Wanna Live for Free?

Listen people, this is not for everybody, however I did it with a clear focus, living modest, and working extra shifts.
Some distractions along the way, because this is life, and it was a long term plan of mine, to live rent free, and in a couple of years, I will have achieved it. The year of my focus is the year 2022.

Living free, and pay no rent, that sounds so great, but it is not easy at all to achieve it. At this moment I still pay a little to live in a tiny house (32m2/ 300 sq.ft. apartment) however in some years that will be reduced to o.

How did I start and how can you create this life too?

I found myself a full-time job, on a location where I knew I could spend my weekends on the beach, and enjoy time outdoors every day of the year and spend tropical years on an island, without winter, snow, and cold weather, all the way South in the Caribbean. No desire to go on vacation since I had my ideal beach located within 10 minutes drive from my house (a rental).

I only knew 2 people in Aruba, and that was enough for me. I knew that during my days off, I wanted to enjoy, have fun, and work towards something for the future.

From my salary, which is not high at all in the Caribbean, I tried to safe some money each month, which was hard, and did not go as fast as I expected.
During that time I kept my costs low, no smoking, little alcohol every now and then, no Starbucks, no gym membership, no pedicure, no children and so on.

Once I saved enough after many years, to put a down payment to buy a small piece of land, I asked the bank for a loan, and showed them my pay slips, proof of savings, and a letter from my employer, and they approved.

I was over the moon happy. It is all about making choices in life, and this is what I choose to do for me.

fixxer upper in Aruba

For the next 4 to 5 years, after I sign the loan agreement, all money earned I lived from, plus put into paying off that bank loan for that plot of land, so each month I wired a little extra to the bank, to be done as soon as was possible in my situation. The bank allowed me pay of the loan sooner without extra penalties, so a great opportunity for me.

Once I paid of the loan for that parcel of property land, I spoke to a mortgage specialist, to request a mortgage in order to build a house on my land.

The deposit for that mortgage, was my land.

So no savings used, only during the first 4 to 5 years, paid of the land, used that land parcel to use as down payment for a mortgage to build a house.
It takes time, I know, but you do have the time. As long as you want this as bad as I wanted this, and have an income, you can do this too.

result of the house built on that parcel of land

Do you want to read to rest of the story and learn more? 

Please leave your email address in the link on the top of this blog, and I will send you the rest of the story.

I am here to assist you, no costs, free of charge.

travel stories in the time we cannot travel

When I am posting travel stories about the time I spend 4 months in Thailand, volunteering with Gibbon apes in Phuket, or about the time I was working on a cruise ship visiting the Eastern and Western islands in the Caribbean, or that time I went to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland and met a Viking, and that time that I moved abroad to Spain, Belize and Aruba;
it is all because I want to keep the great memories alive.
By talking about our experiences, flipping through pictures, day dreaming about the good times we had and are still to come, that is all good. Sharing is caring.

Due to social distancing in real life, more than ever online expression is key.
Humans cannot spend too much time alone, we need interaction with others, not always with people; animals and pets will be great too.

see this link to see what isolation does to us and others;
https://youtu.be/LvS9OZzXH3A

Be safe, wash your hands, keep your distance, stay out of my aura.
 

7 tips to help you to think more positive

Positive thinking; it is a lifestyle

Some people have the ability to make the best out of everything, while others have a hard time achieving that. When you think of something that makes you happy, your brain releases endorphins, which will give you a feeling of well-being, for free! It is however possible, if you have not been passed on the “positivity genes”, that you can train yourself to be (more) positive. Positive thinking is about creating the right mindset.

7 tips to help you to think more positive;

1.Smile; and you can feel better instantly. It really helps to smile, even though it is not a natural feeling or mood at that certain moment. Keep practicing, and smiling, keep happy thoughts and encourage yourself.

2.Surround yourself with positive thinkers, and you will see how that will effect you. When people come across a problem, they might get discouraged. When you practice positive thinking, you will look at a problem as an opportunity how to solve it. Reading positive quotes/ books will also help you to lighten up.

3.Don’t play the victim once something goes wrong. Knowing that positive thinking reduces stress and anxiety will make it much more interesting. Also the people around you can get infected by your smile; action= reaction.

4.Open up your mind to find new solutions. Practice yoga/ tai chi, meditate, and take a walk, to clear your mind.

5.Write down positive words, dreams, stories, anything to cheer you up. Avoid negative self-talk.

6.Look into the mirror and tell yourself (out loud); “I can do this”, “I am as good as anybody else”. Repeat this or any other positive words to yourself, several times a week, and you can expect improvement.

7.Train your brain to think uplifting solutions; your response will determine the outcome.

By Miriam – www.instagram.com/arubaconnections