5 Things I Learned Living Tiny and Traveling the United States

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People often want to live tiny. It is the dream to live tiny and it was ours too. We learned a lot the third year of tiny living and traveling the United States. It was a great experience and I want you to learn from our experience too.

1. When You Pray Daily and Tithe, God Will Provide In Ways You Didn’t Know Where Possible

God provided some magical moments in our lives during 2021 while we lived tiny and traveled the US.  He put us in craft shows to make an income that we did not know was possible. He planted seeds for Believe and Budget.  When we meal planned 8 meals, it only cost us $75 for our family of 3.  We received gifts from strangers that we did not even know like jam, honey, baked breads, hot pads for cooking, and jewelry cases and props. We got to borrow things from people like canoes, kayaks, snowboard and helmets, and even go to the children’s museum for free!

2. Sometimes our Plan is not God’s Plan

When we first wanted to go tiny living and travel, it did not happen at first and looking back I am glad it waited until it did.  It gave us a solid foundation to be able to be financially stable and not be in debt before we left and journeyed. 

Also, he made us wait to start our family of 4.  We were supposed to be a family of 4 in December, but little did I know he had a bigger plan for us and for our entire family.  My older sister and cousin were due in December.  My sister on the same day as I was.  When I first heard about it, I was shocked and in tears because I was going through a hard time, a miscarriage.  Luckily though, my older sister went through it too and so did my mom.  I had people to stay next to me and support me.  We got pregnant a few months after the miscarriage and now due in April.  A month before we leave Utah to head to Idaho.  Plus we got to Utah when the doctor appointments started to become extra important, so I think God had a huge plan all along. 

It is okay to have to wait for something big in your life because God had a bigger plan and it’s even better than the one we have. 

Here are some dreams we have accomplished so far read them to inspire you:

• Wedding
• Car
• Debt free

3. Always Be Cheerful even when the Worst Things Happen

The hardest thing happened as I mentioned above which I would never wish on anyone because a miscarriage is so hard. It is hard on your physically and mentally.  It is hard on the people who surround you too. Looking back, he was preparing us more financially for a family of 4.  He was giving our families a break of having 3 new babies in the month of December of 2021.  He was preparing us emotionally. It is hard to be cheerful when you lose a baby, but I am stronger because it happened to me. 

Oh, and not booking enough at campgrounds and planning correctly! This led to having to find our way to crackle barrels, cabels, and walmarts for free overnight stays.  It is funny looking back at it now, but in the moment, I was upset, mad, and grumpy.  I did not want to stay at these places for several nights.  But guess what, they ended up with the best memories!  

• Amazing sunsets and sunrises
• Being able to visit the aquarium
• Shopping for groceries at the crack of dawn and bringing the shopping cart to your house and unloading groceries
• Having benches and firepits all to yourself
• Waking up for breakfast outside your front door

And so much more goodness came from not booking enough campgrounds like the cost.  It was free or convenient for us to be in the location where we were at the time we were. 

So if you are ever in the moment, where you messed up your traveling and did not book enough nights somewhere take advantage of living in an RV and go park in a parking lot.  You might enjoy it more than you think!

4. Take in the Moment

You have so many things going on and you as a parent are thinking always ahead, but you need to really take in the moment you are in.  Enjoy the process and enjoy the spending of money (but not too much).  

We went to more places than I can even think of right of the top of my head, but they were all amazing and looking back through photos is just so magical.  It is more magical than Disney land or Disney world! We got to see so much of God’s creations from tall trees to rocky oceans to deserts to grasslands. It was incredible.  Trust God because he has a greater purpose for your life just like he does mine. 

5. Budgeting is Important

Budgeting during our travels was probably the most important thing we did on our journey. It helped us stretch our dollars a little more than we needed to.  We budgeted for 6 months out very frugally and it kind of kicked our butts.  We went way to much on things that we did not plan on spending that much.

Like it is hard to not want to do all the touristy things when you go places, but know that there are plenty of free things to do in the country that does not cost. Plan accordingly for touristy attractions.

What really saved our budget was work camping too and it really made us feel more connected and a routine so that was a positive to our budget. 

Overall, I think even if you do not live tiny and you aren’t traveling the country like us you can have these 5 tips help you in your regular life too.  God really does provide when you pray daily and tithe.  He did for us when we lived in one location. Gods plan is always better than ours even when we think the world is falling apart. Try to always be cheerful even when it is hard there is something you are to learn from that moment.  Be in the moment – this is so true if you have kids because kids can easily make us want the next day or the next nap time.  Lastly, budgeting is important wherever you are in life. If you are not budgeting, I challenge you too. 

Like if you are challenged to better your life because of our journey.

Like if you are going to travel the US. 

Share if you have a dream to travel to remember these points.