Why You Don’t Need to Be a Millionaire to Live the Life of Your Dreams.

It doesn’t cost as much as you think it does

On a dream trip to Bora Bora

I remember many years back sitting in my office, staring at the white walls and dreaming of the day I could instead be sitting by the ocean.

The waves gently lapping the sand.

The turquoise waters revealing the sandy hills and shoals of fish beneath.

Distant green mountains overlooking the bay, with yachts and catamarans parked just offshore. Jet skis and dinghies ferrying people back and forth to local shack-style restaurants.

Wait — this is what I’m looking at right now.

Bang Tao Beach — Phuket, Thailand

But seriously, I do remember daydreaming about digging my toes in the sand, palm trees overhead, thinking: this is the life I want to live.

My time is my own. I do what I love. I am free.

Then I’d snap back to reality: four white walls, a pretty sexy job (GM of a big concert hall) that I’d unfortunately outgrown, and long hours spent making money for someone else.

I remember thinking how impossible my dream life felt — and how I’d need to become a millionaire to make it happen.

(The guy I was dating at the time even laughed at my dream and told me to get in touch with reality.)

I was so convinced I needed at least a million pounds, I remember cornering Internet Marketing expert Mark Anastasi after his speech at a social media event in London.

He’d just wrapped his dramatic rags-to-riches story about starting with nothing and generating millions with a few clicks (ah, the good old Internet Marketing days).

‘How fast can I get to a million pounds?’, my little naive self asked hopefully!

‘How much have you got to spend?’ he replied. Hmm, so much for starting from nothing!

I wish instead I’d asked, what’s the path to ultimate freedom?

15 years of trial and error later, I’m happy to share the answer with you!

What to Focus on Instead of Money

In his book, The Four-Hour Workweek, Tim Ferriss talks about the “freedom multiplier,” which he defines as control over the 3 W’s:

• What do you do

• When you do it

• Who you do it with

That’s the real goal. And it doesn’t require a million in the bank.

Fifteen years ago, having dreamed of travelling for as long as I can remember, my husband (who fully believed in my wild ideas) and I jumped on a plane with our four-year-old daughter, with no savings to speak of, and set off to sunnier climes.

Since then, we’ve travelled to 40+ countries, chased the sun, and lived in Phuket for 10+ years while my daughter finished high school.

In that time, I’ve launched and grown a six-figure membership site, sold online courses, built and sold a seven-figure Amazon business (it took a lot more than a few clicks of a button), did some coaching, affiliate marketing, blogging, and more.

Now I inspire 50+ freedom seekers to embrace digital nomadism, explore the world and live their best years yet! ✈️

We’ve had months where we didn’t have two pennies to rub together, and months where the money flowed freely.

But regardless of the numbers, we worked our own hours, on projects we enjoyed, while living overseas as a family.

I still remember years ago, my husband and I floating in the Andaman Ocean with a couple of cold Chang beers on a Thursday afternoon, saying, ‘what would we do differently if we had a million bucks… NOTHING!’.

It took me a while to realise, I was already free long before the money came.

Experiences are cheaper than ‘stuff’

Depending on where and how you travel, a fabulous life doesn’t have to cost much at all.

• Working from a beach? Free.

• Swimming in the ocean? Free.

• Watching epic sunsets? Also free.

Compare the cost of a mortgage, car payments, utilities, work clothes, gym memberships, and all the other “normal life” expenses… to an oceanfront apartment in Thailand and a wardrobe of t-shirts, shorts and flip flops. You might be surprised how much cheaper a rich life can be.

We’ve spent months exploring temples in Bagan, backpacking across India, and diving in the Maldives — for less than a family trip to Disneyland.

Even if your dream life includes fancy yachts, Ferraris, designer clothes and luxury accommodation, many of those things are far more affordable overseas (especially to rent).

And when you leave your bubble and connect with people from different walks of life, you open yourself to opportunities and experiences you never imagined.

My husband proposed to me on a friend’s 50-foot catamaran in Bora-Bora, a trip (and boat) we could never have afforded ourselves — even if we’d sold 10 Amazon businesses.

Yours truly at Bora Bora — a bucket list item of mine for years!

Ultimate Freedom Comes From the Ability to Choose

The Four-Hour Workweek inspired me to completely change my life, as I’m sure it has for countless others.

In a section that struck home with me, Tim muses about the possibility that;

“The 80-hour-per-week, $500k-per-year investment banker is less ‘powerful’ than the solopreneur (what he called the New Rich) who works ¼ the hours for $40k but has total freedom.”

And it’s true.

Real wealth isn’t just more money.

It’s the ability to choose.

• To work when you want.

• To live where you want.

• To spend time with people you love doing things that light you up.

What Lifestyle Do You Choose?

“Lifestyle design” gets thrown around a lot these days. Usually by young, bikini-clad influencers jumping off waterfalls, or YouTubers making millions from their iPhones.

But the reality is that many of them moved to Asia or South America because it’s infinitely cheaper to live.

Just like we did.

Some travel by campervan. Some backpack and volunteer for accommodation. Others (like us 50+ nomads) go for a touch more comfort and style.

Whatever your version looks like, the first step is to get clear.

How to Map Out Your Ideal Lifestyle

Start with the numbers.

• Where do you want to live/travel?

• What will it actually cost?

• What kind of lifestyle do you want day to day?

Create an ideal lifestyle budget and break it down into real categories like:

• Accommodation

• Utilities

• Food & Drink

• Transport

• Entertainment

• Loans

• Insurance/Medical

• Clothes

• Doodads (stuff)

• Education

• Contingency

• Other

And any other costs you can think of.

Then go and talk to people already living the lifestyle you want, and ask for real numbers.

• How much does it actually cost to house sit my way across Mexico?

• How much does it actually cost to live in Thailand?

• How much does it actually cost to rent an apartment in (insert ideal city)?

Spoiler alert: it’s probably a lot less than you think.

Sometimes it’s not even that you need more money, you might just need a change in perspective.

An oldie but a goodie is Jon Morrow's story about saving $100k a year on medical bills by moving to Mexico. It’s super inspiring (especially if you’re of able body & mind and are held back by your own limiting beliefs!)

But even if we do move or travel to more affordable countries, we still need money to fund our lifestyle.

So here’s what I recommend:

Start working on building your freedom lifestyle income today.

Start an online side hustle. A simple income stream.

Something that fits your lifestyle, taps into your interests, and gives you the freedom to earn from anywhere.

It doesn’t have to be a million-dollar business — and you don’t need to work 24/7 to make it happen.

Just enough to give you more choice, more freedom, and a life that feels like yours.

Take Action Today

You don’t need a million in the bank to start living the life of your dreams.

You need a clear picture of what you want, the courage to challenge the rules, and the willingness to take one step in that direction today.

You can absolutely build a life of freedom, purpose and joy, without waiting for retirement or winning the lottery.

It might take some tweaks. It might take some courage.

But it starts with a choice.

So choose.

And then go live the hell out of it.

---

Ready to Start Your Nomadic Lifestyle? Here’s How I Can Help You:

1. Join 8,000+ 50+ nomads getting weekly travel, freedom & purpose tips! As a bonus, grab my FREE Bucket List Adventure Journal to start mapping out your next adventure. ✈️🌍

2. Join my FREE Facebook Group, 50+ Nomads! Connect with 20k+ like-minded travellers, share experiences, ask questions, and get inspired by others living the nomadic lifestyle. It’s a supportive space for anyone over 50 looking to explore the world. 🗺️🌍

3. Explore my blog, The Working Traveller
   Your go-to resource for nomadic travel tips, destination inspiration, and practical advice on making money on the road. 👩🏻‍💻