This story is part of CNBC Make It’s Millennial money series that details how people around the world make, spend and save money.
After the birth of their daughter in 2022, Cara West and her husband Harley decided to sell all their possessions and try to live abroad.
Many factors led to their decision. First, they had to pay $10,000 in hospital bills after their daughter was born. On top of that, because West was working as a contractor for a German company at the time, she was not eligible for the same year of paid maternity leave as her full-time colleagues.
“After becoming a mother in America, a lot of things started to come to light that really made me understand that America doesn’t really support families, mothers, and children,” she told CNBC Make It.
West began researching how other countries around the world were helping parents and considered moving his family abroad.
Cara West and her husband live as digital nomads on the Greek island of Syros.
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
When the deadly mass shooting occurred at Robe Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022, West knew it was time to take the leap. She and her family were living about three hours outside of Austin at the time.
It’s “absolutely devastating,” but “unfortunately, it’s not surprising to me to hear about school shootings,” West said. “It was at that moment that I knew for my daughter’s safety I needed to get her out of the United States.”
Since then, she and her husband have embarked on a life of digital nomadism. About two years later, after visiting 14 countries, the family decided to settle for a while on the Greek island of Syros in the Aegean Sea.
West works remotely as a luxury travel concierge and content creator.
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
Now 33, West works remotely from Greece as a luxury travel concierge and travel content creator and is expected to earn more than $136,000 by 2024. Full-time employees.
“(It’s) a dream lifestyle that I honestly never thought was possible and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she said.
First stop: Portugal
Before the family fully committed to living abroad, West and her husband decided to try out living abroad for three months through a start-up called Overseas Life. life is boundless.
The organization provides families with fully furnished private apartments, co-working spaces and children’s education centers in various locations, including Bali and Tuscany. According to its website. West chose Portugal.
“This is the perfect solution we were looking for,” West said. “We can test this and see if this is something we could see ourselves doing.”
West and her family first tried life abroad in January 2023 in Portugal.
Kara West
In addition to her full-time job, West works as a food blogger and said she has put about $10,000 of her income into savings.
Although they initially planned to make a living from it, West was offered a position as a luxury travel concierge before heading to Portugal. As a result, she quit her previous job and her husband decided to take unpaid leave during their stay.
After the plan was put into place, the family arrived in Portugal in January last year. The first thing they noticed was that the slower pace of life allowed them to enjoy more family time together than in the United States
She said the slower pace of life in Portugal allowed West’s family to spend more time together.
Kara West
“(My husband) sees how happy I am, how radiant I am, how much time we spend with each other and as a family,” she said.
West’s husband, Harry, who was born and raised in Texas, was initially hesitant to move the family out of the United States, but after three months in Portugal, he was all for it.
Sell everything and leave the United States
After falling in love with their first experience living abroad, West and her husband returned home with a single goal: to leave the United States
But to move abroad and travel full-time, they need money. The couple had downsized from a two-bedroom apartment to a one-bedroom unit to reduce housing expenses. From there, West said, they started selling as much stuff as possible, including furniture and cars.
“We have to think outside the box because we don’t have homes to sell, or really any assets to sell,” she said.
The couple used the money raised from the sales to help pay off the husband’s debts. This allowed him to leave his full-time job and become a stay-at-home dad. In the meantime, West continues to work remotely and make money through content creation, she said.
Their sacrifice ultimately paid off. After the lease on their Texas apartment ended in July 2023, they packed up and headed to Belize, their next stop as digital nomads. After nearly a year of nomadic living, the couple decided to make the Greek island of Syros their home base in June.
“I wanted to go somewhere really calm and peaceful by the water,” she said. “This is exactly what we experienced in Syros.”
Advantages and Disadvantages of Living Abroad
West said Greece’s slower pace of life and lower cost of living made a “huge difference” in her family’s lives.
“In America, it’s all about the busy culture, where your value is tied to your productivity,” she said. “But in Greece…rest is really important.”
The family enjoys exploring the islands, trying new foods, and traveling to various countries, including Albania and Italy.
A digital nomad, West and her family have lived in several countries, including Albania.
Kara West
“It’s really easy to travel around the country. You can take a ferry, you can take a plane,” West said. “Overall, our life in Greece is more fulfilling.”
Also, the language barrier is not a big deal as many locals speak English.
As a black woman, West said she feels freer to be herself in Greece without having to worry about experiencing racial microaggressions in the United States
“I just live peacefully and I don’t worry about people following me in stores or being treated differently because of the color of my skin,” she said. “I’m just considered an American here.”
West said she felt more at peace living in Greece than in the United States
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
Her family’s sense of security contributes to that calmness. “Every day when I walk the streets of Greece with my daughter, I realize how safe we are. That is the most important thing to me.”
West and her family experienced one significant drawback: missing holidays and birthdays with relatives. “It’s so painful to miss important moments with my family,” she said. “But, honestly, I would give anything to allow us to live this lifestyle.”
how they spend their money
Here’s how West and her husband are spending their money in June 2024.
Uma Sharma | CNBC Success
- Moving costs: $5,880 to cover first and last month’s rent for a Greek apartment, airfare, digital nomad visa application fee and attorney fees
- Credit card payment: Credit card bill $4,221
- food: $1,952 spent on meals out and groceries
- Housing and Utilities: Rent, Wi-Fi and utilities $1,428
- Medical: $1,278 for international health insurance, doctor visits and prescription drugs
- Discretion: Clothing and cosmetics $446
- subscription: Gym membership, Netflix, HBO Max and Apple storage subscription for $131
- Telephone: $192 for phone bill
- transportation: $78 for car rental and gas
West said the family’s expenses this month have been much higher than usual since they officially moved to Greece in June.
In addition to paying for flights to Greece and first and last months’ rent on an apartment there, they also paid lawyers to help them apply for digital nomad visas.
She said the couple had just over $60,000 in credit card debt and it felt almost “impossible” to pay it off while living in the United States.
The lower cost of living in Greece helps. Now, “I do everything I can to use the extra income to pay off as many credit cards as I can,” she said.
West and her family enjoy trying new foods and exploring the island together on the Greek island of Syros.
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
After lowering their credit card debt, the couple plans to start saving for retirement and working with professionals.
“Next year will be a big transition for us to be able to have the resources to get the assistance we need (and) have a financial advisor who can tell us where to start putting our money so that our money is working for us. ,” she said.
future plans
While West doesn’t foresee her family being nomadic forever, she has no plans to permanently move back to the U.S.
“Life abroad is indeed more fulfilling and richer,” she said. “Being able to see the world, meet new people, experience new languages, cultures, traditions — it’s so special and something we don’t really get enough exposure to in the United States.”
West feels living in Greece makes it easier to explore the world and different cultures.
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
Now that they have made Greece their home base, West is looking forward to growing her family.
Once their daughter is old enough to go to school, the couple plans to enroll her in homeschooling and connect with educational centers around the world that serve nomadic families and their children.
“It’s been a really good way for her to be social and learn through travel,” she said.
West and her family have no plans to permanently move back to the United States.
Vicky Markofela hosts “Success” for CNBC
When West first started planning to move out of the United States, she didn’t see many families similar to hers or in similar financial situations. She hopes to inspire more people to explore life abroad and not be intimidated by the process.
“There’s always something going on as you become a digital nomad or an expat living abroad,” she said. “But if you keep performing and keep your goals in mind, it’s definitely possible.”
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