Month Two: Finances, Travel, and Reflection

I've spent all of May camping (glamping, really) in the desert of Colorado - it has been windy and HOT! I'm settling into life on the road, learning how to manage my time, and plan for moves every 7-14 days. There are three areas I'll highlight for Month Two, which (I think!) has provided me some really strong insights.

Finances

To help fund my travels, I sold the rental townhouse I had near Kalamazoo, MI this month. I first bought the place in 2005, did a lot of reno while living there (with the major help of my Stepdad!), and used it as a rental unit for the past 10 years. After selling my Portland house, I decided that I wanted just a bit more cushion and less stress as a landlord and sold the townhouse to a young person who could do the same. I'm such a believer in paying it forward, and while I didn't get asking price, I was happy to meet in the middle if it would benefit someone else the way it had me while I was getting my financial feet under me. In most of my 20's I was in a lot of debt, and buying this townhouse was something that truly set me up for long-term success. I am so grateful I made the decision to buy it in my late-20's, even if it was a super stretch with my low income back then. It was a place to call home for five and a half years, a great rental for 10 years, and it was time to hand it off to someone else to make new memories.

Fast forward to now, and in the two months I've been on the road, I've spent a total of $869.90 on "rent" ($434.95/month). As a comparison, the two places I rented in the Bay Area were $5,200 (Redwood City) and $3,750 (Santa Cruz) per month. On an annual basis, that would be $10,435.20 (Airstream) compared to $62,400 and $45,000, respectively. I'm highly aware that these prices sound insane to most people, but hey - Bay Area wages are on par with Bay Area rent. Let's do the math - even at the lower rental price in Santa Cruz, I could potentially save on the low end of $34,564.80 and the high end in Redwood City of nearly $52,000 per year on rent alone. That's not to mention utilities. Wowsa, y'all! By living a life of freedom and exploration, I’m saving a strong amount.

I've been doing a TON of research on passive and active income in the past month - there is so much to learn! I won’t bore you with the details (yet), but there are a lot of opportunities out there.

Previously, I had a bit of tiny house obsession and a minimalist life which living in Germany greatly increased. For two years I was in a tiny one-bedroom apartment and realized how silly it was to have so much unused space. Yet, when I moved to the Bay Area, I went back to the American lifestyle of "bigger is better". I now know that this isn't for me, and I'm learning what this can do for my long-term investment strategy while living my life the way I want to - with full on wanderlust and nature!

Travel & Recreation

In May I've moved three times: from an RV Park to a free 7-day spot, and then to a free 14-day spot. I've had visitors and made new friends in each of them! One of my besties lives in Breckenridge, Colorado and she and her wife came to camp with me in both of the free spots. What a delight! My stepmom also came to visit for the weekend, go on a hike with Charlie Brown and her dog Cooper, as well as enjoying a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

My vaccine shots really helped me feel more comfortable all instances, while still being cautious in the "return to normal". I'm so curious how this will impact my future travels and exploration.

Musings and Reflection

Speaking of the "return to normal", I've been thinking quite a lot about the future of work. If only the majority of employers realized how inexpensively people can live outside of the major metropolis areas, think of all the tech workers that wouldn't need the big bucks of salary, or even the diversity of people you could hire that can't afford to live in those areas. When will companies realize the benefits of a fully remote workforce?

On the flip side, as a Tech worker, you could bank all of this crazy income while living minimally and retire very early! We've proven that incredible work can be done no matter the location given all of the technology at our fingertips.

I've read of employers wanting to do a hybrid approach and I can't help but think - what about a globally dispersed workforce? Do you really need everyone in an office around the "water cooler"? For the last 10 years my teammates and direct reports have been globally located, so why do we force this idea of needing in-person collaboration when we've proven remote working just works? It takes just a tad bit more intentional effort, but in my experience, the rewards are worth the pay off. I think the more employees push back on the idea of being in the office as a requirement, the more employers will see how they can lose out on strong talent by not offering a choice on where and when people work.

These are all of the things bouncing around in my head this month so I wanted to share them - I hope you've enjoyed the read!

 Until next time,

Amy