Say hello to Sara. Sara is 29 years-old, lives in a city, and spends less than $60 a day.
She doesn’t own a home, instead it’s a basement apartment in a middle-class neighbourhood that’s close to transit. Sara doesn’t own a car, but rents from time-to-time to visit the mountains. And when Sara travels, she stays in hostels, not hotels.
All her clothes and household furnishings come from second hand stores and Sara never eats in a restaurant. But when she does (say, a group goes for dinner), it’s a bowl of rice and glass of water.
For entertainment, Sara watches free TV, takes walks in parks, and goes to the library for books. She also has tons of friends who come for visits. Boyfriends yes, but no serious plans because Sara’s already decided she’s not the family type.
Her budget is less than $1,800 per month. She earns more than that by working almost anywhere and saves for the future (because you never know).
Sara is a hippie chick. I’m not saying everyone should live like this—I’m just saying it’s an option. (And of course, guys can be hippie chicks too.)