Woody wrote:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2012/08/28/islands-off-conn-coast-put-for-sale/xSIWvnEtm8Gva45v8y8BdK/story.html
2 islands off Conn. coast put up for sale
By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press / August 28, 2012
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A woman who amassed a collection of small islands off the Connecticut coast is selling two of them.
Christine Svenningsen, a widow of a party-goods magnate, is selling Belden Island for $3.95 million and Jepson Island for nearly $2 million, her real estate agents said.
Hell, at those prices why not buy both? 
nocones wrote:
Why don't you move to Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Norther Nevada, North Dakota, The UP or some other similar low cost of living area of the US? Still have locals to barter with, but the cost of the things you need from the Man is a lot lower. last time I looked a 40-80 acre spread in some of the more remote parts of the US was still cheap.
I'm not sure that Northern NV is that much cheaper than the area Javelin currently lives in. We probably have more sunshine, though 
.
The rural areas are pretty cheap for real estate, but I doubt food or gas are that much cheaper. Tons of retired military here though so I would assume there is half-decent VA support out here.
Why not try the peace corps? If you don't like roughing it after a few years, you can return to the normal grind with something on your resume.
I used to work with a guy who spent the first year after graduating from college selling soft serve ice cream out of a grass hut on the beach in Fiji. I asked him why he ever left that job - he wasn't sure.
dculberson wrote:
You mention that you have health care, but would you still if you moved to the sticks of another country? There aren't exactly VA hospitals aplenty on Caribbean islands that I know of.
It's private health care (TriCare) and has world-wide coverage, though any US possession would be significantly easier.
Florida Keys are definitely looking good.
Johnboyjjb wrote:
Guess that rules out the island city of Cathlamet. They move slow. But you'd still have to put up with Gargoyle and the rest of WA's fine elected officials.
Expensive. I've visited a lot (only 10/ miles away). Very pretty, very much need $$$. I want to live somewhere where "cash" doesn't mean squat. I can take a coconut to my neighbor on foot and trade for a banana, that's real economy.
In reply to mguar:
Living onboard ship is definitely an option. Just so everyone is clear, this is definitely going to be an "off grid" type move. We don't want a mortgage or to be tied to a house anymore. We can afford cash on a nice travel trailer or a small boat and live like that. We don't have to be on the beach, but anything island, coast, river, water-in-walking distance.
In reply to mguar:
You know how there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Porsche? That's not true. A cheap boat is definitely a lot more expensive.
Resource:
http://escapeartist.com/
I've thought about it, but I'm just too damn old, and have too many obligations.
I used to date a girl who, for three years in the mid '80's, lived on the north side of Puerto Rico. She actually lived off the land, I'm talking local fruits and veggies etc., had pictures to back it up. Didn't own squat, ran around in a Tshirt and cutoffs all day, made a lean to out of palm fronds and such. She said it was great- for about two years. Then she got to where she really missed technology, indoor plumbing and etc, moved back to the States and has been here ever since.
friedgreencorrado wrote:
Resource:
http://escapeartist.com/
I've thought about it, but I'm just too damn old, and have too many obligations.
Welp, looks like I found something I am going to be investigating the next couple of days.
Caribbean island? Slow living? Off the grid? A population that values automotive mechanical skills applied to antique machinery? The obvious answer here is Cuba. Break out your Che Guevara t-shirt, a cigar and a fatalistic attitude and I'm sure you'll fit right in.
mguar wrote:
In reply to Javelin:
There isn't anyplace on a beach that's cheap anymore.. Not on an island. Not in Central or South America..Watch International House Hunters for a while and you'll see what I mean..
Even in Africa unless you are willing to move to the Congo or someplace where war is a regular event..
Some countries do have slightly lower cost of living than we do.. but not on the beaches..
two words... "asbury park" This town, just sound of NYC on the ocean, sandwiched between two expensive communities, NEVER recovered from the race riots in the 60s.. most of the town along the ocean remains bulldozed to this day
Serious Q, just a couple of weeks ago you were talking about moving to Florida to be part of the family business. I thought that was poo pooed due to being too far from the spousal units family, now your talking of going off grid in the islands?
02Pilot wrote:
Caribbean island? Slow living? Off the grid? A population that values automotive mechanical skills applied to antique machinery? The obvious answer here is Cuba. Break out your Che Guevara t-shirt, a cigar and a fatalistic attitude and I'm sure you'll fit right in.
Wow. Fuggin a. If the OP is serious, then this really is the answer. To the OP: I've wrestled with it too. In my head, I could be happy being a beach bum, catching/growing all my meals, bartering goods & services. In reality, I want to own the island, not be a slave to it. You can't amass WEALTH living like a bum, and you can't not live like a bum without saving at least enough cash money to support yourself when E36 M3 goes bad. berkeley the proverbial "village;" I'll take care of myself and my family. I digress. Say hey to the fuhrer for me.
Adrian_Thompson wrote:
Serious Q, just a couple of weeks ago you were talking about moving to Florida to be part of the family business. I thought that was poo pooed due to being too far from the spousal units family, now your talking of going off grid in the islands?
Maybe that lack of mobility is the impetus behind this desire to leave it all?
But really I liken these threads the same as when one person starts 10 threads a week on different cars to buy, where to move, what career to change to.
Likely just talking out loud.
In reply to z31maniac:
I agree completely. It's like talking to a wall, and the wall talks back. I bounce most of my ideas off this board.
David S. Wallens wrote:
My favorite island is Manhattan. Not sure if that helps or not.
They would never see us coming. Total surprise. It would be over in a matter of hours.
If you want to live off the grid, near fresh water, and be able to afford a place near the shoreline:
There are plenty of people in the Upper Peninsula that are living off the grid. But I doubt the coconut farm idea would work out. You'd be better off baking pasties and smoking whitefish.
My next suggestion was going to be Northern Mi, not necessarily the UP, even the Northern Lower is great.
One other thing, people don't realize how cheap the cost of living is over here. HAving come from the UK and traveling back to the UK and mainland Europe, I'm constantly amazed at how cheap it is here / expensive it is there for everything. Health care excepted.
EastCoastMojo wrote:
Woody wrote:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode-island/2012/08/28/islands-off-conn-coast-put-for-sale/xSIWvnEtm8Gva45v8y8BdK/story.html
Hell, at those prices why not buy both?
It's cheaper than living in Connecticut.
My friend's father-in-law actually did own an island in the Bahamas. When he sold it, he couldn't bring all the cash back into the US without getting whacked on taxes, so he ended up buying a villa on the side of a mountain in Mexico and lived amongst a bunch of other rich ex-pat Americans. He married a younger "Austrian" woman from Argentina.
BoostedBrian wrote:
In reply to z31maniac:
I agree completely. It's like talking to a wall, and the wall talks back. I bounce most of my ideas off this board.
I agree with Brandon.
(Awaiting the "My name is not Brandon!" post) 
I have a friend that runs a bunch of coffee shops in Fiji who's always looking to hire someone that can bother to show up and work hard. Specifically, someone to help manage.
Fiji is pretty close Australia and therefore, Utes. I.e. winning.
Wife's cousin and her husband left good paying jobs (Standard Insurance and Merrill Lynch), their house, cars, stuff, etc. to live in Oahu, Hawaii. She works at The Wedding Cafe/Eden in Love Boutique and he works part time as a bouncer and valet. They spend their days at the beach or at the pool of their tiny apartment. They also don't have kids or pets.
It is expensive to live there, but they get by and enjoy the more simple life and slower pace.
