CatLady,
Your thread caught my eye. Sounds like our interests regarding where to live are similar.
First of all, if you have a dream, don't let anyone talk you out of it. It sounds like your dream is to buy a rural piece of land and live on it. If you are diligent and patient, I believe what you want is possible. Lots of people with modest incomes do it.
I think a big factor in the equation is how much time you are willing to look for the property. GOOD FAST CHEAP - PICK ANY TWO. If you are looking for a deal, then you need to take your time. People in a hurry rarely find the deals. It's tough to find something good and cheap if you need it fast. It sounds like you need something low cost so you'll probably need to decide which is most important to you, good or fast. There's no right answer here, just what fits your situation.
As has been mentioned in this thread, my wife and I have lived in a 5th wheel camper for 13 years. For the past year we have been building our house while living in the camper beside the house. All this is documented in my thread on TBN. I don't know where you live; campers are challenging to live in where the temps commonly are below freezing. Last winter we couldn't use the toilet in the camper for 2 weeks because the camper's sewage tank was frozen solid. We had to use a chamber pot like the old-timers. It wasn't fun but we managed.
For expenses, you are wise in looking for something with utilities. Our water well cost $12K, power lines $5K, septic $5K, 900 ft driveway. and clearing one acre $20K.
I think your best bet might be to find an older single wide being sold with the land on which it sits. If you are a smoker, you should have some choices. If you don't smoke then finding a used single-wide you'd be willing to live in gets harder.
If you live in a warm climate, a camper is doable. Living in a camper presents 3 potential obstacles that will have to be overcome:
1. Zoning issues - many counties won't let you live in a camper unless you live in a campground.
2. Waterlines and sewage tanks in campers are very susceptible to freezing.
3. Older campers with flat roofs are susceptable to leaks.
Here's something I considered but my wife wasn't open to it. You can buy a portable storage shed that can be delivered onsite. Find an old camper, salvage the parts and install them in the shed. For cheap you can have something warm and dry that will last for years. You can get a shed that would provide more comfortable living quarters than a camper and might get around zoning restrictions against campers. You also don't need the expense of a foundation; just install the shed up on blocks like installing a single-wide. You could find a piece of land with a delapidated house or trailer on it that already has utilities. My wife considered living in a shed to be lower than living in a camper. However, if you want something inexpensive without the problems a camper brings, a portable shed is the way to go.
Best of luck on your search.
Obedience
