Van Living

Tuesday, February 02 2010 | Send to a friend

Van Living

Ken Ilgunas

College is more expensive than ever these days, across the country. Ken Ilgunas took on enormous debt as an undergraduate, then worked non-stop to pay it off. When he decided to go to grad school, Ken swore he wouldn't take a penny from anyone, not his parents or the bank. So he's living in a van in a campus parking lot, cooking meals on a camping stove, and bathing at the university gym. Ken talks to Dick Gordon about the very high cost of higher education and his adventures in austere living, past and present.

• See pictures of Dick touring Ken's van
  
• Read Ken's article in Salon
• Music in this story: Society by Eddie Vedder for the In the Wild soundtrack
  

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Finding the Sweet Spot

Jackie Green

The bad economy has forced many people to take jobs they never thought they'd take - and others into jobs they never knew they wanted. Jackie Green had a college degree and made good money as a manufacturing manager when she was laid off. With no job prospect in sight, she resorted to going to the local food bank. But just when Jackie had sunk as low as she thought she could go, she had a realization: "go back to what you know." Jackie spent her childhood perfecting biscuits and pies under her grandmother's watchful eye. She's now started her own baking business called Sweet Cheeks Bakery. Jackie talks to Dick about this unexpected turn of events, and the secret to her special buttermilk pie.

• Learn more about Jackie's bakery

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