April 30th, 2007 1:33 pm
After Foreclosure: Living in a Car like Anya Peters?
I have to come up with 2 months of rent money plus May’s payment by tomorrow. And there is even talk of pre-paying 2 months in advance if we are to stay here. Even though I don’t think my sister-in-law is going to kick me out, there is always that chance.
The thought of living in a car or a van has crossed my mined a few times. Apparently, I’m not the only one thinking about it. Living in cars after being priced out of housing is a growing trend according to last year’s New York Times article Keeping It Secret as the Family Car Becomes a Home:
The number of “mobile homeless,” as they are often called, tends to climb whenever the cost of housing outpaces wages, Dr. Hopper said. Last year was the first year on record, according to an annual study conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, that a full-time worker at minimum wage could not afford a one-bedroom apartment anywhere in the country at average market rates.
Now if I was to do that, I would definitely not keep it secret. I would blog every detail of it to show you what it’s like. That’s just my style…
In fact, Anya Peters did just that. She blogged her story of being homeless living in a car, developed a following and got written up by BBC and a bunch of other places, including an audio interview by New York Times.
Man, this all sounds familiar. She even has haters, like me! Here is a hater blog on Anya questioning her story: “Is Anya Peters a homeless person using technology to her advantage or just another con artist out to exploit people with her gimmick?”. I feel for her. I sure know what if feels to be questioned, criticized, misunderstood and exposed. (I’m surprised Anya hasn’t also been written up in Wikipedia like me).
I can tell Anya Peters is a true entrepreneur. She didn’t stop with the blog. She leveraged the exposure and got a book deal out of it!
Here is a quote from a BBC News follow up article on Anya Peters:
A few weeks ago, Anya Peters was homeless and living in a car, hanging around the places where she could wash and eat and keep herself looking respectable. Her contact with the outside world was through an online diary.
But this blog, published under the name of Wandering Scribe, was picked up by readers around the world and has provided a remarkable way out of her homelessness. She has written her own escape story.
The story of her homelessness and her previous life is going to be turned into a book, with a publishing deal signed and the hardback scheduled to reach the bookshops next Spring.
In the space of a hectic few days, Anya Peters was taken on by Curtis Brown, one of the biggest literary agencies in London - and the subsequent book proposal sparked a bidding battle between publishers - eventually won by Harper Collins.
Still living in her car, she found herself in the surreal position of being homeless and taking calls offering her book deals, with reports about her blog appearing in papers such as the New York Times and Le Monde.
Amazon says Anya’s book will be available tomorrow (May 1st). The title: Abandoned: The True Story of a Little Girl Who Didn’t Belong
Abandoned’ is the true story of a childhood full of secrets, abuse and a little girl who didn’t belong. This inspirational story is about how one woman finally overcame her traumatic childhood and adult homelessness to find a place she could call home. ‘Abandoned’ tells the heartbreaking story of a little girl’s abusive childhood and her subsequent homelessness as an adult. Born illegitimately to Irish lovers, Anya was given away by her real mother and brought up in England by her loving aunt. However, her childhood with her new family was far from happy — verbally and sexually abused for years, Anya finally cracked. She was only 11 years old. Then, a few weeks after her violent uncle was taken away by the police for questioning, Anya lost her whole family overnight. They didn’t die, although they might as well have done; they just went away, abandoning her. There was no one else to care, so Anya pretended that she didn’t either. She learnt to shut down, and not to let anybody in. She thought that she had worked through it all, overcome it. But then, several years later, through a series of unrelated problems, her life imploded again. Several things ended together: a job, a relationship, money, luck — and she ended up homeless and living in her car in a laneway at the edge of the woods.
Will I live in the car?
If I was single right now I would just go ahead and try living in the car just for the challenge and experience. It would be fun to see how practical it is and how long I can last. Living in my car would be a great way to save on money.
I was even thinking I can sell all my stuff and raise enough money to buy a cheap van and convert it into a camper or buy a ready-to-go camper van. You can pick up a camper van on cragislist for under 5 grand. (It would be sweet to get one of them VW hippie buses. Hehe!). Having a bus instead of a car would make it easier for me to sleep and I can setup my office there.
All I need is my cell phone, my laptop and wireless card for my laptop. I can park at friends and family’s driveways overnight to avoid issues with police. I can maintain a gym membership where I will shower and exercise. My blog, once properly monetized with ads and other services, can produce enough money to survive like this indefinitely. I think I can live on less than $1,000 per month. (Some guy even wrote a book on how to live in a car). In one phrase it would be the ultimate mobile freedom!
But that’s all dreams.
Facing opportunity… must FOCUS!
What I really need to do is stop all this scatter-brain stuff, get focused, get motivated and start digging out of this mess. My problem has been that I’m NOT used to having so many opportunities coming at me all at once.
My inbox still has about 1000 emails to go through. (It’s like panning for gold. I can see the nuggets but it takes time to sift and refine into something of value). I am looking at several strategic partnerships, potential book deal(s). To complicated things many partnerships and strategies are overlapping and conflicting.
And add financial pressure and lack of stable monthly income on top of all that. It’s so overwhelming that I will sometimes shut down, sleep all day, and avoid the computer and cell phone for a while. (I apologize for those trying to reach me.)
That’s what exposure will do to you. It attracts people, contacts and opportunities. However, managing multiple competing opportunities is the tough part. To succeed I am having to learn a whole new set of skills and a whole new level of focus. By personality, I already have a hard time saying “NO” and sticking to a strategy without being distracted the next “shiny thing”. This exposure and influx is making it worse.
I have plenty of opportunities to solve my cashflow problems, pay off all the debt and become successful. Again, I just need to make a plan and focus! Tomorrow is May 1st - a nice round date to start something new.
Enough talking. Going to go get that glass fixed and after that make a plan of action for the next 4 months. Signup for my personal mailing list and watch for an announcement tomorrow.
Letsdoit!
196 Comments
April 30th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
You no longer have the luxury of wasting time and effort “panning for nuggets” amongst the bottom-feeders clogging your inbox.
You no longer have the luxury of spending hours researching fantasies like “I could make millions living in a camper van”. How much time did you waste writing this post?
You must get stable employment income *now*.
Yulia damn well should kick you out.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:59 pm
Sleeps all day due to too many opportunities!
What more can anybody say?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
First! Murst! Bow down, lemmings!
April 30th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
I see motivational speaking in your future.
Teenage kids. Warning them of the dangers of where looser behavior gets them: LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!
April 30th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Comrade Serin -
Thank you for recognizing the significance of 1 May in your blog. Workers of the World, Unite!
Oh - sorry… I forgot that you don’t do the W2 thing.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
“I have plenty of opportunities to solve my cashflow problems, pay off all the debt and become successful. Again, I just need to make a plan and focus! Tomorrow is May 1st - a nice round date to start something new.”
Oh, GOD.
You haven’t changed ONE BIT.
You are doomed, chump.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
All I need is my cell phone, my laptop and wireless card for my laptop.
You still haven’t got it, have you?
You cannot afford ANY luxuries in your current situation. And all three of those are spectacular luxuries. Sell them, and sell them now.
If you want to stay online, use a cafe or a library. Drastically cheaper for you, no perceptible difference for us. I believe the phrase is “win-win”.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:16 pm
Casey,
Hope you can wake up long enough to moderate my post.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Your impulses/instincts are telling you not to take care of your family? Please take just 10 seconds and think really hard about that.
Some people are not cut out for marriage. It sounds like you might be one of them. End it before she gets hurt any more.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Living in a car? Casey, I have always posted positive and encouraging comments on your site since day one but seriously - have you lost your mind?
Please do not even think about doing that. It would be beneath you, or almost anyone else. Not to mention it would be the ultimate symbol of abject failure. It sounds like you are trying to rationalize becoming homeless. This is just beyond un-thinkable.
Your sister in law isn’t going to kick you out but you need to come up with the cash. Try to get at least a month. I would set a deadline for your plans with this website and stick to it. Say - 6 months after it hits #1 on Google.
Anyways….
Casey get a haircut.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
How to deal with those 1,000 e-mails in an afternoon.
Go down them systematically. Delete anything that doesn’t relate directly and unambiguously to a proper job with a guaranteed income that will be paid by a specified date.
Those are the only e-mails that matter to you right now - and I’m willing to bet they’re a tiny, tiny percentage of the total. Delete everything else.
Above all, delete anything that makes wild-eyed promises about untold riches. This crap has landed you squarely in your present situation, and the only way you’re going to get out is if you recognize it for what it is.
This should take no more than half a day. Possibly even a couple of hours if you’re as ruthless as you need to be. If you want to be polite, construct a stock cut-and-paste reply saying something like “Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately, given my present financial situation I am forced to prioritize messages from those offering direct financial and practical assistance.”
April 30th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Good luck casey.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
“Mobile Freedom” I love it.
Good thing you got that window fixed first thing Monday morning.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I know you would love for someone to swoop down and rescue you with a million dollars. But let me tell you, completely unhatefully, but with full conviction (knowing full well that many, many people on this blog have told you this):
GET. A. JOB.
NOW.
But that’s not enough. You also must:
LEARN. TO. WORK. REALLY. REALLY. HARD.
You will feel so much better than trying to live the existence of a leech.
I know you will never understand what I just wrote because the work ethic chip is completely missing from your genetic makeup, but I had to tell you anyway.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
Good luck Casey. Blessings on your marriage and your efforts!
April 30th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Casey Serin, living in a VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!
http://badtree.com/Saturday_Ni.....peaker.htm
(And he’ll be a motivational speaker too!)
April 30th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
From what I read there, she’s still living in her car.
Are you planning to begin thinking about getting a W-2 job in the foreseeable future?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Perhaps instead of selling everything you have and raising enough money to buy a cheap van, you should use that money to pay your rent? Or is that just too obvious?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Casey I know of those fantastic opportunities you speak of awaiting you in your inbox. I have the samethings in my own. This one guy is offering me a tremendous discount on Cialis and Viagra. And another man is wanting to purchase my brothers 17 year old car that we sold three years ago for $6k over kbb. Can you believe it.
I have sent you an email with similar offers but I have one of my own. I recently became involved in the gem industry. Heard of it, diamonds and such. Not to be confused with precious metals. I have discovered a way to acquire diamonds whilst eliminating the whole mining, miner, blood diamond saga. Simply find a person with a stressful retentive personality, insert lump of coal into r***** , wait, and voila, a diamond will form. Time yes, it takes some, and casualties are likely, but diamonds baby. I am trusting the readers of this blog with this info, I have not applied for a patent yet, I am just so excited about this I havent had the time. Plus I am a big picture thinker, not small frivolous planner type.
Goodluck, and use match light, it wallops kindsford in the diamond quality department.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
“Yes, I sometimes feel held back by marriage. The thoughts of doing “my own thing” come quite often.”
Yeah, go live in your car and try to “trade up”. Let’s see how that works out for you.
Just when you think the train wreck is over, one of the cars bursts into flames. No wonder I can’t stop coming back.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Good luck, Casey, and don’t forget that wherever you go, you’ll need a room for Dr. Pangloss.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Living in a van?? Dude, you are too funny… Still trying to stir us up now that you have no houses left? I think you should consider restarting the “should I / shouldn’t I declare bankruptcy debate.”
Perhaps in a future post, one of your lenders could send you a really nasty letter or try and sieze some of your assets and that will get you thinking that maybe you can’t just ignore all of that unsecured debt forever…. that’d segue nicely into the next phase of your financial train wreck.
How about an update on your financial situation (an updated balance sheet) now that all of the mortgages are gone?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
How many foreclosure clients do you think you’ll attract with this latest post? “Be like me, and you’ll not only lose every ‘investment’ to foreclosure, but also end up sleeping in a van. For only $39.95 I can show you how to do it too!”
April 30th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Yes. Live in your car, and shower at the gym.
Boy I can’t think of a better advertisment than living simply (than this site). My life appears boring. I’ve been at my job eight years. I share a car with my partner and bike to work. No one would me “rich”, but I save and invest, and hopefully fall into the modest category of a “millionaire next door”
Since paying off my credit cards a few years back my “cash flow” has been rapidly skyrocketing. I own ONE home with 30k in equity. I contribute the max to my 401k, have stocks and ETFs, and DON’T SPEND MORE THAN I EARN.
I’m not buying and selling 50-100k blocks of cash, but seeing other people buried in credit card debt and high car payments I consider myself rich.
Why do people dismiss “active” incomes as such a bad thing? I ACTIVELY work at my office job, and I bartend two nights a week giving me a ridiculous amount of money for six hours a night.
In exchange for my simple lifestyle I travel abroad twice a year for pleasure, eat out with friends, enjoy my life, all while paying cash. And no bill collecter has ever called me.
Live simple. It’s fun.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
My rent is three times yours. I’m a full time graduate student. Am I getting kicked out?
NO.
Yeah, you’re a real winner. Congratulations.
Let me summarize your post for you:
“Blah blah same old crap blah blah no grip on reality blah blah itsallgood blah blah so many sweet opportunities blah blah still have no idea how bad my situation is blah blah freakin haterz!!11!! blah blah.”
We don’t care. We care what happens tomorrow with Yulia. Blog about that. Not the same old ridiculous pie-in-the-sky half-wittery that you keep dumping on this blog.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Casey + “W2-J.O.B.”=garnishments= enough bring home pay to buy him gas back to work. (unless of course he lands a killer job)
Casey + bankruptcy= Possible fraud charges?
Casey + opportunities= maybe multiple small income streams and definatley a book deal. Hey I would buy it. So would you haters, don’t say for a second that you wouldn’t. You guys would be lined up soon as it hit the shelves.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Hey Casey,
Rico Padre here… go live in your car! In looks better in print and will make your story sell better. (Even if it is for a day or two, then you won’t be “James Frying” your memoirs…)
Me and Kimberlita did it! Now look, we are rich!! Even Jim Cramer lived in his car!! BOOOYAH!!
Good luck Amigo, you’ll need it.
Adios,
Roberto CULOsaki
April 30th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
re: “I think I can live on less than $1,000 per month.”
Casey, that statement shows how far out of touch with reality you are. You could easily live on $1000/month without having to live in a car. I know many people, even here in expensive Cali who do just that. You could rent a room or small apartment and live frugally but well for 1k/month.
For what you spend on one meal at Macaroni, you could eat all week long. Fruits and vegetables are cheap here.
Your inability to be frugal and have a sense of cost control, along with your refusal to get a job(since you can’t produce an income on your own) is why you weren’t able to get out of this mess.
Will you ever learn?
April 30th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
“Good thing you got that window fixed first thing Monday morning.”
I’ve got $500 bucks that says that window will still be broken one week from today. Casey needs to get some more feedback from window gurus before he can make the decision.
Next, he’ll start loosing all kinds of stuff from theft ’cause that pesky window is still broken. And it’ll rain like a beyatch, and the bittersweet Jetta will get rancid with mold. And he’ll have to sleep in it. Good blog fodder, I suppose.
Will this train wreck never end…
April 30th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
“It’s so overwhelming that I will sometimes shut down, sleep all day, and avoid the computer and cell phone for a while. (I apologize for those trying to reach me.)”
That’s EXACTLY what you need to do Casey! Sleep. Beauty sleep is what you need. Look at your hair… golly, it looks bad! Sleep, my dear, get some SLEEP. Let Yulia work her behind off - she’s not a thinker, she’s a worker. Guys with so much brain activity like you need their power naps™ and beauty sleep, or else they end up imploding.
Don’t think about a job, Casey. If you had one, you wouldn’t be able to sleep all day. That kind of thing is for loosers.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
You weren’t “priced out of housing”, you were debted out of it.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Casey, you could pay 5 grand for a VW Wesfalia Bus OR
YOU COULD PAY FOR 8 MONTHS OF RENT!
April 30th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
Casey Serin in notoriety among the housing bubble blogs, Jeff from the San Diego Creative Investing Association forums purchased 14 homes in 14 weeks using 100% financing. Unlike Serin, it does not appear that he lied on his stated-income (”liar”) loans. It is
April 30th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
yet agree he has been drinking the proverbial Kool-Aid. [IMG ]In today’s post, Serin writes “It would be sweet to get one of them VW hippie buses.”
May 1st, 2007 at 1:17 am
Casey, all you do is talk. I find it amazing you haven’t figured out why you have so many critics.
Oh and the author you are referring to doesn’t have haters. Do I have to spell it out for you? Hating = JEALOUSY as in “my homey is hatin’ on me because I got mad rimz for da sweet V-Dubs.” So tell me something, how is criticism hating?
God you are dense but I guess you’ll learn the hard way because there isn’t a sweet deal in any of those emails.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:58 am
LMAO. Casey, you’re too much and you still don’t get it. But regardless, thank you for a daily reminder of what would happen if one allowed his id take complete control over his own actions. It sure would suck to have to suffer the consequences of such myopic idiocy, but it sure has been entertaining.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:16 am
“Casey + “W2-J.O.B.”=garnishments= enough bring home pay to buy him gas back to work. (unless of course he lands a killer job)
Casey + bankruptcy= Possible fraud charges?
Casey + opportunities= “
inaction + dubiously legal arrangements + c*** -ups + wasted borrowed money
Forgot who posted this but could they reply and tell me when Casey took up an opportunity and made money out of it?
The only thing that will save Casey from end up on the street is getting a “non-thinking” job. Something where he goes, does something basic that doesn’t need much input and gets paid for it. At present he doesn’t look capable of doing this even if someone followed him 24/7 with a cattle prod.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:22 am
@37:
“Casey + opportunities= maybe multiple small income streams and definatley a book deal”
Minus judgments and, if California has the equivalent of the “Son of Sam” law, equals still not enough money to buy gas.
Legal bankruptcy is no longer adequate. Serin’s only hope is to have so few assets as to remain effectively judgment-proof the rest of his life.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:46 am
For God’s sakes, man!
Normally, I have a lot of sympathy for people who dig themselves into holes. I’m roughly your age and I’ve made a lot of mistakes myself, after all. But … do you realize how delusional you sound? *Do you?* Because I really don’t think that you do. Thousands of posters, literally thousands, have given you advice ranging from sound to incredible, and you have apparently failed to act on any of it. In fact, you seem interested only in two things: waiting for more get rich quick schemes to come your way and chasing after one hare-brained idea after the next. In fact, the way you are behaving reminds me very much of someone having a severe and long-term panic attack. Casey … has anyone ever told you that you might benefit from psychiatric care? I’m quite serious. The way you talk about being so easily overwhelmed by so many offers just smacks of clinical depression. There is no shame, absolutely none, in having a mental illness. And it’s only when you recognize that illness, and the power it has over you, that you can start to manage it.
On the other hand, I can’t believe that I’m the only person who has ever suggested this to you. Which makes me think that you are either so far lost in your delusions that you are all but unreachable, or that you, frankly, get off on all of the attention you receive with each post. The fact you’ve appeared on multiple TV shows and spoken to quite a few reporters doesn’t exactly argue against this possibility. If anything, the exposure your self-destructive behavior has garnered should serve as a clarion call to all reporters that it is never in the media’s best interest (or the public’s) to capitulate to demands for attention. Even if the story is somewhat interesting.
Casey, seriously. Recognize that you have a problem and get some assistance dealing with your attention-seeking behavior. This is the only way you are ever going to put your life and your relationships right in others’ eyes and in God’s eyes. If you truly believe in Jesus Christ, then admit that you need His help to overcome this, and start behaving as a Christian should — that means repaying your debts, telling the truth and overall taking responsibility for your behavior. These actions are pleasing to God. Evasion and lying are not.
I seriously do wish you success and peace. Though you haven’t done a damn thing to deserve them, we would all be hurting if we always got what we deserved. But you won’t get either if you keep ignoring the problems that lead you to making these asinine business deals in the first place.
I really don’t know why I typed all this up, of course. If thousands of individual commenters can’t help you see the truth, I suspect I won’t have a snowflake’s chance of doing so, either.
Also - do forget the book deal, yes? I work in the publishing industry, and I can safely tell you that no publisher who wanted to make a buck would touch this book if you keep going down the path you’ve been heading for the past two and a half years. Besides, getting out of what I understand to be millions of dollars in debt should be your first priority. Writing a book is damn hard work (I should know; I’ve written several and am writing several this year). I barely have enough time to do that with a full-time job, and I’m 100% debt free.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:02 am
Casey,
Go study American history, look up hobo.
Check out Boxcar Willy, Emmit Kelly, Chaplin’s The Llittle Tramp.
See, you do have a future
May 1st, 2007 at 3:11 am
Casey
Please update your site. Since you do not own any houses any longer, your ABOUT section is not current anymore.
You are not facing foreclosure anymore.
You are facing living on the street.
But dont worry, you will survive. You have pretty impressive beggar qualities.
If you play an instrument, you can sing for money.
I would say that’s pretty creative, ey?
Cheers, Mikel
May 1st, 2007 at 3:26 am
You sent this at 1:33 PM. What happened to going to fix the window first thing Monday morning?
Yet another broken promise. You’re toast.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:54 am
Moderating at 3:26 AM? Hmm…
May 1st, 2007 at 4:09 am
I need someone to dig abou 25 3 foot holes for a deck that I am going to build. You seem very good at digging holes, lets make it 26, and you can live in one of them. Man, this is a train wreck.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:33 am
Living in a car? You’ve discarded that idea, but the fact that you entertained the thought means that you’re running out of options.
Those who are successful in their respective fields have 1 or 2 of the following things going for them: WILLING TO WORK HARD (which you don’t have) and TALENT (some can get by on this alone without needing the first part). In regards to real estate, you don’t have the latter, you’ve failed spectacularly at this.
But you must have SOME TALENT at computer programming to have landed a job that paid $50,000 at some point.
GET A JOB. Why not blog about getting one? If the job market is tight for website programming gigs, you can blog about that too. Then, you can get a minimum wage job until a better opportunity comes along.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:00 am
You tried. Nothing wrong with starting over.
It’s time to look for a job.
You move into a car and you can kiss your marriage goodby.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:30 am
I can’t see anything in Just Jo’s post that a reasonable person would disagree with.
Mind you, I also can’t see anything in Just Jo’s post that hasn’t been brought up literally thousands of times before.
Casey, in all seriousness, don’t you think that if you’d taken some of this advice back in September you would 100% definitely be far better off today? If you’d taken a 9-5 job back then, as plain common sense suggested was essential, you’d have an additional five-figure sum by now (based on eight months’ worth of wages), and I SERIOUSLY doubt this would have affected any of your other earnings over this time given that your “business meetings” always seem to take place late at night.
I got into debt a few years ago - nothing like yours, admittedly, but enough that I was having genuine difficulty meeting even the minimum payment. But as soon as I realized the situation, I got in touch with three temping agencies. Within days, I was earning a living again - and the great thing about temporary jobs is that you can completely switch them off outside the working hours: I still had plenty of time to myself outside the 9-5 shift to work on other longer-term projects to get myself back into the field I wanted to work in. Which I eventually did.
But if I’d taken the Casey route and ignored the bills while praying for a sweet deal to fall into my lap, I’d have been completely screwed and probably homeless within months.
So given the undeniable, overwhelmingly evidence-backed fact that ignoring advice has cost you lots of money and left you on the brink of homelessness, why don’t you try doing something really unusual and actually trying out some of these suggestions?
Go to a temping agency (or several) and get a job - it doesn’t matter what, provided the pay is regular and reliable. Then sell as much of your non-essential property as you can to create a small pool of cash to tide you over till the first paycheck. Yes, I know this is about the fifty thousandth post suggesting something similar, but I live in hope that it’ll eventually sink in.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:41 am
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6600931.stm
“On 30 September 2006, we had 818 pending cases,” says Bill Stern, the supervisory special agent in charge of mortgage fraud at the FBI’s Washington DC headquarters. “As of 24 April 2007, we have 1,079.”
May 1st, 2007 at 5:41 am
Casey,
I told you your choices but YOU NEVER DO IT~~
HERE’S THE PLAN, CHOOSE ONE~!
#1. GO TO JAIL, AT LEAST YOU HAVE SO MUCH SECURITY(HAA) AND FREE FOOD AND SHELTER.
#2 JOIN THE ARMY OR NAVY OR AIR FORCE AND BE A REAL MAN. YOU ALSO EARN MONEY FROM UNCLE SAM. HERE’S THE BEST DEAL.. AFTER YOU JOIN, YOU CAN APPLY FOR VA LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE~~~
SWEET DEALS~~~~
May 1st, 2007 at 5:41 am
Mr. Serin!!!
Seriously, monetize this blog already!
You can use Text Link Ads - they give $100 of free ads if you want to advertise your blog.
And why do you put Adbrite up for 2 days and then take it back down again?
My advice: Sign up for both - it’s impossible to get click fraud with either as your advertisers will give a flat rate fee for the links every month - passive income.
How to use the income: New stereo, subwoofers, and hydraulics for the Jetta. And as a bonus, get the car horn that plays the Cucaracha song.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:49 am
Your blog is losing focus. It’s no more about foreclosure; it’s now about you desperately trying to keep readers engaged, despite the obvious fact that now that all your homes are foreclosed, the end credits are rolling on your story.
There used to be a genuineness about this blog; now, it’s about you trying to make money. Everything ends. Your 15 minutes of fame is on about minute 13.5 now. You didn’t monetise the blog when you had the chance. People will move on to something else.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:50 am
Casey, if I were to cut my non-essential expenses I would be living
May 1st, 2007 at 5:54 am
Hi Casey,
I would like to give you an idea to come out of this situation, however, you will suffer a bit in the beginning.
You will be surprised on my plan but the first thing you can try is to buy a house…………Just look on the site of www.realtybid.com , and you will see that you can buy a house for less then 10.000, maybe even less then 5.000 what you want to spend to live in a van…….
You have to do this in combination with a job, to pay for energy and other daily expenses, however this can be a new start. Even start as a window-cleaner, or low classified job, just to make a begin with your new start.
1.) Declare bankrupt, without doing this you have to much pain in the neck from creditors.
2.) Take a job, doesn’t matter what, as long it pays.
3.) Buy a house at that website, or another very cheap house. It is possible in the US !.
Wish you really a lot of succes with your efforts to get a better situation, but you have to act now !
Jeroen
May 1st, 2007 at 5:54 am
I don’t believe a word of this BS.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:54 am
Casey, living in a car is just one step toward the inevitable future of you living on the street. Do you know if it was cashcall that broke in and stole your stereo? Maybe since you’ve told us about all the cool stuff you have somebody might just rob your house…
May 1st, 2007 at 6:02 am
You need some medication.
You probably have ADD.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:16 am
Why the hell did you pay CashCall instead of your sister in law? More afraid of their vague threats over the telephone than her real ability to kick you out?
None of this would be a problem if you would get a job. It would never be enough to pay your debts but it would be more than enough to pay rent. Casey+Job doesn’t necessarily mean garnishments, at least not immediately. If it becomes a problem you can always quit. But right now you need income quickly and it isn’t going to come quickly from one of your “opportunities”.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:23 am
All I need is my cell phone, my laptop and wireless card for my laptop.
Cashcall will take all that and more. What does it take to convince you to take action to sort your situation out?
This is how adults deal with debt problems and “blog” them:
http://forums.moneysavingexper.....l?t=230561
http://forums.moneysavingexper.....l?t=221336
http://forums.moneysavingexper.....l?t=397139
Note the consistent use of knowing where you are by documenting the situation. Planning what needs to be done, setting targets and taking steps to achieve those targets. You haven’t started yet, you’ve spent since 22nd Sept last year taking about it, during which time you’ve just run up more debt. Soon, you debtors will get fed up with this and no one will give you any more credit. Talking of which, haven’t you got a balloon payment to meet this month?
May 1st, 2007 at 6:44 am
the quicker we all disappear from this website, the quicker casey will fade away.
are we up for the task?
May 1st, 2007 at 6:45 am
Didn’t robert and Kim Kiyosake live in a car “TOGETHER” for a while? You’re full of sh#t Casey, you want it easy. Mini-van? bus? WTF!! Man, to purposefully make yourself homeless to write a blog is not only stupid, but once again, proves that you have no idea what it takes to make money. Stop trying to do what other people do, and do what you are good at. You are spinning your wheels, and making an A** out of yourself. BTW, all those biblical quotes on marraige dont amount to a hill of beans. You still screwed up her credit, and she allowed you to. neither one of your lazy a**es will get a real job, and we see straight through your “subtle” appeals for another begathon. Grow up Casey.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:51 am
I really feel bad for Yulia. She is stuck between looking out for her sister, and giving the boot to a loser (learn to spell you effing retard) who needs it.
Suck starting a 9 mil. Still an option.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:07 am
We are all going to find out soon enough if Casey Serin is as real as presented. I work in the telecom field. A phone bill is considered a utility for credit reference purposes (provide a copy of phone bill for proof of payment). I can tell you that my company requires that the two parties be on the line to CHANGE THE NAME on the account. And customers say we’re one of the STRICTER entities when it comes to ease of changing the name.
Wouldn’t it stand to reason that most of Casey Serin’s “debts” are likely other people’s debts, changed into his name? And that those changes were made to further a certain morality play about debt? I’m beginning to think that we’re all so wound up in the morality play that we may not realize that the morality play has its roots in fraud.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:21 am
I think you are just going to live in your car for a week or two just to make your story more dramatic.
“Real estate entrepreneur buys 8 houses in 6 months gets foreclosed on and ends up living in his car.”
Now you’ve got a made fore TV movie. Good job.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:34 am
Usually i’m pretty sympathetic but this time i’m left asking… What the hell? If I was your friend or family member and you wanted to park your VW bus in my driveway every night i wouldn’t let you. Get a job that actually pays you money instead of mooching off the rest of society. What are you doing with your days? I know people that have hit hard times like you have and the first thing they did was get 2 jobs working night and busted their asses to get their credit fixed. This last blog made me sick.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:57 am
Man, living in a car, isn’t that sweet and win-win.
Your sister in law kicked out out yet. Maybe you can try the sisters of mercy mission. And see if they will kick you out as well in a month or 2.
I doubt you’re getting kicked out for non payment of rent, I’d say you’re likely to be kicked out for not paying rent as well as being a mimbo (male bimbo) and a general vacous chowderhead.
Priced out of housing. Isn’t that ironic. You were instrumental in pricing out atleast 8 people in 4 states out of the houses you bought to flip.
Cool.
Cow_tipping.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:00 am
YES YES YESSSSSS!!!!!
IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING
May 1st, 2007 at 8:04 am
Oh my freaking God. He is gleaning his e-mail for sweet deals. I haven’t seen a seet deal in the e-mail for five years, ever since it became a cesspool of spam. You can’t be serious.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:14 am
Hey Casey:
Many years ago my brother purchased a sweet little cottage in the Oakland hills. (His cost, about $40,000) He was doing this with a VA loan. He gave his landlord notice… then the “roof fell in” and the VA refused to fund the loan until repairs were made to the home….
So, for about 3 months, while repairs were being made, my brother lived out of the back of his pick-up truck. He’d park at friends at night, shower at the office….. it wasn’t fun and my mom was horrified (what would the neighbors say?). However, it was very cheap and he did survive while the repairs were made.
It can be done.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:21 am
good luck, buddy.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:28 am
Casey you are in a bad spot now…
I am addicted to reading what is going to happen next. But you leave a lot of questions and details unanswered.
I am prepared to pay you 500 an hour on the phone for Q&A. Every question that has been posted by the commenters and others will be asked. To recieve the funds you have to record and post the recording of our conversation on the blog. After 2 hours the rent will paid and you will have some satisfied haterz ™.
Seems like a win win. SWEET DEAL!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 8:42 am
Morning Casey!
It’s May 1st. Us W-2 loosers just got paid. Do you have the rent money?
May 1st, 2007 at 8:57 am
Man, you should start flipping cars.
Buy a beater, fix it up, sell it, PROFIT!
If you hold the car for two years, you can 1031 the sweet profits into a van, then a school bus, etc, tax-free.
Your ultimate goal should be to own a fleet of “hippie” vans and collect passive income off them, renting them out to other failed, would-be RE “investors” who will soon be homeless too.
Best,
Lou
May 1st, 2007 at 8:57 am
“To the guy who made that up– I’m amazed you have the time to make up such a story. What do you do all day?” Casey Serin, IAFF 11/21/06 comment 89
“Good morning! It feels great to be an early riser! Mr. Foreclosure and Mr. Debt, watch out, here I come!!” Casey Serin, IAFF 12/1/06 comment 54
Casey prepares his criminal defense:
“Say if I was an alien from another planet and I just came to earth not understanding the laws of the land (go with me on this). Lets say I was to rob a bank because everybody else is doing it and it seems like a normal way to make money. Then I realize it is actually a crime. I realize it was wrong and I want to make it right. Wouldn’t I just return the money quietly and never do it again? Lesson learned, right?” Casey Serin, IAFF 12/6/06 comment 116
May 1st, 2007 at 9:08 am
What no pic of you?
It must fell great knowing tha the only thing you’ve accomplished is censoring filthy words like, b**** , and damn, and masturbation…
Way to go ace…
May 1st, 2007 at 9:21 am
yo yo casey, it’s yo boy! ho! h to the izzo, v to the izz a. ha ha….you stink dawg!
May 1st, 2007 at 9:24 am
Prediction: Casey will find the money somehow. It won’t be explained. Tune in for another exciting episode next week.
He’s stringing you along folks. There’s money but he can’t let you in on it - just keep clicking on the links and the tales will keep a-flowin’.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:34 am
I just read some of the WanderingScribe blog… it really illustrates how poorly written the iamfacingforeclosure site is. And in someways I feel that Casey has wronged her by comparing his situation to hers. From every post I’ve read at iamfacingforeclosure Casey has never gone through anything in his life that was not a consequence of his own actions. This blog is more icing than cake and lacks any substantial redeeming qualities. It reminds me of a highway accident. Everyone wants to see an a car or two flipped and trashed, but once we’re past it… couldn’t care less.
For me this post made me recall a review written about the IamFacingForeclosure blog and the people who post on this site. To sum up the review, ( as I can’t recall where I read it ) it basically said that both Casey and the post’ers are living in a world of fantasy. I find it striking that my generation was the “disillusioned” generation, while it seems that Casey if he is any representation of his generation would be from the generation of illusions and pipe dreams.
As to the review’s opinion that both Casey and the readers of this blog lacked a sufficient grip on reality, I am not sure if I agree completely. I have read a couple of comments on this site that were well thought out and written better than anything I could come up with. But I keep asking myself… who’s dumber, Casey who persists in his attitude that not getting a steady stream of income is OK given his current circumstances or is it the people who persist in the belief that Casey will somehow take their comments to heart and actually do what is best for Casey?
I think this’ll be my last post, as I don’t want to contribute to Casey’s mental defect.
Casey hope you get past this. But I wont get my hopes up. Glad you didn’t off yourself during that one week hiatus, especially after I saw that one guys comment on standing up for your rights. Man I loved that post, hilarious! At least I hope it was meant to be funny.
PS. Add “Train Wreck” to your list of Anti-Spam words. Seems appropriate too me.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:38 am
I actually like the idea of living in a car. I became a millionaire by carefully controlling expenses while working a lucrative w2 job with stock options. I am now in my mid-30’s and living off my investments on a barebones budget, and enjoying life.
Twice I’ve done month-long vacation drives across the USA, sleeping mostly in my car. I have a Prius hatchback with seats that fold down flat, so I can sleep comfortably. The hybrid engine can run the climate control system without needing to idle the engine constantly, so if it’s too cold or hot at night I just leave the car turned on at night and the engine runs periodically to keep the battery charged.
I mostly park in Wal Mart parking lots because they allow RVs and others to sleep there free with no hassle. It’s quite safe… they usually have security patrols driving around the parking lot all night. For showers I use truck stops or RV parks where I typically pay $3-7 for a shower. I have cardboard pieces cut to the size of my windows for privacy, and a pee bottle for convenience.
The great thing about car living for me is the way it eliminates distractions. Staying in hotels you can waste a lot of time packing and unpacking, finding the right hotel, checking in/out, watching TV at night, surfing the internet in your comfy chair, or whatever.
Sleeping in a car focusses you on the basics… you don’t spend much time putzing around because that’s not as comfortable to do in a car.
Don’t jump into buying a fancy van or RV though… they depreciate way too fast to be good investments. On the early retirement boards I frequent, many people have done financial analyses that basically conclude that the cost of owning an RV is similar to the cost of living in a home.
If your car isn’t comfortable to sleep in, buy a tent.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:10 am
Casey, I figured it out. At some point the past few months you went from an interesting, convoluted but honest failure to a less-interesting, non-honest person trying to spin their story.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:11 am
I need some advidse™
I need to be bold. I need to be decisive. I need action and a plan. But before I make a bold move, I want to test it out slowly (I tend to get burned when I am distracted by shiny things™). Before I commit to living in a van, I want to make sure that it will be allright™. I spent the morning talking to my network of highly trained professionals™ to get their input on my idea. You see, it is sort of like having an executive committee that I can consult before making new and career path changing decisions. I see much value being added by stepping up™ into living in a car.
This will enhance the marketability of me and showcase my many talents and (hopefully) demonstrate my management skills™ vis-à-vis my foreclosure help website. You see, I feel blessed™ by having the vision™ to foresee not a stationary consulting business, but a mobile 24/7 action team headquarters that can instantly spring into action as duty may call.
Unfortunately, G™ doesn’t seem to see it that way.
I spent the morning looking around on craigslist and cars.com and other valuable resources (there’s my network™ again). I found a 1987 Dodge Caravan with 387,000 miles on it for $50 (sweet™! It’s in my budget). I think that if I can remove the rear seat I will have just enough room for a sleeping bag (or a blanket, as I haven’t been to REI to research virgin free-range goose down bags with alpaca/polyethylene liners and a gore-tex/100% recycled TPFE outer shell). Although the owner originally wanted $75 for the van, I was able to use my highly refined negotiating skills™ to get to the more reasonable price I obtained.
I think that the insurance cost will be significantly less, although I am somewhat concerned that the van hasn’t been registered since 1994. Should that be a problem?
I am also looking forward to no longer having a mailing address, so sorting the mail and dealing with all of those associated issues should get much easier. With my new found mobility, I hope to be able to immediately respond to homeowners in financial distress and share my wisdom and knowledge with them. I am hoping that I can build a referral network™ through these people who I help find financial salvation.
More details on my new planned living arrangements:
Kitchen – I found a great deal on a hibachi at Wal Mart for $11.87 (that’s also where I bought 11 quarts of Marvel Mystery Oil to try and quiet some of the noise coming from the engine – note to self™ I need to have a mechanic make a post-purchase inspection). Because my van has running boards, I can bolt it onto the passenger’s side (so if I am dining on the roadside I will not create a safety hazard). Also, by mounting it on the side, I will be able to save on lighter fluid buy driving around the block a couple of times a 25-30 MPH to create a draft and get the fire hot (idea guy™, remember?)
Dishwashing – Since my needs will be simple, I only need a small Tupperware container. I can get hot water from the radiator easily, since the heater core is blocked and the previous owner has plugged off the heater hoses. With a few feet of surplus garden hose I can have plenty of hot water for dishes and an occasional shower if need be.
Dish drying will follow along the lines of hibachi startup, but at higher speeds. I am still experimenting. 65 MPH seems to™ high (a plate was ejected on US 80 during the first test) but 25 MPH takes to™ long. I think maybe Watt Ave at 40 MPH would be about right.
I am hoping to get to Big Bob’s Used Carpet Emporium today to get some shag carpet (yeah baby!) to replace the 20 year old well-worn upholstery. I need it to look professional if I am to have a successful mobile consulting service. I plan to use the passenger’s seat as the reception area. Since the passenger’s seat has some spring sticking out, I am planning to remove it and instead pace the Blue Ball™ their™ to make it look more avant-garde. I don’t think it is legal to drive while sitting on a Blue Ball™ so I will have to conduct my consulting from a parked location.
Clothing/Personal effects storage seems to be problematic. Their™ I no concealed storage in the van, and I don’t want my clients to see my vast wardrobe. I was thinking about one of those roof mounted streamlined storage devises™ but they cost more than the van. Perhaps I can improvise™ something. Cardboard seems to™ flimsy, but one of my networked professionals™ has some leftover latex paint that is about the same as one of the colors on the van so it won’t look to™ mis-matched.
I am still having trouble with my new phone system so I can’t yet post any pictures. The minimum image file size is still way to™ large. Be patient.
If one of my professional sin my network™ has graphic art skills I could use it to make a handsome and professional graphic and lettering on the sides of the van. I want too™ come up with a bold logo, and paint it very large (to cover some of the rust) on the sides and hood. What about painting it in reverse on the hood so it is readable on the road, just like an ambulance.
I plan to park initially in neighborhoods that have been overbuild and where prices have run far to™ high (thanks for the marketing tip, Amy™!) for a few days to build some grass-roots marketing. I can also take some time out of my soon to be busy days to build a larger network with bird-dogging™ postal professionals™. Roger, my regular mailman has been a bitter disappointment. In nearly four months he has not yet brought a viable deal too™ the tabel™. I plan to have 35-50 postal professionals in my enhanced network™ by June 1. At that pace I should be able to bird dog™ between 2 and 89 deals a weak™.
I have to admit that I was overly optimistic in my apartment building venture. While I initially wanted $5,000 amonth™ in passive income, with my mobile web based consulting business, I think that between $1,000 and $1,500 should suit me well. Clearly it will take longer to establish my reputation as the leading mobile foreclosure consulting firm on the west coast, but the effort will be well directed. Long term I envision franchising the business model as I reach out to help those less fortunate than I. I feel blessed™ to have come up with this concept. I really did fall forward™. Stay tuned. I found some delicious organic maple cured free-range hormone free (modified vegan™?) bacon at the whole Earth Food Store that is normally $15.99 a pound for $11.99 a pound. I am going to treat myself for having made such an excellent negotiation on the van.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:18 am
Casey, Casey, Casey ….
Will you ever learn?
10:02 AM-WOO HOO! I am an early riser today!
10:15 AM-I have a lot going on in the next couple of days-blog updates, Krishna interview, Mail, rent…
OH GOD! That’s right rent was due yesterday. I had better get that money to my sister in law. I hope it’s not too late. She has been real cranky lately., I bet It must be that time of the month again.
10:30 Hey “G”, where is my rent money? It was here a few days ago under all the unopened mail. I will have to look for it later.
10:40 AM-After many hours of practice I believe I have improved my negotiation skills enough to work out all my problems. My technique is similar to Darth Vader and the Force. I will use mind power and take control from the start. I will not be defied.
11:00 AM-Now, what should I wear to the Krishna interview? How about my hemp earth shirt, low rider jeans(these are recycled cotton) and flip flops. Hey “G”, can I borrow your purse?
11:30 AM-“G” thinks I’m a little under-dressed for the interview, but hey, Its all good. I explained to her that these people seem to be pretty relaxed. I think this might be an upstart company like Google or Microsoft. And with all my experience, I will be at the top in no time. Her purse goes great with my outfit. SWEEET!
11:59 AM- I think I need a Jamba Juice to get this day off right.
12:10 PM- Man, what a bummer, Jamba Juice said my ATM card was rejected. I will have to look into that later today. Man I’m thirsty,but all is good.
12:59 PM-Its on to Krishna International.
4:10 PM-That was some interview. Those guys were really tough. I still think my negotiation skills need more work. All they offered me was a job selling flowers, but I explained to them that I was a consultant and that I was not really good at that selling thingy. One of the good things that I saw was that you can live at the office. Boy that would save on rent and may mean we wont have to move into the Jetta. I told them several times that I would have to think about their offer and get back to them. They were very persistent.
5:01 PM-On my way home, I saw several of those bald guys from that Krishna place near my apartment. I wonder if I got that consulting job after all ? I will put on my game face and show them what I’m made of. I will be making sweet deals for them in no time!
5:10 PM-“G” said her sister called and needs the rent money now, but I will make her wait a little while and sweat it out. I bet I can negotiate a better deal.
5:20 PM-Blog update time! Man, there are a lot of haters today. That Trailer Park guy is beginning to piss me off! I will use my mind powers to change his attitude. I am the all powerful. SWEET!
5:25 PM-I need to meditate and get rid of all this negative energy… I wish I had a Jamba Juice.
7:45 PM-Nap, oops, meditation complete. I feel much better. “G” said her sister called again and said I had better call her back in the next hour or we are getting kicked out.
8:15 PM-I called her sister, but she had already left for the day. I bet she is beggining to get worried. My master plan is working. I belive my skills are coming through.
9:10 PM-I need to finish the blog update and plan for Tuesday.
11:45 PM-Blog complete. I am the king of the net!
11:50 PM-Lets see, what do I need to do tomorrow? Blog update, Window, Mail, rent…OH DARN!, where in the world is that rent money. This is not looking good. I think I will ask her for a 30 day extension.
Tuesday
11:50AM-OOPS, I am not an early riser today. Hey “G” did anyone call?
12:15 PM-Man this is a bummer. “G” said her sister wants us out by the end of today. I believe she is being a bit unfair, but we always have the Jetta or maybe that Krishna place. “G” said she was going home to her parents and that I could not go with her. I guess she needs some “family” time. I think I will get that Jetta window now.
1:02 PM-That guy at the junkyard was not very nice. I explained to him that I was sorta short on cash, but would be glad pay him next week for the window. He said he didn’t give anyone credit and it was cash only. I tried the Darth Vader Force thingy, but it didn’t work. He must be like that Jabba the Hut guy. He suggested some plastic and duct tape until I had the cash.
1:45 PM- I went back to see the technician at Party City that helped me with my blue ball. He said he didn’t work on cars, but would give it a shot.
3:02 PM- That guy at the Party City is Superman!!! He was able to take a plastic bag and use that Duct tape stuff and fix my window and only charged me 20 bucks. I saved 30 dollars on that repair! “G” will be proud of me when she gets back from her parents.
3:45 PM-All my stuff was sitting at the curb in front of the apartment when I got back and none of my keys worked in the locks. This is not good. My sister in law must be really on edge with that time of the month stuff!!! I don’t want any of my stuff getting wet, so I will load it in the back of the Jetta.
5:38 PM- I noticed while I was loading my stuff in the trunk that none of “G”’s stuff was in the pile. I bet someone stole it. I am very tired and need a nap. I guess it will be alright if I sleep in the car for now…
2 years later…
1:45 AM- Wow, this is a real nice overpass and my cardboard box fits real nice. I think my life as a vagrant has turned out better than planned, it gives me plenty of time to reflect on my past life and my future, but, I wonder if all this could have turned out different???? Just one more sweet deal and I would have been home free…
May 1st, 2007 at 10:29 am
i guess since your now a charity case
i cant get top dollar for
www.iamfacingbankruptcy.com
May 1st, 2007 at 10:30 am
Casey,
I have a van for sale that you might like. Only $4995. Runs great. Only a couple of dents and a few ripped seats. But nothing that couldn’t be fixed for a few hundred bucks. It sleeps two, so you can get a roommate if finances are a problem.
Oh, it’ll need some new tires, too. But they’re probably good for another 4 months or so. Might want to stay off wet pavement until you get a new set.
Call me if you’re interested.
Pedro - The Van Guy
May 1st, 2007 at 10:51 am
I’ve been reading this blog since last year. I see a tendency for Casey to talk about all the grand plans that he can do, as well as repeating these positive affirmations over and over. (He must must have read one of these books that tell you if you repeat something long enough it’ll come true.) But then somehow the execution never materializes because little things here and there gets dropped. He also has a tendency to analyze things to the smallest detail, so much so that sometimes he never really gets down to doing anything - “Analysis Paralysis”. The Timeline Guy has captured this essence of Casey’s personality perfectly. That’s why we all love the Timeline Guy so much!!!
I don’t think Casey is stupid. It does look that way from the blog sometimes. But then I listen to the podcasts and watch the videos of his talks and he strikes me as being pretty sharp. Looks much better than George W. Bush any day. But then many of his decisions are truly moronic. I really have a hard time believing that someone of his intelligence can make so many bad decisions so consistently.
My current hypothesis is that he screws up his life on purpose, while knowing that it’s a bad thing to do (like paying $30+ for Jamba Juice or not paying rent), because he knows it’ll build drama and help him get viewers, like us. And somehow in the long term, all this attention will translate into wealth and success…
May 1st, 2007 at 10:58 am
You are the MAN, Casey!
Don’t be a sucker - jumping onto the “I’m gonna live in my car” bandwagon just when gas prices are at their highest (have you learned nothing?!?!?)….go break into and live in one of those empty houses for a while - RENT FREE!!
Do they still do those bum-fighting videos? That could be some quick dough for ya.
Also - do NOT pay your sis-in-law with a certified check. You must understand she is requiring the certified version so she can toss you as soon as she gets the back rent and not worry about you stopping payment (or bouncing).
Rock On..
May 1st, 2007 at 11:02 am
how much did they pay you to promote that chick’s book?
May 1st, 2007 at 11:18 am
SLOOOOOOOWW Moderation!!! WTF!!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 11:22 am
Are you 100% sure you are not facing foreclosure on your Utah prop?
May 1st, 2007 at 11:30 am
I’m sure living in a van down by the river was the outcome you imagined a year ago when you purchased 6 properties…
COME ON….enough of the spin already…..things are spiralling out of control on all fronts….and you can’t even get out of bed.
By the way…almost unfair to ask, but what happened to the New Year’s Resolution to be an “early rizer” every day all year????
ASW: Success….something that will continue to elude you….
May 1st, 2007 at 11:46 am
Why would anyone want to buy a book about you?
We have your whole train wreck on-line already.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:58 am
He wont end up in the street - he’ll end up at his parents house. I lived with my parents when i was 24, but then again, i was in Medical School.
May 1st, 2007 at 11:58 am
I would like see a live web cam pointed at your desk 24×7, so we can all see what you do all day.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:15 pm
Sooooo,
Now you have finally hit bottom with your appalling bad sense of timing.
Told you to go get a job working in Iraq- buy now you can’t even manage to get up in the morning and get your sh*t straight.
Now, son, the only thing left for you is to become a real man- yup!!!
Jail or the Marine Corp!!!
Which is it you maggot?
They will either fix you or flatten you.
I have become a full hater since you have begun to act like a petulant child- so fix your life or live in the wreckage.
May 1st, 2007 at 12:19 pm
post is back and edited! Good to see Casey starting to set his sites on something he can truly achieve. Failure. Sidewalk Foreclosure Avoiders Cops hassling you to move? Stinky Steve sneaking your best boxes away?Need to pimp that grocery cart?
May 1st, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Kid:
“Yes, I sometimes feel held back by marriage.”
Yeah kid, I can see from her photo where she might be a real liability to your hobo dreams.
“I can tell Anya Peters is a true entrepreneur.”
Well, little buckaroo, if you want to follow her example, ten maybe you can take up some of the offfers that have been made to you on this blog…or swipe some of the “ball and chain’s” dresses and lingerie and try “free-lancing” at the local truck stop.
(Don’t know how many johns would be into some “hobbit homo action”, but hey, you never know, and you’d end up cornering that market.)
“If I was single right now I would just go ahead and try living in the car just for the challenge and experience. It would be fun to see how practical it is and how long I can last.”
Fun, huh? I bet you’d last a lot less time than you did as a homeowner.
Where you gonna cook, hobbit?
Where you gonna crap and shower?
Auto-existence…out of a Jetta…ain’t very compatible with your metrosexual “bling”, y’know?
But it will make it harder for the law to find you.
asw: blueball
May 1st, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I say live in a van it might teach you a thing or two about the real life.You could move to somewhere where its not so expensive.You have so many options this should be good to blog about.
http://www.icantsellmyhouse.blogspot.com/
May 1st, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Casey:
You just need to get a loan on a nice RV. If you keep on the move they won’t be able to find you and reposses it when you don’t make payments, sweet…
May 1st, 2007 at 1:15 pm
according to your blog you should have $5,000 a month passive income pretty soon there- you can get an extra large RV and all the gass and jamba juice you want with that.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:21 pm
you should have taken our advice - you should have moved into one of your houses got a job and let the rest of your underwater properties forclose- at least you could hold onto one, build your credit and income and then one day when the timing is right get back into the game.
Now you will be a renter for a very long time, and you would not qualify for most decent rentals because your credit has to be terrible.
too bad the bubble didn’t go on for a few more years- we would be talking about how much of a genius you were getting into all the properties- and how stupid we are for only owning 1-2 houses.
Good luck man-
hopefully you can get a book deal like the homeless girl, you guys have basically in the same place now.
The fun part is we watched you go down in flames and everyone saw your constant mistakes. It was a good blog to read so we could feel better about ourselves.
cheers
May 1st, 2007 at 1:41 pm
Casey,
Your story has officially become boring. Your only option is to file bankruptcy and get a job. Everyone knows this, so I don’t understand why anyone would continue to follow this blog. Maybe they like ripping on you, but you’re no different than thousands of other people who made bad “no money down” real estate moves and ended up deep in debt. This has been going on since the mid-80s, and it will probably continue.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Casey, take a shower for heaven’s sake. I live on the East Coast and I can smell you from here!! Remember, one of your 2006 goals was a hot shower every morning. It was a goal you predictably failed. Your B.O. is almost pungent.
And get a haircut, man!!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:54 pm
So what’s the announcement?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Casey,
It is hard to imagine you owned 6 or 7 houses and now you are going to be homeless?
That is to bad that in the last two months you did get some money you didn’t give some to your sister-in-law;bad boy!
Casey, borrow the money from your parents and pay your sister-in-law and get a real job…
May 1st, 2007 at 2:10 pm
hope everything goes well for you casey!…go ahead and monetize your blog now today…I will help you.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:11 pm
$500 per month.
Break that down-
You get four weeks in a month, five days per week, eight hours per day. In total, 160 hours per month, assuming a “normal” work week.
In order to cover rent, you simply need to find a job earning $3.13 per hour. Just about any job qualifies for this, from waiter, to freelance PHP coder on a site like guru.com.
I’ll go one further- assuming a $0.05 deposit per aluminum can, you need to collect a mere 63 cans per hour, 10,080 cans per month, to cover rent.
Whatever you choose, remember that earning $500 is quite possible, even without leaving the comfort of your home, or van-based office, or wherever you decide to set up shop.
Also, please consider this: once you are without a mailing address, bed, and shower, your opportunities will decrease rapidly. There is a reason that most homeless people in America are mentally unhealthy- it is a horrific lifestyle that I would not wish on my worst enemy. Perhaps crazy people are prone to becoming homeless, perhaps being homeless drives people crazy. In either case, I would avoid it at all costs.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:13 pm
“Looking at several strategic partnerships”? No. Don’t.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:29 pm
No comment moderation or new posts. Has Casey lost internet access via being thrown out of Yulia’s?
May 1st, 2007 at 2:30 pm
Geee…. we went from dreaming about making passive millions through real estate to SLEEPING IN A FRICKIN’ CAR as a life experience.
Of course paying Yulia her rent and getting a W2 (or even off the book tip job) would be less effort with more options in your life but heck… that requires work. And you’re apparently allergic to work.
Nevermind though, this isn’t communism. If you won’t work then you starve. Enjoy.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Don’t buy a van - buy a motorhome. Living in a van with no shower or hot water would suck, but travelling the county in a motorhome for a couple years would be sweet.
May 1st, 2007 at 2:51 pm
Well, well, well. And how the worm does turn.
Six months ago, snowflake was full of himself, contending his investment schemes did no harm to anyone but load up his debt sheet. Now, it seems, he realizes the impact flippers like him have had on affordable housing:
xxxx Living in cars after being priced out of housing is a growing trend according to last year’s New York Times article Keeping It Secret as the Family Car Becomes a Home:
the number of “mobile homeless,” as they are often called, tends to climb whenever the cost of housing outpaces wages, Dr. Hopper said” xxxx
You cannot really understand the delight that this revelation has made to my life. Your crimes did have victims, Casey, and the tragedy is that local prosecutors in California don’t seem the least interested in making sure your payment for what you did involves more than a few months in your stereo-less Jetta.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:19 pm
Dropping out of society isn’t a bad idea, considering your situation. After all, how can the debtors collect if they can’t find you.
Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Appropriately, May 1st is labour day.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Dude, get gainful employment. That will solve 90% of your problems. Then look to acquire cash flow businesses, but start small, like vending machines, or ATMs, or payphones. Then as your cash flow increases, and you get more income, and you’ve begun to pay off some of the outstanding debt, then start saving money, and look for sweet deals at that point.
You need to first crawl before you can walk. You went from unable to crawl to entering the Olympics in the 400 meter hurdles.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:41 pm
At least Boxcar Willy had a skill he could make money from.
May 1st, 2007 at 3:44 pm
“I feel for her. I sure know what if feels to be questioned, criticized, misunderstood…”
Misunderstood? There is no misunderstanding! Your a loser!
May 1st, 2007 at 4:18 pm
HATE HATE HATE
Forget the van. Forget the car. Get an RV! They have showers and you can cook there. Then you can cruise around in it when you need to. Park it at Walmart and you will be fine. Plus you can take the Casey speaking tour on the road all over the USA.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:20 pm
Hey, you’ve still got 4 and a half months to set up that gig with $5,000 a month passive income.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Wow! Even for a 24 year old, you are incredibly selfish and immature. Does your sister-in-law owe you anything? She helped you out and now you vilify her - thanks for the gratitude. Obviously you think this world “owes” you an income and because you were born so “special”, you shouldn’t have to work. Work is for suckers!! Don’t you think everyone feels that way, get over it. You are sooooo much smarter than everyone else, you shouldn’t have to work! (dripping with sarcasm, in case you can’t tell) The truth is, you are a very large child. You messed up in one of the easiest money making times of this century, because of greed and stupidity. Had you bothered to read up on the economy and listen to other points of view, you would have understood - oh about 2 years ago- that the housing bubble was collapsing and the time had come to change investment strategies. But you are not investing, you are speculating - welcome to a very expensive lesson.
May 1st, 2007 at 4:29 pm
You are forgetting one important point about living in your car. Your insurance on it has been canceled for nonpayment, which means your registration has now been canceled too. The only thing you can do with this car is park it somewhere convenient to a showering facility and stick your head out that broken window once in a while.
Oh yeah…PS…Get A Job.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Hey Casey! So did you get the money to pay your sister-in-law? We have been living in a cramped 900 sq foot apartment for the last 2 years and I couldn’t even imagine trying to live out of a car. We closed on our house today so a month from now being cramped will be the least of our worries.
Doing the kitchen remodel, updating the bathrooms, painting and getting new flooring without having cashback at close isn’t going to be fun though. Oh well, guess we will have to do it the hard way and do it one job at a time as we have time and money. It’s all good!
I am so glad you decided to continue your blog, I love shaking my head at your newest shenanigans and I would have hated to take your link off from my blog.
Anyway, I will be thinking of you as we move into our new house. I have to admit, I have thought of you a lot during our home purchase adventure. I have found myself thinking many times, “How in the world did Casey do this with 8 houses at one time? The stress of buying ONE house is enough to drive me crazy!”
May 1st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Hi Casey,
There’s a comedian that says that if women were willing to hump in a cardboard box, guys would basically live in one instead of renting/buying a place. I’ve always found that funny, if not true….
But anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for serving as such a public screw-up. I’ve gone in circles with you, damning you for screwing up the market as a termite specuvestor, thinking the FBI should haul you away, etc. But now I see that you’re getting your karmic payback, and it’s just beginning no doubt.
Calling you a screw-up is not an insult, just a statement of what I see in you and me. Heck, I’m a self-admitted screw-up, and not always as much of a self-starter as I should be. An entrepreneur HAS to have more than dreams and a desire to succeed, but an action plan to make it a reality. Remember: something like 70% of start-up businesses are destined to fail, not for a lack of strong desire to succeed, but the lack of knowledge to flesh it into a reality.
In my own life, sometimes there’s something I need to do by a deadline and fail to accomplish it, but then I stop and say to myself, “Don’t be a Casey”. I’m not saying thinking this works ALL the time (hell, I’m lazy, too, wasting time blogging when I SHOULD be doing something productive), but you do serve as a role model (sacrificial lamb) for all of us who are bad organizers, or lazy/self-centered, or crippled by doubts and fear of failure (and I bet you wish you knew 1-2 years ago what you know now, huh…)
I’m not sending you a hand-out or donation, as that’s against my belief: it’ll only enable you to not figure your problems out on your own. You can give a man a fish, and all of that…
As far as living in my truck, I’ve been there, done that. I was in college and my housing situation became a huge problem, so I lived in my truck for a few weeks. It was hard to concentrate in class when I had to think about what parking lot to sleep in my car, showering at the gym, where to eat, etc. Of course, I wasn’t truly down-and-out homeless, as I had credit cards, ATM access, etc. But I’m not going to lie to you: it sucked (but also liberating, as it’s good to clear all the “junk” out of one’s life from time to time)….
Anyway, hang in there. It can’t get much worse, can it?
PS no advise to offer other than to get a job, preferably one off the books (cash). It works for many illegal alien workers, so there’s no reason it wouldn’t work for you, too.
PSS some of those people at Exurban Nation are sick: they need to quit worrying about you, and fill their lives with their own meaning besides hounding you.
May 1st, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Just live and drive from LA to San Fran, to Denver, to New York, then to New Orleans, back to Denver, to Mexico City.
Meet poets, prophets, painters, alliterators…. Mad cowboys, junkies, trust fund travellers … just live.
Write about it, just long stream of conscious prose …
Monetize that b*tch, be free….
Ooops, someone “Beat” you to it.
Van down by the river sounds cool too, though.
Peace
Dharma Bum
May 1st, 2007 at 5:21 pm
A lot of people call you delusional.
I’m not so sure. There’s something to be said for shining the light on yourself as long as you can. The only reasonable way out I see for you is to become a celebrity.
Writing a book is not a bad idea. Selling your story is not a bad idea.
Everyone wants you to go get a job. Whatever. I think it’s too late for that.
You really need to get an agent. Get yourself booked on Letterman and Leno and Oprah and Larry King.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:16 pm
What you’re forgetting is Casey had a great amount of determination in the beginning. Him throwing the cover over his head a few days when things get to heavy is quite understandable facing what he is having to face. Many here might do the same if faced with the same situation. Important that he doesn’t remain with the cover over his head of course lol. He did manage to get rid of some properties. Alot of people can’t manage even one.
And com on, if sister-in-law wants to let him live there right now it’s her business. And that guy was right when he said that in California+Casey+Garnihments=not even enough money to get to work. I stand corrected. So why do that? A book deal may not get him completely out of the mess he’s in but it would probably make enough that if he decides to get a W-2 he will be able to afford the gas money to get there.
Of course, this is all just my opinion. I don’t want to advise anyone to not work but this case is a little different. But, I’d say if he wants to find work right now without filing BK first and risk charges then go for it. His free world. If he doesn’t want to file Bk and find work and bring home peanuts then go for it. Still his free world. I’m going for the book deal hands down no argument no need for approval.
May 1st, 2007 at 6:29 pm
bold move to a car. He’s so far behind on rent, his sister-in-law wants two months up front. Somehow the money he made from his “tech job” “disappeared.” Casey wouldn’t be in this situation now had he gotten a job back in September and moved into one of the
May 1st, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Casey,
I’ll rent you the back seat of my car for $50 a month, if you drive me to work everyday.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:24 pm
As a lifelong socialist and someone who has worked full time and supported himself and his family for 32 years, looking at a lazy unemployed overprivileged bloodsucking parasite leech like yourself makes me sick.
People like you, who contribute nothing and refuse to work, should be rounded up and placed in forced labor camps.
You are a failure.
You are a failure because you are lazy.
May 1st, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Hi Casey,
Interesting how many haters are popping up & venting their anger at you.
Although to a some degree I can relate, in my part of the world we too are struggling to buy for the same reasons (property investors buying up large). So far it’s still going strong for them & they are still as smug as hell. It doesn’t look like it will change either…
Despite this I still don’t feel the need to attack you or any particular individual, maybe I’ve yet to grow that pathetic (yet). In fact I think you’ve got large balls for doing what your doing & I hope it all works out for you in the long run.
Take care my friend. au manako koe ö pai rawa
A
PS For anyone who feels like venting with regards to my comment don’t bother because I won’t be reading it.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:22 pm
How about leverage:
- You say your site (monetized) pays you $1K per month
- Therefore, all you need is one more site, and you can rent a place and afford to live
- You seem to have something people like and enjoy reading (honesty, openness, etc.)
- Why not do something interesting, make another site about your successes and failures, and double your income?
May 1st, 2007 at 10:44 pm
Casey -
I’ve come to your blog rather late, but I certainly have some comments.
While you’re obviously young, you should probably not make comments about higher education showing your ignorance of it. You make a big deal about “haters”, broadly defined as anybody criticizing you. Understand this: they’re criticizing your process, which is highly flawed, and shows little foresight, understanding of risk, or anything resembling a plan on how to move forward.
As a 36 year old finance professional with a couple of degrees in the subject, I can tell you this - short of a fairy godmother, you are basically done. You need to discharge all of your debts, get a job, rebuild your credit, and do a thorough analysis of what you did wrong - reading the haters and dismissing them out of hand because they’re not supportive of your every move is a mistake. Experience is a valuable commodity, and often comes at great cost to the young. In addition, this education you downplay as training to be a drone is quite a bit more than that. If you had participated in this education, instead of these “seminars”, you might have understood not only a reasonable framework for understanding your risk, but how history is absolutely littered with corpses from asset bubbles such as this one, including as far back as tulips in Holland. But you instead crap on this as unnecessary in light of finding that “sweet deal.”
You made some mistakes. It happens. But you seem to have no remorse, and aren’t particularly interested in what you should have learned from it. The answer is not that you need to do more deals to make up the losses. The answer is that you should have learned to do far fewer of them or none at all in the first place, given that you had few assets, no income, and basically laid yourself out at maximum risk, with the presumption that if it didn’t work out, it would somehow get worked out with little consequence.
Your other problem is how you got into these. You’ve said that you fully intended to pay these loans off when you got them, despite the fact that you knowingly engaged in fraud by filing as many apps as possible before the banks could figure it out. While you may have intended to pay, you clearly set yourself up to be unable to pay in the event of any sort of market shift. Why do you think such regulations exist in the first place? Obviously, to prevent this kind of manipulation and highly concentrated leverage which can and does result in financial disaster. Unfortunately, being feckless is not an attractive trait when doing asset speculation. It’s not an excuse, it’s an explanation, which is quite different. Luckily, it seems unlikely you will be prosecuted, as you would also need to prosecute hundreds, if not thousands of others for similar acts. But this should be cold comfort.
You made a basic mistake - you didn’t or couldn’t understand the consequences of the downside. If you only go in looking for the rosy outcome, that is otherwise known as greed. Don’t make this a fatal error by not learning from it and continuing to look for the quick score, so you can end up on “easy street” while saps like us work. There’s a reason it’s called a fable - only ingenuity, hard work, and luck can result in wealth creation. Anything else is called the lottery.
May 1st, 2007 at 10:53 pm
time, I have no idea how to do SEO, but I will take on the bums at Foreclosure Avoiders, the slugs at Foreclosure Avoiders Changed My Life and EMERGE VICTORIOUS! Coming soon, written by a crack team of link w***** , anonymous members of the clan Swaby, Casey Serin’s hair stylist, someone who only goes by Trampolina and the world-reknowned expert on all things not related to facing foreclosure, foreclosure avoidance, foreclosure avoiders and foreclosure reisistance, Nigel’s Guest Blogger WILL TAKE ON THIS
May 1st, 2007 at 11:06 pm
“All right hows everbody? Good, Good, Good…
Now as your father problably told you my name is Matt Foley and I am a motivational speaker. Now lets get starteted by leting me give you a little senario of what my life is all about.
First off I am 35 years old…. I am divorced… and I LIVE IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!
Now you kids are problobly saying to yourselfs, Hey, I’m gonna go out and get the world by the tail and wrap it around and pull it down and put it in my pockett… Well I’m here to tell you that your problably going to find out your NOT GONNA AMOUNT TO JACK SQUAT!!!!
Your going to end up eating a steady diet of government cheese and LIVING IN A VAN DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!”"”"”
Now that’s the good stuff… Watch Chris Farley do it on youtube or vhs is alot funnier. GOOD LUCK CASE
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:57 am
HAHA, You kill me man !!! I’ve commented before but read mostly. I’m dealing in Houses all the time now. It doesn’t matter the market once you build some equity and have the cashflow. One thing you haven’t learned is Equity in what an appraiser says and what someone will buy are sometimes DIFFERENT !!! A house is only worth what you can sell it for.
Anyway, I have a small 2 bedroom 1 bath house in Idaho that I am just putting on the market in the next couple of days. They go for around the 105k mark now. I picked it up for 72(ish) so even if I undercut the market and Sell at 92k(ish) I’m making money. I still crack up on the deals you did.
I’m going to Upgrade the renters to a 3 bedroom 2 story house with a double garage and RV parking. They’ve been good tenants
If you get kicked out of your Sister-in-law’s place soon and my house hasn’t sold, come over and live in it free of rent for awhile. I even think there is cable internet in there. I’m just worried that if you have no place to go, All these millions of haters would have nothing to do all evening 
HAHA !!
W-2 Jobs aren’t for every one. You are a person that needs to be doing something. Forget the W-2 job. As lazy as you are you wouldn’t hold a job. Keep reading Emails and looking for the Answer.
One line to remember, “It doesn’t matter if they are saying good things or bad things about you, It only matters that they are talking about you”. Thats true when you want to make it the way you’re trying. Build the Hype, do a book, people will buy it. Heck, Look at Micheal Jackson !! Everyone talks trash but still, even today pay to go see him.
Be carefull in jumping into bed with every scheme that hits your Internet box. You are on the Knifes Edge. I see good things for ya. Problem is sometimes guys like you don’t fall the right way and strattle the knife. Reading your blogs you did that, climbed back up and are jumping on the edge again.
Sit down, get yer CH|T together. You almost need a manager. You could have tons of chances at things better then a W-2 job. Problem is you’re lazy and sounds like you like this Blogging thing. It’s good for awhile, Sponsons will come, butthey will also go, Your 5 minutes of fame is over extended like your line of credit, make the best of it !!!
Work Smarter, not harder. Organization is part of the Smarter part. Keep stiring the pot, If you type it, they will read !
-Moosie
Idaho
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:03 am
Let me summarize this post:
I’m in so much trouble I might have to live in a car…
but itsallgood!
May 2nd, 2007 at 4:56 am
Sorry pal, even the comments are becoming boring lately.
You’ve been told countless times what you need, no HAVE, to do, and you’re still speculating on “opportunities”.
The air is rapidly leaving your balloon.
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:56 am
I took the passenger seat out of my car and put down some plywood and foam to make a single bed that stretched to my back seat. Very comfy. Lived there for six months. One of the best times of my life.
Girls loved sleeping in my car! They thought it was fun. Most of them wanted to leave their boring lives and travel with me. Some did for a while. Don’t listen to these boring negative people who sleep in a big bed in a McMansion with the same woman every night… yuck.
Having nothing is a great feeling! Enjoy it while it lasts.. Savor this time before you get overwhelmed with business from your next Sweet Deal (it will come on it’s own time). Take some time off to think. Working a day job is for chumps.
Just get your windows dark tinted and your stereo replaced and you are set. Not much money required.
I bet your blog income/traffic skyrockets if you do this.
You can do it! Go for it! Keep your head up. Ignore the haters. Live your own life. Never be ashamed of being a dreamer.
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I lived in my van for about 3 months. Had a storage locker for my stuff. Got up early, had a workout and shower at the gym, went to work. To the storage locker after work to get myself sorted for the next day. It was fine: I got fit and lost weight, and the minimalist existence cleared the mind. But I only saved up an extra $1200/month maybe, and the girls don’t care for it, obviously.
Dieter Dengler claims he lived in his VW microbus for 3 years while going to school…
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
PS: If holding a job, working hard, getting married, buying a house and car, and supporting a family are so great, then why are all the people who do that SO ANGRY?
“I think I know why:
It’s a big fat lie…”
May 2nd, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Please return to Utah so that we may make sweet love once more.
-
May 3rd, 2007 at 7:52 am
Ok strike that, the intarwebz scares and confuses me… that question is still on the new post teehee
May 5th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Read the blog Violent Acres. The heroine “V”, who won’t give out a email or provide a comment section, talks about living in her car, while digging out from credit card debts.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Have you ever thought about joining the military….change of life, paycheck, etc….give back to the country
May 6th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
From Dmitri Orlov writing about parallels between russian economic collapse and the imminent U.S. crash. I love the last line.
“Russians tend to look in bemused puzzlement on the American compulsion to “work hard and play hard”. The term “career” was in the Soviet days a pejorative term - the attribute of a “careerist” - greedy, unscrupulous, overly “ambitious” (also a pejorative term). Terms like “success” and “achievement” were very rarely applied on a personal level, because they sounded overweening and pompous. They were reserved for bombastic public pronouncements about the great successes of the Soviet people. Not that positive personal characteristics did not exist: on a personal level, there was respect given to talent, professionalism, decency, sometimes even creativity. But “hard worker”, to a Russian, sounded a lot like “idiot”.”
May 6th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Casey, I suggest that you become an alcoholic. That way you would have a valid excuse for your failures.
May 22nd, 2007 at 3:44 pm
living in a van