December 2019 Budget & Expenses | Digital Nomads Pursuing Financial Independence, Retire Early (FI/RE)
We’re closing out the budget for the year and we’re excited to see that for our year of domestic travel we’ve actually cut our ‘year-in-Europe’ budget by over half! See some of the ways we spent under $7,000 (that’s only $3,500 each!) as digital nomads traveling the US, including several months around the New York City area.
This is a recurring monthly series where we share our budget/expenses as digital nomads pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) and traveling continuously and long-term! So, if you’re wondering how our year to date totals break down each month, or what the trends in our budget/expenses are, then check out the series.
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Tip to Make the Most of This Article
If you’re new to Screw The Average we recommend reading through the entire article, as it gives context to the how and the why of how we budget and spend our money. If you’re already a follower of our Monthly Budget & Expense series then consider skipping to the ‘meat and potatoes’ of it all.
Quick Links
Monthly and Year-To-Date Expenses
We’re often asked how much we budget for our lifestyle of continuous and long-term travel as digital nomads. So we’re pulling the cover off our expenses and sharing what we spend month to month!
Be prepared; we truly Screw The Average when it comes to our budget/expenses. We have many tricks up our sleeves when it comes to saving money, whether it be for travel (sightseeing, airfare, transportation, etc.), day-to-day expenses (groceries, haircuts, toiletries, etc.), or everything else (gear, supplies, odds and ends, etc.).
There are a few reasons why our monthly expenditures are extremely low (relative to most) and dialed in.
+ A Monthly Budget (Or Not)
Budgets have their time and place and do many people a great service. Surprisingly enough though, we don’t keep a budget in the traditional sense because we’re extremely intentional with our decisions, including how we spend money.
Since our living expenses are dialed in, meaning they’re mostly known and similar month to month, and our expenditures are calculated and thought out, we find that we don’t need a budget.
While we don’t keep a budget, as you can see we do track our expenses. This allows us to see trends in our spending and ensure we’re on track. Consider it mindfulness of our finances!
+ Financial Independence, Retire Early (FI/RE)
In its simplest form, reaching (Financial Independence, Retire Early (FI/RE)) means: A) making much more money than you spend, and B) spending much less than you make.
Now whether your put your emphasis on A (make more money) or B (spend less money) is a debate within the FI/RE community and in our opinion a personal decision. And really, either method means living below your means, so ultimately, why not do both?
For us, we’re building FI/RE into our lifestyle. We believe the journey to reach FI/RE doesn’t need to be a 10-20 year grueling grind where it’s the sole focus of life until reached. Don’t get us wrong, we’ve worked our fair share of intense hours and we’ve delayed gratification plenty.
After years of creating a financial, professional, and personal foundation we decided we could incorporate the pursuit of Financial Independence, Retire Early with doing the things we love. We decided that even if it delayed FI/RE a bit, it was well worth it!
+ Freedom
Having a dialed-in, lean, and minimalist lifestyle (and therefore budget) offers us increased freedom. We’ve designed our life in a way that allows us, within reason of course, to make our own decisions, do what we want, and have the upmost flexibility.
We find satisfaction in being able to sleep-in on any given day, take a hike, or play a video game when we choose to.
We’re minimalists when it comes to ‘stuff’, allowing us to get up and go at a moment’s notice.
We only take on the jobs, contracts, or clients we want to and say ‘no thank you’ to the ones that aren’t a good fit.
Thankfully big expenses or unexpected bills don’t put us in debt or throw us for a loop. Because we choose not to inflate our lifestyle to the size of our income we’re able to have an emergency fund.
Once in a lifetime opportunities rarely pass us by because we’re ready for them, whatever they entail.
This freedom isn’t just luck (although we are lucky we haven’t been hit by a meteor or become terminally ill), we fundamentally believe we’re in charge of our own destiny and therefore have worked long and hard for these freedoms. We’ve made thousands of rational, logical choices for decades to get to (where we are today).
Long-Term Travel, FI/RE, and Freedom are Fueled by Our Monthly Budget/Expenses
We don’t consider ourselves cheap, although inevitably some will. We’re frugal, as we worry less about cost and more about value. And finally, we don’t feel we sacrifice; we sometimes delay satisfaction but at other times we live quite luxuriously.
Where we place our value and therefore our money may not be where you choose to place yours, and that’s okay. We do however hope that just as we’ve learned from other people, maybe others can take a few things away from our approach.
Follow us each month as we post our actual and full expenses. We’ll share tips on how we saved money and insight into where we spent money!
Don’t miss our Ultimate Gear and Packing Lists! Whether you’re traveling long-term or going on a short vacation, we'll show you how to travel with a single carry-on. We share our packing lists (his and hers!), packing tips, and our favorite gear. Plus, we discuss what we don’t carry and why!
Our Expenses: December 2019
If you’re wondering how to travel internationally, or simply vacation nearby and not spend a fortune on airfare or hotels, then we’d like to welcome you to the world of ‘travel hacking’. See what credit cards we carry, and how we take full advantage of the points and miles we’ve earned.
Notable Expenses in December 2019
Transportation
Generally speaking, our transportation budget is pretty low each month because we enjoy walking whenever possible and Shannon earns countless Lyft credits with her work travel.
However, this month we spent exponentially more in travel than we have in the last several months.
First, we did two house sitting jobs in Greenwood Lake, New York, which is $13.75 (per person) one way on the bus, or $11.00 one way on the train, depending on our start/end points.
Second, at the end of the month we made our way to a new house sit that we’re super excited about. But, due to weather our first flight was cancelled (darn ice storms!). We were re-booked on a flight departing four hours later but the last leg of that journey found us delayed another two hours due to plane issues.
By the time we arrived, 9:30 pm, to our next house sit location the train we planned to take to the house (three blocks from the beach!), was no longer in service for the night. One thing is for sure, when it comes to public transportation we’re definitely not in NYC anymore!
Instead, we had to take a Lyft to our house sit destination. The trip cost $27, after a $10 promo credit and 20% cashback by using our SoFi Money account. Really, not bad at all!
Lodging - Airbnb
As full time house sitters, finding house sitting jobs that line up back-to-back is often times like a challenging puzzle. We do surprisingly well at it though, considering how few Airbnbs and hotels we’ve paid for in the last year (only nine Airbnb stays and one hotel award night!).
Incidentally, December was one of the months that we needed to fill a night at an Airbnb. Honestly though, it was less about not having a house sit, and more about being near the airport for a flight the following morning.
We found an Airbnb within walking distance of LaGuardia Airport (LGA) that after discounts (previously purchased 25% off Airbnb gift cards with an Amex Offer) cost us only $47.75 during peak holiday travel time.
Tip: We’re all about saving money on travel without sacrificing comfort. Check out how we stayed 41 nights at Hilton hotel properties and actually made Hilton Honors points when it was all said and done! Follow that up with our Award Travel article for more tips on travel and hotel hacking. Finally, don’t miss how to make the most of your elite hotel status.
Notable Savings in December, 2019
Shoes
Both of us love Altra shoes (foot shaped and zero heal-to-toe drop) and find that the Lone Peaks stay comfortable even after 10+ mile walks! This is great news if you’ve read our story on the extremely long search for the perfect pair of shoes.
We regularly scope out Amazon, REI, and Zappos to find deals on Altra shoes.
This month we were on the lookout for a new pair of Altra Lone Peaks for Sergio. He wears a size 14/15, so as you can imagine, finding his size at a low price presents a bit of a challenge.
However, using all the resources in our toolbox, we found a few offers we were able to stack to get an incredible deal on his shoes. Altra Lone Peaks retail for $120, but by stacking Zappos promotions and coupons, including linking our Amazon Prime account to our Zappos VIP account, we walked away with a new pair for an incredible price of only $34!
See exactly how we did this in this month’s Real World Travel, Budget, Deal, and Life Hacking article.
Tip: If you’re looking for more ideas on how to stack offers, check out another great deal we got this month where we saved over 50% on beauty products on Amazon.
2-for-1 Flights
The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the best travel hacking tools in the industry. While most airlines give you only one companion pass per year, or just offer a discount for your companion, Southwest takes it to another level.
The Southwest Companion Pass allows your companion to fly for free (pay only the tax) for the rest of the year in which you earned it in and the following year!
In July 2019 we earned the Companion Pass when we received over 120,000 Southwest miles when we met the spend requirements on our Southwest Premier Personal and Business credit cards.
This month we took full advantage of the Southwest Companion Pass when we purchased tickets to fly to our next house sitting job. Unfortunately, we needed to be there to begin a house sit at the end of December, which is prime holiday flight time.
With tickets for the flight we wanted priced at 34,000 points each, we ended up scoring two tickets for only 24,000 Southwest points and $11.20 in taxes and fees!
Check out the details in this month’s installment of Real World Travel, Budget, Deal, and Life Hacking.
Groceries
We can’t logically end the savings section with out a few words on a grocery budget for two that stayed under $85 for a month.
The numbers aren’t fudged, we promise!
We have several methods that when combined lead to an incredibly low grocery budget.
We’re incredibly fortunate that sometimes we’re offered meals and groceries by homeowners we house sit for!
We don’t eat out very often and instead choose to cook our own meals. That alone lowers the budget, but we’re also aware of what we purchase at the store. For example, we rarely eat meat and if we find a good sale on something we enjoy, we aren’t hesitant to eat it night after night.
We practice intermittent fasting (IF). Not only do we feel better, but preliminary research suggests improved health*. It also means we’re eating one meal a day. While it’s a large meal, it’s still less food than three meals would be.
We’re on the lookout for deals on all things we purchase, including groceries. Whether it’s coupons, sales, or both.
Shannon works for a company that provides meals in the office. She also receives per diem while traveling. So, when she chooses to be in the office or is traveling, we’re fortunate enough not to spend anything on her meals.
*We’re not health experts, so please do your own research and talk to your physician about health benefits and risks before you attempt any diet, including intermittent fasting (IF).
Where We’ve Traveled to This Month
We were excited to be in and around the New York City area this month so that we could experience the city during all the Christmas and Holiday festivities.
We started the month in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn and then made our way out of the city to Greenwood Lake, New York. After that we took full advantage of being in Hoboken, New Jersey to easily get to Manhattan to see and experience the holiday decorations. Finally, we ended the month with a cozy house sitting job back in Greenwood Lake.
In the new year, we’ll be leaving the New York City area and venturing to warmer climates. So, we spent a night at an Airbnb near LaGuardia Airport (LGA) before taking off on a plane and celebrating the New Year a few blocks from the beach!
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York
Our month began with a house sitting job in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York. It’s a great neighborhood, the apartment was blocks from the subway (always a huge plus in NYC), and Matilda (the kitty) was adorable!
House sitting Matilda in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York!
Greenwood Lake, New York
This wasn’t our first time in Greenwood Lake caring for Tigerlily and Tinkerbelle, and we were actually here twice this month!
We consider ourselves fortunate to meet great people and make good friends as we house sit around the world. Without a doubt, Michelle in Greenwood Lake has become a good friend and we enjoy house sitting for her.
Tigerlily and Tinkerbelle were their usual adorable selves for both times we cared for them this month. However, the big news is that Michelle added another little guy to the mix. A Pomsky puppy named Niko! And yes, you read that correctly, a Pomsky is a Pomeranian, Siberian Husky mix and they’re absolutely adorable.
House sitting Tigerlily, Tinkerbelle, and Niko in Greenwood Lake, New York!
Hoboken, New Jersey
In between our two visits to Greenwood Lake, New York, we house sat Mercedes in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Once again, our fortune of meeting wonderful, kind, and generous homeowners continued in Hoboken with Devin and Jason. They welcomed us into their home and introduced us to their dog, Mercedes. She was super cuddly and full of energy. Mercedes won our hearts and also won the best ever head tilt and wonky ear award!
House sitting Mercedes in Hoboken, New Jersey!
Sightseeing holiday festivities in New York City. Clockwise from the top left: Inside Macy’s Manhattan, the light show at Saks 5th Avenue, giant Christmas light display, giant Christmas ornament display, Christmas tree and nutcracker display, the Ghostbuster firehouse decorated for the holidays, and the Rockefeller Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center.
Our tool box is full of resources! From travel hacking to house sitting, digital nomad jobs to privacy and security, financially independent retire early (FI/RE) to entertainment, plus travel hacking (credit cards, miles, points, and rewards), and much much more…
Year to Date (YTD) Expenses for 2019
We’re wrapping up 2019 and even we’re surprised that our expenses came in under $7,000, all-inclusive for the both of us!
That’s less than half of what we spent for a year long adventure traveling full time around Europe!
So, how did we spend only $7K ($3,500 each) all-in for an entire year traveling around the United States?
Google Project Fi | The Best International Cell Phone & Data Plan for World Travel
Making and saving money as digital nomads while traveling full time.
House sitting full time, see how you can too in our Ultimate House Sitting Guide (six part series).
Sightseeing: city cards and passes, deals, free attractions, and free visitor days.
We don’t own a car and instead use public transportation. and walk as much as we can.
Year to Date Total Expenses for 2019
2019 Monthly Average Budget
Curious how much we spent on average each month? Check it out!
Where We’ve House Sat in NYC in 2019
Now that we’re house sitting full time in New York City, we’re including a map of all the neighborhoods we’ve ‘lived in’ so far!
Note: The map is live and will be continuously updated. In other words, if your looking at this post June 2019, you’re also seeing ‘future’ house sits.
See where we are now and everywhere we’ve traveled since we began this adventure in 2016!
London, San Francisco, Paris, New York City, Athens and more?! Trusted Housesitters has allowed us to travel the world on a budget, but more importantly given us an opportunity to make new friends and have cute and cuddly companions along the way. Sign up and start your next great adventure!
Final Thoughts
As we close out 2019, we’re amazed at how well we did with our budget. Keeping our expenses and budget so low means that we made a huge leap forward on our way to financial independence, retire early (FI/RE).
We’re also looking forward to what 2020 will bring. Shannon earned a promotion at work that will allow us to continue our digital nomad and house sitting lifestyle, but once again we’ll be able to move about the United States.
We have a few fun and exciting things in the works that we hope we’ll be able to share with you throughout the year, so stay tuned!
Thank you to each and everyone of our readers. Whether you’re new to our site or have been following us for sometime, we sincerely appreciate you!