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I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

metro.co.uk

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Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#61

Post by 01acheru »

Shrezzing wrote: post #45
01acheru wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It absolutely is in all of southern Europe except the center of some large cities, same for eastern Europe, rural France and Germany, etc.

The net after-tax salary in France is €2,450, and in Germany it's €2,750, compared to the €850/mo this kid spends. I can't see how you could survive long-term on around 1/3 of a nation's average salary, even in the most rural of villages with hardly any amenities, rent alone is going to take up the majority of your budget. You could probably get by reasonably well in Greece, and could live very well in the Balkans.

With 850€/month you can pay rent (a small apartment for one person) and bills in more or less half of Germany, same for France. The average net after tax have no meaning in this context.

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#62

Post by kristov »

Brave move, but I wonder how he keeps or makes new friendships and deeper relationships. Maybe this is fine for a while, but people need people (not just text in a chatroom), and I hope he has an exit strategy from this lifestyle, for this reason.

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#63

Post by k1ck4ss »

andy99 wrote: post #57
kkfx wrote: post #54

So he have nothing, no home, no more belongings that a suitcase and a laptop, the ideal SLAVE of the modern time, someone who exists until he can produce for someone else, who effectively own him, then can only die since he have no more option to live. And the article seems to be a spot for this kind of existence "hey, it's cheap"... I'm actually curious how many really have stopped a minute to imaging what does it m…

> what does it means be homeless and not owning anything. Freedom?

so, living in a home I own makes me lack some sort of freedom? If yes, what would be it?

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#64

Post by jack_riminton »

helsinkiandrew wrote: post #52

If I was his age a $2.5K on a years interrail ticket for unlimited travel across Europe (admittedly 2nd class and there may seat reservation charges) would be very tempting https://www.eurail.com/en

When I was interrailing I'd try and do some across Europe night trains as it meant I saved on hostel costs and I'd wake up somewhere new. The choices are somewhat limited though

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#65

Post by protomolecule »

andy99 wrote: post #57
kkfx wrote: post #54

So he have nothing, no home, no more belongings that a suitcase and a laptop, the ideal SLAVE of the modern time, someone who exists until he can produce for someone else, who effectively own him, then can only die since he have no more option to live. And the article seems to be a spot for this kind of existence "hey, it's cheap"... I'm actually curious how many really have stopped a minute to imaging what does it m…

> what does it means be homeless and not owning anything. Freedom?

Hunger, exposure to the elements, illness, death.

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#66

Post by sva_ »

ben_w wrote: post #37
Daviey wrote: post #5

Compared to the UK where a standard-class rail season ticket for me to get to London (including underground), at £8,272 p/y.. but for that, I also have the luxury of either standing in an overcrowded carriage, or if I am super lucky I get to sit in a seat that smells of urine.

If you're just commuting like a normal person, there's also the Deutschlandticket, all* public transport for €49/month. * including ferries, busses, underground, but also has exceptions that don't matter for normal commuting such as "no intercity express" and "a seat isn't guaranteed".

You need some thick skin spending so much time in regional trains. It has become so bad in crowded areas that I'm always super happy once it is over. Nevermind delays, trains being canceled, or standing in freezing temperatures at some random trainstop because the train broke down.

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#68

Post by troupo »

kristov wrote: post #62

Brave move, but I wonder how he keeps or makes new friendships and deeper relationships. Maybe this is fine for a while, but people need people (not just text in a chatroom), and I hope he has an exit strategy from this lifestyle, for this reason.

I wonder more how he keeps his clothes and underwear clean :)

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#69

Post by pera »

Daviey wrote: post #5

Compared to the UK where a standard-class rail season ticket for me to get to London (including underground), at £8,272 p/y.. but for that, I also have the luxury of either standing in an overcrowded carriage, or if I am super lucky I get to sit in a seat that smells of urine.

I never understood why trains are so expensive in England: when I lived in Bristol I liked to spend time in Bath, it's just a ~10 minutes ride but it costed 10 pounds each way if I remember correctly... but at least you could bring your bike for free :p

Re: I spend £8,500 a year to live on a train

#70

Post by dmos62 »

kkfx wrote: post #54

So he have nothing, no home, no more belongings that a suitcase and a laptop, the ideal SLAVE of the modern time, someone who exists until he can produce for someone else, who effectively own him, then can only die since he have no more option to live. And the article seems to be a spot for this kind of existence "hey, it's cheap"... I'm actually curious how many really have stopped a minute to imaging what does it m…

Is a home and belongings enough to emancipate a slave?
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