what are some of the craziest things that youv'e seen people do to remain in there SB homes

[DuffMan]

 

If credit cards went away entirely and we all payed cash for everything, merchants could all lower their prices by 3%.

 

 

Naaaah - I'd keep the 3% to cover my hassles for handling cash!

[Pat & Pete]

 

 

Naaaah - I'd keep the 3% to cover my hassles for handling cash!

 

Maybe you'd better just add 30% and call yourself a convenience .

[lakeside013104]

I believe that the RV community tends to be dominated by people who are of moderate means, but conservative in financial management. Living on credit has become a major part of our county's economy, particularly with younger families. The size of your house and what you own has always been a significant part of how people are judged in society and even the RV community has some traces of that with a pecking order sometimes found where owners of more expensive RVs prefer not to mingle with the folks who own old or home-built RVs. Proof of that lies in the rules found in many of the snowbird and longer term RV parks.

 

When we live in an RV you are forced to limit the number of possessions you take since even the largest of RVs have pretty limited ability to take along and it tends to level the field to some degree in the possessions competition and so few of that type stay out on the road for very long. Many a couple consider the RV life but choose not to become a part of it because they can't bring enough "stuff" with them. Those of us who live in or spend extended periods in our RVs seem to take pride in our ability to value experiences and friends more than we do our possessions and I believe that it is the thing which attracts many of us to the lifestyle and it is what makes our communities different. Living small tends to shift the social order and cause your stature to be based upon how many friends you have and where you have been, rather than who has the most impressive possessions.

 

I put then into the same group as those who can't bring themselves to retire because they might get bored and can think of nothing to do with their time.

 

Those folks who are slaves to their possessions and those who get their personal value from the jobs they do are welcome to that life. In my view they don't have much to show for their years on earth, but who am I do judge them? They are quite welcome to look down their noses at us if they wish as I value the freedoms of our lifestyle more than any sort of possessions. It is far less crowded out here in the parks and campgrounds without them.

KIRK, well said and in my opinion, true.

 

Lakeside

[FULLTIMEWANABE]

 

IMO..... NO!

 

 

 

 

More interesting question is whether the Government has any duty to protect its citizens from this type of folly?

 

Why Not? They now control and meddle in everything else in our lives, seeing as we aren't capable to make decisions for ourselves, our families or otherwise any more. Surely if they thought about it they could likely find a way to put a tax on this new duty to it's citizens as well.

[defboater]

 

 

 

 

....................

 

And frankly, if someone decides to work two jobs and not take vacations in order to live in the home of their dreams, I am all for them. As long as I'm not asked to bail them out if their "plan" fails.

 

To each their own...

VERY well said

[defboater]

 

Are we talking about the US here? Like the same government that is $19,000,000,000,000 in debt?

 

 

If credit cards went away entirely and we all payed cash for everything, merchants could all lower their prices by 3%.

 

Very Well Said, Indeed!

 

Thank you!

[defboater]

 

Agreed. Unfortunately too often we, the taxpayer, are tapped to bail them out. Look at all the home mortgage bailout programs. And now the clamor to forgive all that student debt.

 

Time to demand tough love!

 

 

 

Totally agree! Well said, bravo!

[HamRad]

 

Are we talking about the US here? Like the same government that is $19,000,000,000,000 in debt?

 

 

If credit cards went away entirely and we all payed cash for everything, merchants could all lower their prices by 3%.

You are kidding, right?! No way would a business person would give up 3%! I understand what you are saying...... It's just that I don't believe the drive to make more money would allow them to "give up" that 3%. I believe the "greed" factor would be too much to allow them to give up a potential source of cash. They would find some way to "justify" the "earning" of that 3%. Just saying..... My opinion and not based on anything else.

[Kirk W]

Business owners are just like most of us. They are your friends and neighbors. Most of them make their decisions about prices and other customer charges based upon business principles. With the advice of their accountants they determine how much markup their product or service must have above their cost in order to keep the business profitable, and to keep prices competitive with similar businesses which they must compete with. The reason that they accept credit cards at all is because the customer base demands it and since they must pay a fee to the credit card companies and processors, they must also pass that expense along to the customer if they are to survive, show a profit, and make a living for their families. How many of you are willing to give up the use of credit cards and return to carrying of enough cash to do your daily business? Even if you return to the use of checks, there is added expense to those transactions due to processing of them and also to the fact that some of the are returned, unpaid because they were not good. There are a few local business persons who do manage to operate without accepting credit cards but they are always small businesses with a solid local clientele who are very loyal.

 

The world has changed and most businesses would not survive for long if the never accepted any type of plastic money.

[Jack Mayer]

In the post just above, Kirk said it all well.

 

There is no going back. non-paper money is here to stay. In fact, electronic funding is going to take over from credit cards in the next generation or so. Tap your phone and go....or similar behavior. Eventually that will supplant CC use. There will still be paper money, of course.

[Kevin H]

Kirk & Jack x 2

 

Currency is fluid. Always changing. Rocks, sticks, sheep, goats, cows, children ( ), coins, bills, checks, Euros, credit cards, PayPal, etc. One thing is constant. Every form of payment requires some sort of accounting and/or controlling procedure. Those procedures involve effort by someone or some entity. That effort is a job. Anyone doing a job deserves payment. Regardless of the evolution of payment, forward or backward, the effort is there. Do away with CC and return to cash means more effort for banks to control cash. More costs to the bank means more bank fees to us. Nothing is free.

[RV_]

I certainly would not go back. I am seeing limited cards for poorer folks start to come out as prepaid so they would not be hurt by a removal of cash in most cases. But to illustrate the lack of money sense with today's youth acting as cashiers I always ask if they take Hawaiian currency with my wallet open but no money in sight. Then when they say no I pull out my bills to pay with and ask them why they don't take this currency. They then will clam up or blurt out but that is US money! I then ask isn't Hawaii a state? Now that ignorance is crazy. These same people down here state unequivocally that they would never go outside the US and this from successful biz owners over 40! They think they are safer here in the US than in say Munich Germany. I can tell them from experience they are safer in Munich being a tourist than in Albuquerque N.M.

 

I read here about RVrs who say they will not go over the border to Canada???? They are afraid of what? Being searched at the border? Our own border patrol does that on the way back too.

 

So a related question - why are people saying crazy things to avoid going to, or through, Canada? I've crossed that border many times. Today they are less restrictive to an American with all documents ready than boarding an airliner in the US by far. I don't know what anyone might be afraid of from our neighbors to the North. Mexico I can understand, but I read about ex pats and RVrs that have no problems in Mexico either.

 

Traveling through Canada was exactly like traveling through the US, Aye? Give them a lead in and they will tell you all about what's wrong with their politicians just with less polarity than us. Nice folks up there even their police and border folks.

[bigjim]

Hawaiian currency, I like that. Kind of akin to those that won't ship to a foreign country, New Mexico.

[DuffMan]

There will still be paper money, of course.

 

Not if the Feds get their way. They want to be able to track all transactions so they can tax them and impose negative interest on your accounts if they think you are not spending enough. (Japan is going down that road as did Cypress, etc) Ability to cash out your account throws a monkey wrench into those plans.

[Legendsk]

..... I always ask if they take Hawaiian currency with my wallet open but no money in sight. Then when they say no I pull out my bills to pay with and ask them why they don't take this currency. They then will clam up or blurt out but that is US money! I then ask isn't Hawaii a state? Now that ignorance is crazy. ....

 

1) States aren't allowed to issue their own currency. The clerk is quite reasonable to logically say "No" and likely wonder what you are even talking about.

2) Then pulling out U.S. currency and acting like the clerk said they wouldn't take it is silly. That isn't what you asked and has nothing to do with the clerk's refusal.

3) Asking them isn't Hawaii a state has nothing to do with the issue. Hawaii being a state does prevent them from issuing their own currency and certainly doesn't make U.S. currency, Hawaiian currency.

 

IMHO it's pretty risky to try to embarrass other people by demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the world. Apparently it is better than yours.

[RV_]

Good point when done in a way that is mean. They usually laugh and say you got me! and it is in fun. They don't take it any more seriously than I am taking your correction here.

 

Some people are gentle and kind like me and they see that and it usually makes their day. One of the officers getting us past a flooded bridge with one lane open yesterday was surprised when I called him over and gave him a mint and thanked him for helping us get through back home. For all we know he is one of the officers that had to evacuate his family from their homes as many had to. With 3500 folks just in Bossier City here evacuated he might have been. I'm running around today with a thermos of coffee cause his hands were ice cold.

 

I hope you see the fun in life today.

[Legendsk]

I'll say it too, RV, "You got me!"

I thought about it a long time before responding, because I didn't want to start a flame war. But without the body language, the words sounded mean (to me) and I am so opposed to bullying, I decided I just had to respond.

Actually, I'm glad I did. Now that I understand your joke, I'm fine with it and got to have a little conversation with someone who sounds like they would be fun.

Regards

Si

[RV_]

Si,

You're OK bud. You know that all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to stand by. Don't lose your willingness to speak up.

 

I get a lot of ribbing here in Louisiana from the good ol boys because I am an AF brat, and then did 27 years all over the world. My dad was in Bogota when I was 5 and 6 and I had to go to kindergarten and first grade in Spanish! I passed but have lost a lot in the intervening 58 years. Still can hold up a conversation with folks when needed. So I get a lot of "You ain't from around here are ya?" I answer yes and no, it depends on when. When they ask in exasperation where I was born to pin it down, thinking I am toying with them for making me out to not belong, I tell them are you asking where we lived when I was born or where was I born at that time. See my dad was stationed in Denver at Lowery AFB. But my mom didn't want to give birth without her momma there so she went to New York where my grands lived, and I was born in St Alban's Naval hospital out on Long Island New York. I then explain that I lived in six states and two countries before I turned 7 years old. Then after a 10 year sojourn in three cities/towns in the Northeast I joined up for 27 years and traveled living in three states, six towns, and two countries one of which was a 7 year assignment to Germany 90-97. ( Yes I speak German and understand a lot in speech and writing. I had to to be able to get directions all over Germany Amsterdam Belgium (French) France, and skied all over a week or two at a time every year and every 3/4 day weekend free all over the French, Swiss, Italian, and Austrian Alps skiing fpor the 7 winters we were there. All of our leave and Holidays were spent all over too! I'd break the Ice with a joke in Germany/Austria/Switzerland, all of whom speak German. I'd say "Mein Deutsch ist nicht gut. Ich spreche gasthaus Deutsch, zuerst ein Bier bitte, zweitens wo die Toilette ist. Das ist alles was, die ich brauche! (My German is not good. I speak bar German, first a beer please, second where is the toilet. That's all I need!) They would all at the bar roar in laughter, clap me on the back as a good guy at their bar, and switch to perfect English so they didn't have to listen to me butcher their language. Other tourists asked if they spoke English and they would say Nein. no Anglais. And turn away. Americans would then, in front of them, start in on how stupid they were for not even speaking English. Looking down on all Americans or all Germans that way and both sides miss out on all the German drinking games and stories and bar tricks I learned and enjoyed, and they mossed out on some wet behind the ears American tales and the opportunity to wow them with their talents and activities. I learned a little Farsi (Persian dialect of Arabic) from training Royal Iranian AF troops at Lackland AFB ranges in the mid 1970s, before the fall of the Shah. 20 years later while spendin a week diving the Red SEa off Hurghada Egypt, my terrible phrases in Arabic got me invited to a familyy feast where I found I was a twin looking double for their recently deceased father. and many people extended kindnesses when I simple asked and answered as if they were from home. See long before I was an RVr fulltiming, home was and is wherever I hang my hat. You might say I'm at home wherever in the world I find myself. Oh I don't look for nor tolerate gangs and criminals, at home and abroad. When folks ask me if I've ever been broad I just tell them no, I'm secure in my masculinity.

 

By the time I get done they are amused and forgot that they were bristling at what they thought was a Yankee. So I told them that I did have to learn some strange things in the South that they don't even realize they say and do. So they say "Like what?" I say "I'll give you an example, what model is your car? and they say a 2010 or whatever year it is. I tell them no, I asked what model it is. Many times they just go silent trying to figure out what I meant and I then explain that at the Motor Vehicle place the forms say make, year, and model. I asked what Model and then they smile and say I'll be danged we do get em mixed up. Now you know why some southerners say" what year/model car do you have?" still mixing the year and model but still meaning the year, but with a nod to the difference. Some take offense but let's remember the conversation started out with You ain't from around here are ya? And getting ready to label me easily. Some then say well, I say year model. So I say OK what year model is your car. They then say 2010 Malibu or whatever and they never really thought about it before. But with a wink we all had fun.

 

Having lived and adapted all over the world, and learned the languages without feeling stupid. Ignorant yes but I can fix ignorance. Can't fix stupid. We are all ignorant, just on different subjects. I used to get, when I owned a satellite card company, and was CEO over the Internet service and the computer store divisions of my businesses in Germany, I'd get folks that would say they wished they had the money I had, while in my store, or doing an installation at their house, implying we charged a lot. I'd tell them that we don't work for free certainly, but if they think we should then perhaps that means that you would work for free and if so, I'm hiring! when to do you want to start? Never got one to hire on for free.

 

I'd also get the one about wishing they could make as much as we did on the satellite cards. I'd tell them no problem, all you have to do is be willing to work hard 18 hours a day 6 and sometimes 7 days a week. You want to start work? And, I kid you not, they'd say Nah, I just want the money not have to do the work. And grin and walk away. Rly?

 

It's not what you say, but how you say it. In those cases I could have, in some folks' minds taken justifiable offense but naaa. The best revenge is living well. Nothing is as satisfying as a customer or person that tried to get my goat, come around and respond to my kindness with an apology. Some of my best friends came from conflict who say that they always know where they stand with me because if I am angry or upset with them I will always tell them why I am upset with them in a calm way and ask them to do or not do whatever it is that got between us. Eventually they don't try to mind read me, nor fear me, nor take advantage of me. Because they know I will answer and ask honestly to get over whatever, not over each other. That's called assertiveness not aggression. They say that:

 

"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself" Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

"The price of seeking to force our beliefs on others is that someday they might force their beliefs on us."

Mario Cuomo quotes

 

Wiser words were never spoken.

[richfaa]

We are all free to choose our lifestyles no matter what it may be. People who choose to stay in their S&B are no more crazier thanwe who do not

 

Paper money is on its way out as are banks. We rarely go into a bank. We have maybe 50.00 on us at any time an it can last a long time.

 

Working at Disney world we find that most all Foreigners speak some English or very good English.There is near always at least one member of a family who can speak English .It is usually the younger ones. Most Americans can not speak any other language.

 

We do not live far from Canada and have been crossing the border for years. Know the laws of both countries and no problem.

[Jack Mayer]

Paper money is on its way out as are banks. We rarely go into a bank. We have maybe 50.00 on us at any time an it can last a long time.

 

I have not been to a bank since the mid 90's. Why would I need to go to a bank - I don't have any dealings with them, and ATMs or cash back on checkout gives me the minimal cash I need.

[Trucken]

Did anyone notice the original poster never made a comment?

 

400k in debt yea.

 

Real live aboard RVEr

[richfaa]

Did anyone notice the original poster never made a comment?

 

400k in debt yea.

 

Real live aboard RVEr

 

Noticed that.I would not be Rv'ing if we were 400K in debt. I actually can not remember the last time we were inside a bank, We have used the drive through to get a few spending bucks but we usually use a big box store or a grocery store to get some bucks when we need them. We also can not remember the last time we wrote a actual check or been in a library .The information of

planet is at our fingertips via the internet .we have no land line phone.We do not get a newspaper.Lot of things are on the way out.

[RV_]

Ditto Trucken and Rich

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

Did anyone notice the original poster never made a comment?

 

400k in debt yea.

 

Real live aboard RVEr

OP was talking about his neighbors, not himself.

[sandsys]

I think the last time we were inside a bank was to get our signatures notarized at the neighborhood bank. That would have been before we went full-time in 2008. Our own bank is in Texas and we've NEVER been to it.

 

Linda Sand