How Much Money I Make: Real Numbers || Living in a Car

So often I get asked, I thought lawyers were rich, how come a lawyer lives in a car?
So let's talk about the myth that all lawyers (and other professionals) are wealthy, and my actual income numbers for my various businesses (law firm, content creation, rental property).
Why I Live in a Car: • Living in a Car || Why...
Why I Still Live in a Car: • Living in a Car for On...
My Debt: • How Much Debt I Have L...
How to Make Money while Living in a Car: • 7 Ways to Make Money a...
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#livinginacar

[@drandreaoconnor]

I am a physician , I work 2 jobs full time, and I am NOT rich. I don't know how people are making it. Love your truth and channel :)

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks!

[@Jame6999]

This doesn't add up.

[@gimcrack555]

@@Jame6999 debt.....lot's of debt.....way over their head.....now it might make sense.

[@annielin2894]

@@drandreaoconnor drandrea my doctor has been working for 7 days for the past 20 years!

[@rorycolgan]

I make it by limiting my visits to the doctor, once in the last 20 years, but now at 40, not certain how long that philosophy will work 😅

[@agl5132]

I'm retired and now writing. I am amazed at how many writers in my international and regional groups are prior lawyers. So many became dissolutioned by the realities of the profession or where fulfilling their parents dreams. Many of those big lawyers have no personal lives. Working 80-100 hours a week makes you a crappy spouse, parent etc

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yep the other lawyers I knew in my 20s -- very few of them are still practicing law

[@pamettmayer2391]

I admire you being a lawyer,and not living beyond your means.

[@gilgilbert5866]

Love your transparency, especially in regards to a KZbin paycheck, thanks!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

You are so welcome!

[@ukulelebutterfly]

I love how candid you are. I'm a Former Banker. I know the 'real' income professionals get paid. I was totally shocked when I discovered I earned more than a surgeon I was trying to help. And he had student loans like crazy. I appreciate your ingenuity. You have a great spirit! 😊✌️♥️ ~ 🦋

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks!

[@Jennifer_Lewis_Beach_Living]

Thank you for sharing this. People have a big misconception about what lawyers REALLY make. While some lawyers get lucky with getting that six-figure salary right out of the gate, most lawyers start out with a relatively low starting salary, especially if you work for the state as a criminal lawyer. I also like that you’re honest about what you make on social media. People also have misconceptions about what people make on social media. The truth is that 97% of people on social media need other streams of income (second job, merch, services, “trust fund”/parents or spouse’s salaries) to be able to live.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yep it's good to share money info because so many people don't talk about it

[@bbutler7158]

Wow! I clicked on your video so quickly because I thought of a woman who earned her law degree working for an auto finance company or some big corp - she made big, big bucks and took her checks and stashed like 70% of her pay in retirement and other financial investments for like 7 or 10 years. She now lives off the returns of those investments and is an entrepreneur - working when she wants. I find it to be such a great idea and wished other grads would do the same because high debts (big house, new car and designer stuff) is simply not worth it. Great vid. All the best to you! 😉

[@rickcooper156]

My ex wife and I worked out tails off to build our kingdom and retire in a million dollar beach house. We had our investments in place and my small contracting business was thriving. 3 years after she retired, we separated and I moved into my SUV... We're currently in divorce court. I'm thriving living full time in my SUV but I have learned the hard way that money doesn't buy happiness. I now chase my Dreams and Life Experiences and have embraced Minimalism. And I've never been happier. Sometimes, your nightmare will lead you to where your every Dream Comes True!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks for sharing - so true!!

[@cjhoward409]

@@rickcooper156 seems like the happier people I know are not so rich. Not poor either. Somewhere in between

[@rickcooper156]

@@cjhoward409 i agree... And the happiest people I know are the ones who choose to be happy no matter what. Life is what we make it. Have you noticed that some of the richest people on earth made their fortunes while all Hell was breaking loose all around them? I try to be the little boy who went out to the barn on Christmas morning, grabbed the pitchfork and started cleaning the stalls as fast as he could and with all his might! His father came in and asked him why was he working so hard... He told his father "With all this horse poop, there's bound to be a pony in here, somewhere!!!" Lol

[@commuterbranchline8132]

Paying off debt is the key to unlocking the freedom we all desire. Well done on the debt reduction👍 Take care!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks!

[@nvt6781]

Thank you for sharing your story. Homeless could happen to anybody…

[@cchoi108]

Lol You're my favorite living in a car KZbinr. I totally relate. I'm in the Bay area too. Currently living in a condo but living in a car has so much allure for me. I'm always scoping out places where I could park overnight LOL. There's even a shower at my work so I wouldn't even have to pay for a gym.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks! Ah yes if there's a shower at your work, that would make it easier!

[@dawnb2660]

Always love your videos! You give out such great advice and tips for living in your car situations. I am hoping to travel soon in my car with my dog to explore this country.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thank you! Good luck with it :)

[@Mooi-td6pl]

Dogs are better traveling companions than human.

[@hypnautycs]

Just wanted to say hi and mention how inspiring you are! As a fellow CA attorney (family law & IP as well), I too have looked into pursuing the car/van life - my timing just hasn’t been right with kids. Thank you for sharing your journey. After seeing this video, I just subscribed.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Makes sense! Yeah I waited until my son graduated from high school :)

[@23drcharles]

The sad reality is that law school sorts out the future of lawyers. The students who do not understand the law school ratings are from private universities -state universities and night schools. Lawyers are rated by their outplacement. The AI revolution will doom the low-quality lawyers who do not have the grades and placements.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yeah the bottom of the class really has few options, even before AI and such.

[@srhatfield]

$60k a year wasn't a living wage in the San Francisco/bay area in 1995!

[@davidwright873]

A little money from a bunch of small sources is smart. Real smart!

[@carolrivers292]

True Comments are rude sometimes Some people are not fabulous 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yep!

[@gloriaguerrero8556]

You blew my mind with information 😮. Thanks for that!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Stan-at-KangarooIslandTV]

Good on you for choosing a creative and independent path! I’ve worked all my life as a journalist but chose small town for the lifestyle plus it’s cheap living. Now I live on island and thanks to selling my mainland house I am now equipped to live and vlog in my electric car. I fear more people will be living in cars involuntarily if the unthinkable happens in November. Good luck to us all!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks for sharing!! So true, good luck to all of us

[@cjhoward409]

I’m retired now, but “back in the day” I was a nurse but the market was flooded with nurses and the only work I could find was a nursing home. Did that for a few years making just above min wage ! So I went into retail and within 6 months I was a co manager making $3 more an hour than I did as a LPN nurse and after another 6 months I became a store manager. And I did that for 25 years. Made more money than my nursing degree could get me.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

So weird to think about nurses not finding jobs - now it’s so different

[@cjhoward409]

@@elizabethoffgrid The market was so flooded at one time.

[@jao5928]

LPN is not a degree but a certificate.

[@maryclebeau]

So true. It’s like starting a business.😊

[@williamwadejr5302]

It’s nobody’s business how much money you make or have. You like living in your Subaru and that’s what matters. Only problem is you need a permanent address for mail, etc. I just got back from vacation and it was $250 a night minimum, plus food and eating out isn’t cheap any where.

[@cjhoward409]

@@williamwadejr5302 my husband and I traveled around in our motorhome for a year. We used his sisters address for our mail. We didn’t have any credit card bills or mortgage or car payments so our mail was a minimum. And when we stayed at one place for 2+ weeks, she would forward all our mail to the rv park we were staying at.

[@enekneya7378]

Thank you for sharing!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Of course!

[@robertchavez5647]

Great! I’ve been living in my car visiting state to state from California since November 5, 2020. Been “stacking cash”, paying off debts and renting out my home for these past 4 years. You’re entirely correct about assumptions people make with regards to professions. I was finishing up my PH.D in Health Psychology but my military GI Bill and student loans ran out 8 months before graduation so I didn’t finish. But now I see all of my former classmates with Doctorate degrees declaring bankruptcy and not even working in their psychology fields. I get my army retirement, VA disability from wars and now my Social Security checks. Free dental and medical care in all 50 states when I need it. Your story is truly inspirational and an encouragement when sometimes I wonder “is this really normal”? To each their own! Anyways thank you for your story it encourages a little of us car campers and full time RV travelers! 👍🇺🇸

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Welcome! Thanks for sharing your story

[@rightbrothers2004]

Great content. Thankyou for sharing.

[@sigma5055]

law has becoming really saturated and AI is going to 10x the problem

[@lewisvogel466]

Lawyers are supposed to live in cars

[@wkl747]

Good job. Thank for sharing your life as a lawyer and content creator. I enjoy it immensity

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I appreciate that!

[@TechPhotoGuy]

Ah, you might not be a rich lawyer, but at least you're a rich KZbinr right? That's the hope for our kids' generation! :)

[@elizabethoffgrid]

lol there you go :)

[@waynecmontgomery]

Great Video!!! Why haven't you tried living in office space? It would be more comfortable and safer than a car. There is a lot of small office suites (150 to 300 sq feet) that are available for cheap money

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yeah, the office lease agreements I have reviewed do not allow someone to live there (unless it is a live-work space). But an office or industrial space can be great for day use and storage.

[@waynecmontgomery]

@@elizabethoffgrid Does anybody really enforce those stupid zoning rules(LOL). There are commercial units in Hawaii that have showers and kitchens. I lived in my office for 3 years. I was able to just recently buy my condo in Hawaii straight cash after a divorce.

[@ajfeinman]

I almost went to law school in 2010, but decided at the last minute to do something different. Overall, I make a lot more than the average lawyer. But it’s still stressful because my income is unsteady. Some months I make a killing, and some months I make nothing. I also live in my car so my bills are very low.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yeah I think anyone self employed has that up-and-down income

[@sheilahoness-dd9ws]

Hi Elizabeth Thank you for your video. Not everyone is rich. Great video.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

You are so welcome!

[@trinasyoutube]

No “career” means you make a lot of money - why is that so hard for people to understand? People really do believe all lawyers & doctors make a lot of money. It’s sad you have to explain it. ❤

[@EasternDreamer615]

You have earned a new subscriber. I’m thinking about taking the LSAT soon. I’m unsure about my prospects though even if I get into a good law school. Seems like debt is a heavy burden to bare.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yeah I had a partial scholarship and purposely went to a law school that was not as highly ranked because I'd have less debt upon graduation

[@MINIMALMINIVANCAMPER]

In my line of work your pay depends on how much you know,what you can do,the quality of your work,how well your liked,your reputation,and how fast you are .the top performers earn over 100 k year . The lowest 35k

[@Chicago48]

It also depends on WHO you know. Get in a good excellent school and get to know the alumni. That's where the jobs are - with the alumni.

[@jerrysan7338]

Its doesnt matter your lawyer or high degree education the matter the most its your experience financial literacy where you can save by living frugal minimalist off grid its sustainable way of living

[@jerrysan7338]

Its not how much money you make it how much you keep.

[@Chicago48]

Living in a car is borderline insanity. She's insane IMO. She can find somebody who's renting out a room. That's all she needs is a room. She's basically frugal and cheap IMO. She can work as a paralegal, she can teach, substitute teach, there's a lot she can do, but she's cheap IMO.

[@linmurray436]

You should consider moving out of California. My husband just hired an attorney and her hourly rate is $400. We are in southern Oregon just a few hours north of you.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Lawyers moving to another state is a big deal (I’d have to take the bar exam again) but I may eventually relocate my residency

[@MsSaralee10]

@@elizabethoffgridmany states will admit on motion, no exam needed, which is what I did.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Ah that’s only for states that have parity

[@Ttow49]

@@linmurray436 400 sounds really cheap, good attorney's are 5 or 600 a hour in ohio

[@clabeauxdave8709]

You are just full of excuses.

[@prettygirlus9008]

One of the few good career decisions I made was dropping out of the night program at New England School of Law after one year in 1987.

[@breannegeorge9924]

Why I love the Midwest, specifically Eastern Ohio... You can live very comfortably on 70K a year and be near AMAZING hiking trails in the Appalachian Mountain foothills and cute hippy towns.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yeah I can see that!!

[@chrisgoeswest9882]

The legal profession is highly overrated from the standpoint of income. It is sort of like the acting industry. People only think about the rich and famous ones.

[@Tes7000]

Times are hard for everybody right about now, but I still think lawyers are generally doing fairly well, or at least where I live in Georgia. I've never been, but I generally have a negative impression of San Francisco, and that includes the outrageous costs of living. Even the tech workers making six figures can barely make it there.

[@chrisgoeswest9882]

@@Tes7000 Yeah, exactly.

[@johnsradios484]

Before you even said it I knew you lived in SF. My second guess would have been LA. I would have said NYC third but really tough owning a car in NYC.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yep SF Bay Area is very expensive

[@gailmiler2797]

It seems like anyone who wants to have a youtube channel needs a very thick skin! I've seen mean-spirited comments on all kinds of channels but I guess the thing to remember is that even the nasty ones work to your advantage by shaking up the algorithm!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Very true re handling mean-spirited and even terrible comments. Well I am heavy-handed with the "hide" button so that's how I deal with it! :)

[@reginafisher9919]

Truth

[@joecummings1260]

Wouldn't you be more comfortable in something like a little camping trailer or something like that? More privacy, a better bed, and a kitchenette.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I talk about why I picked a car instead of a camper, here kzbin.info/www/bejne/ooCmoqSlaMlpiqs

[@cherbug1197]

Welcome to “you will own nothing and be happy!”

[@elizabethoffgrid]

So true!!

[@SurpriseMeJT]

Europeans are happy with less and yes, sometimes not much. Thankfully they have time to enjoy life a bit.

[@Ch-vl8bg]

5 year treasury bonds. You must put in $5 grand at a time. Susie Orman has videos on how you can live on less than a $1000 a month and save $200. Granted that was over 10 years ago. Buy a old home on contract if your credit score is low. (After 5 years of paying off bills) Hope nothing happens with health or family....

[@AG-so4gl]

Its what you make of life. I barely got thru HS but earn 6 figures

[@andrewminjiras5745]

I like your presentation and that you get to the point quickly. If I was younger I would likely buy a Toyota van and travel in the West.

[@jongonegone1262]

you would be a GOOD TRIAL LAWYER.

[@GrantSR]

What I'm curious about is why you fell so much in love with content creation that you chose to shift careers.

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I was never really “in love” with practicing law, in the first place

[@Mhel2023]

@@GrantSR It scares me when people that make videos declare KZbin a "career". Google is the ultimate big brother boss and the income fluctuations would be maddening. But I suppose it's the same situation with "regular" jobs as well, especially these days.

[@GrantSR]

@@Mhel2023 As a viewer, it seems weird to see people say they are turning KZbin into their full-time career. Usually, that means they are going to get trapped into shilling for products that they don't really believe in, and churning "content" just to be able to have videos in which to do said shilling. To me, that always devalues their content. Not because they are taking sponsors, but because I can't trust them to be honest about said sponsors, and they drag out the content rather than getting to the point. The organizations that broker those sponsorships have figured out exactly how to exploit and corrupt naive new KZbinrs. But, I understand the desire to be one's own boss and work on one's own schedule. Fortunately, there are other ways to make money on one's own schedule. Unfortunately, KZbin is the most really apparent for many people who don't REALLY have something they truly feel the need to say. As a retired person (on a very small but survivable income), I have the luxury of being able to USE KZbin to distribute the videos that I WANT to make, without relying on any income from it at all. So, when I finally get around to starting to make videos, I will be able to make them the way I think they should be made, rather than second guessing some algorithm.

[@donnahall-kumar333]

Well you have to know who you are and what you are willing to give up to move up.. 👀👂👂✨

[@mountains1233]

Where do you find lawyers that charge under 150/hr?

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Tbh I have no idea -- I was charging $150/hour over 20 year ago. But it does depend on the state/area

[@davidredding7694]

Must go to a top tier law school and graduate top 10% of class, work min. 60 hours per week to have any chance of making top 10% earnings.

[@Tes7000]

I worked in a major court system for many years, and I would have been glad to make $33 an hour, which is the amount she identified as the bottom. Almost 10 years ago, I hired a first-year law student in my department, and when he graduated and passed the bar a few years later, he took a job with the county paying only about $30 an hour. So as a new lawyer, he only made slightly more than I did, but he was starting out exceeding my salary when I had worked in that court for decades. Granted, I live in Georgia, while this woman lives in the notoriously expensive San Francisco Bay area. Back in the 90s, I made the decision to go to grad school over law school, which was my original intention in undergrad. It was a big mistake. When I finished grad school and took an entry-level job in the court where I worked for decades, a lawyer fresh past the bar would have been making more than double my salary at a minimum. I said all of this to say that even if a lawyer is not a top earner, it is still worth doing.

[@davidredding7694]

@@Tes7000 yes, money is just one factor. Enjoying the work is important.

[@USARealityCheck]

I've never enjoyed the work. Different strokes... Life took me in this direction, but I would have chosen another in a different reality. A lifetime of fixing other people's problems, never-ending conflict, constant game playing, and surrounded by sleazy people... When I got sworn in, the guy next to me says, "we're getting our license to scam!" and does the Kamala laugh. 🤮

[@davidwright873]

I remeber the times in which she speaks of. Tom Cruise made being a lawyer sexy and lucrative.. alot of new grads were wondering around grasping at straw. SF was littered with unemployed law grads!!

[@siliconvalleyJT]

Doctors live in RV's by the hospitals valley medical

[@cjhoward409]

@@siliconvalleyJT or in apts across the street. Usually just when they’re on call.

[@sacredgeek]

Hourly rate and minimum retainer for nonprofit services please?

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I don’t do non profit law - check out www.fplglaw.com/

[@Alaric-u9i]

What kind of law do you practice

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Now I focus on trademarks and some business law (LLCs, etc)

[@Alaric-u9i]

@@elizabethoffgrid I was hoping you did criminal cases

[@Jame6999]

Plenty of criminals. It's quite lucrative. At the end of the day, life is chess moves. Play with caution

[@USARealityCheck]

People believe the movies they watch. Hollywood portrays certain occupations in a certain way.

[@ClairenParkerontheRoad]

Do you share your other channel name? Just wondering. Thanks!

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Yep it’s KZbin.com/elizabethpw

[@kwaichangcaine8234]

You seem like a good sort to me ! Id rent you a room .

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Thanks!

[@carolrivers292]

😊❤

[@elizabethoffgrid]

💜

[@murielmoloney1043]

Could you run a legal.practise from.a car

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Sure, that’s what I do.

[@s.mas.w]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Bambotb]

You arent scared your employer will see this ?

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I am my employer :)

[@Bambotb]

@@elizabethoffgrid you said you work part time in a firm

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I own the law firm

[@ry8745]

How do you dress for work? Stuff u don't have to iron

[@elizabethoffgrid]

I work from home (and have for decades now) so I don’t need “work” clothes

[@Eric-i2g8u]

Hi Elizabeth 🙏😇🙏💯🎈💔🎊🎊👍

[@elizabethoffgrid]

Hi! 🙋🏻‍♀️