| What are alternative lifestyles and why would | | | | houses, condos and apartments that most people |
| they require alternative housing? To answer the | | | | call home. Here are a few more of these housing |
| first part it is easiest to give examples. Then the | | | | options.- RV Boondocking. I've talked to people |
| answer to the second part becomes self | | | | living in Rvs that cost $200,000 and ones that |
| evident.One winter we were camping in our | | | | cost $600, so the selection of accommodations is |
| conversion van at a hot springs area in Arizona. | | | | varied, to say the least.- Permanent travelers. |
| We met a man who sold stuffed animals on the | | | | Housing is whatever works for the moment for |
| side of the highway. Having been through a bad | | | | those who work various jobs as the travel.- |
| divorce, and having little money, he was living in | | | | Houseboats. There are whole communities of |
| the van at places like these hot springs. Every | | | | people living on houseboats, and they usually don't |
| day he drove off to the nearest highways and | | | | have to pay property taxes.- Basements. Even |
| set up his stuffed animals for sale. He claimed to | | | | some people with good incomes choose to live in |
| have sold $4,000 worth the first month, so his | | | | the basement as they build the house above for |
| low cost living meant he could save the money | | | | cash. No mortgage sounds nice, doesn't it?- Log |
| and get back on his feet.Meanwhile, another | | | | cabin squatting. Yes, there really are people living |
| neighbor at the hot springs was living in his old RV. | | | | out there in the national forests, moving when |
| He had a house, but he preferred to supplement | | | | they get caught every five or ten years.- School |
| his social security by renting it out. This meant he | | | | busses. Apparently old busses sell cheap. We met |
| lived in his RV for a few weeks at each location, | | | | three young men who lived in one in the deserts |
| often for free, and spent evenings sitting around | | | | of Arizona, and anywhere else they could park it |
| campfires talking to travelers like us.A friend of | | | | for a month.- Offices. A couple I know almost |
| ours lived in a shack that he built for $3,000 on a | | | | moved into the office building they owned. It was |
| small piece of land he bought for $7,000. He was | | | | on the river and had showers, so why not? One |
| there for enough time to pay off the land and sell | | | | less mortgage too.A national magazine recently |
| it for a profit. This is illegal in many areas, of | | | | did a write-up on people who lived in the jungles |
| course, because of things like occupancy permits | | | | of Hawaii. Rents are high in Hawaii, and life on the |
| and minimum square footage requirements. | | | | beach is good - at least for younger people who |
| Usually, however, you can camp on your land, so | | | | can tolerate camping out for years. Alternative |
| a $2,000 used RV parked on your land makes for | | | | lifestyles and alternative housing are often more |
| a cheap and legal housing alternative.Other Housing | | | | for the younger crowd. Then again, tell that to |
| For Alternative LifestylesAlternative lifestyle | | | | the tens of thousands of retirees living in |
| doesn't mean "low income" of course. There are | | | | RVs.Copyright Steve Gillman. Visit his website for: |
| other reasons for living differently and needing | | | | 1. A photo of a beautiful house he and his wife |
| different types of housing. Whether to save | | | | bought for $17,500. |
| money, to travel, to live creatively - there are | | | | 2. A free book on how to save thousands buying |
| many reasons why people choose to live in tents, | | | | your next home. |
| RVs, cabins, underground homes, rental rooms | | | | 3. A free real estate investing course. |
| and anything else that's less common than the | | | | |