Homeless vs. Cheap apartment

Thanks Bum,

For a real example, lets look at me.

The average apartment in my town is about $1000, so $12,000 for the year.

I run 50 weeks a year, 6 days a week, two of those are half days, on a dedicated weekly route. You can't claim partial days out at the full Per Diem rate, but you can claim partial days at a reduced rate, my tax person choses 50% of my rate to keep things simple, so $59 x .8 x .5 = $23.6

I'm in the 25% tax bracket.

-----

4 (full days each week) x 50 (weeks) = 200 (days)
200 x $47.20 = $9440

2 (half days each week) x 50 (weeks) = 100 (days)
100 x $23.60 = $2360

$9440 + $2360 = $11,800 tax deduction

$11,800 x .25 = $2950 tax savings

$12,000 rent - $2950 tax = $9050 difference!

-----

So I could pay $12k annually in rent to avoid sending $2950 to the tax man, but personally, I care more about how much I keep and not who gets what I can't keep. And isn't the point of moving into the truck to see how much I can keep?

I spend $100 a month on a storage unit that comes with a P.O. Box that has a regular street address so I can still get FedEx and UPS shipments. So $9050 - $1200 = $7850 saved over renting.

At my last house I was spending $300-$400 a month on electricity, internet, entertaining guests and the other little things. Suddenly the amount saved starts to grow again...

 

OK. Here is another way. Bobtail down to a run down old RV park like in Sunsites or Sunizona Arizona. Rent a site for a week or a month. You will have to get a Post Office Box in the area for 6 months to a year if you want to receive your mail of course. The Post office will hold your mail for you while you are away traveling "on vacation or business". Those poor RV park owners are barely squeaking by and can use any income they can get so PLEASE help out those poor staving RV park owners. Their site rentals are the cheapest you can find and they DO need the money to brace up their local economy.

 

Now that is a cool idea!! Especially if you get a site that you would be able to park the bobtail!! Plug into shore power... Just need restroom facilities. Park a car in your spot when you are gone, and a gym membership would get you a shower room at least, if you didn't want to hit a truckstop.

 

Maybe what you could do is live with a relative and pay them a few bucks to stay there on your home time or for free.

 

Or better yet go to Rosarito instead, better all around far as crime is concerned. I lived in La Fonda for a year, nice all year climate but cold water most of the year. We paid $400 for a furnished two bedroom condo, with pool, and 24 security.

 

The best way is get a bike, so you can zip between the cars, saves hours and you don't need the fast pass. I do like the La Playas area, just felt too crowded for me, but I like the countryside thats why I chose La Fonda.

 

That is something to really look at.

The IRS has stated that a tax home is where you operate at. Therefore, you could state it is the terminal you run from.

I know this because they took the stand that my home is not the tax home on my IRS audit. It is in appeal because they are ignoring the revenue ruling that supports my stand.

 

Well The wife and I have a home with the shop but, we dont spend alot of time here we also have a motorhome, that we park where ever we feel like staying for a few months or so. The mountains near a lake so I can do my fishing, and she can run wild with her cameras. For Winter we use the house more but we have installed 2 espar heaters in the motorhome and it is set up for winter living. I like to park it up at a nice lake in the winter where I can get to it when I want and do a bit of Ice fishing and hunting, and of course some sledding and 4 wheeling.

 

It would be nice once in a while if you would do some cleaning before you left it though.


The motorhome is nice but you have to think about water supply and how you are going to empty your waste water tanks. Most already have propane heaters but the espars we can just use some diesel from our fuel tanks . Drinking water we bring with us and for the fresh water tanks we can hook up to pump from a lake or river. Ours is a 40 ft and we have a 24 ft trailer for storage and Jim's toys. but the size depends on the individual.