Roaming About

A Life Less Ordinary

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How Much Money Do We Make?

August 12, 2020 / / 50 Comments

Financial Case Study: Liesbet Collaert – Interview on The Professional Hobo

I’m excited to announce something entirely different and unique today…

Many of you know that I post monthly and yearly expense reports on this blog, without any secrecy. Yet, I have never disclosed how much money I/we actually make in a year. I’ve also been pretty vague about how we have been able to afford our nomadic lifestyle over the years and what is required to financially sustain ourselves.

All this and more insights can be found on Nora Dunn’s website The Professional Hobo, where I take part in her Financial Case Study series. Unlike most of her guests, we don’t make six figures a year and stay true to our motto “The less money you need, the less you need to earn.”

Check it out here!

Warning: Her website is advertisement-heavy.

Financial Case Study: Liesbet Collaert, Roaming About

Financial Case Study: Liesbet Collaert, Roaming About

Liesbet Collaert was born in Belgium and recently became an American, but calls herself a world citizen. She’s been a digital nomad since 2003 (sailing, house sitting, and RVing), earning money as a freelance writer, photographer, translator, and editor. Her first travel memoir is almost ready for publication. Liesbet connects with her readers on her blog Roaming About – A Life Less Ordinary, as well as her Facebook page or Instagram account.

While Liesbet’s income seems small, I think you’ll agree that she and her husband have lived an extraordinary life of travel, and by using creative budget travel tips (like getting accommodation for free) they haven’t been left wanting for much. Check it out! 

Financial Case Studies

How long have you been living/working on the road, and where have you traveled to?

Where do I start? Since I’m pretty impulsive and adventurous, my nomadic existence and means to make money developed organically. I’ve always been a traveler. One of the reasons I became a teacher in Belgium was to have a long summer vacation designed around exploring the world. I took two “leave of absences” during my first four years of teaching, to backpack in Southeast Asia and Down Under. Being frugal and passionate about travel, that’s what I used my income for. I never owned anything, making it easy for me to be flexible. The third time I left Belgium for an extended adventure, I never returned. That was in 2003.

While I didn’t need to make money during these initial escapades, as I had savings from my “real job” and I run a tight budget ship, one – of course – can’t journey forever without earnings. Darn! I think it was in 2008 – after a few years of RV-travel and getting close and personal with sailboats – that I started to create some sort of income. Up until that point, I’d cleaned a few boats for change and kept a free blog about our sailing journey on SV Irie to share our experiences and inspire others.

I traveled throughout Europe while living in Belgium until I was 27, backpacked in Southeast Asia and Oceana for two years, explored the continental US, Canada, and Alaska in a truck camper for a year and a half and Mexico and Central America for another year. In 2007, the sailboat episode followed – a journey that brought us from Maryland (USA) south to Florida, throughout the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, spending hurricane season in the Dominican Republic, and on to the Eastern Caribbean via Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. 

After three years up and down the Leeward and Windward Islands, we skimmed the out islands of Venezuela, spend time in Colombia, and enjoyed over a year in Panama. The next steps were transiting the Canal, being blown away by wildlife in the Galapagos Islands, and concluding our sailing voyage after cruising in French Polynesia for two years. Eight years after casting off (in 2015), we sold Irie in Tahiti.

Since then, we’ve slowed down a bit, house and pet sitting throughout the United States and exploring North America in our 19ft camper van Zesty. I am more than ready for tropical and exciting destinations again, whenever this pandemic allows it.

Liesbet Collaert of Roaming About sailing SV Irie

Please describe what you do for income. 

First, I’d like to point out that my husband and I are very frugal and we’ve found that being careful with expenditures allows us the life we desire – more freedom and less need to be workaholics. The way we manage our money, our aversion towards collecting material goods, and our love of simplicity are leading factors for how we make this nomadic lifestyle work – financially and otherwise.

Continue reading here…

Monthly Expenses – July 2020

August 8, 2020 / / 34 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

In July, we boondocked in the woods of White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire, with Zesty for a week and stayed put in our “room above the garage” in Newburyport, Massachusetts for the rest of the month. Our time in nature cost approximately the same as not going anywhere, except for the fuel. We bought groceries and alcohol as usual and camped for free. Yet, the camper expense was higher than normal, because Mark replaced a heating element.

Our free campsite in White Mountains National Forest
Campsite in the woods – social distancing is easy
Our current home base

Early in the month, we had dinner with relatives outside on picnic tables at a brewery. That was the first time we ate “out” in months and probably the last time. We prefer take-out, which we ended the month with. Of the four items we ordered at this Thai restaurant, two were wrong. I guess we will stick to cooking ourselves from now on!

Falafels with homemade pita bread
Vegetarian goodness!
Camper meal: vegetarian pasta dish with homemade no-yeast pan-bread

And, there is a new expense category! Writing. It immediately became the highest cost of the month. Almost $500. That amount in July went to my editor and is half of her fee for the first round of (substantive) edits she performed for my travel memoir. This month, we paid the same amount and I expect two more expenses like these for the second round of edits in September.

My mother-in-law’s patio and garden
Plenty of room to social distance here, for a group up to eight people

Where we saved money is by taking advantage of a credit card offer I wrote about last month. Because of using our miles at 1.5x their value for groceries and restaurant expenses, our actual spending in July was $496 dollars less than reflected in the total underneath.

I don’t tire of this view of the White Mountains!

On paper, it was a relatively expensive month for us, about $100 above our monthly average, but that’s mostly due to a new “investment”.  I hope to earn that back one day. 🙂

I encourage any questions and thoughts in the comment section underneath!

July 2020 Overview:

Writing (editor):

Groceries:

Camper (diesel: $43; repairs: $198):

Dining out:

Alcohol:

Clothing (undies, shirts):

Utilities (phone):

Medical (Corona fee dentist + drugs):

Dog (toys):

Computer (new mouse):

Entertainment (e-book):

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$484

$409

$241

$80

$68

$49

$35

$19

$9

$6

$1

$0

———

$ 1,401

To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the expense blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

Writing Update August 2020 – Let the Rewrites Begin

August 5, 2020 / / 67 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For August, the question is: “Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn’t planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the awesome co-hosts are Susan Baury Rouchard, Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jennifer Hawes, Chemist Ken, and Chrys Fey.

My answer to the question

Easy answer this month: the only genre I ever write in is non-fiction. Although, there have been moments where embellishments and exaggerations almost sneaked in! ???? I dabbled in poetry years ago as well. All my writing is pretty straightforward and planned.

Missing the river – and nature – already

My book progress

Last month, Mark, Maya, and I went camping for a week and I completed a few editing and writing assignments unrelated to my book. But, a lot happened behind the scenes. Early in July, another rejection letter from a traditional publisher arrived. I have coined it the “the nicest email ever to bum me out.” Here is an excerpt:

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Getaway to the White Mountains

August 1, 2020 / / 62 Comments

New Hampshire’s attractive White Mountains are located 150 miles (241km) northeast of our current home base in Massachusetts. It takes a little over three hours to get there in our van (as opposed to 2.5 hours by car), since we stick to an average highway speed of 55-60mph (90km/h) in Zesty. This consumes less diesel, and we rarely have to pass anyone!

White Mountain National Forest was our destination this past week. It is huge, at 800,000 acres (which expand into Maine), attracts millions of visitors annually, and offers countless recreation possibilities, like 1,200 miles of hiking trails. When Mark and I returned from visiting people in Maine and Vermont in June, we drove through this stunning area and were impressed. We vowed to return for a proper immersion.

(Scroll over or click on images to read photo captions in the galleries.)

Just driving through the White Mountains – Mt. Washington
Quick stop last June – falls at a swimming hole
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Three Dogs and a Lake – #WordlessWednesday

July 22, 2020 / / 32 Comments

Maya, Dixie, and Max cooling off in the lake of Island Pond, Vermont

Maya is still learning how to swim – awkwardly

Max LOVES retrieving balls – ashore and in the water

Maya, relaxing in the sand

Did I mention that Max is eager to play ball, all…the…time?

Practice makes perfect!

Wet and cooled off, but done playing with the ball

Just because I love sunsets, with or without dogs…

Until next time…

This is my contribution to this week’s (mostly) Wordless Wednesday.

Inside a Nomad’s Monkey Mind – What’s Next?

July 15, 2020 / / 84 Comments

Today, I invite you into my mind. If you accept, you might regret it. So much is going on in there, you might get overwhelmed, or mad, or jealous. This chaotic brain activity even has a name: Monkey Mind. Although, its description appears a bit harsh to define my condition. Thank you for supplying me with the correct term, Peta, when I mentioned this busy-bee thought syndrome in my last writing update. Luckily, those mulled-over and constantly-sprouting concepts aren’t all writing-related. That being said, the idea for this post formed while I was in the shower, head-writing it. ????

Pensive position

Some background information to help understand our conundrums in regards to… our future:

  • Mark and I met the end of 2004 and have been nomads ever since (me 1.5 years prior to that).
  • With two big dogs, we attempted a sailing adventure, which failed after nine months of prep.
  • The four of us traveled throughout Mexico and Central America in an RV for one year instead.
  • This was followed by three months in-limbo at a friend’s place in Texas, contemplating a move to Belize, a country that pleased and attracted us.
  • But, Mark’s dream to go sailing persisted: we lived in a tent and Toyota Tacoma with our two dogs for two months, in search of the perfect catamaran. We found Irie in Annapolis, Maryland.
  • An eight-year sailing journey brought us from the US to the Caribbean to the South Pacific.
  • After selling Irie in Tahiti, we didn’t want to settle but needed a break from our travels. The solution: house and pet sitting; frequent changes of scenery and the conveniences of a house.
  • Until we got itchy feet again and bought our current campervan, Zesty. Overland adventures continued, in combination with welcome breaks, house sitting.
  • We adopted Maya in June 2019 and house sitting was not an option anymore. We preferred our life on the road by then, so it all made sense to travel full-time again.
  • Then, Covid happened and we got stuck in a room above the garage in a city for many months.
Our first sailboat, a monohull, before departure from the San Francisco Bay area, California
Our truck camper (2005 – 2006) parked on a beach in Costa Rica
Ready to leave Texas in our Toyota Tacoma, spring 2007
Before leaving on our sailing adventure, Annapolis, Maryland
Irie under sail in the Society Islands, French Polynesia
Darwin on the bow of Irie in Martinique
Zesty boondocked at a lake in Southern California
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Clearwater, Florida – Global Headquarters of Scientology

July 11, 2020 / / 44 Comments

A walk through Clearwater, FL reveals fancy signs, magnificent buildings, and a certain amount of secrecy. If you wouldn’t know better, the reason for these appearances stays forever hidden. Take a stroll through town with us and read the captions by hovering over or clicking on the images of this photo story.

We had no idea when we parked Zesty along the street, next to this imposing white building in Clearwater.

Until we saw this sign…
… and video cameras everywhere.
People dressed like bellboys all around…
… asking us provocatively, “What are you looking at?” and “Why are you taking photos?”
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On the Hunt – #WordlessWednesday

July 8, 2020 / / 58 Comments

We spotted a groundhog in the back yard.


Keeping an eye on her flock.


A family with five adolescents… and more individuals in the front yard. So cute!


Maya smells the groundhogs. They hide in tunnels behind the rocks of the retaining walls.

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Monthly Expenses – June 2020

July 5, 2020 / / 38 Comments

Expenses - image

Every month, I post a report of our expenses to show that it is possible to live a comfortable, exciting, and adventurous life without breaking the bank. The less money you spend, the less you need to make. 🙂

This report includes ALL of our expenses, in US$, for two adults and one 60-pound dog (we adopted Maya on June 4th, 2019). Under groceries we incorporate food, produce, and non-alcoholic drinks predominantly bought in supermarkets. Toiletries belong in that category as well. Dining out means eating at a restaurant/event or purchasing take-out food. The health category covers non-prescription medicines and vitamins/supplements; medical contains prescription drugs and doctor’s visits. Because of our income level, Mark and I are eligible for free health care within the state of Massachusetts. For check-ups, we both return to the East Coast.

Most of June was spent away from “our room above the garage”. After six weeks of sheltering in place in this tiny, uninspiring, yet relatively comfortable setting in Massachusetts, Mark, Maya, and I loaded up our campervan with belongings and groceries and traveled north.

We self-isolated for two weeks in Lincolnville, Maine, where we helped out with renovations in a house recently purchased by our brother-in-law and his wife. We didn’t spend any money during those weeks as we didn’t do anything and didn’t go anywhere. The numbers of Covid cases in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have always been low, but we quarantined for 14 days nevertheless.

(Captions appear when you click on or hover over the photos. I have posted more visuals of last month’s experiences in previous blog posts here and here.)

Zesty’s parking spot for two weeks
Sanding the big front porch
Replacing light fixtures
Re-purposing French doors
Kitchen in our “construction zone”
Beautiful view
Meeting halfway the deck – sanding done!
I applied stain with a brush, Mark with a roller.
It only took a day to apply two coats of stain to the sanded front porch

That visit concluded with a couple of hikes and a quick stop in the cute seaside town of Belfast on day 15 and 16, before we moved on to Kingfield, Maine, to hang out with friends for a couple of days.

Rest and a snack during a hike
Skipping eating out for lunch at a popular restaurant in Belfast
Belfast waterfront
Maya and Moose being cute
Cooling off at Flagstaff Lake in Maine
Jen with “frozen” Moose – the lake was too cold for him
Hot afternoon at the lake with friends

Next up, more relaxing with another set of friends at a lake house in Island Pond, Vermont. That was a VERY enjoyable weekend, despite the 90-degree weather. We concluded our “grand tour” with a quick “hello and goodbye” to one more set of friends met on the road last year. Again, it was extremely hot and there was no shade for Zesty. We cooled off in the woods on their property and in a swimming hole by Troy Falls. Other than the last three nights of camping in our van, we stayed inside houses.

Island Pond. our location for a long weekend with friends
Maya blends in with her surroundings
Waterfall in White Mountains National Forest, New Hampshire
Quick stop for a photo of these falls on the drive back to Massachusetts
Sunset over Island Pond

Some of the June categories were higher than usual: groceries because we stopped at a Trader Joe’s (which means splurging on goodies like dumplings, goat cheese, and snacks) and shared special home-cooked dinners, alcohol because we are social drinkers and we socialized a lot, and the dog section because of Maya’s new flea & tick collar and heartworm medicine.

All things considered, June was a decent spending month for us and the numbers underneath are accurate. But… a Covid-related action made us spend much less in real life. Let me explain. With our Chase credit card, Mark and I have been collecting points over the years, accumulating to $1,500 in cash last month. Usually, we save the points and use them for flights to Boston or Belgium. Well, that isn’t happening anytime soon, so we considered alternative benefits. At the same time, Chase announced that customers could redeem points during the pandemic for 1.5 times their value when paying for groceries and dining out, retroactive for 90 days. Our $1,500 instantaneously turned into $2,250!

Mark and I jumped on the offer, waving grocery and restaurant expenses from the previous three months and using points for all our current grocery shopping and take-out meals. To put things in perspective, a $30 food order, for example, costs us $20 as only that equivalent of points is redeemed. It’s a bit of an accounting nightmare, so I’m keeping the spending numbers in my reports equal to what we paid, not incorporating the “free money”. But, based on this fortunate turn of events, we only spent $410 of real money last month and a few hundred dollars less than recorded in February, March , and April as well.

Sorry for the confusion, but I added this explanation to provide total transparency about our expenses. At the end of the year, I will have to post two sets of numbers because of the generosity of our credit card company during these challenging times. Thank you, Chase!

June 2020 Overview:

Groceries:

Alcohol:

Camper (diesel: $87; maintenance: $17):

Dog (food: $35; health: $58):

Health & Fitness (vitamins):

Utilities (phone: $35; Skype:$5):

Dining out (pastries):

Accommodation:

 

TOTAL:

 

$412

$117

$104

$93

$56

$40

$15

$0

———

$ 837

To learn what other full-time nomads spend each month, check out the expense blogs of our vanlife friends Duwan and Greg at Make Like An Ape Man.

I hope my American friends and family are enjoying their Independence Day Weekend. The three of us had a mellow social-distanced BBQ with my brother-in-law and his family yesterday.

IWSG Writing Update July 2020 – The Idle Co-host

June 30, 2020 / / 110 Comments

Every first Wednesday of the month, the IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group) engages writers to share their fears, thoughts, progress, struggles, excitement, encouragement, or anything really, about their writing. A different question is posed each month as a writing prompt. Answering it is optional. For July, the question is: “There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?”

This amazing, supportive group of writers was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Today, the awesome co-hosts are Jenni Enzor, Beth Camp, Tyrean Martinson, Sandra Cox, and yours truly (Liesbet @ Roaming About). If you click on their names, a link will bring you to their websites.

My answer to the question about industry changes

I’m a relatively new (book) writer, so the changes in the last decade did not affect me. Being unexperienced, I can’t suggest positive changes, but on a personal level I wish that every agent and publisher would have the decency, respect, and time to acknowledge or reply to queries, even if it’s with a “thanks but no thanks”. In an ideal world, constructive criticism would accompany the rejections. ????

A different question: Do writers ever relax?

Does your mind ever stop spinning, spewing ideas, suggesting outlines, demanding attention? Minds must always be busy. At least, mine is. The only time I don’t think about writing is when I hang out with friends and have a good time. Unless we talk about my travel memoir. There must be a name for this condition. Overthinking? Thought Disorder? Mind Mush? Author’s Obsession? Please enlighten me.

View during a two-week stay in Lincolnville, Maine to help out with home renovations (photo courtesy of Dave Stuhlbarg)

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