Looking for change

[druiseeker]

I'm a broken overweight Marine vet looking for some change. I need to take off somewhere. With the VA’s help, I’ve started fixing myself and loosing weight. It has drastically helped by allowing me to be more mobile and with less pain. Once the physical therapy/weight loss is done in about 6-12 months, I plan on taking off to somewhere preferably with a lot of time spent in the wilderness. I’m looking for recommendations on destinations, equipment, and budgeting. And anything else I might not know about.

I'll be living off about $600/mo from the VA. Is that enough to live on? What would be my main budgeting concerns? Any cheap and lightweight food ideas?

I have some money saved up and also don’t mind selling some things to get gear that is lightweight, practical, and durable. At the bottom is the kit that I already have. I don’t know if any of it would be practical gear for prolonged use/traveling. All the other gear I have is too heavy or flimsy to be of any real use. Any suggestions on stuff I should buy? I'll start thinking about clothing when I've stopped loosing weight.

Gear I already have:
Osprey Aether 60 Pack
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 Tent
Big Agnes Buffalo Park Sleeping Bag
Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Pad
Katadyn Hiker Microfilter
Goal Zero Solar Charger
GI Canteen Kit

 

[Bumrumors]

You have some okay gear, some people work a seasonal job to get that amount of dank gear.
Okay so here it is, i make 100 to 200 a week bumin when i am out traveling.
Thats about roughly a 600 to 800 a month. Depending on how frugel you are .most of us dont spend money on food or transportation. Learning to survive on a budget is easy. If you cant find it or get it for free then i guess buy it..
The idea is to hit food banks ( call 211 in every city for outreach or find a st. Vinny de pauls) or drop ins usually have a great resource list. Keep a small book on the citys you frequent, write down the important info. Now stand downs (vetran gear kickdown;alice pack, military grade sleep system etc) happen all over, talk to the va in every state or county to locate the times and months. That gear is tradeable and free to you. Send it to a friend or family member to stack for ya or just ebay it/ use it.. As for flying a sign or panhandling, its not needed if you recycle or sell joke, i like the looking for work signs more than the *need bum stuff* signs. Depending on your location and plans to travel are all the questions you need to ask yourself..

Will you be needing all that gear? Seriously will you be using a ultrq light tent every night? Those big agnes ul tents feel like a goat skin condom,.
What season do you plan on being where?
(East coast vs west coast seasonal rains and cold snaps happen but the dessert vs the high sierra or rockies in the spring or mean way diffrent gear)

I used to have a box with winter gear in it, thermals military sleep system, wool sock and gloves etc stashed, i would call the person and have them send it to me, then repack my summer gear in it and put return to sender in it, then id have my gear stashed for the next season .. It worked 3x.

Personally i say mountain hardware gear, msr hubba tent (look for the knock off tent on aliboba.com) and a descent bed roll is all ya need. A hobo stove and untensils are all personal prefrence.

Not everyone goes light weight. Most hobos, travelers and rainbow family travel with little to nothing but there are plenty of guys n gals that do go the direction you are.

Good luck

 

[druiseeker]

Thanks for the ideas. I guess I'll head out and try the ideas out. Make sure they work for me.

 

[Jerrell]

What's up jarhead! You'll be able to make it on $600. I'm currently only at 30% disabled by the VA ($400) and have been scraping by on that for about 5 years and been getting just over $100 in food stamps for about a year. I'm hitting the road full time in a couple months in my car and am pretty sure I'm going to end up shedding some gear and picking up others. If I remember, I'll try to keep a supply log to share. I'm also an out of shape vet. Maybe I should keep a log about the pains that are surely to come with having to move around more than I've grown used to as well. haha

 

[Bumrumors]

Sickkkk

 

[druiseeker]

Suck some political dick much?? Ass

Where did that come from? Me and a lot of others have permanent injuries for the rest of our lives while serving our country. Many in a combat zone so we could continue to live a decent life here in the states. The government reimbursing us for those injuries is sucking political dick?

 

[BelleBottoms]

Where did that come from? Me and a lot of others have permanent injuries for the rest of our lives while serving our country. Many in a combat zone so we could continue to live a decent life here in the states. The government reimbursing us for those injuries is sucking political dick?

No. Government reimbursement is one of the benefits you were promised and there is nothing wrong with making a claim.

 

[druiseeker]

Apologies if I came off a little too sensitive. I've heard a lot of negative crap from some people.

 

[Jerrell]

I don't know what that Bumrumor dude's issue is. Feels out of context. Looking at the time he or she posted, I'm going to go ahead and assume they weren't sober. Their behavior isn't the norm here at StP from what I've seen since joining.

Edit: I said "dick" instead of "dude" originally. Must be a freudian conspiracy.

 

[druiseeker]

It's all good. I've done and said shit before that had meanings I didn't intened as well. Usually while drunk.

 

[Deleted member 125]

Where did that come from? Me and a lot of others have permanent injuries for the rest of our lives while serving our country. Many in a combat zone so we could continue to live a decent life here in the states. The government reimbursing us for those injuries is sucking political dick?

good on you grabbing the original quote before they edited their response. @Bumrumors thats not what the edit feature is intended to be used for. own up to yer original comment.

 

[Jerrell]

Yeah I never saw the original post, but dude they still gave me a thumbs down. I feel violated. lol