Living in the Boonies

[Guest guest]

I've changed the title of this reply because I'm taking it in a different

direction.

CJ wants to live in the Oregon desert, but fears she won't find the income to do

so. It's not easy, but it is possible to live anywhere and still earn enough

income to do so.

Though I have no desire to leave my suburban Boston town, I'll use my

income-producing skills as an example. I'm artistic and a craftswoman, good with

computers, and very good with translating computer geek-speak into NT English.

For many years, I've sold my graphic designs at Zazzle. I don't put a lot of

time or effort into my shop, and no effort into marketing, but I still make

several hundred dollars every year. If I put a consistent 3-4 hours a week into

my shop, I could clear several thousand a year.

My ebook on chainmail is also doing reasonably well, also with no marketing

effort. I have a list of other ebooks I want to produce. Enough ebooks with

modest sales and I can stop other work.

I sell products at Zazzle competitors, write articles for Squidoo, have a few

knitting patterns for sale at Ravelry ... none of these make much money for me,

but others have made modest but respectable incomes through these and similar

venues.

Finally, there's my web and print graphic design work. I'm just starting, so

only have a few clients yet. About half my clients are long distance, people I

" met " online.

I live in an expensive area, which eastern Oregon is not. I also have kids, and

a mortgage. If I was on my own, and willing to relocate, I could probably manage

fine on the income streams I list above.

Also, I hate self-marketing. If I enjoyed it, and was better at it, I could make

a lot more. I'm trying to improve, but I'm not sure an introverted Aspie will

ever be good at marketing.

For more on the subject, go to the library and check out _The Four Hour

Workweek_ by Tim Ferriss. The title is a bit of a stretch, and Tim loves

marketing, but he gives some excellent advice for getting out of the " commute to

the cubicle farms " mentality.

--Liz

>

>> The main thing that I am looking forward to if we are ever able to move is

the weather. I have a difficult time with the heat, and I am sick of 100+ degree

weather with high humidity. I have heard that on the western side of the

mountains that there is about a month of hot and a month of cold, but the rest

of the time it is stable, and wet.

>

> I've heard pretty much the same, Kelsey. I guess I'm just more of a desert

person, that's all. That's what attracts me to the area, as well as the low

population density.

>

> Unless I hook up with a spud or horseradish rancher who can bring me into the

family business, it's unlikely that I'll be able to make my dream come true of

moving to the outback of eastern Oregon/Washington. Apart from the minimum wage

service jobs (which are scarce), the area is largely dominated by agribusiness.

Not a lot of work available for those with white-color skills that involve

computers.

>

> Anyone know any lonely spud or horseradish ranchers? lol