We decided to live on cruise ships after all our belongings went up in flames – it saves us £30k a year
A COUPLE who decided to live on a cruise ship after all their belongings went up in flames said claim to save £30,000 a year.
Angelyn and Richard Burk, from America, made the huge decision to sell their home for a life out at sea following a freak accident in 2013.
Now, they live a life of luxury travelling all over the world – enjoying a retired couple’s dream.
But perhaps one of the more satisfying things of their lifestyle choice is the amount of money they save.
The Burks told CNN that their cost of living before their retirement was $75,000 USD (£59,000) a year.
While they both worked, however, the couple made the decision to “live off the one smaller salary” and bank the other.
It wasn’t made clear which of the pair earned more money, however.
But when that freak accident occurred 10 years ago, in which Angelyn said all of their things “went up in flames in a moving truck”, the couple were forced to rethink their way of life.
“We were always looking to cruises, because it kept calling to us,” she said.
“It’s so easy. You just book a cruise and it takes you to different places.”
Despite getting to enjoy their days without having to work, and being able to spend time with one another, cruising while retired does have its challenges for the couple.
That includes doing laundry on the ship, where it can cost up to £15 each time.
Nonetheless, the couple still claim they’re saving a lot of money.
“In the last two years or so, it was $35,000 (£27,000) or less to live,” Angelyn said — only half of what their cost of living was before retirement.
They also have taken advantage of savings bundles through loyalty points from credit cards and promotions from cruise ship lines.
“For us, we’ve proven that we don’t need a home base,” Richard said.
Elsewhere, a wealthy divorcee who ditched her luxury home to fund a new life on the high seas claims she also saves a lot of money each year.
Mimi Bland, 59, is one of hundreds of high-fliers buying cabins on luxury residential cruise ships – and saves £20,000 per year.
And a woman who lives on a cruise ship for free has shared the highs and lows of life at sea.
However, despite being able to do everything the guests and crew can, there are some surprising rules that are set just for her.