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How to Live Cheap in Hawaii
USINFO | 2013-08-12 10:53
So you've discovered paradise and have decided to pack your bags and move to Hawaii. The most isolated land mass on earth, Hawaii relies heavily on imported goods shipped from the U.S. mainland and elsewhere. From the price of gas to dry goods, the cost of living in Hawaii is high. Additionally, wages across the board are lower on average in the 50th state. Living in Hawaii "on the cheap" requires creativity, flexibility and most of all, resourcefulness.
How to Live Cheap in Hawaii
Step 1
Find affordable accommodations. While you may not end up living in an resort-caliber abode, housing in Hawaii doesn't have to be expensive to be beautiful. If you travel light, you can more easily secure anything from a care-taking opportunity at a snowbird residence, an "ohana" (spare guest house) on a sprawling property, a simple coffee shack on a rural farm, or a room for rent in a nice neighborhood.
Step 2
Buy a used car on Oahu. If you live on a neighbor island like Kauai or the Big Island, the price of cars is decidedly higher than on Oahu, where used cars cycle out of rental car agencies on a prolific basis. Even when you factor in the cost of shipping, a used car from Oahu can be more affordable than what's available on neighbor islands.
Step 3
Grow your own food. With idyllic, year-round climate and plentiful sun and rain, Hawaii is the perfect place to plant a thriving vegetable garden. By incorporating edible landscaping into your yard, you can reap the harvest of everything from papayas, bananas, mangoes and pineapples to lettuce, tomatoes, beets, yams, sweet potatoes and more.
Step 4
Consider work-exchange opportunities. Hawaii boasts many rural farms that offer free accommodations to willing workers. The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms offers information on finding prescreened farmers (See Resources). You can also find care-taking opportunities at homes of residents who live in Hawaii part-time.
Step 5
Live off the grid. By creating a simple, solar-powered abode, you eliminate the high expenses associated with energy in Hawaii, which has the highest cost of electricity in the nation.
How to Live Cheap in Hawaii
Step 1
Find affordable accommodations. While you may not end up living in an resort-caliber abode, housing in Hawaii doesn't have to be expensive to be beautiful. If you travel light, you can more easily secure anything from a care-taking opportunity at a snowbird residence, an "ohana" (spare guest house) on a sprawling property, a simple coffee shack on a rural farm, or a room for rent in a nice neighborhood.
Step 2
Buy a used car on Oahu. If you live on a neighbor island like Kauai or the Big Island, the price of cars is decidedly higher than on Oahu, where used cars cycle out of rental car agencies on a prolific basis. Even when you factor in the cost of shipping, a used car from Oahu can be more affordable than what's available on neighbor islands.
Step 3
Grow your own food. With idyllic, year-round climate and plentiful sun and rain, Hawaii is the perfect place to plant a thriving vegetable garden. By incorporating edible landscaping into your yard, you can reap the harvest of everything from papayas, bananas, mangoes and pineapples to lettuce, tomatoes, beets, yams, sweet potatoes and more.
Step 4
Consider work-exchange opportunities. Hawaii boasts many rural farms that offer free accommodations to willing workers. The World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms offers information on finding prescreened farmers (See Resources). You can also find care-taking opportunities at homes of residents who live in Hawaii part-time.
Step 5
Live off the grid. By creating a simple, solar-powered abode, you eliminate the high expenses associated with energy in Hawaii, which has the highest cost of electricity in the nation.
