Retire on Next to Nothing
With the current state of the economy and stock market, retirement can be a scary and quite possibly an infeasible task. Doesn’t it make the most sense to keep your fixed costs as low as possible so more of your nest egg can be spent on enjoyable things? How low can you go on your monthly bills? One Southwest Michigan man has set out to live on next to nothing.
Randy East has already built his retirement home with all the green planning ahead of time. The 240-square-foot home is currently setting behind his 1,600-square-foot home in the backyard, patiently awaiting it’s turn. He plans on selling his current home and moving the retirement home when the time comes.
East spent only about $8,000 building the energy efficient home. It uses a wood stove for heat, estimated to heat the home for a year with only one cord of wood, and is solar powered. He has had to make some compromises to run on such a budget. He installed a 10″ LCD TV that draws only 1 amp and fitted the home with LED light bulbs; allowing him to wire the structure for 12 volts. The home’s facilities may be a little different then the norm as well. East installed a composting toilet, rated for 2-3 users, which only requires to be emptied three times a year.
We think Randy is ahead of his time and can see more retirees shifting towards a completely sustainable lifestyle. Not only can you feel good about living a green lifestyle, but you can feel good about spending more time, and more green, on the things that really matter in the golden years.
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