The burning question – “How can you afford to do this?” 

The question everyone wants to ask, but only few do. It’s okay. Ask us. Let’s talk about it.

We don’t have trust funds. We didn’t win the lottery. We are not independently wealthy. 

Here’s the top-level 10-seconds-in-an-elevator answer – We lived frugally – spending the last 11 years living below our means, even when some of those years were extremely lean. We clipped coupons, shopped discount racks and second-hand stores, and said “no” to a lot of purchases. We paid off all our student loan debt ($80,000!). We worked hard to build an online business that allows us (Heather) to work remotely. We paid extra on our mortgage every month. We avoided consumer debt. And we saved. . .a lot.

It is that simple. 

When we decided to take the plunge into full-time travel we had saved enough to pay cash for the tow vehicle and the trailer. This was key for us. We didn’t want the pressure of debt on the road.

We are debt free on the road, have a savings account/emergency fund, investment accounts and have a steady livable income from our online business.

An added bonus is our cost of living has dropped dramatically since moving out of our “traditional home” and traveling full time.  Think about it – no bills for heating, electricity, water, cable, internet, landline phone, security system, homeowners dues, property taxes, mortgage, daycare, preschool tuition. . . and so much less consumer debt – you’re not heading to Target and filling your cart with clearance treasures because you don’t have any place to store it!

Of course everyone’s situation is unique, but I would encourage most families considering full-time travel to :

1.) Start debt free

2.) Have an emergency fund established (3-6 months living expenses)

3.) Have an income source in place that allows you to make money on the road

4.) Have a monthly budget that keeps you in the green and make intentional choices to follow your budget

If you have any other budget questions – ask! We hope to be as transparent as possible so that we can help other families pursue the dream of full-time travel.