Ever think about just checking out of society? This man does it, on $5000 dollars a year. This is Dan Price, the Man in the Hobbit Hole

Dan Price is a man in his fifties as of now from Kentucky. He had a wife, children, a home and a job and a life, but he left all of that behind to move out and be free.

He currently lives in a place that he has described to the media as his "Hobbit Hole", and makes his way through life for only $5000 a year.

All in all, it's rather impressive that he is able to make it on so little, but it turns out you can do a lot when you are willing to downsize your lifestyle.

What's his secret to making his money last?

Well, for starters he doesn't have most of the luxuries or comforts that we all take for granted, like indoor plumbing, more than one room, or refrigeration.

One of his most common meals is cereal or granola eaten with water instead of milk.

And as for his day to day activities, he works as a caretaker for a local cemetery, clears trees from the land on which he lives for only $100 a year, and works on his hobbies, which include the publication of a small book on a semi-regular basis.

If you're interested in supporting Dan, you can purchase his book called My Tiny House, his journal called the Moonlight Chronicles, or look around the net for more of his work!

He isn't a man of the stone age, though. He pays $53 a month for a cell phone, and has a MacBook Air, an iPad, and an annual round trip to Hawaii where he spends his winters.

Not a terrible way to live, if you can manage it.

Have you ever heard of something similar?

Reward Banking: Making Money by Saving Money!

I am always on the lookout for a great deal, and when I found out that it was possible to get a bonus, a real cash payment as a result of opening a simple bank account, I was really intrigued. at the time I had been using the same couple of banks for many years and I didn't really have a reason to change my habits but I found out that I could receive an actual cash bonus a whole $50 if I just opened up a checking account and used it as a checking account. that was almost 1 year ago and I have been a loyal customer with Capital One Bank ever since.

I like the ability to open multiple accounts and transfer funds between them to meet my savings goals, and I especially like that I can earn money by referring my friends and family to the bank!

I am sharing this opportunity with all of my readers not only to make the initial 50 dollars as a bonus payment, but also to refer your friends to open and account with Capital One and make 20 dollars per referral.

I still use the bank accounts that I had before I joined Capital One, but I like the Capital One MasterCard and the ease of access to my money in checking to transfer into my Capital One ShareBuilder Roth IRA, which lets users transfer funds for free from checking and savings accounts, and even offers free trades to buy and sell securities.

Whether you are happy with your current banks, currently unbanked, or looking for a better bank, Capital One can compete, and it will pay you money!

If you are interested, again I request you to sign up as my referral.

Do you have any similar reward banking deals? Have you had experience with any of them? Please share in the comments below!

How much money do you really need to get started with real estate investment?

So, say that I wanted to acquire a rental property. How much money would I need to get one?

Is it better to find a place with units enough to house me and tenants, or to begin with a single family home?

Should I be targeting areas with cheaper real estate in general, or aiming for more costly areas where property is far more expensive but can command higher rent?

Habits can Make you or Break You

Habits are what end up dictating the course of our days and can often contribute to the outcomes in our lives. We can change them and the best ways to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves are often related to changing and hopefully improving our habitual behaviors.

We can save money by breaking the habits of eating out and over shopping.

We can become healthier by developing the habits of working out and taking vitamins and other healthy goods instead of unhealthy ones.

It's straightforward, and terribly difficult. Living a life that is completely intentional instead of just doing what "seems natural" or what we habitually do is both hard to do and not how we are wired.

But if we can triumph over our nature and psychology, we can really achieve some amazing results.

How to Save Money by Cooking Your Own Food

It might be worth your while to buy a set of freezer containers for individual portions. From there, identity and prepare batches of things that you like, like lasagna, tortilla soup, fajitas, or burritos and freeze them.

I'm planning a big cook for myself tomorrow, and I will make 2 kinds of soup, bread, and a pasta dish for the week to come.

The thing about free advice on the internet is that it might not fit you perfectly or be just right. In the end you have to decide what works for the two of you.

Also, if you decide to do a big cook tell people ahead of time so that they don't constantly try to use the other burner or whatever. And you might have to reserve fridge and freezer space.

Instant Win Games offer a chance to make a quick buck

I don't bother with a lot of contests. While popular sweepstakes can be a ticket to major winnings, they also have unearthly waiting times of six months or more between your entry and the time when the winner is selected and the prizes are awarded.

I like to play instant win games, especially as a substitute for the expensive alternative of scratch off tickets.

There are a lot of them available from innumerable sources, but the ones that I've been using lately are those featured on the websites for tobacco companies, the Kmart and Sears loyalty program Shop Your Way Rewards, the instant game to win an Amazon Gift Card on Survey Monkey Contribute, and the occasional contest on PayPal.

While my winnings have been meager, I don't have to wonder whether I'll win in some far off drawing, because I know that I've either won or not.

So far I've won a few prizes, including a wallet, a lighter, keychains, and some hot sauce, but I also enjoy winning cash, points towards rewards, and digital trophies to show off to my friends.

Prime Opportunities May be Available for Cheap Summer Living

If you are close to a college town, you might want to consider taking a summer sublet. Lots of them are supremely cheap, I have seen a few as low as 300 dollars a month plus utilities