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