The 50+ Nomad Club

The 50+ Nomad Club

3 Steps to Create a Lifestyle Budget (And Why It’s the Key to Freedom)

You likely don’t need as much as you think you do…

Jo Barnes's avatar
Jo Barnes
Jan 10, 2025
∙ Paid
My husband & I enjoying life in the Andaman Ocean! (With Changs!)

"What would we do differently if we had a million dollars?" I mused.

My husband & I were floating in the Andaman Ocean, cold Chang beers in hand, watching the sun set over limestone cliffs.

Reading each other’s minds, in unison we both said;

"Nothing!"

Here we were, living what felt like a millionaire lifestyle, for less than $3,000 a month.

Beautiful apartment, eating out whenever we wanted, weekly massages, endless beach days, and plenty left over for adventures.

That's when it really hit me. We often massively overestimate what we need to live our dream life.

We think we need to build huge businesses or gather massive followings, when really, we just need to get crystal clear on our actual numbers.

I've seen this countless times. A friend of mine used to house-sit her way around South America with her husband for $2,000 a month.

Another couple I know travelled the world on a boat for less than $4,000 a month.

The real numbers a…

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Jo Barnes.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Jo Barnes · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture