Live out of the Truck? (how many are able) ? ? ? ?

I don't live in my truck although I stay in it way more than my home, but I exercise everyday and eat healthy .I don't care what anyone says its my health and im doing the best I can to take care of it.

 

For me the whole point of OTR is not having to pay rent. To me its not about how much you make but how much you SAVE in your bank account that is important.

 

What's really epic is my family preached health this health that etc. Half of them got taken with diabetes etc in time.

The other half could care less about health, ate beef, ham and everything else off that groaning table piled high with 500 dollars in meat products german style. They all grew to big boys, lived for ever into the 90's still kicking, raising hell and traveling.

Until they stroked one by one... what a crew they were.

All this health stuff is for the birds. It's good to eat what you need and occasionally enjoy what you want. And I don't want to open my big lying eyes and eyeball the obese people stuff sodas and chips into the walmart cart. It really is disgusting. I might have to GTFO of the south and move to a beach. Where I can scarf a blanket and enjoy the scenery.

 

You do that buying a house and paid it off in a few years. Other than a couple hundred in taxes on some acres and a few older vehicles here in Arkansas, there is money to be put into good things like new sewer etc.

We bought our home in the mid 90's for 32K, sold it at near 50K a few years ago and not keeping in mind we put roughly 140K in cash improvements to strengthen the house, bring it to code and replace worn out systems. The 4 seer AC system from the 60's burned up and was replaced by a monster 16 seer system that only has to whisper 15 minutes every few hours in 120 degree heat to maintain 74 inside. That was about 14000 dollars.

So we lost money, fine big deal. What we did have all these years was quite an experience being home owners. We had cleared so many trees keeping families with kids warm every winter. Endless trees. Not a penny for it. You cannot buy certain things in life for love or money.

 

I did it, wasn't a problem. I'm happy with my own company. Plus most people that are truckers are loners in some shape form or fashion otherwise they wouldn't do it. I did it long before the conveniences of cell phones and the internet. Called home on Sundays when I was doing laundry. Did a lot of exploring. Back then drivers actually talked to each other when they were laid over. We had many a parking lot BBQ music jam on the back of empty flatbeds. Bobtailed to the local grocery store and went shopping. It was FUN back then. Now drivers barely look at each other much less speak.

 

Wow !!!! 14k for A/C ? That’s why I bought a home warranty plan, about $550.00 a year and it covers everything in the house. It’s paid off already. Had my microwave replace(even though I don’t use it), and had the refrigerator replace to new. Been out twice to fix the a/c (at different times). And the main reason I have the home warranty is because of the high expense replacing the A/C. It’s an old system and it’s gonna go out anytime. Cheap insurance if you asked me.

 

We had some fun yes.

The barely speaking part comes from not knowing adequate english. You can manage to get basic words out of some, yes, no, si, etc. But try to have a good discussion about the weather? It's not going to succeed.

I remember one in SC he did not talk much, but that chessboard in front of him made for some very good games. He was particularly predatory and I managed to get clear with my king intact. But some of those rounds took away the energy I use to run 1000 miles overnight. So I did not do well later.

But I valued that few hours with that total stranger and his chess board. You wont believe how small and quiet that truckstop was. room for 4 tractor trailers on the side, a 50's era fuel pump that needs a hour to fill 300 gallons and your comcheck card is filled out and paid manually by voice phone. Plus a counter with 6 seats. That's it.

What a wonderful place that was. Even if the 4 other people in there did not have too many more than a dozen necessary words to say to each other. They were all happy though...

 

Don t forget the chicken lights

 

We did not have warrantry systems in those days. The first clue was the electric bill gone wild. Which actually saved the house when we called in the electric crew to examine our home's grid and find out what's matter.

It was pulling enough amps to burn slowly through the mains inside our bedroom wall. One main was a thick inch aluminum wire which burned all it's rubber off and worked on the stud next to it, about halfway through and the other main was half it's imsulation gone. Slowly smoking and cooking with fumes and BUZZZ drawing 100 amps constant.

The entire system from the 60's maxed out at 60 amps and we were overdrawing it towards a literal house fire.

So the crew went through that and found ways to fix it. Electric bill was dropped from 500 a month to 30 a month.

AC system burned out the compressor and we saw 135 by 2Pm that afternoon. The one walmart 8000 BTU ac window unit caused a outrageous sucking on power. Burned out that compressor. (350 to fix a 140 dollar retail window unit.. ugh...*Bangs head...)

Called in the AC crew. two days later air was back on. Dropped from 130 or so to 74 in about 4 hours flat. Insulation people showed up next. Now it does not matter what the sun did inside there. Sheesh.

There is a old saying here in the South, this is one #### yankee.. that's me.. which learned it. "Spinning Money"

When we were making hand over fist too much money each week teaming and cannot spend it all, it was literally of no importance what the job entailed as far as repair or replacement bills. Sign the contract, wait for it to be finished CORRECT, code inspector eyeballs it all and signs then we pay. No problem Like buying coffee.

Fast forward a bunch of years after 9-11 (At that time we were replacing a 12000 dollars worth of damaged bathroom from storm that punched a roof above...) losing payroll and savings etc was no problem, we fixed that too and kept trucking. It's only money.

Now, 6 years into our 15 year mortgage, our bank did not want to see us pay them off I think it was about 24K to go on the principal.

We wired the money to the bank and asked to extinguish the deed mortgage at the local courthouse. They finally did it. But dragged the feet. Took only 3 months. How much don't 24,000 dollars do they not comprehend? Oh... the interest another 700, add that on too.... SHEESH.

When we paid off everything possible and piled even more money in that bank, people started treating us badly because we were not incurring debt, credit cards, borrowing etc.

What they did do was come out of the wood work with hands out for this job that job something else and so on... SHEESH.

If I want to pick a place in America it's going to be 30 miles walk from Cabbage to the north. Aint nothing out there on that range. No one will be able to walk or ATV that far out to bother me about a bit of weed lawn care...

 

I do it, and I love it. Been doing it for the last (almost) 3 years. I carry my bicycle on the back of my tractor. I usually just run between Omaha and Southern Cal, but I live in the truck full time. I have a gym membership in California, a car in both states and a mailbox in both states, and I'm a company driver. I think it just depends on how you want to live and being lonely is just the matter of finding someone who wants to live the mobile type of lifestyle with you, or get a pet!
It's isn't easy, but I found my co-pilot (wife) and haven't been more satisfied in my life. I can imagine that it is not for everyone, but I see it as "what is the point of having an apt/house that I never see but spend most of my money on?".