In the Rain Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 No, I couldn't live like that. I could make do in a much smaller home than the one I have now, but not a home that small. My singing, dancing, silly girls would go crazy in such a tiny space unless they could be outside most of the time. I also like a lot of windows. That being said, I admire them for doing what they feel is necessary. They seem happy. Their son seems happy. Some people like small, cozy spaces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I live in a smaller house than I "could", and I don't own one, because of financial reasons, so I understand the concept. I do think a house value more in line with one's salary, and the end of 30-40 year mortgages would be a good thing in general. I think that is the bigger point as well. However, we are all entitled to prioritize as we wish. I think though it is likely that this movement towards bigger and bigger might be gone for good as it isn't sustainable imo (or even desirable). I think more and more people are realizing all these things billed as necessary (often by marketing) really aren't but instead are making our lives into a perpetual rat race, trying to keep up with it all. All to often we are the ones making ourselves poor due to these things and with the economy tightening for many we are seeing many face this fact and re-evaluate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 But my guess is that those same Americans wouldn't blink at financing a CAR for $15K. Even if someone had to finance it, it would still be far less than normal mortgages. Dawn I live in a smaller house than I "could", and I don't own one, because of financial reasons, so I understand the concept. Do most Americans have $15,000 in cash lying around? I don't think it's a realistic option for the 64% of Americans who don't even have $1000 in savings, and the 1 in 2 who've saved nothing for retirement. I do think a house value more in line with one's salary, and the end of 30-40 year mortgages would be a good thing in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 It would depend on the weather. North Dakota winters, no. It would depend on how many worthwhile out of house activities were nearby. It would depend on the yard and if I could build on a room eventually. I've lived in big. Too much work. I prefer small, but we each do have our own bedroom although some of them are quite tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 No, we could be mortgage free right now if we had stayed where we were, but we were cramped and in each others space all the time. More room is worth it to me. We will be mortgage free in 14 years, and I am ok with that. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I'm not sure I could, but thanks for posting. I have been looking for this for a while--I posted it on my pinterest board. It's so inspiring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haupia Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I have lived in a 100 sqft studio with 2 kids. It was only for a couple months, and we tried to stay outside the best we could. After that we moved into a 500sqft 2 bdrm apt where we soon had baby number 3. It worked just fine for us. I enjoy being able know what my children are doing at all times. I can handle small quarters if we have bedrooms. Studio is not so fun. I believe in the video that they didn't buy the place straight out, but that it reduced their mortgage by quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 That would be an interesting idea for my kids to live in on our property when they are older and just need a small apt. type dwelling to live in by themselves, although I would still opt for 500-600 sq. ft. even as a single person, OR a 200 sq. ft. screened in porch on the back to hang out in. If $15K is really all that is needed, that would pretty much be 1 to 2 years of rent around here and you would own it! But for a family, no! This is a great idea, imo. I guess you'd have to check zoning laws, but I do think the linked house would be great as a guest/first house. Or as a dynamite homeschool...;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 If the only issue is a mortgage, no. Not that one in particular, but some of these "tiny" homes cost more than we are paying for ours. It's an 1100 sf bungalow with a full basement, full attic dormer, and a two car detached garage.We opted to move further out of the city to find affordable housing. If I'm buying something that small, it's going to be an RV and actually travel. We considered it a few years ago, but that would have been a 2-5 years plan, not a permanent structure. . :iagree::iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 This is a great idea, imo. I guess you'd have to check zoning laws, but I do think the linked house would be great as a guest/first house. Or as a dynamite homeschool...;) I think as the tiny house movement picks up speed the demand for different zoning will be made. Our kids' generation will be the ones that this type home appeals to. They will have watched us struggle with a bad economy and our "huge" houses. A handy person can build something similar in a week and if doing it him/herself can do it less than the $15,000 the video family paid someone else to build theirs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 You know, the whole mortgage situation aside, I sometimes fantasize about living in something that small just not to have the burden of so many material possessions. Seriously, the sheer amount of *stuff* I own often feels like a burden. Most of it is junk! I also have to say, when you don't have debts (incl. mortgage and car payments), money accumulates pretty rapidly. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years that family finds they have enough money to easily expand their living space and still remain mortgage-free. :iagree: I think it's inspiring. We live in 900sq ft and there are 5 of us. I don't know that we could fit in a space that small with three kids, but if we only has one, we could definitely do it. We rent though for now so that we aren't under the burden of a mortgage until we've paid off more of our debt. And just for the record, it is not "easy" to save up $15,000 for everyone.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) I hope my eldest children go that way, so they could build on our property! Dh has looked at metal shipping containers... he would like to convert one and have a second home in Guatemala. I'm more than a little skiddish on the idea... "Remember...Adventure Is Out There!" Edited July 21, 2012 by Geo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mama2cntrykids Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 If I was single, sure. No way with five active kids in the house. I might even be able to do it if it was just my dh and I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 When we lived in a small place, we only had clothes for one season, but had fewer. We donated them at the end of the season and bought new again next year. I don't think it really costs more, because you buy fewer in the first place. Those clothes wear out a bit faster because you wash them more. There is no way I could afford to replace winter boots and parkas and sweaters, hats, mittens, long underwear, wool socks and undershirts, every year, for 4 people. Even if I bought used, it would really add up. Not to mention all of the other things like pants with flannel lining and and warmer shirts. We live in 1200 sq ft including the full basement, so it is a small house compared to many. We do just fine with a family of 4. It did influence our decision not to have more kids though, lol. I cannot imagine adding one more person. One good decision we made was to not move from our affordable house. We bought it when DH was new at his job and we qualified for all kinds of first time home buyer breaks etc. Now, 10 years later many of dh's work cohort have moved on to bigger and more expensive houses in 'better' neighborhoods. We have stayed put with the house we could afford when he was earning much, much less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I live in as small as I would want to live with four kids. We live in 1500 sq ft. I suppose we could get away with much smaller but our county has a minimum for sq ft in homes built. This is the smallest in our county. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Ever notice how tiny homes used to be in the past? The log cabins etc. were small, but even "mansions" were pretty small compared to what modern-day Americans expect to live in. Granted, that's without indoor plumbing, but still - is our quality of life really that much better with all the "stuff"? Edited July 21, 2012 by SKL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandylubug Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Ever notice how tiny homes used to be in the past? The log cabins etc. were small, but even "mansions" were pretty small compared to what modern-day Americans expect to live in. Granted, that's without indoor plumbing, but still - is are quality of life really that much better with all the "stuff"? no, I don't think our quality of living is better. I think so many people work TOO much to pay for all of their "stuff" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Not that small but that is why we are in the size of house we are in. It is too small for what we need BUT it will be paid off and mortgage free much faster than anything else out on the market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I live in as small as I would want to live with four kids. We live in 1500 sq ft. I suppose we could get away with much smaller but our county has a minimum for sq ft in homes built. This is the smallest in our county. We live in just under 1000 sq ft, with 4 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and 2 daycare kids. It is tiny. As long as I run a home business and homeschool I could not go smaller. If we were teh kind of family only home to sleep, gone to school/work all the time and in a climate that did not have -40C winters I could go smaller. But we are practically on top of each other in this size all the time. To go up to 1500 would feel like moving into a mansion lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I think as the tiny house movement picks up speed the demand for different zoning will be made. I don't think zoning laws will change so long as existing homeowners (who vote in the Planning Commission) want to keep out lower-income families :glare: The town where I grew up had 2 acre minimums and did not allow multi-family dwellings to be built. This was a deliberate attempt to keep out "the riff-raff". Even when that meant kids who grew up in the town could not afford to purchase their own homes there :thumbdown: My parents could not afford to purchase the house in which I grew up on today's equivalent of my dad's salary when they bought in '85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 And just for the record, it is not "easy" to save up $15,000 for everyone.:glare: $15k would be ~$400 per month for 5 years. Most middle-class families could do that by giving up luxuries like cable/satellite, eating out, alcohol & cigarettes, gym memberships, expensive vacations, switching to a cheapie cell phone, etc. If it really were a matter of only $15k to own a place outright, affording that is doable for most families. The problem is that it would take WAY more than $15k to buy even a teeny studio condo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) $15k would be ~$400 per month for 5 years. Most middle-class families could do that by giving up luxuries like cable/satellite, eating out, alcohol & cigarettes, gym memberships, expensive vacations, switching to a cheapie cell phone, etc. If it really were a matter of only $15k to own a place outright, affording that is doable for most families. The problem is that it would take WAY more than $15k to buy even a teeny studio condo. Honestly, I would not be motivated to save for five years to have a house like that. And I'm a fairly simple person. I think the house in the video is just too extreme, but I could see spending a little more for a comfy little home that I'd actually enjoy sitting in for a season of my life. I kinda thought the idea was to go into debt for the $15,000 and have a small house payment instead of rent for a while, until it's paid off. Meanwhile if there's extra disposable income, it could be saved for a house that doesn't require turning sideways to get through the door, or walking through the bathroom (while someone's in there) to get from the bedroom to the kitchen. Edited July 21, 2012 by SKL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelBee Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 We live in a small place now...would have to ask dh about square footage. He says about 1,000. And we have 9 people. But we do have some extra space as we additionally share a kitchen, bathroom, and laundry area (retrofitted my mother's house). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyOBoy Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I couldn’t live in anything that small, but they also only have one child, who is a teenager. This would definitely be more difficult with several littles who can’t be outside unspupervised. Some on that life does appeal to me. We keep so much stuff in case we need it someday, or to pass on from one kid to the next. It would feel liberating to only have what we use on a daily basis. So, I think this home is extreme, but it is certainly worth remembering thatI CAN live with a lot less than I do, and in a smaller space than I think we need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Honestly, I would not be motivated to save for five years to have a house like that. And I'm a fairly simple person. I think the house in the video is just too extreme, but I could see spending a little more for a comfy little home that I'd actually enjoy sitting in for a season of my life. I kinda thought the idea was to go into debt for the $15,000 and have a small house payment instead of rent for a while, until it's paid off. Meanwhile if there's extra disposable income, it could be saved for a house that doesn't require turning sideways to get through the door, or walking through the bathroom (while someone's in there) to get from the bedroom to the kitchen. Yeah and what would you do in the mean time? As in stay in your too much of a house AND save? That would not be motivating at all :confused: No way I could live in something without a personal space. I would go nutty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaTanya Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 If I was single, sure. No way with five active kids in the house. I might even be able to do it if it was just my dh and I. :iagree: When I was young, I used to draw up plans for minimalist homes. I was fascinated by everything tiny. Dh and I lived happily in a tiny home when we first married. :001_smile: Now? With 5 dc and 2 dogs? No way. We need room. For projects, for creativity, for musical practice, for concentration . . . Dh and I teach and spend time doing research and writing lessons plans and grading and I can't in the middle of the din. I wonder if I could revisit it later in life, but it's likely at least one of our dc won't live independently. AND I hope to have dc and dgc visiting regularly. We'll probably need a guest room or two for that . . . I think we're in our larger (2100 sf + enclosed carport) homeplace for the long haul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennay Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 That small? No. Smaller than what we currently have? Yes. I often get on real estate sites from across the country and fantasize about selling our house, buying one just a little smaller with cash and no mortage, and having money left over. (we live in a very high-cost of living area...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 . . .free to be on top of each other all winter, free to stifle your s3x life because your teen is sleeping 10 feet from you, free to have an inaccessible home, free to never have company for very long, . . . Generally, I fall on the side of 'people not things' but that home would be the opposite of freedom for my family. Couldn't you buy a Multi-bedroom trailer for the cost of this home? Similar to what I was thinking. Now, for a vacation getaway for dh & me when the kids are grown & on their own, this would be fun. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefragile7393 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I could do it but there is only 3 of us plus a cat and a fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAMom Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 That would be an interesting idea for my kids to live in on our property when they are older and just need a small apt. type dwelling to live in by themselves, although I would still opt for 500-600 sq. ft. even as a single person, OR a 200 sq. ft. screened in porch on the back to hang out in. If $15K is really all that is needed, that would pretty much be 1 to 2 years of rent around here and you would own it! But for a family, no! This is, essentially, what we have. We have a 225sq (or so) "guest house" in our back yard. My oldest moved out there when he was 18. It continues to be his room when he's home from college for vacations and summer. It doesn't have a kitchen but does have a nice bathroom. He loves it! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Yes. And actually this is something we are seriously considering. Our home may be a bit bigger than the one linked, but still very small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 We could do it for a summer, or longer if the weather were nice. My daughter lives in Central America where many homes aren't much larger than this, BUT, most of their day is spent outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustybug Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 $15k would be ~$400 per month for 5 years. Most middle-class families could do that by giving up luxuries like cable/satellite, eating out, alcohol & cigarettes, gym memberships, expensive vacations, switching to a cheapie cell phone, etc. If it really were a matter of only $15k to own a place outright, affording that is doable for most families. The problem is that it would take WAY more than $15k to buy even a teeny studio condo. Maybe for most families, but I know for us, $400 is way out of our reach. We don't have any of those luxuries that you mention. No cable, rarely eat out, we don't smoke or drink, no memberships anywhere, very minimal vacation (usually it's just going to visit my mom), and we already have a prepaid cell phone. The one and only extra right now is my DD's ballet class, and that is quite possibly on the chopping block this fall. I'm scraping by to get $300/month to use for groceries, and I know many other families in this position right now with the economy the way it is. Now, if you are talking making payments to own it rather than a lump sum, we could probably manage that because that would replace (give or take) our rent per month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emzhengjiu Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Maybe for most families, but I know for us, $400 is way out of our reach. We don't have any of those luxuries that you mention. No cable, rarely eat out, we don't smoke or drink, no memberships anywhere, very minimal vacation (usually it's just going to visit my mom), and we already have a prepaid cell phone. The one and only extra right now is my DD's ballet class, and that is quite possibly on the chopping block this fall. I'm scraping by to get $300/month to use for groceries, and I know many other families in this position right now with the economy the way it is. Now, if you are talking making payments to own it rather than a lump sum, we could probably manage that because that would replace (give or take) our rent per month. This is how our finances are! $400 / month is huge unless it replaced our rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I live in as small as I would want to live with four kids. We live in 1500 sq ft. I suppose we could get away with much smaller but our county has a minimum for sq ft in homes built. This is the smallest in our county. Wow! That is crazy. (I suppose your location is accurate:D) It would be interesting to know when you county was incorporated (or whatever they do for county management). Are there no homes at all under 1500 sq ft or do they just not allow new construction under 1500? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 No, I'm sure I'd go insane, even if I lived in it alone. I don't want a humongous home, but I couldn't do a matchbox, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I like the idea of a cozy cottage out in the Woods as a retreat, but not that small. For everday living we like space. Every 5-8 years we double. End goal is 6,000 sq feet. So we are still upsizing. DH in particular has no interest in small houses. It is in his genes. His fam os big into sq footage...our goal is small y bu their standards. Other than that we are not that inti stuff. At all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarreymere Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 We could do it easily. Currently we have seven (3 adults and 4 children) in a single-wide mobile home with another teenager on weekends. I think our mobile home is about 1000 sf. It feels spacious, and I can see where there is 'extra' or 'wasted' space. We could happily go much smaller if the space was well-designed. Our mobile home was purchased used for less than $400 a month and is about two years from being paid off, but I would love something smaller. We don't have any builders around here that specialize in smaller places but I have looked at plans online. Trouble is, neither dh nor I are handy. In our current fairly small space: We do have a place for winter clothes, seasonal decorations, ect. We do not own proper suitcases so no need to store that sort of thing, we do buy in bulk (rice and beans mostly, that kind of thing, canned goods, personal care items, all kinds of things) and those are convenient to store. Water heater leak, yeah we'd notice it immediately (water heater is in our bedroom closet) so no chance of destroying the whole house thus forcing us to live in a tent (but that might be fun). Sadly, about all that would happen would be that I might have to mop the vinyl flooring after disconnecting the thing. No way we wouldn't notice long enough that the floor would be destroyed. Sort of like when the washer overflowed..... We haven't encountered any home maintenance or repair issues that have caused much inconvenience and we have never had to consider living in a tent while something has been repaired. We do live in a rural area, but we prefer that and have lived in this area for some time prior to moving into a smaller home, so no longer commute. We do have a yard, but while it is well-drained the kids have to be kicked outside to play in it, since they prefer to be indoors (nerdy bookworms). We share space well and have some creative storage ideas that are unique to our present space and work well for us. I have to laugh at some of the comments people made regarding living in smaller spaces! Personally, you couldn't force me to walk up and down stairs every day with laundry or to even consider cleaning all that 'extra' space all the time, or maintaining all of that space, let alone working more to pay for it all. Plus working more to pay for all of the extra 'stuff' you need to fill it up like extra furniture and curtains and what-not. Ugh, I'd rather buy books! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I was talking to my dad today and somehow we got started on the size of houses and I brought up this link. He reminded me that his parent's house was built from a kit (did you know you used to be able to buy a house from a catalog and they would ship you all the pieces?) and it was 900sqft. In this 900sqft house lived 9 people. When they added on to the house in the 70's the sqft went up to 1500sqft and by that point it was only my grandparents in the house. What used to be the kitchen is now the closet of the MBR. It's 4.5ft x 6ft. My grandmother cooked for 9 people in that space before there were modern conveniences. Ack. They did have a summer kitchen that was outdoors and a"sleeping" porch but it was only used then. I'm sure they were thrilled when summer rolled around and they got to sleep out there! I could never do it, not even to be mortgage free. Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Maybe for most families, but I know for us, $400 is way out of our reach. We don't have any of those luxuries that you mention. No cable, rarely eat out, we don't smoke or drink, no memberships anywhere, very minimal vacation (usually it's just going to visit my mom), and we already have a prepaid cell phone. But most Americans do. 91% of Americans subscribe to cable/satellite. 51% own a smartphone. 67% drink alcohol. 20% smoke cigarettes. Americans on average eat out 4.8 meals per week. The average American family spends $1,624 per year on travel. I stand by my assertion that most middle-class American families could save $15k in 5 years if they were willing to cut out luxuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellalarella Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 OK--wait a second--did anyone else watch the video? The tiny home owners wanted a less materialistic lifestyle so they downsized. But look next door--they have a bigger workshop where they make decorative baby gifts (and also keep their pantry and microwave). It gives me a moment of pause. They don't want to have the burden of accumulating stuff, but they make cute pink stuffed gifty rabbits for others to accumulate. :001_smile: Fascinating. But to answer the OP's question: no. I don't believe our family of 8 could fit well into 320sq ft. We would also need to occupy the workshop next door. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I couldn't go that small, but I probably could downsize somewhat. Right now we're in a 2800sq ft home. So going that small with the six kids around here would make me go completely nuts. In the end I think it all depends on what's really important to someone though. Do they value their space? Do they value their vacations, entertainment? What's important to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellers Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Could I have 320 sf to myself with my husband and each of my children having a tiny home of their own on the same property? :D I could do that! :D:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunnyDays Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I couldn't live there full time. I could see using it as a vacation cottage at the lake (no different than a hotel room, except you don't share walls), or as someone mentioned, a lovely homeschool room!! But I need my space, and a room I can escape to alone now and then, LOL! We have the same family size as the family in the video: myself, DH, and our "tween" son. We also have a dog. Our house is about 1200 square feet, plus a basement, and it's perfect for us... not too big to maintain, didn't cost a fortune and a half, but there's still room for all of us to breathe. Many of our friends have moved up to bigger houses. While I envy some of them for the layout/design and I wouldn't mind some changes in ours in that regard, we don't need more *space* at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I was talking to my dad today and somehow we got started on the size of houses and I brought up this link. He reminded me that his parent's house was built from a kit (did you know you used to be able to buy a house from a catalog and they would ship you all the pieces?) and it was 900sqft. In this 900sqft house lived 9 people. When they added on to the house in the 70's the sqft went up to 1500sqft and by that point it was only my grandparents in the house. What used to be the kitchen is now the closet of the MBR. It's 4.5ft x 6ft. My grandmother cooked for 9 people in that space before there were modern conveniences. Ack. They did have a summer kitchen that was outdoors and a"sleeping" porch but it was only used then. I'm sure they were thrilled when summer rolled around and they got to sleep out there!I could never do it, not even to be mortgage free. Nope. We own a 1956 Montgomery Ward kit house. We have renovated and it is put on a full sized basement ..... We do not live there year round....but it fits us and our little ones just fine. It is about 900 sq. Feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 If it was located here, then winter would be tough, but I could and would do it to free myself of mortgages. As it is, we already spent the first 7 years of our marriage getting mortgage free. I would prefer not to have to pinch a penny that bloody tight again, thankyouverymuch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 But most Americans do. 91% of Americans subscribe to cable/satellite. 51% own a smartphone. 67% drink alcohol. 20% smoke cigarettes. Americans on average eat out 4.8 meals per week. The average American family spends $1,624 per year on travel. I stand by my assertion that most middle-class American families could save $15k in 5 years if they were willing to cut out luxuries. I admit it, I go on vacations once in a while. It is mind expanding. The house in that video seems like it would have the opposite effect on my mind. Of course if I "had" to, I would go the "tight squeeze" route. We are thoroughly spoiled in most of the USA when it comes to space. Even my modest accommodations are huge by international standards. But cutting the space down isn't really likely to save a lot of money mortgage-wise - at least not where I live. If I did it, it would be to have a space that fit my personality better - and maybe to save on utilities. Around here, it's actually easy to buy a modest house for very cheap if you aren't particular about the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plucky Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Nope. 4 cats, 2 dogs, 4-6 kids or more depending on the week, and a large loud husband. I need to get away sometimes for my sanity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 We could do it, if the yard was a good size. ... it wouldn't be a problem, especially with a storage shed for overflow. Yep, if I had this option I'd be moving in by Christmas. Probably not for the long term, but for this season of our lives, it'd be perfect. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 We live in approximately 200 square feet currently, with 2 adults and 2 kids. It's not bad at all...and totally our choice. There are downsides- like I had to get an eReader instead of books, because we don't have the extra space and I don't like Ereaders. There also isn't room for riding toys in the house, and I have to be diligent with the laundry. Other than that though, it's wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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