Living in a manufactured home is no different from a stick built home. I know that and you know that but those that have never been around a manufactured home usually have a distorted view based on stigmas and stereotypes. I hope the more we educate those people and make them realize the truth about our homes, the less the stigma will prevail.
Related: How the Mobile Home Stigma Began.
Iโm sure you have seen those memes floating around online that show photos of what people think versus what the reality is about different subjects. I thought this would be perfect for educating people about our homes. Hereโs what I came up with:
Of course, the whole coming up with a meme got me thinking about what living in a mobile home means to me.
What Living in a Mobile/Manufactured Home Means To Me:
- We own our home, no one can take it from us!
- We will have a gorgeous, contemporary home, completely paid for in less than 10 years.
- We helped renew an older mobile home, keeping it out of the landfills!
- Small footprint living is teaching our daughter that materials and possessions do not matter in life.
- We are a closer family because we have to share such a small space.
- We donโt need to keep up with the Joneโs. They are too far in debt to be able to enjoy anything, anyway.
- Since we arenโt paying a huge mortgage, we can afford to take those trips we planned!
- Our taxes are so low it should almost be illegal. ๐
- Our daughter will be called trailer trash at school, we know that and she knows that. However, she understands that it isnโt what youโre called, itโs what you answer to that counts.
- We are not poor but are far from rich. We do not go hungry or dirty, we live a very comfortable life. We are fortunate and we know it!
- We can work on our home, remodel and change our home into anything we want. The possibilities are endless!
I could come up with so many more things to add to this list but I havenโt that much time.
Have you ever thought what living in a manufactured home really means to you?
Comment below! We want to hear from you!
And as always, thank you so much for reading Mobile Home Living!
I honestly love this . My family in i share a 16 โ 80 three bedroom moble home in Mcgonigle , Ohio . We made this choice on our own accord after years of renting and being told i could not paint our daughters bedroom pink.We came across our trailer and bought in paid for it around $1,300 its a โ79 so ya it needed some work but not much we couldnโt do ourselves .Our daughter is 7 now in mostly she has not had a problem at school yet but i fear it will come one day. However , i can do anything i want to my home if i want to paint it outside and in i can paint it any color i want because it is mine. I agree the taxes are so cheap its unreal.We live on my hubbyโs income and its not much but all our bills are paid every month regardless.I have been able to stay home everyday with our daughter since she was born. We have never went hungry and one day we would like to buy a peice of land and get this we can get someone to haul our home right to it. Our home may still need some work but one day im sure we will be able to get it done.In the mean time we will just keep trying to get it done.Back to the point it makes me sick that so many people look down on us for liveing in a trailer and to be honest with you i was one of them people for along time! Until i bought one and it opened my eyes i realized if i want to own my own place and not be in debt like the rest of my family n friends this was the best route for me to take. I still dread the day my little girl comes home crying because of some ignorant person has no sence in teaching their child that the home does not make the person.
Hi, Angela!
Buying our single wide was the single greatest decision we ever made! It set us on a course that we never imagined possible (starting MHL, not having a rent payment once we paid the loan off, and being able to buy the land are the top 3). After my daughterโs school was condemned I had some money saved up and was able to move us to a place with much better schools and jobs, too. My daughter is absolutely thriving now! All that was possible because we bought an older single wide โ how cool is that?
Best of luck to you and your daughter, too!
Just a short comment about the stigma thing. Some places have this stigma about Mobile Homes, MFG Housing and that is a given. Here in AZ there seems to be less of that because there are so many Mfg, Homes. Most people are proud of their homes whether they are in a park on land they own. I live in a community of all Mfg. Homes all on an acre. Most are well kept and loved by their owners. Mine allows me to travel and enjoy learning about other cultures and yet my home is here waiting for me when I get back, welcoming me with things still in place my trees growing thanks to family that waters them for me when I off on a trip. I can see the mountains around Tucson from my windows and the beautiful sunsets and sun rises and I paid a whole lot less than most people do and no mortgage! Living on retirement that is a big help. So it all depends on where you live about this stigma thing.
Hi Kay!
Itโs great to hear from you โ thank you for commenting! You make several excellent points โ WV isnโt too awful bad with the stigma either and I suppose thatโs because we have a lot of mobile homes too. Every now and then youโll here a snide remark but itโs usually in the more urban areas. Iโm glad you live in a place where everyone is proud of their homes โ it really makes a difference for everyone.
You are living the very life I hope to live one day! I want to travel as much as possible and have my little home waiting for me when I return. Iโve not been too many places yet (WV, FL, NC and the states in between is as far as Iโve went so far) but I was never able to afford to travel. Now we can save up and see the world, hopefully!
Thanks again for commenting โ I hope to hear more about your lovely community!
I agree. There is a social pressure to "fit in". It amazes me the lengths people go to maintain a visible status. And, for what? Stuff? All this extra stuff has to be maintained and taken care of. Not to mention it has to be paid for years on end. I'd rather not finance my life. I'd rather be able to save for retirement and life's emergencies. I also want to be able to retire at an age young enough to enjoy life.
I also apply this same principle purchasing everything else. I buy older cars with cash. Then, drive them 'till the wheels fall off, or it's no longer reasonable to keep it on the road. Then, pay cash for another one. Life is easier and more stress free when you're not constantly worrying about every "little" financial surprise. When you live in a home that's paid for and you haven't financed your life away, you're no longer a slave to debt. And, that is a good thing.
Zeke, you are a very smart man! Great comment and great way to explain debt-free living. It's a great way to live and a lot less stressful ๐
Thank you for this entry and your site. Living in a mobile home, is difficult mentally. There is a social stigma attached to mobile homes, and people who live in stick built homes, seem to think that the person who lives in one, is worse off than they are. I make a six figure salary and live in a state with cheap real estate. However, I live in a $20,000 singlewide on 20 acres. My bank would happily loan me $300,000.00 to build a new house, it just does not make sense to me. A house is simply a place to keep your stuff, how does a stick built home with 5 times the sticker price add any quality to ones life? Robert Kiosoki defines a home as a liability no matter what it is made of, and he is far more qualified than I to make this assessment. This being the case, spending an outrageous amount of money on a home, is wasteful and financially unwise. My mortgage money goes towards early retirement investing. When I am 40, I will go and visit my friends who are "better off" in their stick built home, after I have spent a weekday playing at the park, with my daughter. I like to think that my children will remember that mommy and daddy spent lots of time with them, rather than worrying what other people said, about the place they kept their stuff.
You make so many valid points in your comment!
It is difficult to live in a mobile home. It takes a special reserve and a bit of bravery to be able to look over the ignorance and stereotype associated with our homes. I agree 100% with everything you said. In the end, the type of home we lived in will not be remembered but the time we spent with our family and the experiences that we shared with them will be. I don't want to have to work my whole life to be able to sleep in a fancy home. I'd rather take breaks from work, travel, spend time with my family and enjoy life!
Thank you for taking the time to comment and for having such a wonderful comment with so many great insights. All the best to you and your early retirement!
Hi Gena! I didn't know you were a fellow WV-ian! Your completely
right, there's people in fine homes that live a bit unhygienic just as
much as a some in manufactured homes. Thanks so much!
Wow!! This is a great post. The pics you choose to illistrate what most people who have never been around a MFH think are pretty much right on. When people come to my house they compliment me on my decor and how nice the house is layed out. The love the country theme decor, the large windowns, the skylights, and the vaulted ceilings. Then when I tell them that it is a MFH they just about fall over. Most people think that a MFH is a trailer that is run down sitting in tall weeds with windows so dirty that you cannot even see the windows from the drive way. The opposite of what is actually true. There is a MFH subdivision in my area that wins award every year for best Christmas light decorations, best landscaping design, and other neat awards. I will bet that most of the people that comment on the awards they win do not even know that the homes there are MFH. They are beautiful, well kept, and beautifully landscaped. If America could only get past the whole stereo type thing, I think that just about everyone one would be living in a MFH. Great job on today's post!!!