Full-Time Creators
By mid-August, we had a better idea of what our monthly spending would be. To be looking back today, every month has been different. It was a false sense of comfort, an unrealistic view of what we could spend each month with a budget based on what we had spent while we had a house and a static lifestyle. That’s something our new life has proven to us. We don’t know what’s coming next.
I was worried we were spending too much because I always worry about that. Worrying about money is in my DNA. Part of my journey is worrying less about money and focusing more on creating value and wealth.
We celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary in Penticton, BC. A pub style meal, a litre of wine, and ice cream on the beach. We talked about the freedom we had, about the travel we would do, and the land we were in search of for a new home base.
Penticton had it all. We could walk everywhere. We rode our bikes up to Okanagan Lake, we watched the sunset, we floated on Skaha Lake in our kayaks, and we visited with more family. We bought produce from the farmers market, and we walked along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail to see the vineyards. Photos from this time don’t clearly show how poor the air quality was. Ash was everywhere. It was falling from the sky, on our chairs, the truck was coated with it, and of course, we wondered what our lungs were like breathing this in.
We were having challenges staying connected to WiFi. If we left the RV park and walked across the street to Skaha Lake Park, we could connect to the Internet, but that wasn’t reliable, and even going to Starbucks wouldn’t guarantee us a good signal. We were quickly burning through the data plans we had. It was becoming clear to me that working with clients online would be difficult while we traveled. We reminded ourselves that our journey was about finding a life less burdened by debt and changing the habits and expectations that weren’t serving us well. We both wanted to create a life that would satisfy us on a different level. We wanted to be creating full time. Jamie wanted to record our journey through photography and videography, and I wanted to find my voice and tell our story, plus I wanted to publish a series of books about a fictional location, Circle Island.
We want to grow this audience. You’ll see us inviting more people like you. There will be some who are curious about what it’s like to RV full time, or couples who are considering a different life as they close in on retirement. There might be friends who are checking in and seeing what we’re doing. The point is, we are growing and building A Life Less Burdened for you as much as we are for us. You’re always welcome, no reservations required. By having you here, you are helping us live our dream, and we thank you for that!
Create a budget that has the flexibility to cover extra expenses. You may need additional health insurance if you travel. You may need to service your vehicle more often because those kilometre/miles add up fast. You may need to upgrade equipment, buy a bigger rig, or pay more for services than you did at home.
One doctor appointment changed the course of our summer travel plans. We left Vancouver Island a week later than planned, and land we wanted to purchase had been sold. That set in motion a number of changes to our itinerary. Not for the worse. We were still free to head in whatever direction we wanted, but now we were on a different journey than planned. We’ve seen beautiful landscapes, met interesting people, and grown closer as a couple. Reservations are a good idea, but plans should be left open to fit in the unexpected.
If you want more out of your life, get more. Don’t wait till it’s too late.