Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 by Reducing Monthly Expenses

Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 by Reducing Monthly Expenses

This week, we created a series of posts to help you save money in 2012 to make your travel dreams a reality. Today’s is about cutting unnecessary monthly expenses.  Monthly expenses kill savings. They chip away while you’re not looking, weakening your financial strength. You 

Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 by Brewing Your Own Coffee

Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 by Brewing Your Own Coffee

This week, we created a series of posts to help you save money in 2012 to make your travel dreams a reality. Today’s is about cutting coffee costs.  When I was working in Chicago, a lot of days I would treat myself to a $2 

Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 with the Right Bank Accounts

Post-Present Blues: Save for Travel in 2012 with the Right Bank Accounts

Christmas is over, and the new year is coming up. Resolutions will be made shortly, then ignored shortly after that. Assuming that if you read this blog, you’ll have some sort of travel more / work less resolution for 2012, Lisa and I created a 

What Did You Do With All Your Stuff? Downsizing Our Possessions.

What Did You Do With All Your Stuff? Downsizing Our Possessions.

People have a lot of questions when they learn about our trip. We’ll answer the most frequently asked and strangest ones here. One of the first and most common things we’re asked is: What did you do with all of your stuff? The answer is 

Adding a Platform Bed and Window Screens to Our Toyota Sienna, Rocky

Adding a Platform Bed and Window Screens to Our Toyota Sienna, Rocky

Matt C. wrote in asking about our rig.  Well, up until yesterday, Rocky was a pretty standard Toyota Sienna, but with the help of Lisa’s folks, we built our bed platform and created window screens for the side windows.  Tonight will be the first sleepy test run. 

Meet Our Toyota Sienna, Rocky

Meet Our Toyota Sienna, Rocky

This here’s Rocky. He’s a slate Toyota Sienna. That there’s not an RV. Rocky is originally from Massachusetts by way of Japan. He’s 3(ish). He’s run 1,379 marathons so far, and he’s itchin’ to jog a few more. Rocky hasn’t always been a vagabond – 

Looks Like Somebody Has a Case of the Mondays

Looks Like Somebody Has a Case of the Mondays

Monday … that’s a work day, right?  It hasn’t sunk in yet that it isn’t.  This Monday, there will be no riding the Brown Line, no $2 coffee at the Merchandise Mart, no elevator rides, badge swiping, revolving doors … no commute.  And no lunch 

Holy Shit, It Worked!

Holy Shit, It Worked!

We’re at about 2 hours to go before our departure from Chicago.  Can’t believe it — we’ve lived here for nearly a decade.  What started out as a crazy idea 20 months ago is now happening.  We get to live in a van! It’s all 

Home Sweet Homes

Home Sweet Homes

Thanks to a couple great friends and a brother’s conveniently timed trip to China, we didn’t have to resort to living in a hotel by the airport and commuting into the city like suburbanites. Instead, we’ve been able to thoroughly enjoy our last month in 

Miles To Go Before We’re Free

Miles To Go Before We’re Free

The last big domino just fell: the van.  We bought one.  We’ll introduce you shortly.  We can now leave Chicago. The preparations feel nearly constant.  We had to take a break this weekend after wrapping up the van sale and just sit on a couch 

The Long Nightmare of the American Dream is Over

The Long Nightmare of the American Dream is Over

And just like that … we’re homeless.  It’s wonderful.  Boy, real estate ownership isn’t exactly a cakewalk.  We learned some important, expensive lessons. photo credit: cdsessums | You can’t leave. Your home needs to appreciate by (at least) 10% for you to break even Yep, 

Let the Five Hour Countdown to Homelessness Begin!

Let the Five Hour Countdown to Homelessness Begin!

It’s here: closing day.  Our muscles are tired, our storage closet is full, our wonderful friends are letting us crash at their place.  Life is good right now, and it’s going to get better in a few hours. More to come later.  It’s tough to