The Cost of Living Got So High, Emma Quit Her Job
When Emma got divorced, she had to remortgage her two up two down home in Nundah on Brisbane’s north side. The property bought in the 90s was almost paid off, so the idea of starting over with another mortgage nearly broke her. With her children grown, her husband out of the picture, Emma considered selling up and buying an overpriced apartment while keeping her 9 to 5 (8 to 7) job in the Brisbane CBD. As an outdoorsy type, Emma stared down the barrel of another 15 years in a glass high rise. So, she did what an increasing number of empty nesters are doing – she walked away.
“I’m nearly fifty and couldn’t face another 15 or 20 years in an office. The kids are gone. I am no longer supporting them. So, I decided to change. It was frightening and my kids still think I’m mad, but it was the best thing I’ve ever done,” she said.
Emma redrew a little money and turned the two downstairs rooms into bedsit flats by adding a flatpacked kitchen (mostly DIY she says proudly) and splitting the bathroom into two ensuites. She then painted the whole house inside and out, and packed her most precious things into the locked up shed. From there, the house became the local real estate agent’s problem.
She purchased her dream caravan, packed up the dog and hit the road.
“I was lucky to buy the house back before house prices were ridiculous. All three properties were rented to good tenants within a week, and the rents pay the mortgage, bills and leave me with $800 a week left over.”
She and Charlie have been “on the road” for almost a year and have never looked back. In that time, they’ve ventured from Brisbane to Darwin, stopping for days or weeks in beautiful places they find along the way.
“I am a camping girl. I chose a pop top offroad caravan with plenty of solar and water onboard, so I could head out to more remote locations, see more beautiful things, and avoid caravan parks when I’m not feeling social,” she said. “I was afraid that it would be lonely, but Charlie and I have found plenty of friends along the way. We even plan to meet up with a few near Uluru later this year.”
And her advice for women thinking of doing the same?
“It’s not for everyone. But if you love the outdoors, the most important decision is to choose the right caravan. I wanted a small offroad caravan with a shower and toilet. That meant that I had to choose a hybrid caravan, so the kitchen is outside. That’s not for everyone, and can be a pain in the neck when it’s raining. Really consider what you need before you buy. Oh, and get a reliable tow car.”