Wow, It has been almost 8 weeks since I wrote a blog. I blame it on the weather! HA! The whole skipping Spring and 8-month winter really threw me for a loop.
BUT IT IS OFFICIALLY SPRING! And we are reminded WHY we are doing what we are doing. We have been able to be OUTSIDE often and fully explore the campground we are staying at!
I also realized I never posted the question and answer interview we did with Ryan Leake, the realtor that sold our house! If you ever need a realtor, contact him at www.ryanleake.com
Here is a look at our interview with him and a perfect reminder of the start of our journey and WHY we continue to live small!
Tell me a bit about your living situation prior to moving and what made you decide you wanted/needed to move?
We bought our first house in 2011. We had every intention of staying there pretty much forever. It was a beautiful home in the country on a 1.5 acre lot. It was newly remolded, and we added a bit of our own touch, including a custom stamped concrete patio. About the time our son was born in 2016, we began discussing the school district and the possibility of tiny living. There were many benefits to living small. From saving money, to not being tied down to a specific location, and the opportunity to eventually build exactly what we wanted in the future. After a rough pregnancy and 2 weeks in the NICU, the medical bills started to pile up. It was the push we needed to really get the house on the market and begin our new adventure. It was actually Eric’s idea to do the RV living as opposed to a tiny house. We really didn’t want to put money into someone else’s home by renting, and RVs are made to travel! That is what we were really after!
How did you go about selling your home?
At first we wanted to test the waters by listing our home as ‘For Sale By Owner’. We really didn’t know what to expect, but like most, wanted to get the most out of our house as possible, so we figured we would start there.
How did you prepare your home to sell?
We went through the house with a fine toothed comb. Touched up any paint, caulk and replaced or repaired anything in the house that needed it. And with the intention of living smaller, I decluttered and downsized EVERYTHING. No drawer or box was left untouched. Things we didn’t NEED were either pitched, sold, or given away.
Can you share a bit about you experience selling FSBO?
We listed our home on zillow.com and just kind of waited around. I took photos myself and made an ad that was posted on Facebook as well. After a few months we didn’t have any showings and began to consider a realtor.
What made you decide to contact a realtor and can you share a bit about your experience?
After not getting much action, we decided to meet with a few realtors. We knew that living in a small town, the market for what we had to offer was pretty small. We decided we could use all the help we could get. There was also a little concern about what would happen if we were able to sell the home. Contracts, lawyers, we really wouldn’t have known where to start if the home sold. After meeting with Ryan, we knew that we wanted to work with him! He was so kind and interested in our story. If there was a commission to be made on our home, we were glad that Ryan was the one we got to work with.
How did you go about making your RV Purchase?
This was Eric’s deal. He knew what he wanted and would send me options all the time. Many late nights were spent discussing exactly what we thought we would want in our RV. Eventually, Eric found an RV dealer in Michigan that had a ton of options to look at. We decided that we needed to get in as many RVs as possible to really feel out what we were in for.
Were there specific criteria you were looking for?
It was important to me that there would be a small bath for Titus to take his bubble baths in. I also really liked the toy haulers because of the tall ceilings. The space seemed much more open. Eric wanted all the options, haha, but most importantly he knew that we would want an RV that was rated for winter and had underbelly heating, for our subzero Illinois winters!
How has the process of downsizing been?
Honestly, easy! I felt so freed getting rid of anything and everything that we didn’t need. In just over 8 years of marriage, our home had collected a ton of crap. I honestly don’t miss the extra space. We are always close and cozy in the RV. It is amazing what little you need to be happy.
What has been your biggest surprise?
We have been pleasantly surprised at how easy the transition has been for us!
What has been your biggest adjustment?
No washing machine. Luckily I work 2 doors down from a laundry mat so it makes it pretty convenient to use during the day. No matter how small you go, the laundry is still never-ending.
Favorite memory so far?
Kristi – When we first moved into the RV full-time it was September. I was getting dinner ready and I look out the sliding glass door to see Eric and Tman cuddled up on the fold down porch watching a movie together outside. It’s the little things for me. I love that we are so close as a family!
Can you share more about Redefined Refuge and your mission to be financially free?
I started Redefined Refuge as a way to share our journey of tiny living, getting out of debt and whatever comes next. I figured at the least this process would be entertaining. The blog has been a great way to connect with others that are living small to get debt free. I love that we can share our perspective with those that have similar goals in mind. We are just a little family figuring out how to have financial freedom. I don’t want money to be something that rules our lives.
What are your favorite apps for saving and tracking spending?
Every Dollar – This is the hardest part of budgeting! Being consistent and tracking… EVERYTHING. I am hoping that 2018 gets us on track and come next year, it will have just become second nature. We are currently using the app EVERY DOLLAR to help us tell our money where to go each month instead of wondering where it all went at the end of the month. A balanced budget also helps take away some of the guilt I feel when spending! Hopefully being consistent with our monthly budget will help me to have a better relationship with money overall and feel like I am in control.
Undebt it – I took the time to gather and place all of our debt information into the debt snowball pay off calculator. The app allows you to export all the info into a spreadsheet, which now has a new home on our refrigerator so that we are reminded of monthly and yearly payoff goals. It is motivating to have a visual of the amounts handy and cross off the payments each month. I know I was amazed at how quickly our snowball amount can grow and how quickly we can pay off our debt! If we stay on track we should pay off around $80K in less than 3 years, without changing the way we live now!
Any advice for those starting out on their journey?
Jump in! This has been a huge blessing for us in so many different ways. It isn’t always going to be easy figuring out a new way of life, but it will be so worth it! Any way that you can get rid of the worry and strongholds of debt is going to pay off for you physically, emotionally and spiritually!