When he was accepted into graduate of Duke University, the American Ken Ilgunas did not have enough

When he was accepted into graduate of Duke University, the American Ken Ilgunas did not have enough to pay for your course and living costs money. Even with a debt of $ 32,000 for funding graduation, Ken decided to reduce food trucks seattle their spending to avoid having to make another loan.
The decision was to buy a van and live in a parking lot on campus. To access the internet and electricity, used the library. For the bath, wore a cheap gym fitness. For food, cook your meals.
Could I live in a van? Studied ads from Craiglist, caught a bus to the dealership used John in Raleigh, North Carolina car, and walked by rows of sedans, trucks and SUVs in search of my new home. And there she was. A giant Ford Econoline van, 1994, covered with a layer of paint color of wine, the windows reflecting the sun to blind. It seemed out of place among the bright SUVs, without any stain, whose bumpers looked out proudly, as if to exhibit a youthful disdain for his heavy elder. His distended belly seemed vulnerably low as to ask me if I would not drag when you go through some bumps.
Despite the announcement promises that the van was "driving great", had enough problems to justify the price. One of the two side doors would not open, had large stains on the windows food trucks seattle where the film was peeled from the glass, and the tires were bald-bald so that later, when I buy a piece at Sears, both mechanical bent with laughter when I asked them if they thought food trucks seattle the tires would be approved in the survey.
"I'll take it," said John anyway, unable to contain food trucks seattle my smile. Despite all the deformities, it was love at first sight. Price of education I had joined the graduate liberal studies from Duke University, but could not afford the course. I had just paid my debt undergraduate $ 32,000, was almost broken and the prospect of returning food trucks seattle to take up a loan was unthinkable. Back to borrow me made so much sense to me when you get out of a building on fire to get into another.
Today, the cost of higher food trucks seattle education is ridiculous. The average cost of a public university is U.S. $ 8,655. Already at a private university is U.S. $ 29,056. My program would cost a total of $ 11,000 reasonable, with the help of a scholarship. But it is not just the monthly payment that leaves food trucks seattle students in debt, it is accommodation and food. At Duke, where prices are similar to universities around the country, a room without air conditioning split with two colleagues costs U.S. $ 5,464 per year. The plan cheaper food for freshmen is frightening U.S. $ 5,540 per year, or $ 27 per day.
When I added up the cost of tuition, books, transportation, food, lodging, not to mention car insurance, telephone and, dare I say, some output leisure, I felt hopeless. I only had $ 4,000 in my name and no good, and a backpack full of camping food trucks seattle equipment. But despite desperate, was determined to go back to school.
This lifestyle, I thought, could eliminate many costs. For Internet access and electricity, would use the library. For the bath, would use a gym cheap gym. For food, cook my own meals. As rent, would not have any. Meetings food trucks seattle for two, well, probably would not have suitors.
Debt of $ 32,000 Seven and a half years ago, when I was enrolled in graduate enrolled at the University of Buffalo, I was not the type of person who would have done something so bold and strange and possibly illegal, like living secretly in a van decaying on a college campus. But something changed in my journey to pay off debt.
In addition food trucks seattle to a debt of $ 32,000, my degree gave me an unprofitable degree in history and English. Naturally, I had difficulty finding work and ended up accepting a job at $ 9 per hour as a tour guide and cook in a remote truck stop called Coldfoot, Alaska.
But despite having taken the job out of desperation, accidentally put me in a virtually ideal to pay my debt situation. Coldfoot, the nearest shop was 400 km (which eliminated all temptations to buy things), there was no cell signal (making it unnecessary to hire a plane) and employees received free accommodation and food (ie no rent or bills and groceries). After a year, I had paid $ 18,000. A year later, I got a better job in the Department of Parks. After two and a half years of work, I was debt-free.
However, my trip was not only a financial awakening. I learned about subsistence mor