Thursday, July 14, 2016

militant frugality 2 of 2


MILITANT FRUGALITY 2

Remember your three Inviolate Dictates.  No debt, no car and no rent.  That is the only way you are going to achieve militant frugality.  Having achieved such an exalted state, you will both prep better and faster but you also will far more easily survive the financial collapse.  But no fiddle-humping.  No car means no paid-off car, because there is always ever increasing insurance and fuel costs.  And mechanical failures can queer up the most carefully crafted budgets in zero time.  No debt means exactly that.  None.  Hump your “I gotta have an emergency back-up card”.  Do what generations of poor people did, forever, and have savings for emergencies.  Hump your two year cell phone plan.  And, a new one due to Uncle Obammy The Kenyan Monkey Man, hump medical insurance.  It keeps going up and up as your wages go down or get even more taxes subtracted from it.  You can call it a tax, or a debt from our 1%’er Masters, but it is a stone around your neck keeping you underwater.  Get healthy, mostly by AVOIDING doctors and their regimens, and stay that way mostly through exercise and avoiding most processed foods ( no one can eat 100% healthy anymore, with devitalized dead soil, GMO crap everywhere, pollution and radiation, but just cooking from scratch is going to go a long way towards healthy and save you big bucks.  And exercise blows, regardless of the benefits.  Which is why I so strongly advise the bicycle transportation, to kill two birds with one stone  ).

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And lastly, no rent.  That fancy house you paid off by cashing in your 401(k)?  Nice move.  One of the best things you could have done.  Now, how are you going to pay the $200 a month property tax on it when you are unemployed?  A mortgage-less house with high taxes is just paying rent under another name.  You can’t escape that, granted.  But you can drastically minimize it.  If you have to, sell it and move to a lower cost and much lower tax area.  Minions have weighed in on this previously, from living on ( private ) Forestry Land to living in the Po Section Of The Deep South.  Obviously, don’t move to a poor choice of neighborhoods for the apocalypse, but don’t lose a lifetimes investment by desperately clinging to a place you can’t afford after you are unemployed and your pension was seized in a bank holiday or company bankruptcy.  If you always, unfailingly, adhere to the mantra “Always Bet On Hate”, you can usually better protect yourself.  Bet on your local government taxing you out of your home if they can ( and don’t rely on the law they made to limit their tax rate-changeable at will ).  No one is saying this is easy, or that you can’t get humped another way, just that you need to be a bit more paranoid.

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Next, you need to change your attitude, which is pretty poor.  Remember, You Can’t Always Get What You Want.  How many years have we spent arguing here?  Ten?  And it always boils down to you having a very good reason why you can’t do something you don’t want to do.  Like sacrifice luxuries.  I’m trying to help out my brothers here, and all I get is “Valid Excuse One Through Ninety-Nine Why I Must Remain A Yuppie Scum Survivalist”.  What are the two non-negotiable things in life you must do?  Die and pay taxes.  All that only crap, you CHOOSE to do.  It might be conceived of a choice of a lesser evil, but it is your choice in the end.  No one is asking you to avoid having needs and desires, merely to minimize them or substitute lesser items for them.  Sure, we all want a Playboy Bunny to dry hump us and shudder in delight and never leave your side, but in reality we marry or date a slightly chubby gal with a crappy attitude.  That is substituting a lesser item for your desires and wants.  Now apply that across the board to transportation and shelter and preps and everything else. 

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Actually be happy that you get Better Than Nothing.  Stop looking over the other side of the fence.  Sure, the grass is greener but that is only because the last horse on that side was slaughtered and the blood was great fertilizer.  All it takes is an attitude change.  Not more money, or more skill.  Just an attitude change.  Just as I was flabbergasted over how ugly co-workers kept getting laid while I remained alone, I also never could figure out how to live free and with far less stress.  With age came wisdom.  In the first case, you just have to change your attitude where you don’t need a gal.  Then they come to you.  You can’t need ( don’t ask me why, gals still confuse me.  And don’t look at me like that.  Without the desire for sex and food, none of us would even get out of bed in the morning.  Sex is natural and if your religion has you hung up about it you are psychotic ). In the second case, you just need to change your attitude to want far less.  In the end, that attitude gets you more.

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Easier said than done, but in the end it IS just as easy as that.  And in the end, I don’t need you to follow any of the above advice.  It worked for me and I know I’m right.  If you don’t want to help yourself, in the end I can laugh uproariously how I was correct, and you can cry into your beer.  I’m obviously not here for the financial rewards of writing ( an oxymoron, by the way ).  If you can admit you were wrong, that you were a dumbass and need to change, than the world is your oyster.  Learn to laugh at yourself first, and then all of life is a comedy.  I’m sure I can throw a few more one liner nuggets in there but they don’t pay me by the word.  Patient, heal theyself! ( okay, there was another one.  I’m definitely stopping now ).

END

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38 comments:

  1. How about... it's just a stinky patch of skin, get over it !

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    1. You can fight biology and be miserable or ;learn to use to your own advantage and be happy.

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    2. Nope you certainly cannot fight normal biology, but you can compensate.
      There is always handy Andy and his twin brother lol.

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  2. I would like to add that more money is a good thing for your preps. And that one does NOT have to cut everything out at once. Cut back on driving the car slowly but surely until you only use it for trips that are too long to make on foot or bike. Sell the house and rent a smaller one closer to the junk land you bought - and if you did better than breaking even on the sell of the house use that for some basic improvements on your junk land (fences, water source, septic system maybe, what ever you can afford and need with the cash). Do cut up your emergency Credit Cards as soon as you have an emergency savings to replace them. Or if you owe on them and cant pay them off declare bankruptcy. Even Chapter 13 is better than being stuck paying on credit cards.
    Don't take student loans- if you have, stop taking them and pay them off ASAP or look up the clauses for 'undue hardship' 'total permanent disability' 'default' and 'statute of limitations on debts by state' and finally failing all else your states standards on maximum % of wage garnishment allowed.

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    1. Much better detailed advice than what I gave. Thanks.

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    2. It took literally years and an act of congress to get the spouses student loans discharged from disability. But eventually when all the paper work had every I dotted and T crossed and a congressman asking what the hold up was the spouse got the discharge- tentatively at least, and now we need to worry about the tax effects of it, but tax bills can be discharged in bankruptcy if necessary.

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  3. During the beginning year of 2008 recession, we noticed many existing residences w/ relatives / friends living in travel trailers in back and side yards. Presumably in exchange for low rent / utility reimbursement / tax payment.

    City couldn't complain without having another electric / water meter to tax - not sure how sanitary sewer was handled (maybe composting toilet?) In any case, bundling family is still done, especially when older relative needs a place to stay at night, vs. paying for a retirement home.

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    1. Back when I was still down in Carson City, the state Yuppie Scum Prick Capital, prior to the downturn the trailer parasiting was already going on-that was a bellwether I didn't pay attention to ( because of the high cost of living most places in this state, plus Nevada was one of the worst real estate areas ).

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  4. Jim what readers need to think on is. What can I do to live on an income of 30 hours at minimum wage less 25% taxes. Or 165$ a week. This is where we are headed as a work force. It is what SS payments (present minimum) will drop to in the future. If you don't think you could drop to this level remember when customers are at this level you have to adjust or you go to 0$.

    At a future of 165$ a week How does a junk lot a shack,600 watt of solar panels and water well/catchment sound now.
    Disclaimer; I got 2 acres a 10 x 20 shed and well for 732$ off state tax deed books. My house is paid for I got this as a BOL/Man cave.

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    1. Don't forget, 30 hours minimum wage, minus 25% tax, PLUS minus $900 at the beginning of each year for not having health insurance. In my case that is an additional 10% of my gross income. Kenyan monkey prick.

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    2. You don't have to pay the tax - it is supposed to come out of your tax return (currently that is the ONLY lawful way for the IRS to collect it) so, if you are careful enough to cut your withholding's in order that you don't get a return and only owe a couple of bucks, you can get away without having to pay the 'health tax' of 0bama care. Don't cut your withholdings so much that you owe more to the IRS than you can pay in a month or two.
      Unfortunately my financial situation is such that I have a hard time predicting how much my tax return will be until the end of the year. Also my tax accountant is so good that half the time I expect to owe the IRS he finds me more money to give back. And also fortunately I get health insurance almost free through my employer at this point.

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    3. Good news is I doubt the current health insurance scheme will be in place 5 years from now. Of course, what replaces it could be worse. I think we'll be to a single payer / federal system before too long.

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    4. Too much profit to change, and by the time it does the whole system has most likely imploded.

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    5. Meh, I would bet they make it that the private insurance companies are the 'contractors' for providing the federal health insurance through eventually. The names will change depending on whether the Ds or Rs are in charge at the time, but that is what we are headed for. You will pay your 'health care tax' like social security, out of your paycheck, have to go through massive waits for routine care, and have your and your dr.'s every medical decision second guessed and not allowed until approved. Even if it to set a broken bone, or do CPR... But if you should skip your mandated immunizations (or smoke, or drink, or be overweight, etc.) then they hit you with massive additional penalties and delays to care... AKA the VA system for everyone...

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    6. Let's hope the whole fed system is too slow and ponderous to get there.

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  5. A while back I contacted the local BLM ranger who patrols this area. He stated the majority of his time/effort is spent removing squatters off BLM land. If I recall correctly, he stated you could stay in one spot for 15 days, and then would have to move on (and there's a certain amount of miles, can't remember, between your two camps for it to count as a new location). Obviously you'd get more slack cut for you if your stuff appeared in decent shape, you were polite, and you were gainfully occupied (gold panning or something) rather than looking and smelling like you just crawled out of a swamp. If you think you can't afford junk land and you'll resort to living on public lands, you better have some good "swap back and forth" camping spots with multiple backup sites in case you find someone else there. That includes having a decent fuel supply to facilitate this as well as two spare tires since off-road travel is more likely to result in flat tires. If you break down out there, it's only a matter of time before your vehicle/trailer/stuff is forcibly removed. Also, don't overlook the locals suspicion of your presence on "their" public lands who will report you because they don't want you there. Something to think about anyways.
    Peace out

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    1. If I remember correctly you have to move twenty miles. I looked into camping on public lands before and it seemed too petroleum dependent.

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  6. I forgot to add this on my first comment. I have an acquaintance that volunteers for the Forest Service. He's really into backpacking, horses, cross country (no trail) travel etc. He told me, unsolicited, that he was looking at the USFS map and saw a lake in the high country with no trail to it that he'd never been to before so he decided to go visit it. He took a horse train cross-country, and when he found the lake, he found out someone had made a bug out camp there (my words, not his). He said there was a really nice lean-to, three sided with roof, constructed with a chain saw to cabin standards. They had also buried a whole bunch of freeze-dried backpacking food in PVC tubes in the ground. I asked how he found the food and he stated some rodents must have smelled it so they dug holes around the tube to access the food but gave up, and in the process the PVC became visible. He told me he completely disassembled the cabin, the kitchen/campfire area, dug up all the buried food, and brought all the food and other supplies out with him on the horse train. When he got back he reported his activity to the Forest Service so they could monitor the area. I was shocked by this as I thought whoever did it had a pretty good plan and I had no idea there were "civilian volunteers" doing such things. Anyhow, thought you might be interested.
    Peace out

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    1. Damn volunteer pigs are worse than the paid ones, Napolean Complex mo'Humpers. What happened to live and let live?

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  7. Elko minion here James. Just received and paid my first tax bill yesterday. Total cost; $15; yeah junk land! I didn't get a full bill for some reason so as to be able to pay the second installment all at once as I would in CA?

    I'm not going put any improvements into this land beyond a hidden root cellar, a small non-permit shed, and a cistern so that I don't have to constantly haul water, and the above tax bill is the reason for that.

    My only concern is that it's not far enough out to be left alone (The land near your Ryndon land)? At this point I'm not as afraid of crime in the conventional sense of the word, but rather the increasingly totalitarian police state.

    Here in the PRK we need to get a background check to buy ammo now.

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    1. The tax bill has options for three payments, but just pay it off at once to save a smidge. As long as you don't draw attention to yourself no one should visit you out there, sheriff or otherwise.

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    2. Good to know James, thanks. That's my biggest concern of all. I merely wish to be left alone by the power structure, I'm less afraid of running into “criminals” in the conventional sense of the word. Won't do anything to attract negative attention, perhaps other than to target shoot on occasion? Probably just one or two simple structures with a couple of shade trees; no junk yard or anything else that would stand out.

      I haven't even been there as of yet. I have a few things that I'd like to get in order before heading out there, such as eliminating most of my possessions. But I'm starting to get restless, and am hoping for no later than Spring of 2017.

      Interesting, because no where on my tax bill do I see an option to pay beyond the first installment?

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    3. My bill has three perforated squares at the bottom for multiple payments. I confess, I pay little attention to them. Your best defense out there is the terrible condition washboard roads-few will voluntarily drive them.

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    4. “Your best defense out there is the terrible condition washboard roads-few will voluntarily drive them.”


      Then it's a good thing that I held on to that Jeep for all these years. Can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to sell it.

      Well, between the rough roads, no water, and off-grid, I might just safe, and never have to worry about the area developing? My 2.5 acres may as well be a thousand, or so that's what I'm betting on?

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    5. I've daydreamed of moving out there many a time, I'm so friggin sick of the sight of too many people. Alas, I suck being totally alone. I think the first time you drive it you will see what I'm saying-of course, could be a Mini-You close by anyway. I assume you looked through Google Earth prior.

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    6. Yes, I did James. I scanned it pretty thoroughly, and initially did not see anyone out there. It was only later that I did discover that there is at least one homestead out there about a ½ mile off from me. Too close for comfort for me, but still tolerable. Google doesn't update their aerial photos more than once a year I don't think, so I'm hoping the situation hasn't gotten worse since the last update?

      I hear you when it comes to people in general. Good friends when you can find them are a pleasure, the problem is finding them. Since my views in general are rather politically incorrect, I could never be myself around 99% of the people out there. It will in all likelihood be only myself out there, which is probably going to be challenging. My mother is still alive, and living in CA with my brother, which is where my RV (home) is currently parked. As long as she is around I have the option to go back and forth between here and Elko, so when it gets real lonely I can always come back here. Once my mother is no longer around I won't have that option, and I'll be in full time Jeremiah Johnson mode at that point.


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    7. When I visited my lot I had nobody around four miles to the south and one mobile about a third of a mile to the north. I have no idea if it was occupied or not. It was a crappy lot with bad solar exposure and I paid too much for it and I miss it!

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  8. (No debt, no car and no rent. That is the only way you are going to achieve militant frugality.) NO spending less then you take in is how you do it. An auto or a bike has little to do with it.

    The only problem with the bike only idea is it drastically limits your income producing ability. Bicycles are only practical for a way to get to work in a limited way. While good in many ways, they are sure to limit your income so you MUST be very frugal as their use as the only way to get to work takes money out of your pocket that an auto doesn't because the auto allows for a much more efficient use of your time and the ability to get to a much better paying job.


    I know we will never agree on this Jim, you have been at the bottom so long you see anything outside (above) of your way of doing something as wrong.

    I live a frugal life; I live well below my means. After all expenses I pocket (put in the safe as I don't trust banks) on average $200.00 to $210.00 a week.

    I would not be able to do this using a bike as sole transportation.

    Yes I’m is in a somewhat different situation in that I m self employed and have a van full of tools I must have with me going from job site to job site. But almost everyone is making more money by using an auto then would make with just a bike.


    I’m sure almost everyone here know that an auto allows them to make much more money then a bicycle would. You can argue, rant and debate all you want, but few people will convert to just a bike as it’s a BIG HIT to their income.

    Bottom line is to live on less then you make, and to go MGTOW so you won’t have a leach draining away money faster then you make it.

    The problem is that almost everyone spends more money as their income goes up. Learn to not do this (and it’s hard to learn and do) and live it and money will be no problem.

    I think a big part of the debt problem is radio and TV, every 13-min there is an advertising telling you, you need X product and people can only buy so much so they go into debt to get bobbles they tell themselves they need.

    PS an auto doesn’t have to cost a lot. My last van cost $1,100.00 and lasted 4-years with almost no repair expense beyond oil changes. I just bought another van (last one developed a head gasket leak and wasn’t worth fixing) for $1,000.00 that runs great. I make enough to pay for it in a month out of petty cash. That’s what I did, I found one on Craig’s List, dialed the combo on the safe, took out $1,200.00 and bought the van. No debt, no asking a bank for a loan, I’m my own bank and I approved myself so now I have another van.

    My van doesn’t cost anything, it produces $800.00 a month in income after all other expenses are taken care of.

    $800.00 may not seem like much too many people, but $9 to 10, K bankable income a year isn’t bad for a guy that mostly works only 4-days a week.

    I have ZERO debt and if the system does crash (a JWR”s Patriots crash) I will still do OK because I have LOTS of skills, Lots of parts and supplies put up. And I will still be able to do repair work as everyone will still have things break and need repair. I also have all the other preps that preppers have and I heavily invested in herbal meds and skills to take care of many problems. Yes herbal stuff did cost a bit, but how much is your life worth? I want to be around for a while so I learned and spent accordingly and it was a good investment.

    I’m not too worried about an economic crash for a few reasons. First I can do nothing to stop it and I tend to not let things I can’t control throw me into a panic.

    And second I have numerous killer repair skills to keep me going.


    Chuck Findlay

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    1. Most folks buy a car, then use the cars capabilities to decide where to move. I have no car and live accordingly in relation to a job. If your car MAKES you money, fine. That is how many people? 1 in a 100?

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    2. I'd love to be able to get by with just a bike, and it's something to shoot for down the road. Car maintenance always seemed to take a good portion of my check, because with reduced hours, I simply wasn't making much to begin with. A new set of tires can easily cost $400.00. Being poor, I got them from a junk yard. It seemed that any repair cost at all was around $600 on the low side, and $1000 average. Gas really added up as well, but I was commuting pretty far too.

      A new Chinese scooter costs about a $1000. And yes, I won't lie and say that they're great, but worst case cost scenario is $300; for a whole new engine!

      I'm thinking that the very best homestead bike is one of those tricycles with the wire basket/bed on the back; sort of a bike truck if you will.

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    3. I've read reviews that brand new Chinese scooters have electrical wiring issues-you still need to be a mechanic with one. On trike bikes, I believe they go pretty slow, plus the basket is no bigger than a two wheeler with front and back racks. Plus they cost a lot.

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    4. Correct James. I've done a ton of research on the Chinese scooters, but the wiring on them is mainly an issue if you ride them in wet or rainy weather. And you definitely have to plan on being your own mechanic, since most mechanics won't touch them. Chilton's (I believe?) puts out a real complete guide for them. Practically all Chinese 150cc scooters are the GY6 engine, so they're pretty much all the same mechanically. They also require regular valve adjustments. If you're better at shopping around then I am, then you might be able to find a good deal on a used Yamaha, Honda, or Buddy scooter, and you will barely ever have to do anything outside of standard maintenance with these scooters.

      The tricycle that I saw James had a huge back basket for storage, much bigger than a standard bike basket. That's why I referred to it as a “bike truck”, because that's what it reminded me of. You can also put a basket on the front.

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    5. I'm actually interested in a trike as you describe-but if it is one of those crafted ones for an insane price, not so much. I didn't ever stop and think Chilton's put out a guide on the Chinese scooters-that does change the equation quite a bit! Thank you.

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    6. Here it is James, it's a Haynes guide:

      Chinese Taiwanese & Korean Scooters Revised 2014: 50, 100, 125, 150 & 200 cc Twist and Go (Haynes Service & Repair Manual) 1st Edition

      https://www.amazon.com/dp/0857336460/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_img?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2P9H5MHEI5D99&coliid=I2ZWPIY6A7O1QS

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    7. Being able to get everywhere you have to go by bike or foot is a good rule of thumb. Even if you still use a car much of the time your ability to get around on a bike or foot will be useful, and you can always use the 'getting in shape' excuse for why you are weaning yourself and your family off the cars.

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    8. Just like prepping can be disguised as stocking for reduced income at retirement.

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    9. If you have 2 cars, sell the one worth the most money, or with the most owed. It's not a big thing to have bike+car and 2 drivers, esp. if the vehicle has a bumper bike rack. Where you really start to win is with one car and multiple bikers. The car makes transporting cargo easier, as well as dropping off/picking up bikes and riders with or without bikes. UBER/Lyft makes car into paying "job". This is what cell phones are for: saving fuel & trips. I have a hitch rack (2" receiver) that easily holds 3 big bikes and probably up to 400# total on the Caprice. This is Middle Class Suffering, but it will save money compared to the usual one-car-per-driver-and-a-spare-vehicle suburban strategy. Better would be a 19' class-B+ campervan (1970's 440 Dodge guzzler) with a hitch+trailer to move more stuff in one trip (fleamarket vending, paid hauling jobs) or the "last trip out" hasty-move.

      pdxr13

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  9. I use a company truck for most things people buy them for, ours sits still a lot. Make the job work for you.

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