A couple came up with a clever way to deal with the rising cost of living, and it also lets them see some amazing parts of the world.
Angelyn and Richard Burk are from Seattle, but they have made the brave decision to move to a cruise ship. They did this because they realised that living on a cruise ship is cheaper than paying their mortgage.
With mortgage rates going up, the Burks found that living on a boat is a much cheaper way to live than trying to save up for a home loan while trying to meet their need to travel.
They quit their jobs in May 2021 and set sail for a new life at sea with just one bag each. They did this because they could live on the ship for as little as $43.92 a day.
Angelyn, who is 53 years old, told 7News, “We love to travel, and we were looking for a way to keep travelling after we retired that made financial sense.”
She and her husband Richard seem to like living on the water, since they plan to spend the rest of their lives travelling the world on cruise ships.
Since the beginning of their trip, the couple has been on and off a number of cruise ships, enjoying the freedom to sail to different places. Their trips have taken them from Seattle to Sydney, a trip that took 51 days and included stops in places like the Bahamas, Singapore, Italy, and Canada.
Angelyn said, “Our original plan was to stay in different countries for a month at a time and then retire on cruise ships when we were older.”
The Burks chose to start saving for retirement earlier than they had planned. They came up with a plan that made financial sense and let them live the kind of life we all want.
They live on less money and take advantage of sales and reward programmes to get the best deals. They also give up the boring 9-to-5 routine. By using their funds and selling their house, they were able to retire early and start their new life on cruise ships right away.
Angelyn went on: “We’ve been saving and investing our whole lives to get to where we want to be. We’re not interested in things, but in having adventures.”
She started going on cruises in 1992, and she loved them even more when she met Richard. The two of them went on cruises at least once a year, if not twice.
In April 2022, Angelyn told CNN that the average cost of living on a cruise ship is $89 per day. This includes the room, transportation, tips, entertainment, port fees, and taxes.
The couple was lucky that this was “well within” their retirement budget, so they set sail right away for the life they had always dreamed of.
Since they started their journey at sea, the Burks have only spent a few nights on land, living with family or friends when they had to switch ships for a short time.
The Burks are living it up, and they have their sights set on endless adventures and new horizons. Luckily, they’ve found an amazing way to deal with the cost of living problem without giving up their dreams.