Could you live on $1000/month?

[quietintheland]

Hello everyone,

I came across an interesting article a few weeks back suggesting that it is possible to live on $12,000/year. Keep in mind, the person who wrote this article is single, but does seem to have a homesteading philosophy in some areas:

http://w4.telcen.com/simpleliving.html

This prompted a search for others living on $1000 per month. I came across this blog of a family of five which makes the claim to "thrive on less than $1000 per month." Unfortunately, it is no longer being updated:

http://under1000permonth.blogspot.com/

Here we are at the beginning of 2013. We've trimmed our family of 3's budget back some for the new year - we are well under $2000/month, but not anywhere close to $1000.

For those of you who are living "off the land", is $1000/month income doable for you? If so, can you share some of the secrets that make this possible?

I look forward to everyone's responses.

QuietInTheLand

[am1too]

I would feel rich on $1,000 a month. My current monthly expedatures are less than $500. No payments of anykind to anyone except electric. My phone costs $15. My air card for the puter cost me $50. Less than $100 a month for food. Normally $100 for gasoline.

[goatlady]

Really depends on how much debt the person/family has incurred especially mtg. payments and insurance on the property.

[Sawmill Jim]

Yep a thousand a month that is close to our income now . Key thing get everything paid off. No cable tv fancy phones we use magic jack

Couldn't do it with children home they could play me like you wouldn't believe .Last one at home had a nice car and all the gas she could burn .

[Fae]

I sure would like some ideas because my sister will be retiring soon and that is about what she will have. She also has a 26 year old son with asbergers who is dependant on her.

[||Downhome||]

I use to do on less then 10,000 for family of three was lacking a bit but we got by.
after a few years I was making more and added another to the fold.
that was a good few years ago and I continued to make a bit more with each year.
But something always came up to eat the extra.

As a single guy now well I could do very well on a thousand a month, 1200 would be better.

My monthly bills are less than $125. Another $25 or so at the grocery store. Real estate tax, Homeowners insurance, and automobile insurance are paid out of a fund I set up specifically for that purpose, and amount to around $1500 a year, or another 125 a month. So, everything all told, under $300 a month. I make a 4 or 5 mile round trip into town about twice a month, and grow most of my own food, and make all my own alcohol products.

[||Downhome||]

browser glitched double post.

[Big Dave]

I can, or zero depends on what I can earn.

[akane]

I lived on $600/month for about 3 years on a small farm where the forage had gone wild. Half the plants growing wild on the property were something edible and the rest was chicken fodder. I didn't feed my chickens march through nov and kept a freezer full of roos. Which also fed the dogs.

[NamasteMama]

Nope no way our grocery bill alone is $1200 a month, tack on another 2200 in just rent and utilities, which if we could get out of our cracker box urban home we could cut it in half.

[notbutanapron]

Once we move to the new property, it can be done. :3 Barely, but it could be done. I might challenge myself with that. If I cut my expenses down to that much I could save... enough. Yes, enough. Eeeeexcellente. *steeple fingers*

[Bob Huntress]

If the wife lost her voice and became incapacitated, I could, though just my USCG pension is higher. She will testify that I can pinch a penny into a dime. I am heating the house with a wood stove, which does well. She is unhappy because I am not maintaining a temp of 80 degrees in here with the electric coils. To hear her tell the story, you would think that water freezes solid at 84 degrees F.

[Warwalk]

If a person had no mortgage, could grow most of their own food, and didn't drive too often, I think it's highly possible for most people. Another way of looking at is would be to simply count discretionary expenses, utilities, and food ~ and then see if that dollar amount could be scrunched down to $1000. Far more manageable I'd think?

[mekasmom]

We could. But I think it would be hard for young families with children.

[Prov31Wife]

Now? No way. Too many things to pay off: vehicle, student loan, mortgage. Give me a few years to pay everything off, though, and then it would be doable.

[Marshloft]

$1000 would be tough for anyone. I've been making 1200. for the last 6 months. The first few months were rough till I could get a handle on things. Finally was able to save a 100. a week till I had enough saved for downpayment of 600. on a 2200. truck, now I'm paying 200.a week till its payed for. Got 3 weeks left and its mine.
Then baseball season starts, both my boys will have signups the 1st wek of Feb.
It comes in, and goes out real fast.
But yeah,, it can be done. Can even be dome better with a mate than can also be in tune. And can cook a big pot of chicken and noodles that will last a week.
And on and on
GH

[jwal10]

Very easy for us and save half of it. Everything is paid for. We drink water and juice we can, no smokes, coffee or pop. Our quarterly food bill and paper products is less than $50.00. No pets, unless you count Sweeties pet rabbit but she works hard, last litter was 13. Last months electric was $35.00 and it was a little cold. Phone and internet is $19.95 a month. I barter or help harvest for our animal feed. Pretty tight ship here....James

[Danaus29]

Property payments alone (including taxes and insurance) are real close to $1,000 a month.

[Bentley]

Just our health insurance is $800+.