I used to live in the beautiful city of Des Moines, Iowa. It’s your typical midwestern mid-sized city, offering a slower, possibly more intentional, way of life for the people there. Des Moines’ main attraction for young people is that they can get decent fun at a reasonable price. Drink prices weren’t crazy, I could easily find a meal under $10, and home/rent prices were far below the national average. It was a normal, calm place to live.
My apartment in Des Moines was modest. A studio with a little over 500 square feet close to downtown and newly renovated. It went for $1,100. Add in Electricity ($80/month), water ($15/month), and Wi-Fi ($60/month), and I paid an average of $1,255 per month in total. Not bad, considering the average rent in America right now is around $1,558, presumably before utilities.
But I don’t live there anymore. I moved to the most expensive resort on the planet, Aspen Snowmass, and let me tell you, it’s not meant to be a bargain (there’s literally a neighborhood here nicknamed “Billionaire Mountain“). Aspen is a play-place for Fortune 500 Execs, celebrities, and others of the like. It’s a testament to glitz, glamor, and the Apres ski vibe.
So, how much am I paying to live there? Well, taking into account parking, rent, utilities, Wifi, and everything else, the total comes out to $840/month.
I’ll say that again just so everyone can be as flabbergasted as me: I’m paying 2/3 of my Iowa rent to live in one of the most desirable areas on the planet.
What The F*ck?
Now you’re probably wondering how that works. After all, Aspen is not known for its cheap housing market. As a matter of fact, the average home price in Aspen is a mind-blowing $13.2 million. The average home price in Des Moines is, and I’m not exaggerating, less than 2% of that number.
So what gives? How can my apartment cost 33% less than it did in Des Moines when home prices are 6,666% more expensive?
Some of you may have already guessed it: I am working at the Aspen Snowmass resort, and I’m getting company-sponsored housing.
Okay, But Does Your Housing Suck?
I’m living in a newly built apartment (only 3 years old). I have huge windows with great views, I get a free bus pass, and I get a parking spot. All my utilities, wifi, and water bills are taken care of. I do have to share a bathroom, and my laundry facilities are on the main floor, but those are really the only downsides.
I’ll also add that my apartment here is pre-furnished, something that cost me roughly $4,000 to do in Des Moines. Gas is admittedly about 80 cents more per gallon, but groceries are comparable, my public transit is free, and I get a free season pass to all 4 ski-able mountains in Aspen.
There are also countless other perks. My job comes with a full benefits suite (including some that are way better than my corporate job) like 401k benefits, insurance, mental health programs, and PTO after your first season. Aspen also works with dozens of other ski resorts to give employees at least 50% off lift tickets there (most resorts in Colorado are completely free to me). I also get heavily discounted gear from top brands because I work for the resort.
"Okay, Well You're Definitely Make Less Money Now."
Did I make more money in Des Moines? Of course. I had a decent salary in a skilled profession. But then I realized what my life in Des Moines looked like:
To live in an apartment in an area I liked, I needed that $1,255. There’s also not much to do in Iowa, so many of my friends opted for eating out or getting drinks anytime we hung out. Well, tack on another $25 per night for the 2-3 nights a week I hung out with friends. I also needed to travel further and more often to see the beauty I craved, so once or twice a year I’d shell out several hundred dollars (at least) for a trip. My work culture was also more “expensive,” as the banking industry loves to prioritize dress codes with nice clothes.
With my other needs, I probably spent more than $3,000 per month to live and enjoy my time in Iowa… and even then, I still wished I was somewhere else.
I spend so much less money to feel satisfied with my life in Aspen. People hike and camp instead of dining and staying in hotels. The most important and frequent activity for me to do all winter – snowboarding – is completely free to me.
Ask Yourself: What Makes You Feel Wealthy?
You can measure wealth in two ways: by money in the bank, or by fulfillment. Because I left my corporate job behind and moved to a ski resort, you might expect me to say something like, “I chose the fulfilling type of wealth and sacrificed the money,” but I’m not. I’m actually better off in both types of wealth now that I’m in Aspen.
Wondering how? Happy to explain.
Monetary wealth is built in two ways – getting raises or cutting expenses.
If you’ve been a long-time reader of my writing, you’ll know I’m a fan of the latter.
You could spend years of your life working weekends, nights, and early mornings at a job that you only like because of your paycheck, hoping that your boss will approve your raises before your youth slips away.
Or, you can cut your expenses, work a job you love, and save that extra money right now. You are wealthier simply because your lifestyle is cheaper. Will you still get those raises? Yes, of course. They might come slower, or they might be for less money, but you are richer because of your lifestyle. That’s how I’m building monetary wealth here.
And now for the “lifestyle” wealth I’m gaining. 40 hours a week is a third of your waking time… that’s a crazy chunk of your life to spend on something you don’t like. God help you if you actually work 50 or 60+ hour weeks. My job here is great. I like the people I work with, the workplace culture is phenomenal, and my job gives me all the amazing perks I listed above. The work environment is also less stressful/intense and that gives me more time and energy to explore my interests, make money on the side, and just enjoy life.
Even though I made more money in Iowa, I did not feel wealthy. How could I feel rich when my day-to-day life bores me? Now I’m surrounded by the most coveted outdoor scenery in America – that makes me feel wealthy, even if I’m making less money doing it.
"Well, That's Great For You, But Is it Feasible For Me?"
In short, yes. This wasn’t a terribly hard job to get. I don’t have experience specific to the job I got, I didn’t have any special connections to the hiring department, and I definitely don’t know how to ski. All I had was a willingness to quit my boring, lackluster cubicle job and follow my dreams.
My story is not anything too special, either. I had my blessings – I grew up in the middle class, I went to college, and I got a job right when I graduated that kept me employed and put steady paychecks in my account.
The only thing I did differently than everyone else on my same path was throw it all away.
I became infatuated with the idea that a good life could be lived by following passions and stubbornly finding a way to make them work.
"But What if I Don't Want to do Exactly What You Did?"
I’m sure some of you are thinking, “What if someone’s true dream is to be a software engineer, a doctor, or some other high-salary job, and they don’t need or want to run away to Aspen?” I’m not saying that’s impossible or wrong. We need doctors, and we need software engineers. They do extremely valuable work. I’ve just realized that many people would be happier if they let go of their millionaire dreams and just started living.
Too many people do what they do primarily because they want wealth. And, if you’re doing what you’re doing solely because of the money, I think that’s a shame.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am not anti-work. On the contrary, I think what you do for work is too important to just make it about money. A career is one of our best chances to improve the world, so I think we all owe it to each other to do just that.
We should be more open to finding a way to make our passions work, even if it means leaving behind the path we are on.
It’s important to ask yourself hard and honest questions. Here are a few I asked myself:
“Is my best life really one where I don’t work a 9-5, or do I just need to find a new company to work for?” “Should I abandon my path, or do I just need a small shift?” “If I opt for a life with less money, how will I make it work?”
These are all questions I asked myself before going down my path, and they’re questions you should definitely ask yourself too, if you’re considering a lifestyle change, too.
Luckily, I have you covered either way. Keep reading on, and I’ll lay out several tips and resources that apply to many different paths.
My Tips for You
I don’t want my story to be unique. I think everyone should have the opportunity to live a life they find beautiful. We should live the life we want instead of settling for one that “makes sense.”
You don’t need to quit your job and do exactly what I do, step by step. I did because I didn’t like my job – if you like your job, amazing! There were a lot of other paths I tried and succeeded with (like how I lived in Bozeman, Montana for free and had a digital-nomad-friendly gig). Tweak what I’ve done! I’m sure that if you want more adventure in your life, big or small, you can learn from my path.
Here are some tips and tricks I used to get to this point.
- Find out what you want
- Do you want a new lifestyle completely? Do you want to become a digital nomad in a skill you’re passionate about? Do you want more adventure, but to stay on your current path?
- Answering these questions honestly and seriously is the first and most important step of this process.
- Do you want a new lifestyle completely? Do you want to become a digital nomad in a skill you’re passionate about? Do you want more adventure, but to stay on your current path?
- Know your resources
- Figure out how to travel cheaply. Road Trips and campsites are my personal favorites, but try other cheap stays! Hostels are your most friendly way to spend the night somewhere for less than $50 (in most cases less than $40), and yes, hostels exist in America.
- Check out guided, group trips if you’re alone. I am a fan of REI’s adventures collection if you’re into backpacking.
- Know where to apply:
- If you want to do the seasonal jobs that I’m doing, then Coolworks.com is my favorite. On the site, you can see exactly what a company is offering and whether they provide housing. Other sites can be found in this article!
- If you want a digital nomad-friendly place to hang your hat, use Workaway.info or Worldpackers.com. Both of these sites are great for finding hosts who will let you stay for free wherever they are, so long as you earn your keep. However – if you want to be a digital nomad, make sure your work schedule won’t disrupt your host’s schedule.
- Know what to look for:
- Look on Glassdoor.com to see company reviews if you’re using Coolworks. Only use well-rated hosts if you’re a nomad. Surprises always happen, but you can easily weed out any obvious red flags.
- Research the places you’re looking at vigorously. What is the culture like? What is close by? Don’t just assume that a place is guaranteed to be what you want just because it’s in the general geography of where you want.
- If you want an example, look up Cheyenne, Wyoming vs Jackson, Wyoming. Look up Burlington, Colorado vs Aspen, Colorado.
Go On, Now, Get
If you have any more questions, drop a follow @theotherwhereproject on Instagram. If you have a dream, I want to get you there.