Ryan and I are gearing up for REV at the end of the month and we know that the next big step is starting the financial support raising process. This is, of course, a daunting task in general but it’s made especially difficult because of the high cost of living in Australia.
While I was raising support back in 2013 I received a few creative suggestions to offset the high costs including Banana Smuggling. At this point banana costs have gone back down so that strategy is now obsolete. However, I found an article recently boasting $1 a week rent in Australia.
Since a good portion of our monthly costs will go towards rent, this sounds like it could really help our budget. Too bad the closest town offering $1 a week rents is about 4 hours away from our desired area. But in all seriousness, I love this idea that some rural Australian towns have implemented. They offer very reduced rents in exchange for people to come out, live in old houses, fix up the properties, send their kids to the local schools and contribute to the small town economies.
This has evidently been going on for a few years in Australia and small towns in the east and west have had various successes because of the new life being breathed into the countryside by the families. Because 4 hours is a bit too much of a commute, Ryan and I won’t be able to take advantage of the $1 a week rents but I am looking forward to living in the Australian countryside a little closer to Perth. And I know that Ryan and I are excited about contributing to the local town and being a part of country life.
Finding Joy in Marriage 