The British family-of-four quit the UK to travel the world and have since visited nine countries – they’re unlikely to ever come back
A family of four who packed up and left Britain to travel the globe have revealed how they’ve managed to save £15,000 in just twelve months. Billie Van Der Walt, her husband Selwyn, and their two children walked away from everything without any certainty about what lay ahead – but they say bills now are so much cheaper.
In that time, they’ve explored nine countries, including the Maldives, China and South Africa, where they are currently spending the next month. Yet while seeing the world, they’ve discovered one lesson – and it means they are unlikely to ever return to the UK permanently.
It all comes down to the cost of living, with the family-of-four estimating they’ve saved a staggering £15,000 over the past 12 months. “We don’t see ourselves coming back to the UK full-time now after living life in other countries,” the mum-of-two, from Atherton, said.
“With what we’ve saved, I don’t have to work and can be a stay-at-home mum on the move. I never thought this would be possible.
“It definitely wouldn’t have been on UK soil.” Their savings include £1,066-per-month on nursery fees and £120-a-week on their food shop, which has allowed them to enjoy more days out and meals at restaurants.
Billie, 36, says these cost between £5-£10, compared to at least £50 back in the UK, meaning they dine out up to three times a week. Further savings include a full tank of fuel for just £50, rather than £85. As they source a large portion of their accommodation through housesitting, their living costs are virtually nil.
Yet when they return to the UK this summer to spend a few weeks with family, they face a hefty £3,000 bill for accommodation alone. Billie said: “We could’ve easily saved so much more if we stuck to a budget.
“With the increased cost of living, if we were still in the UK, we’d probably have been looking at getting second jobs. And sacrificing more family time.
“We feel so grateful that we don’t have to do that now.” Billie previously spoke of her “heartbreak” at being unable to fly home for Christmas, with flight costs proving too steep for the family.
They are returning for their son Bligh’s fifth birthday, to keep up the tradition of visiting Center Parcs, at the eye-watering cost mentioned above. She added: “I’ve already booked out flights to get out of the UK.
“We’ll be going to see Taiwan and China. We’re home educating the kids and they’re doing so well.
“They’re actually a few years ahead of where the UK curriculum would expect them to be. Bligh is having his artwork featured in an international book of young artists and they’re both learning Chinese. I can’t believe how escaping the UK was the best thing that could’ve ever happened to us.”
