Where we started:
Cardiff by the Sea, California
-two full-time incomes, awesome shack apartment with cheap rent, best view you can imagine, two cars, school loans, credit card debt, the feeling of living in your car rather than at the ocean view you wanted so badly
-grocery spending: $300
-entertainment spending: $1,000 (nope, not kidding)
-gas spending: $400
-budget per month: what?
First Move (Champaign, IL)
- one full-time income, one part-time income, one car, no credit card debt, four bedroom house, double lot, nice neighborhood, horrendous utility bills and property taxes, no hills (at all!), painful distance from most family, household food revolution, awesome volleyball and band opportunities
-grocery spending: $600
-entertainment spending: $300
-gas spending: $100
-budget per month: $3,300
Second Move (Nashville, TN)
-one full time and one part-time income, two fully paid-for cars, no credit card debt, smaller house, tiny utility bill, little property tax, no state income tax, more painful distance from family, breath-taking career and community opportunities, scenery, and artistic environment
-grocery spending: $300
-entertainment spending: $100
-gas spending: $150
-budget per month: $1,700
We have extremely fond memories and fortunately lasting relationships that have been gained at each place we’ve lived. But we’re happy to be taking these steps, happy for the balance we are beginning to learn. If you want to learn more about what we’re after, this is a great book: Living on Purpose, by Christine and Tom Sine.
