Nomading 1-Year Anniversary

It's almost been one whole year since I sold everything, packed my bags and started buying a series of one-way plane tickets. So, this is a perfect time to reflect on what I've experienced and accomplished in the past 12 months.

A little background.

May 2019

• Went under contract for the sale of my house mid-month

• Finished selling all of my belongings

• Sold my SUV

• Finalized the sale of my home at the end of the month and went to go stay at my dad & step-mom's house

June 2019

• Hung out with my family and friends in Arizona and Texas

• June 10: Headed to Mexico on a one-way ticket!

Review of my goals.

Travel & FI

My purpose of living a nomadic lifestyle is two fold: 1) I want to travel the world, learning and experiencing new things, and 2) work towards financial independence by significantly reducing my cost of living, so I can save radically for early retirement.

So how did I do?

1. Travel - I have lived in Mexico, Ecuador and Belize over the past year. I made amazing friends, ate some pretty great foods, snorkeled in the Caribbean Sea, saw Mayan ruins, walked miles and miles, swam in cenotes, attempted to speak Spanish, rode in Colectivos and successfully got off at the right stops, golfed, enjoyed pot-luck dinners, saw a long list of wildlife and livestock, had many cuddles with dogs and cats, spent time with family and experienced their Expat life, enjoyed a lot of coffee, picked fresh fruits and veggies, shared a casita with geckos, lived on an island that requires a quick paddle across the water to get to the mainland, lost around 20 lbs, ditched half my belongings, and enjoyed every minute.

2. FI - Financial Independence is having enough money saved and invested so I can stop working, if I choose to. Right now I have to keep earning an income, however I can grow my pot of gold significantly by spending less, making more, and then saving and investing the difference. In the FI community, we call that number, "the gap." It's all about building "the gap" because the more you save and invest now, the less you should have to work over the long run, and then one day you can wake up and say, "ok, I don't have to work any more."

• Unfortunately, I did not keep the best records of my expenditures during my traditional US lifestyle. However, I do know there were months were I spent anywhere from 5K-10K, and didn't save squat on a regular basis. Well, adopting the nomadic lifestyle has really helped me tighten the purse strings and actually live under a budget. My goal was to keep my average monthly expenditures to $2,500, and then save the rest. I'm extremely proud of myself for sticking to this financial goal. I did a good job of writing down every single penny I spent (even with so many cash transactions), and I've been playing around with different categories to better understand how I spend my money (lodging, food, entertainment, etc). It's been really interesting to compare month after month and country to country.

• So I cringe when I think about my past personal finance decisions, compared to to now. If I could go back in time, I probably would give myself a good whack across the head around the age of 20 when I started working 3 jobs during college...geez that's 20 years ago!! Had I been wiser about personal finance, I could have easily been retired by now. UGH. Live and learn...so here I am.

Overall, did I accomplish what I set out to do? Yes, I nailed it!

Thinking back to the last night in my home last May, I was nervous. I absolutely had the thought, "What the hell am I doing?" And on June 10 when I flew to Cancun and waited patiently outside of the airport for my driver, I was anxious. Today, give me a plane ticket and I'll meet you anywhere with no reservations (minus the COVID-19 crap...let's not even go there in this post.)

I have to say, this past year has been the best experience for me as an adult approaching her middle years. (Recall, I turned 40 on July 29, 2019). I use to battle anxiety and it's just gone; like a huge weight is off my shoulders. Now I sleep really well, I'm eating healthier in general, and I've lost nearly 20 lbs! I'm also saving like a bandit too. My business is growing and I absolutely love the places I have seen and all the people I have met.

How long are you going to "do this?"

I'm not sure how often I've been asked this question. Last May, I think I would reply with something like, "About 5 years or so." Today my answer is, "As long as I want too."

My question back to those who asked the question above, "Why in the world would I stop?" I am happier, healthier, and wealthier...with just a suitcase and a smile!