Things I love about living in an Airstream

Airstream Sovereign(Alternatively titled Things I don’t miss about traditional housing.)

I’m here to turn that frown upside down, negative Nancy! Last week I posted things I miss about traditional housing. But today, I’m here to post the things I love, which greatly outweighs the things I miss.

1. No rent! The Airstream is bought and paid for. At the moment, I have no rent and no mortgage. How many people can say that?! This no rent thing is helping us to save, save, save.

2. The energy savings. Our power bill is significantly lower than a standard apartment’s bill. That’s cash in the bank, baby! And I feel good about doing our part to save energy. Captain Planet would be proud.

3. The ability to travel. Want to head to the beach this weekend? We can do that and take our house with us! We’re pretty much turtles. Ninja turtles! Cowabunga dude! (We’re having a real early 90’s kid flashback here, if you haven’t noticed.)

4. The limited space. I know it sounds nut-zo, but the limited space is freeing. It took me about 5 minutes to clean the bathroom today. I don’t have to buy a bunch of furniture or stuff to “fill” the space. I know I can’t buy a bunch of clothes because I have no where to hang them. Less space is just easier.

5. The learning experience. Fixing up the Airstream was Renovations 101. Fixing a house. might be a Advanced Renovations, but at least we now know the basics.

6. The bonding experience. This experience is what rom-coms are made of. Newly married couple, fixes and lives in an Airstream without killing each other! They laugh, fight about something dumb and still like each other in the end!

7. We own something. Unlike renting, at the end of the day, we own this Airstream. Even if sometimes she’s a pain in the rear, we still own our home outright.

8.  The freedom. The Airstream has given us freedom in so many ways. We don’t live in debt. We have few bills and few belongings. George now has the ability to work for himself. And that, my friends, that is priceless.

love and thankfulness,
melanie

 

Things I Miss About Traditional Housing

Our untraditional home

Our untraditional home

I love living in an Airstream. It’s seriously one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, but it’s not all rainbows and butterflies either. Shelli, who blogs over at The Laughing Nanny and also lives in an Airstream, got me thinking about the things I miss about traditional housing. This list isn’t all inclusive, obv. On different days I miss different things. But here’s what I’ve been a missin’ most.

1. Long showers. The water heater in our Airstream is super small, so a lady only has time to shave one leg before the water turns cold. It’s not a luxurious situation. And at this point, a tub seems like a far away dream.

2. A big stove. We’ve made the best out of our cooking situation, but I still miss having four, fast, gas burners to heat up my food.

3. The ability to close off a space. Since we don’t really have any separate “rooms” in the Airstream, when I get up, George wakes up and when George want to stay awake at night, I have to stay awake. It’s been an adjustment to have to really adapt to each others’ schedules, but we’re making it work. (As Tim Gunn would say.)

4. House-chore free weekends. Before the Airstream, we rented, so we didn’t have to take care of home chores like painting, spraying for bugs or fixing appliances. We still have a super long to-do list and I’m pretty sure we always will have something to fix on the old Airstream. No more house chore-free weekends for us.

5. Closet space. Our closets are pretty much nonexistent. I miss being able to neatly fold my clothes and not have to fold them three times to jam them in an airplane-like overhead compartment.

I love being a negative Nancy but the things I miss about traditional housing, in no way out way the things I don’t miss.

Stay tuned for that post!

love,
melanie

 

Ways to Save on a Weekend Getaways!

nags head soundWe all know what a cheapskate I’ve become, but one of the reasons I’ve become so stingy thrifty with my money is I want to travel. I’ve got so many things I want to see and places I want to go, and they all require that cash-money. So when my friend, Gabby asked me if we wanted to go on a weekend trip to our coast, I was hesitant. I love North Carolina’s Outer Banks, but I’ve been there and done that. If you’ve never been there and done that, I’d highly recommend it, the OBX of NC are really unique and beautiful.

Anyways, I hesitated a little bit, but Gabby is a cheapskate too. The woman has furnished her entire house from Craigslist, so I took her word that it would be an inexpensive trip.

Here’s how we saved some big bucks on our weekend getaway:

1. Make a list before packing to ensure you bring even the littlest essentials. I am notorious for leaving things at home on trips. It’s why I have 5 bottles of contact solution. Save yourself the hassle and the trouble by making a packing list and checking it twice.

2. Pack food! This was especially important for a place like the OBX. Groceries in remote locations are always more expensive. In the OBX, groceries are up to 20% more expensive! And by packing your own groceries, you’ll eat out less. Win-win, people, win-win.

3. If you do eat out, do your research first. There is nothing worse than getting to a restaurant, figuring out it is for unknowing, wealthy tourists with no taste buds. Eat where the locals eat and get it cheap! My personal favorite restaurant review service is Yelp. I’ve even got the app on my phone, which makes it super easy.

4. If you have a lot of friends going on the same trip, consider renting a retreat center. Retreat finder has a database of places to rent all over the country (and even in a few other countries too!). We rented a retreat center for $30 a night, per person. That is stupid-cheap for a beach house on Labor Day weekend. Often retreat centers won’t be booked over holiday weekends and your money goes to supporting a good cause. SO MANY WINS!

5. If you want to participate in “experiences” during your trip like mini golf or parasailing, check out the Groupon or Living Social coupons in the area before you go. Personally, I just like to lounge around, but if your into that kind of thing, coupons can be a great way to save dough.

What are your best tips for saving money on weekend getaways? I’d love to hear them in the comments!

love,
melanie

Post-Vacation Blues

sunset in nags headI have a terrible case of post-vacation blues. I literally shed a couple of tears on the way to work this morning. I was in a weird, weepy mood. I enjoy my job, but I did not want to get back to the overload of emails, the ringing phone and the (sometimes) grumpy patrons.

selfiesWhat’s more fun than fun? Funnest?! Funna-fun-fun-fun! Well, whatever it is, I had more fun than that! We lounged in an 8 person float in the ocean while partaking in adult beverages. I really didn’t need a better time than that, but we also took afternoon naps in hammocks and ate until our tummies hurt. I need a detox.

puppy loveWe also hung out with this crazy dog. She’s is the dog version of Lil Bub. And although she had kibble breath, she made me want a little lap dog so, so much!

But now we’re back to the emailing, the traffic, the giant laundry pile. I need another vacation just to catch up.

How do you recover from the post-vacation blues? Let me know in the comments!

love,
melanie

 

Vacation time! Vacation time!

labor day weather forecastI am super pumped to be taking a mini vacation this weekend with George and some friends. We’re heading out to the beautiful Outer Banks of NC.  I haven’t been on a trip all summer. Actually, I don’t think we’ve even gone anywhere since our honeymoon. Life has been so nuts. We’re not taking the Airstream this time because our friend’s mom rented a house on the OBX. OBX is Outer Banks for the non-North Carolinans. 🙂 Learning something new everyday huh, folks? The weather is supposed to be perfect and I cannot wait to get a little time to relax.

Do you have plans for the labor day weekend?

Here’s hoping to a relaxing and refreshing weekend,
love,
melanie

 

Essential Technology for Traveling

tech setupI have to be honest with ya’ll. Technically, we haven’t taken the Airstream on the road yet. But I’m getting the travel itch bad. I think I’ve got the travel pox. That’s a thing right? Anyway, I thought it’d be helpful/mildly interesting to share my technology setup. We’re currently working out any kinks with our technology setup before we take the Airstream on the road.

Here’s what we use.

1. iPhones for hotspots
Our iPhones provide us with the Internet which is essential. I couldn’t blog and George couldn’t do his art without it. Also, I might die from Internet withdrawals if I didn’t have it. It’s been a bit more expensive to use our phones as hotspots instead of having a direct Internet connection through an Internet or phone provider. (Our phone contracts are through Verizon, if you are curious.) It’s the best option we’ve found so far because of the excellent coverage Verizon provides. And paying for extra data is still much less cheaper than rent.

2. iPhones for photos
Sometimes I don’t feel like lugging around my giant Nikon for photos, so I’ll just snap a few pictures with my iPhone. It’s lazy and the photos don’t look quite as sharp as with my “real” camera, but it’s convenient.

3. Nikon D5000
My “professional” camera was a gift from George and it may be the best gift I’ve ever been given. It has been worth every penny. My pictures with this camera look sharp, professional and are a much higher quality than any iPhone pic.

4. MacBook Pro
For most of my blogging and writing, I use a MacBrook Pro. I’d love to try out using an iPad for blogging, but currently, the MacBook is working great. I don’t want to throw down the cash for an iPad without knowing if it will fit all my needs.

5. iPhoto and Photoshop
In terms of picture editing, I use both iPhoto and Photoshop. I think iPhoto is easier and less time-consuming than Photoshop, but it isn’t quite as customizable. When I have time, I love to throw my photos into Photoshop and play around. The pictures always look so much better.

6. Kindle
I could probably cut down on my devices if I just bought an iPad, but the $600+ price tag is painful. Reading is still super essential to me and on the road, libraries will be hard to find. I also can’t carry 100 books with me, it’s just not feasible in such a small space. For now my Kindle is taking care of my reading needs.

That’s my tech setup. What are your favorite techie tools?

love,
melanie

How to Cook in an Airstream Trailer

Airstream Hot PlateBefore we remodeled, we had a sketchy gas stove in the Airstream that was home to a full apartment complex full of mice. Seriously, those things had made a straight up, 1970s NY high-rise in that stove. I’m pretty sure those mice were the mice version of The Jeffersons. (Insert Jeffersons theme song here.)

We couldn’t use the old oven and cooktop. It was gas, there were no indications that the Jeffersons had ever turned it on, and it was just too risky. I like my eyebrows. I have no desire to singe them off. I didn’t want to be scared every time I needed a grilled cheese– which is all the time. So we started looking for RV oven/cooktop combos, and just like everything, they didn’t come cheap. In our true cheapo live little fashion, we started thinking about alternatives.

Could we make it with just a microwave and an infomercial burner? Could we just use a toaster oven and a coffee maker? How about two sticks and panini press?! After much Amazon research, we settled on a double burner and a small convection oven. It hasn’t been the easiest change. I had an amazing four burner gas stove and oven in my last apartment, but I’m learning to be more mindful of my timing and I’ve been making things in smaller batches.

The biggest change has been the no microwave situation. It has forced me to slow my cooking down, but I didn’t want to sacrifice the space for a microwave. It also freaked me out to have all that microwave radiation bouncing around in my tin can of a house.

Airstream CookingIn terms of appliances, we also have a blender, a french press and our biggest unnecessary space hog, an electric food dehydrator. Our blender is a Blendtec and it’s pretty much amazing. It was a total splurge from before I went on a saving spree, but I love it and it blends like a dream. The french press is a total necessity. It’s smaller than a coffee maker and makes a delicious cup of joe. Coffee is my life blood. I sing a song that I used to sing in church as a kid when I make coffee. Not kidding. It’s a religious experience for me.

And then there’s the dehydrator. It may seem kind of ridiculous to have a food dehydrator when you don’t have room for a microwave, but George and I got as a (joke) wedding gift and we love jerky. At least I know when the zombie apocalypse happens, we’re going to plenty of dried food to subsist on. Just keepin’ it real.

love,
melanie

Guest Posting and Goals

 

Pic courtesy of andthenwesaved.com

Pic courtesy of andthenwesaved.com

So, did you guys know I’ve been doing a little guest posting on other blogs? No? How would you know? I haven’t told you! Well, I have been doing a little guest posting on AndThenWeSaved, a personal finance blog. My first guest post went live earlier this week. It was a piece on how to save money on textbooks– something I’m totally passionate about. I hate to see students spend their hard-earned beer money on textbooks!

One of my blogging goals is to get out there more, do more guest posting and get my name noticed. I recently read that you aren’t supposed to tell people your goals because it makes you feel more accomplished than you really are. But I call BS! I think people are too secretive about dumb things like goals. Let’s all share our goals, talk about our dreams, plan them out and then carry them out with intention. It’s about empowerment, not secretiveness. It’s about being honest with our struggles and helping others through honesty and love.

What are some of your goals? How can I help you achieve those goals?

with love, intention and honesty,
melanie

Why I Don’t Coupon and How I Actually Save Money on Food

1976_Maypo_magazine_adI got extreme one weekend and binge watched multiple seasons of Extreme Couponing on Netflix. It had me totally convinced that coupons were straight up gold and I was an idiot for lazily using coupons in the past. No, extreme was the way to go!

But in practice, extreme couponing or just couponing in general rarely works for me. Here’s why:

1. The time factor. Who are these women who have time to coupon 40 hours a week? I have a full-time job. I don’t even have an extra 20 hours a week for coupons. At some point I need to clean and maybe have a life.

2. Coupons are rarely for fresh fruit and vegetables. When was the last time you saw a coupon for a dollar off a dozen oranges? Yeah, never. I’m not a food snob, but I try to steer clear of the processed, prepackaged food.

3. I have no where to store 500 boxes of Easy Mac. I live in a trailer, ya’ll.

That’s not to say that if I see a coupon for toothpaste, I won’t use it. But I’ve recently discovered a much better way to save money on food. Join a CSA.

Here’s how it works: each week, I get a certain amount of points on food. I don’t let myself go over these points or I will be charged. One of my major money spending triggers is just being in a physical store. OO! Those strawberries look good! Or OOO! Green beans are on sale! Ordering my groceries online has almost completely eliminated my food impulse buying. I’ve whittled my food spending down from an average of $500 a month to an average of $250. I’ve cut that bill in half, ya’ll!

I am lucky that my CSA carries a wide variety of food. They don’t just sell veggies, but also dairy and some pre-made stuff, like bread and jellies. If your CSA doesn’t have that kind of variety, you could replicate the process by buying food through Amazon and holding yourself accountable to only spend a certain amount. Or you could use Amazon’s subscribe and save and get the items you need each month delivered to your door. It’s fast, easy and you don’t even have to leave the house! (And Amazon didn’t even tell me to say this, I just enjoy their services!)

Do you coupon? How have you saved money on fresh and healthy food?

love,
melanie

 

How I Pared Down My Stuff to Live in an Airstream

My teensie closet.I’ve never been the kind of person to ho-hum and dwell over whether or not I’m going to need that second vegetable peeler or if I’m ever going to wear those stupid-high clogs  (newsflash: I won’t wear them!). I usually just get real with myself and sell my unused junk or donate it.

But when George and I moved into the Airstream, I knew I’d have to take parring down to an all new level. The closets in the Airstream are New York City apartment tiny. And let’s be real, my first priority is food storage. This girl loves to eat. So when it came to choosing which “things” were essential and which I got the ax, I had to make some pretty tough guidelines. Here’s the questions I asked myself:

1. Have I used it in the last three months? If I haven’t used it in the last three months, it’s probably not very useful. Unless…

2. Is it seasonal? Is it something I can put into storage until next season? Winter clothes and boots mostly fell into this category.

3. Am I really being honest about whether or not I’m going to [insert your own hobby here]? Book collecting is a tough one for me. (And I think everyone has that one “thing” that contributes to clutter.) I always get super ambitious about how much I can read. I’m only one person, I can only read so much. And there’s always the library. I made myself get real about my book collection.

4. Does this item have more than one use? I’m big into things that have multiple uses because they take up less space. For example, my blender also food processes. It’s magical.

5. Does it need fixing? There are so many things (clothes especially) that I was hanging onto because they just needed one little thing fixed. This shirt needed a hole sewed up, these pants needed to be hemmed up, etc. If I have had the problem for over a month and I still haven’t fixed it, I let it go. Be real, it’s never going to get fixed and it’s just taking up space.

So that’s the harsh criteria I went through when I pared down my life to live in the Airstream. It was hard emotionally, but I’m done. *Angels singing* Now, the hard part is going to be not bringing any more unnecessary junk back into the Airstream.

How have you pared down?

love,
melanie