Being self-sufficient with $17k?

[MalcolmGandi]

So, I'm planning to do that NASA study where you get paid $17k to lay in a bed for 3 months. What should I do with the money in order to acheive self-sufficiency? My idea right now is to buy a foreclosure or get a rent-to-own, then put solar panels on, along with a greenhouse. I'm also planning to invest in some food storage, especially cooking oil (which should be very valuable in the event of a famine). So, anybody have any ideas?

 

[Kludge]

Wait... - what???

17k to lay in bed??? Where do you sign up?

 

[driller80545]

You will need more money. It is enough money to start up an import business, though. Mexico has some cheap imports.

 

[pcosmar]

How do I get that. that is a good years pay in this area, and 3 times what I have made in the last two.

 

[pinkmandy]

They're only offering it to RP supporters. They let us out right after the election...

 

[Allen72289]

They're only offering it to RP supporters. They let us out right after the election...

I lol'd


17 is plenty.

Buy 5 years of food, silver, remington 1100, polytech ak-47, medical supplies and move out in the middle of no where.

Also a good read is producing your own power by carol stoner and the self sufficient life and how to live it by John Seymour.

Solar panels are not a good buy.

Buy or build a wood stove and build one of these engines to run generators etc. http://www.greensteamengine.com they are great I've got one running a 2900 watt gen headset. I turn my meter backwards, the electric company sends me money for putting juice back into the grid. xP

A horse wouldn't hurt.

Move to a mountain range preferably in a low populated NW state.

Apply gunny's advice to that and you'll sit out the next world war without a worry.

 

[phixion]

$17k to lay in a bed for 3 months? I did that for free when I was in my darkest hours.

Do you have to be a US resident?

Pete

 

[Mini-Me]

How do I get that. that is a good years pay in this area, and 3 times what I have made in the last two.

Jeebus, what are they paying you, China wages? If you're only making $5666 a year and working the standard 40 hours a week for 50 weeks, that's only $2.83/hour! McDonald's pays twice as much!

Anyway...MalcolmGandi, are you allowed to sit up in bed and read? Do you eat in bed? How long are you allowed to leave for poop breaks? Are you ever allowed contact with others? etc. I imagine you'll be allowed to read, etc...but my best guess is that NASA might be wanting to study the depressive effects of living all alone in an environment that offers little stimulation (e.g. manning the international space station). I'd go into this with your eyes open. That said, I'll leave your actual question for others better qualified to answer it.

EDIT: I had a really ugly copy/paste problem that I had to fix :o

 

[Kludge]

One day I'd crack, stare at the non-visible observers behind the glass and start laughing uncontrollably.

 

[iflyboats]

First, you should be aware that three months of bed rest will wreck havoc on your health, causing acute degenerative changes, some of which may not be fully reversible. Disuse is especially harmful to your bones and joints, which require chronic mechanical loading to maintain their integrity. This self-imposed emasculization is utterly foolish and totally incompatible with the spirit of self-reliance.

Secondly, I think you're getting carried away with this self-sufficiency thing. The essence of self-reliance is productivity and personal responsibility, not bohemianism. Having a garden and growing some of your own vegetables is a great thing to do, but if Dr. Paul himself could maintain a regular job, pay his bills and buy his food, so can you.

 

[amy31416]

Flex your muscles a lot and take an aspirin every day so you don't form a blood clot and die.

 

[Bruno]

First, you should be aware that three months of bed rest will wreck havoc on your health, causing acute degenerative changes, some of which may not be fully reversible. Disuse is especially harmful to your bones and joints, which require chronic mechanical stress to maintain their integrity. So I see this activity (or lack thereof) as beign totally incompatible with self-reliance.

Secondly, I think you're getting carried away with this self-sufficiency thing. The Ron Paul revolution is a call to personal responsibility, not bohemianism. Having a garden and growing some of your own food is a great thing to do, but if Dr. Paul could maintain a regular job, pay his bills and buy his food, so can you.

That's good advice. Also, will they pay for your health care you will need to recover after the experiment is over?

What sounds like more fun is being paid by the University of Iowa to smoke marijuana. It doesn't pay as much, but you won't have the health side effects mentioned above either. (you may get the munchies, though).

 

[steve005]

lol you won't be able to walk! you'll loose all muscle! lol you need more money!, you're heart will loose 40% of it's mass!

 

[bander87]

Yeah, screw that.

 

[yongrel]

 

[MRoCkEd]

/\ I saw that monk episode
the killer wore a fatsuit!

 

[bander87]

/\ I saw that monk episode
the killer wore a fatsuit!

I miss monk. They were so hard to figure out!

 

[123tim]

First, you should be aware that three months of bed rest will wreck havoc on your health, causing acute degenerative changes, some of which may not be fully reversible. Disuse is especially harmful to your bones and joints, which require chronic mechanical loading to maintain their integrity. Snip

I have to agree with iflyboats.
I have some problems and I'll tell you firsthand that just 8 hours in bed causes joint pain. Please think about this pretty hard before you commit to it. If you have good health, I'd hate to see you lose it for money. Believe me you'll loose a lot more than 1500 dollars if you have bad health.

I googled for a link to the study... Here it is:
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/05/nasa-offers-500.html

 

[Ozwest]

Get a job.

Or travel.

 

[T-K]

I lol'd


17 is plenty.

Buy 5 years of food, silver, remington 1100, polytech ak-47, medical supplies and move out in the middle of no where.

Also a good read is producing your own power by carol stoner and the self sufficient life and how to live it by John Seymour.

Solar panels are not a good buy.

Buy or build a wood stove and build one of these engines to run generators etc. http://www.greensteamengine.com they are great I've got one running a 2900 watt gen headset. I turn my meter backwards, the electric company sends me money for putting juice back into the grid. xP

A horse wouldn't hurt.

Move to a mountain range preferably in a low populated NW state.

Apply gunny's advice to that and you'll sit out the next world war without a worry.

what about tinfoil hats