‘We traded boardrooms for Bali beaches – and it’s been the best decision we’ve ever made,’ says mum-of-one, Hayley Trow.
You might think leaving everything behind to travel the world would put a strain on your finances, but Hayley and her husband, Lewis, say they’re saving money.
The pair embarked on a gap year with their six-year-old daughter, Nyla, in July, and it turns out that living in the UK costs more than making once-in-a-lifetime memories.
After months of saving and planning, the pair left their jobs, the home they rented in Cheshire, and their family behind, and even deregistered Nyla from school.
‘We’ve budgeted our travel costs to be less than our UK outgoings, travelling midrange, which is crazy – but completely puts into perspective UK living costs currently,’ says 37-year-old Hayley.
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The couple have a budget of £2,000-3,000 per month – enough for them to visit all of their dream locations.
This is compared to their monthly outgoings of between £4,000-5,000 per month as a family back in the UK.
Now, their current living and rental costs while travelling average £1,500-£2,000 per month, and they estimate their outgoings are 50% less.
Opting for an adventure
Hayley and Lewis decided to take their grown up gap year, after an extended holiday they took to Australia in 2022. It was there that they caught the travel bug.
Hayley, who worked in IT recruitment until quitting her job says: ‘We’d both spent years climbing the ladder, working towards leadership roles, spending time in boardrooms and endless meetings – but it got to the point where we realised we were living for two holidays a year.
‘We wanted more time together, more adventure, and more freedom for our daughter. But it was one of the toughest decisions.’
Hayley and Lewis had become so ‘anchored down’ in the UK way of living they were shocked to learn how much they were spending once they started to save.
‘Household bills were £300 a month, our food shop cost £200 a week, and a day out would cost around £100,’ Hayley explains.
‘In comparison, right now we have an apartment with a pool including bills in Bali that costs us £500 a month.’
The parents knew this unconventional decision would concern family and friends, but that wasn’t going to stop them.
‘When you’ve followed the norms of society for so long, most people around you question why you would leave your well-paid jobs and a comfortable lifestyle,’ Hayley adds.
‘To get up and leave can feel daunting, but we knew deep down it was the right decision for us as family.’
The family spent seven months planning their trip, and even left their rental and moved in with Lewis’ parents for six months, to save every penny they could.
‘We worked hard to completely strip back our lifestyle,’ Hayley says. ‘It was a small sacrifice, the way we see it, for the opportunity to live differently.’
Nyla’s school were ‘very supportive’ of the family’s decision to travel, and they found the process of taking her out of school very simple.
Nyla has been having online tutoring that aligns with the UK curriculum while they’re away, and they even enrolled her temporarily at a multi-cultural school in Bali to continue her education.
From Paris to Australia
But they didn’t start off in Indonesia. The family kickstarted their travels in Disneyland Paris celebrating Nyla’s birthday, before spending four weeks travelling around Italy – including Lake Como, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples and Puglia.
From there, they flew to Bali, where they’ll stay and explore until November.
‘We’ve been in awe of some of the places we’ve seen, and ticking off historic landmarks whilst experiencing the world through our little girl’s eyes has made it even more magical,’ Hayley adds.
After Bali, they’ll travel to Australia and have booked a campervan to explore the country. Then, in the New Year, they’ll move on to Singapore, followed by Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
While it’s hard for them to be away from home, the family say it’s a sacrifice they’re happy to make.
‘It’s all worth it because we’ll never get this time back,’ Hayley says. ‘Nyla still wants to spend every second with us, and we know that won’t last forever.
‘We wanted to make memories now, not “one day”. When she looks back, she won’t remember us being stressed about work – she’ll remember chasing waterfalls in Bali.’
While Nyla isn’t immune to tantrums and they’ve had to adjust to spending 24/7 together, they have no regrets.
‘It’s a huge adjustment from our old lives,’ Hayley explains. ‘But compared to juggling the school run with late-night emails? We’ll take the chaos of travel any day.’
She and Lewis are both grateful for the time to reconnect with each other and believe other families should take the same leap they did.
‘I’d recommend to any family that has similar aspirations to travel as a family to do it – don’t wait,’ Hayley says.
‘Don’t put it on hold until you’ve got the promotion or had the health scare, or lost a loved one.
‘There’s no right timing – you’ve just got to be all in as a family.’
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