I don’t wanna LARP so I’ll tell you right now I am not location independent yet and the below article is the outline of my vision I am working toward.
Location Independence means that you have the ability to work from anywhere in the world you would like if you so choose. Some people envision 365 days of travel per year, hauling the kids around.
That sounds like hell to me.
Children crave stability, they need stability. Being a 100% globetrotter is not good for them. For proof, just look how joyful they are to return home after just a week of vacation somewhere.
With that said, there is no reason to be a homebody if you don’t want to and there no rule that says you have to. Personally, I am striving for balance. Below is my “family location Independence plan.”
Step 1: Have A Stable Homebase
Our house is the Home Base.
The thing about the Home Base is that it shouldn’t be a massive house that forever ties you up financially. Often, the big house isn’t necessary. Big houses drives distance between family members.
I live in a modest townhouse with my big family, it meets all of our needs, and we love it and have no desire to move. Not to mention the mortgage is low and it’s reasonable to think we can get it paid of in 5 years or so rather than the remaining 20+ years on the loan payment plan.
The stable Home Base is a place of safety and comfort, like a hobbit hole, and a place of strength to strike on adventure. The Home Base should be affordable and located where you actually want to live. I live in Florida, the greatest place in the world to live.
Maybe you agree or don’t agree Florida is the greatest place to live. It really doesn’t matter. My point is I have no idea why anybody in their right mind would live in a place they do not consider the greatest place in the world, since all of us have the option to live where we want to live.
2. Build An Online Business
To live location independent, you must have a way to make money online that will cover all of your costs.
I’m in the blogging business. If you don’t like to write, then get into a different business. There is ecommerce and there are remote jobs available. Essentially, you will have to figure out how to sell something, either a product or a service.
You can also attempt to achieve FIRE, retiring early and living off of your investments.
I suppose there is the possibility of going hybrid–working a job for 6 months and then traveling for 6 months. That is viable for a single man, but I don’t see how somebody with a family could do this.
3. Live Like A Spartan
Spartans live sparse. They don’t have a whole lot, just the items that they need. I’m no minimalist, but I have limited my possessions and it is freeing, in the mind and in the wallet.
We all know experiences are greater than possessions, but we gotta make sure to actually implement this idea into our daily lives.
Say no to knickknacks. Say no to another streaming service. Say no to another subscription. Say no to eating out.
You have a goal to reach of being free and these items will keep you in chains.
4. Work Like An Animal To Kill Your Debt
Debt is the killer of dreams.
How much easier and simpler would your life be with a paid off house and a paid of car(s)? Your cash flow would be opened up immensely, wouldn’t it?
Suddenly, you don’t need to make much money in order to live a good life when most of it isn’t used to pay down debt anymore.
Do what it takes, friend. For you family and your freedom.
5. Don’t Wait To Go On Adventures
“Someday” is the dreamkiller. Don’t wait to live free.
I understand there are obligations. You can’t quit your job right now because then you’ll lose your house.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t be like my family and go on weekend camping trips, which is something I would still frequently do even if all my online business dreams came true.
Also, these adventures remind you what you are working toward “what if this weekend we had could just be our normal life?” It will inspire you to get to go harder in your important work toward freedom.
6. Do Homeschool Or Virtual School
I bet you’ve read articles about home schooling before, so I won’t rehash that here. The main takeaway is your children can get a superior education with only about three hours of instruction per day, 5 days a week.
There is a lot of wasted time in a normal school and the teachers (bless them) often have to teach down to the lowest common denominator rather than teaching up to the potential of the top students.
Our kids are smarter than normal. I don’t say this to brag, it’s just fact. My kids test high and find the school work is not challenging. It’s the same for you. How do I know?
Because you are reading this blog, so that tells me you are a reader and a seeker of knowledge which means your kids are in a much more intellectually stimulating home than the average reality TV consuming household.
Don’t sleep on virtual school, either. In Florida, at least, every county offers virtual school which is a close cousin to home school. The difference is your child is officially enrolled in public school, but all the course work is online and your child can work at their own pace.
Also, there are still teachers available that meet with your child. We did virtual school during COVID and enjoyed it very much. My son loved that he could do all of his lessons in 2 – 3 hours per day, rather than a normal 7 hour school day.
The Most Important Step To Be A Location Independent Family
The most important step is to decide.
Many people dream, many people think, few decide. Once the decision is made you will find it much more simpler to take step after step toward your clear goal: family freedom.