“Some might say we had a perfect life, but to us, it was just the life society told us we should want,” Ashley wrote on their blog.
The family first tried living on the road in 2019 after Alex got laid off at his job. They initially made it work in a travel trailer. Eventually, they started renting their home and used the money to help purchase their $32,000 solar-powered Greyhound bus — plus $20,000 in renovations — in 2021, according to Insider.
Alex now works remotely as a mortgage banker, Ashley manages their blog and social media pages and the kids get “road-schooled” as they travel across the country. The family has built a following of more than 550,000 followers across Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
The four of them spend their free time exploring the outdoors together or traveling between locations across the country. One of the reasons they chose this lifestyle, the couple says, was to spend quality time as a family, especially while the kids were still young.
Although living on wheels isn’t for everyone, perhaps you’re considering an alternative downsized lifestyle. Here are some tips for how you can cut back on your living costs to accommodate your new way of life to match your income.
Make a budget
If you don’t have one already, make a budget and plan your spending around your lifestyle.
Take account of all your regular expenses and fixed costs — whether that involves writing them all down and pulling out a calculator, tracking them in a spreadsheet or using a budgeting app — and look for ways to cut back.
If you enjoy traveling, think about spending less money on home decor and canceling subscriptions you don’t really use. Or, if you prioritize your quiet nights watching Netflix, perhaps reduce your spending on fancy dinners at restaurants.
Consider using the “cash stuffing” method, where you take your paycheck in cash and separate your needs into different spending categories based on your budget. For example, if you allocate $200 for groceries and you hit $220 at checkout, you’ll be forced to put some items back if you want to bring home food.
Get rid of your second car
When it comes to cutting back on unnecessary expenses, think about whether your family really needs that second car — because the overall costs of owning even one vehicle are quite high.
