Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

One thing that helped us to break free was this: ANY time I saw anything (and the same for my wife) we thought, "How many more years are we willing to work for this?"

When you are young, a little goes a long ways because of compounding, etc. But, you are tempted with "the pretties", i.e. all those things that catch your eyes.

After a while, it becomes second nature - so much so that now that we have more than we need, I still hesitate to buy much. But we do break out sometimes.

So eh i've been thinking about the whole mexico concept and i've run across something! Iceland? had my eye on that country for a long time and it seems their currency has recently gone to shit...so assuming the dollar upturns ahead of the icelandic currency somehow ...eh well i don't know enough about all this to figure out where i'm going with it but eh perhaps someone else does?

Basic concept
Mosey down to mexico with my shiny dollar and buy land that is cheap because their currency is weak as soggy noodles? could therefore this same idea work on iceland? I hate the cold but hell they are viking so that would more than make up for it *shrug* does this somehow make sense? and if so where should i be going with this thought train? it's making my vision blurry trying to figure all of this out :/

*edit*
sec somehow found icelandic realestate sites XD converting currency

*grins*
$17,558.09 for ocean front with nice house(not that i'd live on the ocean *shiver*)
i think i just figured this is tjord!

*grins even wider*
ooo why look! they are having troubles for the same reason we are...hmmmm perhaps if i somehow get this done right i could find myself a foreclosed piece of viking land and a maiden?

*further thoughts*
hrrm this is going to get complicated. me thinks the howling gales make for poor internet connections

*eyes burn* what the iceland is that website even trying to get across? oh my :/ i think there were some elks or something :/

oooo they love ap over there i might could even get some crazy visa and work only to get into the country xD

come to think of it ireland and a few other places might work as well...eff scottland though i would go insane within a week(no offence just not my cup o tea)

bwahahaha runs off to plot his exedus

"By the way: I recognized that nationalism & racism is growing more and more in Iceland. People never had much contact with foreigners - and now they can´t handle it.
They only blindly adopt every **** from America. How poor is that?"
YES! being born in this country might be useful for something! xD viva la iceland? :/

One word: foreclosures. There's probably a mint to be made by buying up the excess that is around these days.

I would hesitate to buy anything that is less than 20 feet above the current ocean levels. Don't ask me why...

God would never pwn vikings no worries

*edit*
Bugger ireland and iceland are both infected with the eu in some shape or form knew ireland was but last time i checked iceland wasn't. wonderful now they will end up covered in filth with the rest of them

Also it seems my one and only prayer of ever getting either off grid or out of this country is this telecom job. if it falls through i'll be in poverty just trying to get by for the rest of my life in the best case situation

Those of us in the Core Group are at least paying dues, and the Equity Members (like me) have ante'd in larger sums to help pay professional fees. We'll get first pick of the building sites, and we are tracking the hours we work to earn a discount off our houses at the expense of the slackers. So there is some justice.

Longer term, the way I see it is that everyone who lives in the community will owe a certain number of hours of work each month. If they don't work, they have to pay $$.

That works - you can pay with labor, or you can pay with money. In this way, everyone can help. Just have to watch for those who can't do the money and won't do the time. They are narcistic and figure the whole world exists for them. Not good neighbors - which is the biggest challenge.

I am actually in the very early stages of looking at buying sizeable tracks of land in the USA for their forest and reclaim them slowly. Sort of like a Dauerwald. I am not ready to do so yet because I figure land is still moving down in price for the next 2 to 4 years. Also, we are still investing here - though nearly out of that phase. In a few years, I will be needing to move money elsewhere - and I want to diversify into other countries. But now I am too busy to think about it much.

Labor is all I have to pay with

Labor is what I don't have - i.e. time. It is an interesting problem. There is a lot of synergy possible between those who don't have money but have time, and those who have time, but no money. In the past, it was called sharecropping, or tenants. There are serious headaches too with this.

If someone moves in, it is hard to evict if they turn out to want to do nothing besides lay around all the time. Some people have worked hard all their life, but have never accumulated any resources because of what they have worked at, or, at times, poor money management.

And then there are people who have lived hand to mouth because they have never worked more than absolutely necessary - which is their right of course.

My most challenging issue is finding good people that I can use as key people. But, we are doing pretty well down here.

Janet , first of all good luck with the idea . I wish you well , also like to suggest you investigate the systems used in the Kabutz?? spelling? They seem to have been around a while.

One further suggestion , if you are making rules , perhaps you should change your signature line

With the exchange rates Vs USD , I expect canucks and Aussies will be buying half the US ( joke).

P.S , Make sure your community has 3 phase power ,, everything , motors etc run MUCH more efficiently.

Thats is an interesting dilemma CRTreeDude. I once considered moving to Costa Rica. How stable it down there? What does land cost there and are there natural building material there like trees or bamboo that a house could be constructed from?

I understand how hard it is to find key people. I ran an HVAC business for 12 years and now I am an I.T. manager. When you find good people its hard to keep them. Most workers are like silly kids and never take responsibility for anything or do anything of their own initiative. Many people have to have their hand held or they don't do anything so you mite-as-well do it your self and get it done, lol.

If you ever need a HVAC tech/IT tech/builder/plumber/electrician/quick learner/manager down there give me a "buzz"

Hopefully the kibbutz idea is quite different than the idea Janet is working on. The kibbutz movement is socialistic in practice. Today only prosperous kibbutzim are those with industry. My son was a member in a very large one in the Negev (They produce irrigation equipment that is exported globally.) Because his Hebrew language skills are very poor, he spent his work time as part of the kitchen staff, cooking for the entire kibbutz. Yes, they all eat together. Everyone was given a cell phone and work clothing. Life was wonderful there since someone else was responsible for his laundry and he just had a small "apartment" to maintain. He had nothing else required for life. After work, his time was his own.

Problem in paradise? Two fold:
1. Committee decides everything for an expansion-changes-expenses.
2. Younger people are leaving so they have the same challenges as our Social Security System. What is you future when you grow old? You aren't tossed out but your need still must be met.

BTW, my son thinks this is the best way to raise children. "It takes a Village..."

The biggest problem I have with housing groups is that when bob build a $500,000 solar house he will not tolerate me building a 10,000 straw house that achieves the same function, but lowers the value of his "investment".. ..Thinking back to the 3 pigs story I laugh It's clear that the straw house is superior to the brick house in many respects. We were being trained at even that age..

Just another brick in the wall ....

LOL, good one

I could probably get you a good job in Alaska if you're interested