OT: Tiny house/minimalist living

[William]

That's one way to go tiny! Very interesting video about a guy who has traveled the world and decided to settle back in Oregon. A writer, photographer, and philosopher...

Dan Price’s underground home, art & philosophy on $5,000/year

When Dan Price returned to his home state of Oregon in 1990 he was determined to avoid mortgages or rent (he and his family had just finished caretaking a mansion with a heating bill of $500/month). He found an unused meadow in Joseph, Oregon and began renting it from his neighbors for $100/year (in exchange for cleaning downed trees and repairing fences).

His first underground structure was actually built to shelter his home/office, namely his copy machine, essential for publishing his zine “Moonlight Chronicles” which he started in 1992 (it was sponsored by Simple Shoes for a decade).
www.moonlightchronicles.com

In his meadow paradise, Price now also has an underground "hobbit hole" style home, as well as, a composting toilet, a propane-powered shower (using river water) and a pine wood propane sauna. He’s not hooked up to city water (he discovered a spring on the property), but he’s hooked up to the grid and it’s been approved by the county and city.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdLAM-wChxY

William

[Cicli]

That dude is sort of weird.

[Tickdoc]

something tells me he might have an odd odor about him.

[Climb01742]

Someone else following a somewhat similar path...but maybe a bit more manageable for more folks.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

[ofcounsel]

I'm guessing he might have a hard time taking a date home.

[verticaldoug]

There are blogs about minimalist living.

http://www.theminimalists.com/288/

[William]

Well, he's not a total hermit...he's got a cell phone, iPad, Mac Air, and he goest to Hawaii to surf from November through April.

Must have done okay during his photography and tiny magazine days.









William

[Steve in SLO]

Sounds like he would be a cool dude to talk to.
I'm not sure I could live in a house or I couldn't stand up, however it is a nice little place.
Thanks for the link, Climb – Mrmoneymustache is certainly entertaining.

[Saint Vitus]

If I spent only $5k a year on a shelter, I'd be the freakin' king of Persia. I need a barn to store all the bikes I'd own and tools to fix them!

[54ny77]

I like my couch. No thanks.

[Climb01742]

Originally Posted by Steve in SLO

Thanks for the link, Climb – Mrmoneymustache is certainly entertaining.

He is. I wish I'd come across him, or at least his point of view, earlier in my life. As we go through our lives and careers, it's easy to focus on increasing our earnings...and spend accordingly...rather than give enough focus to the other side of the equation and keep our expenses low. It's an interesting shift in perspective to go from building the biggest nestegg for a far future day to trying to retire (or at least having the financial freedom to retire) as early as possible. Money/stuff vs freedom?

[CampyorBust]

Or is he a trans-species elf?

Very cool, Oregon is a magical magical place, love what he did with the place.

Would I be totally off in diagnosing him as height regressive/denial disorder? Or ODD (delete delete) I am so horrible.

Originally Posted by ofcounsel

I'm guessing he might have a hard time taking a date home.

How shall I put this, I'd wager he likes vertically challenged mates of appropriate age.

Actually this is so cool, real hang drums ($$$), hobbit houses, tiny saunas, tiny studio/print shop, one vintage Klein Pulse Comp mountain bike with Rock Shox Indy C forks, and he trikes (issue 65) he is a ok my me. That’s it dammit I am going to start a tiny magazine of my own…

Dan’s hang ain’t got nuthin on Yuki’s space drum though…
https://youtu.be/747hJQNJpeg

this too...
https://youtu.be/Uvt5TZy0aAc

[fuzzalow]

Originally Posted by Climb01742

Someone else following a somewhat similar path...but maybe a bit more manageable for more folks.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/

Yeah, never read this web site before and most of what he says is reasonably on the mark.

Anything that encourages a broader and more nuanced outlook on different approaches and outlooks on discernment of choices is a good thing to do. Mass culture in a consumer society skews towards materialism as both a normative and glorifying mode of behaviour. Insidious and permeating at its core while also corrosive in its effect.

The whole quagmire of how most people live their financial lives was deftly summed up to me in advice given to me by a friend who inherited family wealth achieved from the age of partnership on Wall Street long ago. He was middle-age and I was just a kid barely starting a career. He simply said "Most people never get out from behind the Eight Ball". Elegant in its simplicity and perspicacious in its content.

My friend believed most people struggled for a reason, even though he came from wealth. I agreed also with that premise even though I had not. The underlying challenge for both of us, even within our disparate circumstances, was identical.

[54ny77]

when exactly is enough, "enough?"

i like to think it's when you can just tell people 1) f.u., or 2) no, without any repercussions to one's lifestyle.

interesting sidenote to that: a buddy of mine sold his tech business, made a lot of $ in the sale, and now does some consulting for the biz he sold (new owner kept him on for high level client dialogue, maintain relationships, that sort of thing). ironically, he's doing better than ever financially because he routinely tells clients, "no" on some aspect of a project, or turns them down outright for one reason or another. as a result, projects are better & more profitable for all--client and company. it helps that the guy really knows what he's talking about, of course, and can make that kind of judgement call.

[tiretrax]

Many years ago I lived in DC. I had no car and walked, used public transportation/cabs, or rode my bike. I considered moving to Annapolis and living on a boat. I'd still prefer a boat or an RV to a squirrel's den. But, it works for him.