How we went from $42,000 to $6,500 and lived to tell about it!

[Blackbird]

Nora, Jules - I think you two are more alike than you both know.. in some aspects..


Outhouses?
Never had one, but we used a bucket we had placed in the bathroom for over a year when we first moved here. After we were done we had to take the bucket and carry it across the yard and dump the contents in the woods. Rain, snow, or shine. LOL.

All my friends that would come over were scared to 'use' a bucket, that and the door often got jammed and they would be stuck if no one was on the outside to jiggle the door a certain way.

 

[FarmerChick]

be sure that job covers property taxes. even low, they always come to collect

 

[dacjohns]

Since I'm getting into this 11 pages in this might have been said already.

Kevin and Donna have an instructional video (VHS format only) on baking naturally fermented sourdough bread for $30. This includes the video, a set of written instructions, a packet of starter culture and shipping costs. Send check or money order to L. Kevin Johnson, 4402 Gilead Rd., Clinton, LA 70722;

 

[Beekissed]

 

[dacjohns]

My unwritten thoughts were basically that:

Look, we managed to leave the rat race and survive but. . .

buy our video so you too can leave the rat race.




A little simplified but that's what I thought.

 

[Beekissed]

What? Helpful people? Yeah, we hashed over their shameless plug for their bread biz.....

But then....if you are only pulling down $6500 a year, ya gotta get some revenue somewhere. Can't exactly afford to advertise, can they?

 

[FarmerChick]

best thing that can happen to small people like this is get an article in Mother Earth News or the like. Talk about a jump in income.....wa hoo!!

Wonder what they will buy with their more than $6500 income now?
lol


little people like this want plugs from mother earth news and the likes. means it makes their jobs easier to come by that small income!

 

[dacjohns]

What? Helpful people? Yeah, we hashed over their shameless plug for their bread biz.....

But then....if you are only pulling down $6500 a year, ya gotta get some revenue somewhere. Can't exactly afford to advertise, can they?

Just my thoughts. Never claimed to put a lot of thought into it.

Other thoughts are:

Lots of people try and aren't successful.
Those that try and are successful and end up in a magazine usually have the experience written up to sound romantic.

There is just something romantic about getting back to the land and setting your soul free. Then you are stardust and golden.

 

[me&thegals]

I thought of this couple when I got my tax bill in the mail today: $4200. Whoops! Guess I won't be able to make it right here on that amount. It's crazy how much taxes vary all over America, although pretty understandable.

Some things are unforeseen. Well, duh. I guess that's obvious. Anyway, what I mean is that around here we have a lot of Nature Conservancy land. I really like NC and their mission. Until now they have voluntarily paid taxes on all this land they bought up to protect treasured bluffland. But, now they decided they are going to quit paying taxes. Since it was voluntary all along, they can do this.

So, I'm left wondering what on earth my taxes will be next year when they are no longer contributing their hundreds of 1000s to my area and township. By next year, I very well may be paying $6500 just in property taxes alone.

 

[Beekissed]

I must confess....when we were doin' it, it wasn't really very romantic. It was dirty, sweaty, sometimes cold and wet, back-straining, cabin feverish, itchy, painful, smelly and downright hard work.

But....somehow....I don't look back on it with any regrets. I learned a lot, it was peaceful and quiet, I found my strengths, I read many good books, learned to be independent and gained an interest in making things grow.

We did NOT make any money and didn't make it into MEN, though we did eat sourdough bread on occasion.....

Now...if I could MAKE it sound romantic, I could maybe make a killin' off of some book deal....