A couple gave up life on land to live in a houseboat and save $27,500 a year living on the water.
Sarah Spiro, 27, and her boyfriend, Brandon Jones, 40, moved into their one-bedroom, $45,000 houseboat in April 2021.
The pair spent two months renovating the boat – spending $23,000.
Sarah said it was a “no-brainer” to move and pay $2,500 a year to be able to live there compared to their $2,500 a month combined rent for separate two-bedroom properties.
After living on the water for two years the couple have started renovating a bigger houseboat and plans to rent their current home out to holidaymakers.
Sarah, a mountain guide, from Fontana Lake, North Carolina, said: “It was such a no-brainer for us.
“We were always spending all our free time on the lake. We were always boating it was our favorite thing to do.
“It has been a long-standing dream of ours, and it is so cheap too.
“For us, we were paying $2,500 a month on rent and here we only have one yearly fee which is the same price – it is a huge step for us.”
Sarah said it was a “no brainer” for her and her partner Brandon, a marina manager to move onto the water and described them both as “water rats.”
After buying the boat in March 2021 the pair spent two months renovating it and spent $23,000.
The pair finally moved in on April 2021 with their dog Iko an Akita.
Sarah said: “We were working on the property from sun up to sun down.
“We were on a time crunch because my lease had ended and Brandon’s house had sold so we were staying with a friend.
“It is so peaceful here. You still have your day-to-day trends like doing the dishes and laundry, but you get to do it all in this phenomenal view at all times.
“Whatever the time, whatever you are doing, you are surrounded by peace and serenity – it is paradise.”
Sarah said that the biggest challenge is the cold winters and that they have to plan for things like shopping in advance.
She said: “Here the winter time it gets very cold and most nights the temperature dips below freezing.
“You do have to make sacrifices convenience-wise because you cannot get food delivered, as the grocery store is 40 minutes away.
“If you forget something, it is more of a fiasco to boat back to your car and go back into town. You have to be more intentional about planning the things you need but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Sarah said that living on the houseboat has given them more freedom and has improved their mental and physical health.
She said: “We park our car at the marina which is a five-minute boat ride away from us.
“I love the freedom it has given us, both financially, and practically it is a lot different. It has freed up our wallets, and given us all the things we love on our doorstep.
“It is the sensation of being out in a nice open space. I wear a Fitbit watch, and it is crazy to see how my heart rate has decreased while living here, and my state of anxiousness is a lot lower too.
“It is great for our mental health being out on the water. A lot of the ways we like to have fun are a lot more accessible.
“It is an affordable and more sustainable way to live.”
Currently, the pair are renovating a new cabin to move into and hope to start renting their current cabin out to holidaymakers.
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
