Retired Single Mom Took The Risk And Built Tiny Home—Now Lives On Only $75 Per Month

Jul 08, 2020 by apost team

Retirement plans aren’t for everyone. With hard economic times and tides, it's hard to think way into the future when you have overwhelming expenses and bills coming at you. For most people, setting a retirement fund trust and sticking to the plan seems like a far-fetched dream. Live in the moment they say.

However, people like Michelle “MJ” Boyle have refused to adjust to these norms. MJ stumbled upon a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to set aside some money to find an affordable home for herself during her old age. We see her tiny living space in footage from the Youtube series Alternative Living Spaces that was posted back in 2017.

MJ is a strong single mother of two who has had a few challenges along the way. Playing both mom and dad hasn’t been easy. It wouldn’t be easy for anyone having to run a household, pay all the bills, and ace all the parenting duties.

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But because you never know how strong you are, until it’s the only option on the table, MJ managed to sail through. MJ, tough as she has always been, embarked on a mission to build herself a home where she terms as “her empty nest.” MJ commented on her mission, “My life has been a series of unfortunate events. I have been divorced twice. I have built two houses, and I lost the houses basically in my divorces' carnage.”

With both her kids depending on MJ for college fees and upkeep, the single mother couldn’t afford to set aside money for retirement. But she wasn’t going to let her current situation disable her dream of owning a retirement home.

Having suffered previous unfortunate events, MJ was wiser. This time, she wasn’t just going to assemble a tiny house just for herself. She planned to begin a money-generating venture that would help keep her plans alive.

MJ narrated her first plans on her mind, “I built my first house, basically using cash and sponsorships to make sure that I have a paid-for nice, comfortable house when I retire. Now I’m building a few more tiny houses that I look forward to renting like on Airbnb or a try it tiny or other VRBO kind of platforms and create some income so, that’s next.”

About a year ago, MJ rented a home located in Sherwood, Oregon. She was required to pay $1600 a month. Today she’s on a different path in her life, having built a tiny home for herself. When renting, MJ lived hand to mouth and was so constricted with the ever-piling bills that she couldn’t save up for her retirement home and funds. This would worsen with her kids going to college, and depending on her for everything. MJ decided that things had to change for the better.

She enrolled for membership at the Tiny House Movement and put a stop to the spirit of spending aimlessly. The Tiny House Movement—which attracts architectural enthusiasts—aims at encouraging members to take up tiny living spaces and live affordable lives. These concepts by the Tiny House Movement have made it possible for individuals to lessen their financial and emotional distress significantly. 

The decision was also an excellent opportunity for MJ to release her creative juices and nurture her potential. Today, MJ only spends $75 a month on expenses, down from $1600 a month. Imagine how much relief she enjoys today. MJ cannot express her happiness and progress after making this milestone in her life.

From MJ’s story, you can also picture how much burden she offsets from renting to owning her own home. She is now able to save up to build more tiny houses and live a stress-free life. You reap what you sow, and MJ is the perfect epitome of this idiom.

What do you think about the Tiny House Movement? Would you ever consider living such a simple life? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to your friends and family to hear what they think!