'll probably only work two days.. then I guess it's like a Thursday.. which isn't too bad. But WOOOHOO, only one day til Friday. I can't wait.. because then it's Saturday.. Saturday.. Saturday.. Saturday... maybe Saturday again..

Living on 1 days wage

I like that title. I find that I can create acceptable writing style and grammar but I'm not the most creative individual in the web. OK.. pat pat pat my own back, but now on the the post.

Thanks social networking.

Lets start with Facebook. I have a 140 friends on my list. And just like a lot of you I would hardly talk to many of them except that I know them from my past. School mostly, but some friends and acquaintances from way back then.. and yes, most of the EX'S.. who unfortunately do not live in Texas!
I saw a friend post her status update one morning about needing a deck power washed for her parents in a city near me. I dropped her a line and was hired immediately. $200.00 to power wash a good sized deck. I gave her a respectable price, they were happy to pay me and we had a great time catching up. Any job that starts and ends with a hug is a pretty good job.

Well, lo and behold, the neighbors that stared at us all morning weren't just being nosey. They were watching our work... and guess who called yesterday? I will be washing their deck tomorrow. Still under priced, but for 300.00. Will it be a "HUG" job? Probably not, but they are happy with our price, and they already know I do great work. Who isn't happy to get referrals and call someone with verified skills? They have to look at the nice clean deck I washed every day as they sit on their own faded moldy deck.

So, 8 hours of work, and I have completely covered my basic expenses as I documented in my post "The No Job Budget" . Though I will look for and take any work I can get for the next 29 days, you can understand why I won't be too stressed in that pursuit.

What are you doing today? Is it FINALLY FRIDAY for you? I've had 4 Friday's this week. ;) Remember, the quickest pay increase you'll ever give yourself is decreasing your expenses. The only raise you'll NOT pay taxes on.

Have a great weekend.

How to NOT make it WITH a JOB.

If you haven't heard it before, a decent acronym for JOB is Just Over Broke. And isn't that the truth.

This post started out to be about a kid. Namely my kid, and since he doesn't know about this blog... yet, and since you really don't know me personally, I was going to tell his most recent history. And then I started thinking, I did the same things when I was his age. So this is a story about a couple kids.

My first real job came with the USPS, I was a letter carrier. Pretty good money for blue collar work. A great job in tough economic times like the late 80's when I started. And I was a WORKER. I worked every minute they would let me and most years I would almost double my yearly salary based on base pay. But here was the problem with earning good money...... NO FINANCIAL SKILLS.

I had a child obviously and was paying a pretty significant amount of child support. I also was married, not to his mother, and we bought a home as soon as we could. Almost accidentally we bought one of the most affordable houses of all we were shown... and in fact I will say it was completely accidental. It ended up being close to both of our JOBS and luckily was the home we chose. Just for laughs.. it was 49,950.00 and the awesome bond money interest rate was 8.5%. HAHA. hmmm

In addition to this home we had a few credit cards, always with a balance. Two new vehicles, 1 motorcycle, 1 jetski, a lake lot, and of course we lived the high life. (not high.. toke toke.. just living large!)

Needless to say, when this marriage ended, the cards came tumbling down, and in a hurry. A not so unfortunate incident inasmuch as what I learned and how it changed my life. Trust me, it's not that much of a curse NOT to be able to borrow a dime. It just took the label BAD CREDIT to learn, and isn't that the way sometimes. The harder road sticks. Also, try being the proverbial 30 yr old guy living in your parents basement. It proverbially SUCKS.

My son is in a similar situation. He has a son, and plans to marry the mother soon. Until last week he was the only one working, roughly 10 bucks an hour, unskilled. They have one car, with payments of course, and live with her parents. They also carry revolving debt, mostly store type cards for things they just had to have NOW.

His recent story that maybe you can relate to.. receiving his tax return.
Being that he was recently temporarily seperated from his fiance, and returned home to live with mom, he had no car and though missing his child was his major concern he was seriously inconvenienced without transportation... so it was mentioned that I should find him one of my "auction beauties". And that's what I started doing, looking for him a great car at a great price.

Well, that takes time, most good things aren't easy or quick.. or, as they say.. "Everyone would be doing it". Comes along week 2 and I decide to run a nice 10 yr old ford explorer by him. Well come to find out he just bought a 52 inch plasma TV. Being the good dad, I remain calm but ask him if he has any money left. Well, the TV is on credit. It's only $80.00 a month.(He doesnt even know how many months) When I asked why he borrowed when he had his tax money..hoping to hear he still wanted a car.. I learned that the tax refund money was used to pay "wedding expenses".. you know, the Vegas for 10 days on a 10 buck an hour job variety.

Quick Tip: If you want GREAT wedding gifts.. DON'T ask your guests to take an expensive trip to see your wedding. JUST SAYIN...

But anyways.. I'm not going to make this much longer, its too long already. I think you can see the points I'm trying to make. Now, I try to love myself, and I love my kid, so I am not angry, nor did I lecture him. But, it is a perfect example of what NOT to do if you don't want to report to that Just Over Broke every day for the next 45 years...

Getting a few page visits..

and even a few new followers!!

So I want to welcome all of you and thank you for stopping in. I must say that it is a new feeling to know that someone is reading what I have decided to share.

It is a mixed feeling. Of course I'm excited to have even one reader, and honored to have someone want to follow my blog. It also gives me a little tentative feeling. I hope that my style is respectable, I hope that it is enjoyable, and I hope that it is accurate and useful.

Also, apparently some ads on my page are being clicked.. evidenced by the few nickels and dimes showing up on my adsense report. I appreciate your support. I think maybe this could be another one of my FUN UN-JOBs.. or at least buy me a happy meal every Friday! Who doesn't love McD's french fries!???

I am a proponent of information! I think that's why I finally decided to share my experiences. I believe there is NO bad information (excepting what you may have paid for it, and all good programs have a money back guarantee) as long as you learn something from it. I also completely believe that informations doesn't "cost" you... information "PAYS" you, and great information can change your life. The internet makes this information and these opportunities to change your life abundant, and at your fingertips. All for less than it costs to fill up your gas tank!

So again, thanks for stopping by. If you are interested in my experiences, or just my daily life and how I do what I do, please follow me, and maybe share me with your friends. Also please comment. I think a full participation blog would be a lot of fun, and I"m willing to share or answer any question you may have.

It's a nice day in KC today... Copart Auto Auction today at NOON! Let's make some MOOOLAH!

Jobs aren't this fun!

The 'No Job Budget'

Well I don't think I need to state the obvious. A 'No Job Budget' has to be very minimal. I am a single person and my son is grown and lives outside the home. I also do not have any revolving debt, auto loans, judgements, or other debts due. I am debt free and that alone is a great goal. I recommend it highly!

Ok, I live in a half a duplex that is owned by a family member. I pay about 100 dollars less than market value, so not really any tricks here, just a little discount. It is small, but very liveable in a decent part of a major KS city. I have a room mate that shares all expenses half.

I have a cell phone and cable TV with internet access. These are my ONLY luxuries, and by that I mean I could actually live without them.

And living expenses, utilities, food, insurance, gasoline etc.

I wish I could insert a nice table/graph here, but I'm not quite that skilled yet so bear with the listing in paragraph form.

My Rent is 275.00 per month.
My Utilities average about 125.00 per month. (cable,electric,gas,trash)
My Cell Phone is 70.00 per month.
My Auto Insurance is 35.00 per month.
Add in groceries and maybe 1 tank of gasoline a month and you have my expenses.

Now, I don't go a lot of places.. being semi-retired, at least for me, does not mean living large, going out partying, or any such "budget hole". And this is fine with me, remember this is what I do and you need to do what makes you happy or it won't work for you.

As for income I will save that for another post. To complete this post I will say that I am a skilled construction laborer. When I sub-contract I charge 20-25 dollars per hour. I also bid work from craigslist and referrals and I bid between 25-40 dollars per hour.

I think if you do the math you can see that working less than 1 week a month will cover my bills and allow 3 weeks to pursue other interests as I please.

Of course there are ups and downs. I sometimes work for months straight, and then don't work for months at a time. I still call this 'semi-retired' as I have a very high level of choice in my life, a lot of control... if you believe there is such a thing. (talk about a whole other subject for a blog.... or at least a post)

Well, there are my numbers. What do you think?


So that's it.

Vacations when you want them...

... or need them.

I didn't do much this week. I had some important medical issues, appointments, and the stress that all that involves.

Thats whats great about living minimally. I didn't have to ask anyone, or make any employers angry, or co-workers have to shoulder my load, I just do what I need to do and don't worry about it too much.

I am worried that I didnt post for several days and I am trying to take this seriously and share information and tips about how I live without a regular job.

I am going to start this upcoming week with a post about my budget, both expenses and income. I still don't think I have anyone stopping by but the author here, but maybe I'll catch on eventually. I have been spending a little time trying to learn this blogging and hopefully my competence will rise and bring some readers.

Please say hi, and feel free to offer any suggestions.

EHOW

This weekend I did a little research on EHOW.com.

I was talking to a friend of mine from High School who I connected with on Facebook and we got to talking about blogs and internet authoring.

Without going into how EHOW works because you can and should search it yourself, I was interested because as I'm sure you've garnered that I have a little bit of skill in a lot of areas and I use these skills to make my living without having a "typical" job. In fact I argue that since I only do things I like that I never really feel like I have a job at all. I think I will begin sharing tips and tricks on how to do some of the things I know on Ehow.

Does anyone, if anyone ever reads my posts, use EHOW, and what do you think about it?

Craigslist

Well, didnt have any success at the auto auction yesterday. There were a couple I probably should have bid a little higher on but I just didnt feel comfortable.

Guess today I will get back to Craigslist. I'm a Craigslist junkie! I buy anything that I possibly can from there, within reason of course. I also post ads to sell what I have, and even post jobs to do my minor remodeling and home maintenance tasks for money. Probably the closest thing to a job that I do, in that I just don't like it as much as I do my other "hobbies".

Do you ever have moments that happen that you remember forever? Even moments that change how you think forever?

I was a Letter Carrier with the USPS for 10 yrs. I used to take my breaks at the local Quik Trip convenience store where every Thursday I would buy the latest AUTO TRADER. I knew the day it came out, and about what time it was delivered to my local store. Then I would take my breaks for the next few days going over it inch by inch.

Well, when you do something very routine (and the post office makes everyday routine look random) you get noticed, and I of course made friends and acquaintances. Behind this QT, and I sat behind it for the obvious reasons of the big white truck with an eagle on it and my zippy blue uniform, was a small one man car sales lot. To shorten this story up, I talked to the owner of this lot on occasion and one time he says to me......

You know you can make a living from that magazine right there? I can buy at least a couple cars a week for 3-4 hundred less than they're asking, and turn around and sell it for 3-4 hundred more than they're asking. He went on to say that there is always someone who doesnt want something worse than they'd like the cash right now, and by not having to sell NOW, and knowing a bit about cleaning, fixing, and presentation, you could find someone who just didnt have the time to look for such deals and wants what you have more than they are worried about how much it costs.

I remember that moment, probably 15 years ago or more, like it happened yesterday. And it has been true many times over for me.

Have a "Good" Friday.

Auction Day

Thursday is auction day for me. I attend a dealer only car auction...ONLINE (sweet) and look for cars for my friends or cars that I can resell for some $$$$ (chinga)

I am NOT a car dealer. I go to the car auction legally of course, because as with anything there are ways to do what you want to. Sometime later I can go over how I do this, or you can drop me an email and I'll explain. Or, go to COPART.COM and read for yourself. RESELLER, you can figure it out from there.

I can sell up to 5 cars in one year, January-Dec calendar year, and if you think about it for a second, I have several friends that can sell a car for me should I infringe on that limit.

I buy lower end cars I can sell for cash quickly. Some need cleaned, some need a little work, and some just need to be sold. I usually shoot to double my money on a car I can buy from 1200-2000 bucks. Yes, this is possible and I've sometimes done better than this. (Once I did get burned, but only for a few hundred dollars, it happens)

There you go, one of my UN-Jobs. Would this be work for you? I don't know, but I LOVE cars so for me it's a game and something I enjoy.

Have a great day.

resume

Because I know you're wondering if I live off someone, or the government... or maybe you even assume I live on the other side of the law. None of the above.

On the first Monday after graduation I rode with a friend to my first summer job... Painting houses. You remember your first job.. no matter how hard, how hot, and how little the paycheck.. it was still sooooo cool to be getting a check. The birth of SPENDING IT ALL AND MORE soon follows.

Soon afterward I found my first "real" job for a national freight trucking company. I started on the dock and was eventually moved to an office position and transferred out of state. This coincided with the birth of my son and I felt like I needed to be in my hometown, thus ended career opportunity number one. In hindsight this was probably the job that if I ended up keeping would have solidly locked me into the rat race.

After some part time dead end manual labor work, and the aforementioned not very thought out marriage, I ended up with the US Postal Service as a letter carrier, a "job" that lasted 10 yrs. Career opportunity #2 swirls the bowl, because there is no way I could have worked another day at such a stressful, mind numbing task. This job actually made me unemployable.. more on what I mean later.

Since that time I've done mostly construction and contracting related work, mixed in with some investment activity involving real estate and construction.. ie, Fix-up/resell or rent properties.
And the spoiler alert is this, I still do construction type activities for money. Notice I did not say job, because really I don't have a job. I have an arrangement to complete a task and when that task is complete so is that job.

So maybe I'm not completely job-less. But I am job-less more than 50% of the time and quite possibly much more. I'm sure I'll give that more thought in a future post. For now, another HUMP-day doing what I want.. today that is chilling with my dogs, researching an auction I'd like to attend tomorrow. Yea... auctions... count on a few posts about them! FUN.. often profitable! Job? I guess if you don't like them it could seem like that, I love auctions.

More About Me

Hi Again, still day 1.

I don't want to over post, or go all crazy up front, though you know how boys are with their new toys. Also, I don't want to spend 2 weeks laying the ground work of who I am and lose any potential "follower" before I actually say anything.

First off I am a single person. I was married at a very young age and as go most impulsive decisions so went the marriage. With no disrespect to the other party it was insignificant and barely worth mentioning, though was really one of my first adult lessons. I have had other dating situations but most recently I am seperated from a 10 year exclusive, living together relationship. All things considered, except for a party and letting the local governing body in on the secret, this was my marriage, and I am sad to be apart from it.

I am also a father of a 24 yr old son, and grandfather of a 1 yr old grandson. This is my biggest accomplishment and will probably get much attention in my blogging. Not just as the doting parent and proud grandparent, but in that my son is living a very typical life, and very similar to the life I lived at his age. The interesting thing I hope to share is the vision from the future we all wish we could have and what I think I have recognized while watching my son living his life.

Will he appreciate my wisdom... Honestly I think he appreciates it... The question is does he do anything with it? Did any of us?

In our defense I would say that I for one did not have much fatherly influence in my life and I will of course elaborate at the right time. Also lacking was this wonderful source of information with which we communicate right now. Would I/we have done anything with it to change our futures? I can't say for sure, but I think that certainly every thing in our lives affect who we become, some in larger ways than others.

So there is another piece of the puzzle that is me. Hopefully you're still somewhat wondering how I get by without a "JOB", which I think is my hook and what I can share a little about. I promise to get right to that very shortly.

About Me

My name is Dave, I have no "JOB", though I do some times work, I am nearing 45 years old and I live in a suburb of Kansas City.
I decided to attempt a blog about my ideas, my thoughts, and my way of living which isn't what could be considered "the norm".
I do not receive any government assistance, I do not have a trust fund or investment income of any kind, and my net worth is under 10K.
I do live in a home that is owned by a relative and I do pay under market value, though not significantly, and I have a decent car, 3 dogs, and a life. A very good one actually, though far from perfect.
I'm going to try and write about how I accomplish this feat, what I think I am doing right, what I think I need to do more of, and what I do that hasn't worked and I need to change (Which is where you may be able to help me).
Obviously this is the first thing I think I should be doing. This is my first attempt, so I will be learning as I go. I hope to find some sort of organization, some writing style that is fun to read and will be educational for all, myself included, and I may even try to monetize it, which I'm not trying to hide, after all... I have NO JOB.
So, if you would like to come along, contribute, or whatever the "you"s in blogville do, then I'd appreciate having you.
And away we go...