In this financial case study series, we’re exploring the various careers of world travelers, and how they make ends meet financially while living abroad. Yes, financially sustainable full-time travel is possible!
Rachel Denning and her husband Greg and six children (!) have been living on the road since 2007. In addition to running their popular blog Discover Share Inspire, Greg is an online teacher and Rachel provides web services. Here’s how they juggle it all – including the finances. (Note: You can also read about a week-in-the-life of the Denning Family driving from Alaska to Argentina back in 2011)!
Where have you lived and traveled to?
We’ve driven from Utah to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama; lived in Costa Rica (twice); lived in the Dominican Republic; lived in India; lived in Alaska; drove from Alaska through Yukon, British Columbia, US, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica; lived in Guatemala; visited Peru (hubby lived there two years before we were married). We’re currently living in Germany; on a road trip to France, Luxembourg, and Belgium.
Please describe what you do for income.
Greg is an educational mentor for homeschooled students and a teacher at an online high school. I do web design and social media work part time, as well as blog and write.
How many hours per week do you work on average?
Greg — 20-40 hours
Me — 10 ish
How much money do you make?
Our income has definitely varied over the years…we had some TOUGH years trying to figure things out. Now Greg makes about $5,500/month from his work. I make around $40/hour with mine.
We also have additional/occasional income from affiliate sales (doing a launch with my friend Danielle from onlinebizskills.com) or sales of products we’ve created (such as our course on How to Fund Travel), or our YouTube channel, but these aren’t major income sources…yet.
Do you make enough money to support your lifestyle?
Yes
What is your vision for the future of your lifestyle on the road?
To earn more income passively…continue to create a series of sales funnels that sell products that we’ve created. Currently working on a ‘worldschooling’ course.
I talked to Rachel and Greg Denning at length about life and work on the road as a large family and featured them in Working on the Road: The Unconventional Guide to Full-Time Freedom. Check it out!
Uma says
October 25, 2015 at 7:43 pmWow … if this family can travel long term supporting six kids, there is really no excuse for others!
Nora Dunn says
October 26, 2015 at 2:12 pmAmen to that, Uma!
Terry Neudorf says
November 5, 2015 at 5:32 pmI took my family (wife, 3 kids) to South America for 8 months and thought I was badass. We went by aeroplane. Alaska to Argentina on land???? Good for this family.
Nora Dunn says
November 5, 2015 at 7:18 pmHey Terry,
Don’t worry – you were badass too! These guys are just plain hard core. 😉
Tricia @ The Adventure List says
November 5, 2015 at 5:45 pmOnline education. I need to look into that. Amazing that you travel with six kids. That is so awesome for them. They don’t even realize yet. Congrats to you as parents for giving them the world.