How to Live in Hawaii on $1,000 per Month

My great, great grandparents settled in the Hawaiian islands in 1839 when it was still a kingdom. I was born in Hawaii before it became a state, and did not leave the islands for Southern California until I was sixteen. Having grown up in what is probably the most beautiful spot on earth, with the world's best climate, I took it all for granted and assumed the rest of the world was not much different. Surprise! I soon learned otherwise.

Later I married and traveled around the world through Europe, South America, and the Orient. Athough we tried living in other places (California, Nevada, Florida), we always became homesick. Like so many other transplanted Hawaiians, we still heard the song of the islands. It proved to be too strong to resist, calling the wanderers to return home. We greet the sun's rays every morning with a glad heart. It's so good to be back.

In 1992, I was visiting my cousin in Lahaina on the island of Maui where I spoke with a tourist in a supermarket. When he found out that I live here, gesturing at the high-priced groceries he asked incredulously: 'You mean you actually live here? ' Then he blurted out, 'How can you afford it?' I thought about his question for a moment. Since he was in a hurry to catch an airplane and it would have taken a long time to answer his query, I just smiled in response and waved goodbye.

Realizing that there must be many more traffic-snarled, smog-choked, crime-weary urbanites out there who would like to know how they, too, could afford to live here, his question prompted this book. Almost anyone who has experienced Hawaii would like to know the answer to his question. I hope that when you finish reading it, you, too, will want to see this isle of golden dreams. And if living here becomes your dream, then this book will help you make it come true.