We lived in luxury abroad for a year and cleared £54k debt – it saved us from homelessness
OPENING the monthly bank statement, Laura Helen’s heart sank.
Despite husband David, 43, bringing home £3,000 a month as a mechanic and having a second job washing pots in a pub, they were mired in debt.
Together, David and full-time mum Laura owed £54,000.
She says: “We felt like we were drowning.”
Laura, David, daughter Tegan, now 15, and son Tyler, now 12, lived in a rented four-bedroom farmhouse in Gorran, Cornwall.
“We were on the brink of bankruptcy most months and at one point I worried we’d be left homeless,” Laura says.
“I’d lie awake at night, my heart racing, imagining us without a roof over our heads.
“The fear of losing everything was overwhelming.
“Although we borrowed from friends and family, the £3,000 per month we had to pay on rent and bills wiped us out.
“The kids wore hand-me-downs and I made all our meals from scratch, using honesty-box veg and eggs from local farms.
“We stretched every pound, were living to work, and it wasn’t the life I wanted for us.”
Laura says the couple’s perilous financial situation came about after they adopted Tegan in 2014.
A long legal battle over the adoption resulted in enormous costs.
“We took out a £12,000 loan and maxed out our credit cards to pay the fees,” says Laura, pregnant with Tyler at the time.
“I left my job as a nursery nurse to care for both my newborn and a three-year-old.
Despite having their much-wanted children, the couple, who married in May 2007, struggled.
“I’d wake at the crack of dawn to take Tegan to school then tend to Tyler and do all the household chores,” Laura says.
“When David arrived home, there was dinner and bath time to sort.
“Because we were desperate for cash, we’d work into the early hours on our book business, which helps aspiring authors turn their ideas into published works.
“After only a few hours’ sleep, we’d wake up feeling exhausted – and then it’d start all over again.”
Feeling they had nothing to lose, Laura suddenly had a brainwave and suggested throwing it all in and travelling the world.
“I’d worked out all our monthly outgoings and realised that if we used Airbnb for long-term stays, it would actually reduce our expenses,” she says.
“The shift would also allow us to start repaying our debts.”
Initially, David was dubious.
“He worried about the kids, as did I,” says Laura.
“There were lots of questions that filled us with doubt: “Would the children struggle to make friends?
“What would we do if our cash ran out?
I’d worked out all our monthly outgoings and realised that if we used Airbnb for long-term stays, it would actually reduce our expenses
Laura
“What would happen if we got into trouble while on the road?
“But I knew that if we didn’t make the jump, we never would.”
They put precious items into storage then whittled down their belongings to just a suitcase and backpack each, giving away 45 bin bags full of goods to charity.
“It was the first step to freedom,” says Laura.
But she is far from alone in quitting the UK for a new life overseas.
Last year, more than 508,000 Brits did just this, according to the Office for National Statistics. Only 17,300 returned.
‘IMMERSED IN CULTURE’
After David quit his job, the family bought one-way tickets to Malaga, Spain, leaving behind everything they had ever known.
“Waking up that first sunny morning in the south of Spain, to the sound of giggling children and the smell of the ocean, I felt sure we’d made the right decision,” says Laura.
To travel for a fraction of the cost, they took up house and pet- sitting.
They also earned money by offering their publishing advice service online.
Over the past seven years, we’ve ridden camels in Egypt, climbed snowy mountains in Utah and travelled by horse and cart in Romania
Laura
Soon, they found themselves in places Laura had only dreamed of.
“Over the past seven years, we’ve ridden camels in Egypt, climbed snowy mountains in Utah and travelled by horse and cart in Romania,” she says.
“We’ve immersed ourselves in the cultures.”
Best of all, their money woes evaporated.
“Within three years, our entire debt was cleared and we’ve now got our monthly costs down to just £1,000,” Laura says.
“We’ve taken on other pursuits, providing coaching for families who want a life of freedom.”
They have adventures with the kids in the day, then work for three to four hours a night.
“People often worry our kids won’t have stable friendships but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” says Laura.
“Our lifestyle may be unconventional, but it has allowed our kids to develop deep, lasting friendships with like-minded children around the world, who they regularly video-call.”
The family also frequently returns to the UK, so the kids can keep close bonds with relatives and friends back home.
But not everyone agrees with them quitting the rat race.
“Some friends and even some family members questioned our choice,” says Laura.
“They worry our children might miss out on stability, routine or academic success.
“But for us, prioritising freedom, real-world learning and family connection has proven invaluable.
“Most of our friends are supportive and can see our children shine.”
Yet there have been plenty of challenges.
‘POISIONOUS SNAKES’
“At the beginning, it was tough not knowing if you’ll have enough money to travel to the next destination, or be certain you’ll have somewhere to sleep for the night,” she says, adding that they only stay in one place for two to three months at a time.
“We’ve dealt with fake Airbnbs, flight delays and encounters with poisonous snakes.
“But thankfully, we’ve had very few serious incidents.
“Once, in Spain, one of the kids fractured their elbow, but the hospital in Murcia was excellent.
“We keep a close eye on health facilities and have learned to navigate local healthcare systems.
“Preparing gives us peace of mind.”
Despite the fears of some friends and family, Laura is surer than ever that she and David made the right decision.
She says: “Some thought we were irresponsible and it was painful to feel that — especially when we see their children now facing daily bullying at school, dealing with parents divorcing, and constantly attached to phones.
“But over time, we’ve become so certain this path is right for us.
“This life brings our family happiness and growth — and that’s what truly matters.”