12 Months of Downsizing

Part 1- The Pilot

The very first job that I ever worked was at a collection agency and they paid me $7.25 an hour.

I lived in Killeen, Tx and I was perfectly content with being paid minimum wage. Following the collection agency, I also worked at a daycare, then I did work as an unlicensed insurance agent. Regardless of where I worked in this little town (which happens to be home to the largest U.S. Army Base — Fort Hood), I was always paid less than $12 an hour and yet I lived quite comfortably…. here’s why. The average cost of rent in Killeen, TX is $767. Nope, you didn’t misread that and it certainly isn’t a typo.

While the rest of the world is sprinting on a hamster wheel to keep up with the National cost of rent at $1,468, this little quaint town is coasting by from paying only half of the national average. So I did something. Realizing that I’ve clearly been living my life wrong, I packed up my Los Angeles apartment, where the rent was $1,935 (cheap for LA, by the way), and the boys and I have moved back to Killeen, Tx.

I’ve created a plan that will allow me to eliminate the remainder of my debt ($15k), purchase a cash car, and save the down payment for my home within the next 12 months. I now have the opportunity to invest more back into my business and scale it to the next milestone. Miraculously, I’ve managed to locate a gem that allows for my cost of living to swallow less than 10% of my monthly income.

We’re currently in an extended stay while we search for our new home for the next 12 months. I set my monthly rent budget at $650. The perfect home will allow for me to be in walking distance of a school/daycare for the boys as well as any stores that I’ll need. I’m hoping for a 3 bedroom so that I have the option of turning one of the rooms into a home office. Though the search is still on, I’ll let you know how it goes.

While reducing my cost of living, I’ll also be focusing on providing consistency and more value in my business and brand, picking up part-time work or side hustles to supplement my income, spending more time increasing my current sources of income (YouTube, promoting my ebooks, and writing for medium), and spending more valuable time with my children and trying new experiences together as a family.

This impulsively decided relocation is by far the hugest turn of events for me in 2020. Check back with me at the end of every month to follow my down-sizing journey. I’ll be sharing my planning, goals, obstacles, and setbacks over the next 12 months. It looks like we’ll just have to see where this road leads us.