We lived on her income, which of course stopped the day she died last fall.
She left a substantial life insurance policy.
Two questions: Am I insane for doing what I am doing?
I say knowing I will have a roof over my head that I own outright is peace of mind.
Being on the receiving end of this feedback is so not helpful.
Youre on the cusp of big life decisions.
You need a sounding board, not a judge.
Plenty of perfectly sane people are happilyliving out of converted school buses.
And obviously, youre not insane to invest in your education at 60.
It feels to me like youre looking at life as a test with only two choices.
Or B, do neither, which means never working again and risking the roof over your head.
Are you struggling to cope with financial stress?
First, take a deep breath.
Then, take a look at our roundup ofresources to help you manage your stress and your money.
But I think you have a lot more options.
But if youre looking just tobring in incomeand build a small nest egg, Id suggest considering alternatives.
Could you use your experience to become a paid caregiver?
Do you dream about making a school bus your home?
Or do you simply want affordable housing?
Think beyond what youll pay to buy and renovate one.
School buses are also expensive to insure and have a lot of maintenance costs.
This isnt a one-and-done expense.
Zoning laws can also make it difficult to find a place to park them long term.
Does a roof over your head buy you confidence if you dont have land to park it on?
Ultimately, only you’re free to make these decisions.
Youve spent the last eight years as a caregiver.
You no doubt put your own needs in the backseat during that time.
Now its time to prioritize yourself.
The first step in doing so is to figure out what you actually want.
Robin Hartill is a certified financial planner and a senior editor at The Penny Hoarder.
Send your tricky money questions to[email protected].
