Nomadic living

[tuixiu]

Interesting on costs of hitting the road (jack)

Is A Nomadic Location Independent Lifestyle Cheaper Than Living In One Place? A 12 Month Breakdown for 2008 | Location Independent | Live and Work Anywhere You Choose

 

[FUEGO]

Very interesting look at costs. They also have posted their 2007 costs: Is A Location Independent Life Cheaper Than Living In One Place? Just How Much Money Do You Need?

Good reading, but I wonder how much of the spending is apples to apples? Example - does the "living in UK" costs include 1 car, 2 cars or none? Obviously taking public transit and only occasionally renting a car is much cheaper than maintaining a fleet of 2 vehicles to drive to work. Inspirational stuff though.

 

[W2R]

I liked this comment, listed after the article:

There is no doubt that it is cheaper to live outside the modern Western world. But even at places that have more struggling economies (Russia and most former Eastern Block countries, South America, ect) are still going to be cheaper.

It is incredible what people from the US and Europe pay for simple things like food and rent compared to what they pay in other places. It is just far more inexpensive to eat in most other places and that a lone can save you a ton of money.

Outside the US the cost of transportation is far less also, that saves a lot of money. Public transportation is great and when you don’t own a car the expenses go down so fast it is hard to believe.

Great post, nice to see someone really do their homework on this.

To me, the nomadic lifestyle makes fire and brimstone look really good in comparison, and I think the article is an illustration that "You get what you pay for". But for those to whom this lifestyle is attractive, apparently it could indeed bring with it substantial savings.

 

[tuixiu]

Good reading, but I wonder how much of the spending is apples to apples?

Excellent point my friend.

I love looking at blogs and message boards of people living overseas, and they do often oversimplify with claims like "it only costs me 1200/month here versus 3500/month there" since when you dig a little there are certainly trade-offs in lifestyle that make it a far more complex comparison. If my wife and I have two cars and the couple living in Honduras/Malaysia/Madras/wherever have a scooter, they have a window air conditioning unit in the bedroom versus our central air, etc.

We're certainly planning on spending more time traveling and living overseas someday and it's a great option for many people but definitely not so simple as taking an exchange rate and applying it to two monthly budgets to claim with any exactness how much cheaper one place is.

 

[FUEGO]

I love looking at blogs and message boards of people living overseas, and they do often oversimplify with claims like "it only costs me 1200/month here versus 3500/month there" since when you dig a little there are certainly trade-offs in lifestyle that make it a far more complex comparison. If my wife and I have two cars and the couple living in Honduras/Malaysia/Madras/wherever have a scooter, they have a window air conditioning unit in the bedroom versus our central air, etc.

Yes, and the blog you posted is better than most in this regard. They do state that they are comparing costs for a "slightly above average 1 br" apartment, which is the comp they are looking at in England. I wonder though, if they are comparing "staying in place" costs in a more expensive part of England (london or other big city in the urban area) vs. less expensive (country/suburban).

I know locally in the US, my same living standards (1800 sf house with 1/3 ac yard, 2 cars, etc) would be 3x as expensive inside an urban area like NYC/Boston as it is here in the low cost of living southeast US.

 

[haha]

Did anyone notice Lea's photo? She could get free room and board in Monaco.

Ha

 

[In-control]

Even if the costs are the same - you are gaining life experiences and having a ball. We plan on selling the house in ~10yrs. Then renting places until we get sick of an area, then move again. Only bother is the moving part but if you minimize your stuff it is another liberator. Eventually we will get tired of the moving around and settle on that one place that we found was special.

Happy travels

 

[CuppaJoe]

Interesting on costs of hitting the road (jack)

....

"Hit the road, Jack"
Speaking of apples to ...., I thought you were going to discus Kerouac. He did it really on the cheap, eating mostly apple pie a la mode and coffee and getting freebies everywhere.

 

[tuixiu]

Even if the costs are the same - you are gaining life experiences and having a ball.

Maybe, maybe not. From reading some of the message boards for places like Thailand, Belize, etc. it seems that for every ten expats that arrive ready to start their new cheap life in paradise there are almost as many deciding it ain't gonna work and heading back to the States/UK/Aus/etc.

Somewhere I read a quote (heavy paraphrase alert) "the first time you see a pig on the bus it's cute, the second time you hardly notice, the third time you're frustrated."

Some people have a harder time dealing with the way things are done overseas than others.

 

[bssc]

There are always tradeoffs, for example when I lived in the Philippines, I got sick. I went to the local doctor and it was very cheap for a treatment. However, I remember him leaving the needle in my arm as he swapped out syringes to save money.

 

[tuixiu]

Here's cheap living: Fees Hainan Premier Language School Haikou China Learn Mandarin Chinese

Chinese immersion at this school for 20 weeks including tuition, single room, and meals = $2140.

Granted that school is far away from the more desirable locations (it's almost in freakin Vietnam) and I'm sure meals/rooms are spartan but be a weird thing to pick up such a valuable skill as a foreign language on the cheap like that.

 

[haha]

Here's cheap living: Fees Hainan Premier Language School Haikou China Learn Mandarin Chinese

Chinese immersion at this school for 20 weeks including tuition, single room, and meals = $2140.

Granted that school is far away from the more desirable locations (it's almost in freakin Vietnam) and I'm sure meals/rooms are spartan but be a weird thing to pick up such a valuable skill as a foreign language on the cheap like that.

I would love to learn Mandarin. I just came back from shopping in Chinatown. Chinese people seem quite outgoing and friendly; although we can hardly speak a word to each other it is always a rewarding experience. I could get a lot of easy practice just a fairly short walk away. Although today I was carrying a lot of food and was definitely glad to see my building and lay my burden down!

Ha

 

[jambo101]

Did anyone notice Lea's photo? She could get free room and board in Monaco.

Ha

I noticed.

Welcome Probloggers! | Location Independent | Live and Work Anywhere You Choose

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Did anyone notice Lea's photo? She could get free room and board in Monaco.

Ha

She looks Asian. I had a classmate like that. Cube little Asian face but with big round eyes and a body that could set fire to everything within a 10-ft radius. Professors, fellow students, and strangers fell over themselves to talk to her. Me, no. I had a thing for her Latina counterpart who equally set fire to everything around her, and she could dance even better.

 

[FUEGO]

She's alright looking I guess.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the link - very interesting. We plan on living for months at a time away from 'home' including the UK and Australia, but from an experience stand point, not to save money. However, you can get some great deals. For example, in the summer months in England Universities rent out their student accommodation. DW has done this twice in recent years, spending 2 months each time, getting around with a rail rover ticket and buses. (Student accommodation is MUCH better than here in the USA, but don't expect an en-suite bathroom ).

Places she stayed include universities in York, and Plymouth plus the London School of Economics (LSE) (Imperial College, London also does this). York was 50 GBP a week, not including food, LSE was 25 GBP/day including a full English breakfast, which is tremendous value for central London.

Next week we are going over for 3 weeks, rail rover tickets, no car, but next year we are both going over for 6 weeks, including a couple of weeks staying at York university.

In 2011 we are planning to stay for 6 months in Guisborough (N. Yorks) or close by, and expect to get a furnished 2 bed house or apartment for ~400 GBP a week.

 

[deserat]

Yes, she was very attractive - HOWEVER - the little matter of an unexpected baby....that might put a bit of a crimp in the nomadic lifestyle as well as expectations for some stability later on.

 

[FUEGO]

Yes, she was very attractive - HOWEVER - the little matter of an unexpected baby....that might put a bit of a crimp in the nomadic lifestyle as well as expectations for some stability later on.

I was thinking the same thing re: the baby. We have two young kids and it would definitely change the economics and practicality of it all. Paying for 4 plane/train/bus tickets per trip instead of 2. Needing at least a 2 br apartment or suite type hotel room. Schooling becomes an issue unless one is committed to home school (which is doable).

And preventing my kids' grandparents from seeing them would be rough too. The blogger touched on the subject of not wanting to move away from family being an impediment to the nomadic lifestyle. Not as big of a deal when you are a grown child (over age 18), but preventing family from watching their grandchildren grow up (if the option is available) could be seen as selfish in some circles/cultures.

 

[Alan]

I was thinking the same thing re: the baby. We have two young kids and it would definitely change the economics and practicality of it all. Paying for 4 plane/train/bus tickets per trip instead of 2. Needing at least a 2 br apartment or suite type hotel room. Schooling becomes an issue unless one is committed to home school (which is doable).

And preventing my kids' grandparents from seeing them would be rough too. The blogger touched on the subject of not wanting to move away from family being an impediment to the nomadic lifestyle. Not as big of a deal when you are a grown child (over age 18), but preventing family from watching their grandchildren grow up (if the option is available) could be seen as selfish in some circles/cultures.

These are excellent points. After our 2 children were born we moved to Scotland when they were 2 and 4. Stayed 18 months, moved to NE England, lived 14 months, moved to Texas, stayed 18 months and moved to Louisiana. After 2 years I had the option of moving to San Francisco, Wilmington Delaware, back to England or take a "permanent" position where we were in Louisiana. By now the children were 8 and 10 so we chose stability. 15 years later, however we chose to be on the move again...

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Our kids only have one grandparent left.

If we travel, it will be between the time that Grammy is gone and our kids start to have their own children. Even though living overseas would be a highly desirable survival tactic for us, it is going to be a hard sell to DW. I am afraid that it will only happen if and when we are truly up against the wall (which I hope we never are, but the signs are not good).

Ed

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

She's alright looking I guess.

So says Fuego as his wife watches over his shoulder.

 

[FUEGO]

So says Fuego as his wife watches over his shoulder.

lol... She kinda looks like my wife. DW may have a slightly darker complexion. And her eyes are slightly larger, and nose is slightly larger. And the beauty spot is in a different place.

 

[haha]

lol... She kinda looks like my wife. DW may have a slightly darker complexion. And her eyes are slightly larger, and nose is slightly larger. And the beauty spot is in a different place.

Braggert.

 

[kcowan]

We have zero vehicles at home. Sold the BMW convertible when I returned from PV last June. Drove the SUV down to leave here in October. When we return in June we will evaluate whether to acquire another costly vehicle or just use bikes, transit and taxis. It is very much a mindest and the portfolio is telling us to think outside the box.

 

[HFWR]

My portfolio is telling me to live in a box...