Should I renew my lease or buy a pop-up camper?

Question by upwardly_mobile_home: Should I renew my lease or buy a pop-up camper?
I’ve got $ 2,000 in that bank. Should be able get a half decent used one. I pay $ 550 rent on a studio apartment. After taxes my income is about $ 400 a week. I have 3 years experience in 1 hour photo lab work, 1 as management, have done a lot of portrait photography (mostly H. S. Seniors), very familiar with film and digital cameras, especially Fuji equipment, the Fuji DL410 digital “dry lab”, Epson 9800 wide format printer and Photoshop CS3.
I have a relative that lives in the Hampton Bay area of Virginia. I could live in his driveway he says. If I am able to save some money doing this, maybe I can buy a place down there. The big question is will I be able to survive a winter in a pop-up camper down there? I know I will not be able to do it up here (central NY) as we already have had frost the other night.
Wed have pretty high unemployment around here, about 10% so demand for things like photography comes way after putting food on the table and a roof over one’s head these days. Hopefully things aren’t so bad that nobody is spending money. For example local seniors would spend $ 100 on portraits in 2006, maybe even $ 110. Today I’m lucky to get more than the $ 30 sitting fee and another $ 20-30 worth of prints. In 2006, 200+ seniors would get portraits out of a class of 300. This year looks like maybe only 100 out of 300. Few jobs and less money leaves me broke. I don’t know if I should stick it out here in poverty or move on.

Best answer:

Answer by La trompette infâme
The Cheapest I’ve seen remotely close to this area is a 2008 Palomino Pony PopUp and it’s $ 4,889. This is ok if you like living without a toilet, shower, heat, and a real roof. This will become handy during those blizzards. I’m not sure if it has heat, but you can trail it with your car it seems. Will your relative let yu hook up to his electric? Wouldn’t it be easier to move in and crash on the couch? I think you should use all of that photographic talent, and put it on a resume. Take that resume to a Temp Agency. In your area, you should make 12-14 an hour easy. Also if you are under 24 you should look into the Job Corps. I know it has a bad rep on some areas. All I can say is that it has improved tremendously. I’m 36, and if I was 18-24 now and needed job training that is where I’d go.

Good Luck

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