beaners Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 We are trying to figure out our living arrangements for the next couple years. My husband was reoffered a higher paying position and I think he might take it this time. We don't want to sell our land and property here. We may rent it out for that time. (Only the most horrific of renters would do more damage than my herd.) I'm trying to look at these couple years as a bit of an adventure. We don't necessarily need permanency, but some temporary living situations like renting are difficult with our family size. I'm going to be terribly crude and put numbers out here because they influence our options. We will have about $15K to work with initially. Over the course of the year we will probably have another extra $20K, but as much of that as possible we want to save or else there is no reason to go through all this upheaval. We are thinking about buying a destroyed foreclosure with the initial money and getting it into livable condition. Our standards are really low here. There are houses available in the price range we are looking at. We want to be able to pay cash. We carried two mortgages the last time we moved and it was torture. We are priced out of the suburbs regardless, so we would rather not go into debt and get tied into a mortgage. Even with the repairs we anticipate making, it will still be a house in what will likely be a less desirable neighborhood. We are trying to avoid the most dangerous areas. We talked about getting an RV and me and the kids traveling while my husband stayed for work. That's tough logistically with wheelchairs and so many little kids. It would be an awesome experience though. Maybe a campground? Bare lot? I'm trying to find a way to frame this as a different and exciting experience for our family, since the typical rent a house/get a mortgage options aren't a choice right now. I've made all kinds of living arrangements work when I was on my own, but it's different with a whole bunch of kids in tow. ;) Last option is staying while my husband goes, but that is unrealistic for the duration. Any fun or exciting ideas to consider? What would you do if it was your family? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I would take into consideration first how CPS or any local regulations would affect your housing. We have a big family and are in a somewhat temporary housing situation and will be for awhile until we know what we're doing, and this is one concern of mine. Especially living in a RV, I'm not sure legally how some places might react to knowing you're in what may be a condemnable structure or temporary housing. Does that make sense? Other considerations with RV traveling-do you need any therapies that might be difficult without a permanent base? Doctors? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 If we buy a house, we wouldn't move in until we could get a certificate of occupancy. If traveling in an RV, we would travel part of the time and use either this area with our current medical team or set up a home base there for medical appointments. We have a lot but they are mostly every 4-6 months with each specialist. Therapies are also quarterly consults right now. I'm not sure how it is different staying at a campground. I've known people who have done it but the laws surrounding it aren't something I had considered! Thank you for pointing that out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I do not think a campground is realistic. Most of them have stay limitations precisely to limit the stays of families who cannot or do not wish to afford typical housing. I think that if you wish to avoid a mortgage, do not have much cash, have children with special needs (I'm assuming wheelchairs are just the beginning of it), Kinsa's link is for you. RVing, provided you have the proper hook-ups, on land with a well, may be your best choice. There are very inexpensive but safe rural areas that you may be able to live in. If relocation is permanent, investing in land with an old structure but a good foundation, plus a very large RV, may be your best bet. Then you can slowly build that up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 a tiny house :) and yes we've been watching the shows on HGTV and have thought about it for ourselves until we realized that the larger ones are the same size as our current house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 My concern would be In the end will you really save much money? Will costs run higher than you are hoping ? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Logistically, I think buying a lot of plane tickets to get DH home for the weekends would be the most practical solution. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 One of the Tiny House people (on HGTV) bought a yurt. It was spacious and might fit your budget. It also might be more wheelchair accessible than an RV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 What about a mobile home in a mobile home park? You can alter the entry for a wheelchair ramp. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 What about a mobile home in a mobile home park? You can alter the entry for a wheelchair ramp. A parked trailer in an established park will be WAY more convenient, homey, safe and probably cheaper than any of the RV situations you're describing, OP. You can get an old one. And then they resell pretty easily. Just be in a safe park. RV parks while traveling can be DICEY when you have financial constraints! Unless you happen to be in the military? And parking an RV on some raw land would be rough under the best of circumstances.....with a wheelchair in the mix...honestly I think you'd be asking for some very real and pressing trouble doing that. And just the traveling in an RV with kids, with just one adult, in and of itself is a risky operation. I personally am partial to the yurt idea, but you'd absolutely need a well and septic already established on your land. You could perhaps find land to lease? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I would stay put and use the money for my husband to travel. I don't know how many years you are considering this, but for two or less, that would be my plan. You should have enough for all of you to travel and stay in a hotel a few times too. If it's longer than two years, I'd sell and move. I would want my children, especially the older ones, to finish school with the ability to focus on it, and that situation doesn't sound ideal for that. It looks like some of yours are almost college age. I would be worried it would affect their college options, but my family might have different goals and plans, so that might not apply to you. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendy not in HI Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I noticed this summer that camping is not that cheap. We tent-camped in a couple different types of camp grounds and all cost more than $20 a night for the no hook-up or electricity spots. I'm not sure how much more the RV spots were, but even at $20 a night, that's $600 a month. I just think that for not much more, you could purchase something - maybe not the best neighborhood, maybe pretty ugly... Hopefully not condemn-able. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmyboys Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Well, our situation was a little different (it was for 15-18 months) but in the end the kids and I stayed put. I tried to think of all kinds of ways to make it an adventure. It has been a little over a year now and I feel like it was an adventure in its own way. Dh has come home for 5 weekends and 1 week. We live near an airport and the plane tickets have usually been less than $200 round trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caribbean Queen Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 The RV option sounds exciting...for about 5 days. Why not just rent a house or large apartment? (Only the most horrific of renters would do more damage than my herd.) We are thinking about buying a destroyed foreclosure with the initial money and getting it into livable condition. Are you thinking you can't rent a house which is already in liveable condition because you would damage it and have to answer to the landlord? If so, couldn't you fix it up before you left? That would be easier than fixing up a destroyed foreclosure, right? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Off the top of my head, I think I would also consider staying put and putting the money into have dh come home a lot, and taking a number of vacations with him and the children. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. B Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Off the top of my head, I think I would also consider staying put and putting the money into have dh come home a lot, and taking a number of vacations with him and the children.I agree. But then, the dh would still have to pay rent and utilities somewhere near his job. Are you tied to your current farm, can you sell it and rebuy something different in 2 years? If it is a hassle to sell, will you for sure have a tenant if you rent it out before you make a temporary move? Are you sure it is an advantage to your family for him to take the job with the relocation expenses? Will he still have the increased pay in 2 years when you plan to move back to your farm? Also, for RV living with many teenagers and young ones, would there be a plan for severe weather, viruses, and cold winter or stormy days where going outside wasn't practical? ETA: I would consider buying or leasing a used double wide trailer in a family friendly trailer park, even if the work commute was a bit long for dh (since it is temporary) if moving with dh for 2 years was the best option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I don't know how wheelchair bound your kids are.....but life in a RV would be constraining, I think. The logistics of getting kids out of bunk beds (which would be a necessity due to your family size) and in and around the bathroom would send me over the edge. You would also have to be at a laundromat frequently since I am sure that you generate a full load of laundry daily AND storage space for clothing would be tight. We looked into RV-ing, and between electricity, water, and site fees, it still was fairly expensive. Buying an inexpensive lot for a used trailer or a buying a fixer (if they are available at those price points in your area) would be less expensive in the long run, I think. Could $15K get you into a fixer-upper and get it workable with plumbing, electrical, and HVAC? If so, I'd do that and rent out your house back home so that you have income to continue your improvements in the fixer. At the end of it all, you could theoretically be able to flip the house and sell it to give you cushion for future adventures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 :iagree: But one man could rent a room, or small place easily for less money. I agree. But then, the dh would still have to pay rent and utilities somewhere near his job. Are you tied to your current farm, can you sell it and rebuy something different in 2 years? If it is a hassle to sell, will you for sure have a tenant if you rent it out before you make a temporary move? Are you sure it is an advantage to your family for him to take the job with the relocation expenses? Will he still have the increased pay in 2 years when you plan to move back to your farm?Also, for RV living with many teenagers and young ones, would there be a plan for severe weather, viruses, and cold winter or stormy days where going outside wasn't practical? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Putting your current house up for rent does not guarantee that someone will actually rent it. Can you survive without that income? If not, stay put. It sounds like you've been presented with this "opportunity" once before and turned it down. Are things really that different this time around? If you are truly this invested in staying in your current home long term, perhaps it would be best to devote all your time and energy to enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Is your signature correct? If so, you're talking 9 children (an unspecified number of whom are in wheelchairs?) and 2 adults? A camper just doesn't sound feasible or realistic, IMO. However, perhaps your husband could live in small camper, provided that you can find a low-cost, long-term place to park it, and you could just visit? Not ideal to be separated, I know, but more ideal than trying to put 11 people in camper... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 In your situation, I would not move. My husband is working in another state right now, and being a single parent is not fun, and the separation is rough on the kids, so I'm not making this suggestion lightly. Start looking into housing costs for just him in the new area. Ideally he could find someone at the new company to share an apartment or rent a room to him. I think that any of the other options are just too much uncertainty and upheaval for you and the kids. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 A parked trailer in an established park will be WAY more convenient, homey, safe and probably cheaper than any of the RV situations you're describing, OP. You can get an old one. And then they resell pretty easily. Just be in a safe park. RV parks while traveling can be DICEY when you have financial constraints! Unless you happen to be in the military? And parking an RV on some raw land would be rough under the best of circumstances.....with a wheelchair in the mix...honestly I think you'd be asking for some very real and pressing trouble doing that. And just the traveling in an RV with kids, with just one adult, in and of itself is a risky operation. I personally am partial to the yurt idea, but you'd absolutely need a well and septic already established on your land. You could perhaps find land to lease? :iagree: My Mom just bought a 37' RV and getting a wheelchair in/out even would be very very difficult. And lot rent can be anywhere from free (Boondocking-usually retirees, military, or no hookups in a Walmart parking lot) to $30+. $30+ seems more standard from what she's seen and I've researched. That's per night. It would be more reasonable to buy or just buy a trailer for that much money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 If I counted correctly, you have 9 children, so you are considering 11 people living in an RV? That sounds like it could be a little difficult for 2 years! We were in a similar situation (but only 7 people), and we ended up being able to rent a nice home with three bedrooms on the main floor, and a finished basement with three more rooms that could be made into bedrooms, for under $2,000/month. Can you do something like that? I know so much depends on the area you live in. Also, we live in a state in which 30 minutes (or sometimes far less) from every city is farmland with big old farmhouses. Some of those sit empty. Their owners want to keep them in the family so are not selling them, but would consider renting them. I wonder if there would be something like that within an hour radius of where your husband will be working. I think giving the kids a chance to live in a farm-like area would be exciting! I guess we would do everything we could to stay together as a family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yucabird Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 You are asking for "out of the box" arrangements....Does your husband happen to do IT or other work which can be done from a remote location? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaners Posted September 18, 2015 Author Share Posted September 18, 2015 Thanks everybody! I'm reading everything and talking it through with my husband. I'm sure I'm going to miss things but I will try to come back later and answer the questions. Nothing is set in stone right now. Nothing at all. We are kicking around ideas right now. Just in case anyone is worried I'm heading out the door tomorrow with all the kids plus a knapsack on my back. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 :iagree: My Mom just bought a 37' RV and getting a wheelchair in/out even would be very very difficult. And lot rent can be anywhere from free (Boondocking-usually retirees, military, or no hookups in a Walmart parking lot) to $30+. $30+ seems more standard from what she's seen and I've researched. That's per night. It would be more reasonable to buy or just buy a trailer for that much money. We've been RV'ing for eight years and have rarely come anywhere close to finding a decent campground that's only $30 a night! But we do only stay where there are full hook ups (water/sewer/50 amp electricity). Which I would assume the OP would need with the number of people involved. And we've traveled mostly on the east coast -- things may be less expensive other places? There are cheaper places to be found in most of the places we've traveled, but based on reviews many (most?) of them are probably not safe, and not the types of places you'd want to stay with so many kids. In my (non touristy) area safe campgrounds that offer monthly rates are usually in the range of $750 and up per month. And do keep in mind that often rates are based on either two or four people, and more than that incurs an extra fee. The most common "extra person(s)" fee we see is $5 per person per night. And there are some campgrounds that won't allow more than X number of people to occupy a site. The limits we've seen are typically six or eight. Thousand Trails and other membership campgrounds usually have limits on length of stays, and a minimum time period that has to elapse between stays. That's at one campground -- I'm guessing you could move from one Thousand Trails to another, but I don't know for sure. Another thing to consider is what the weather will be like. Most RV's aren't terribly well insulated. Unless you bought one with an arctic package (extra $$$) then you'd likely not want to spend the winter in one in anything other than a fairly mild climate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RKWAcademy Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 I have two kids and love going camping in our camper. For a week. By the end of that week I'm sick of the tiny bathroom and fiddling with my kids in those cramped quarters. I'd have to agree with the other suggestions that you and the kids stay put. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 I lived in camp trailers and temporary living quarters (rustic cabins) for a few years when I was in 4th to 7th grades. The family size varied, but it was my parents, teenage sister, teenage brother and me. It was very tight and there was zero privacy. If someone had gas, everyone paid the price. If someone was grumpy, everyone was grumpy. You heard every conversation and especially everyone's sounds at night. We each had the equivalent of a duffle bag of personal belongings. I had 2 games, a stuffed bear and a few changes of clothes. I would absolutely never, ever do it with that many children. My sister liked to tease and torment me and when we lived in the travel trailer I had no where to escape to unless I climbed on the top bunk and hid my face in the corner of the trailer. Even then I could still hear her. It was not a wonderful, close way to grow up! I have especially horrid memories of my dad getting the stomach flu (both ends) for several days, then my mom, then my sister.... It was Wyoming in the middle of winter, so you couldn't just open the window to let fresh air in, because that meant someone's bed was getting blasted with wind and icy cold water which tends to soak the bedding. We lived in camp grounds and unless I was in the trailer, I wasn't supposed to be unsupervised even in 7th grade. There were sex offenders, fellons and various indigent people who lived in trailers, who would come begging at the door (so we were never allowed to answer the door if we were home alone). There were plenty of nice people too, but they weren't the ones we had to keep an eye out for. We couldn't leave anything outside at night or it would get stolen so even camp chairs had to be put away every night. Showers were done in community showers sometimes, (what ever the campground had to offer) and laundry had to be done every couple of days because we didn't have many clothes. Skipping showers is a very bad idea in close quarters. We had a port-a-potty, but there is zero privacy so we used the campground bathrooms. That is fine during the day, but not fun at night in the cold, wind, rain and dark....especially going into a public bathroom where anyone could be hiding. An RV will have a bathroom, but with that many people you will have to empty it constantly, and it will be in near constant use at certain times of day. The bathroom usually is the shower too, so I don't know how you will be able to manage with that many people. Cooking family meals was very hard for 5, I can't imaging trying to do it for 9+! My sister didn't graduate high school because the state laws on graduation required classes was different in each state (she attended public school). The rain, the cold and the wind are much different in a tin box....so are tornado warnings. We had a tiny TV and rented movies but now days, some places have WIFI if you pay for it, so you can probably get some shows from Netflix etc, but that won't really work while you are traveling down the road. If you want to have internet available reliably, you will need a high data plan on one of the big carriers like Verizon. I don't really think I need to go on. If you are thinking about having all of your kids go with you, I don't know if you can even find one with that many beds. My brother was 6'3 and didn't fit in the beds, so he slept on a trifold plastic lawn chair in the middle of the floor. He hated it, but his other option was the hard floor itself and it wasn't very clean. He had to move the chair for anyone to walk around, so once he was in bed, everyone had to stay put. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 I can't imagine it being possible to buy anything in any condition for 15,000 but I guess things are different over there. I am with the others either just your husband goes or nobody goes. Maybe your husband could find someone looking for a boarder or a flatmate cheaply or at a discount in exchange for housework/gardening/childcare overnight while the parent works or something so he would have more money to travel home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 Right--I'm still just stuck on the wheelchair bound part....having had a daughter who was fully wheelchair bound. I just don't see a way to keep FOUR kids in chairs inside of a RV.....which means that their mobility is limited unless someone is carrying from here to there. I also don't see how to get a wheelchair in/out of the bathroom...which again means lifting someone into the bathroom onto a modified bench inside of the shower unit. Toileting is going to be a big issue, same with mealtimes. My dd's wheelchair had a tray that fit over her wheelchair, so there is an option there for feeding and schoolwork......but even a very narrow chair is going to be a struggle in a RV....let alone FOUR of them. RV-ing full time may still be in our future....I'm certainly not against RV-ing....but I would strongly suggest really thinking through how that's going to work. And....for $15K, you are looking at needing to do a bus conversion or the like as new toy haulers are well beyond that price point. Also, OP hasn't mentioned whether their current vehicle has the capacity to haul a rig as big as they are going to need. wheelchairtraveling.com gives some insight into RV living + wheelchairs. Ramps, wider doors, etc. are all necessities. And for FOUR wheelchairs....you're going to have to have a very open space OR kids who have the ability to move themselves through tight spaces by themselves (i.e. the wheelchair is needed for distances because of lack of stamina---not for lack of motor control). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted September 19, 2015 Share Posted September 19, 2015 We have several friends who do contract IT work. It's fairly common for several guys to rent a house together while their families remain home. By pooling rent dollars, many fly home on weekends, or at least a couple of times a month. If your husband works for a larger company, that's something to look into, imo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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