You Can Move Abroad Without a Big Budget (Part 1)

I decided to include this post in my Travel Tips section for a very specific reason: to encourage anyone who thinks they can’t move abroad because they don’t have a big budget, perfect gear, or a big support system. 

We’re here to tell you — that doesn’t have to stop you.

The photo above was taken in Spain, and the quote on the bench reads: “Cuando salga a la calle no quiero sentirme valiente, quiero sentirme libre.” In English: “When I go out into the street, I don’t want to feel brave – I want to feel free.“

That’s exactly what this journey was about. We weren’t looking to prove ourselves. We were looking to live honestly – freely – as the people we were made to be.

🧭 This post is Part One of our “Moving Abroad” mini-series. You can follow the rest of the journey here:
→ Part Two: Packing, Selling & Storing for a Big Move
→ Part Three: Leaving on a Jet Plane

In 2018 we moved to Spain without most of the things people say you “need”. And while it wasn’t easy, it was absolutely possible – and 100% worth it. So here’s how we made it work:

💶 Money

We didn’t have a house or car to sell to fund our move. What we did have was Clive’s retrenchment package (which wasn’t huge), and the determination to make it stretch. We sold just about everything we could: fridge, washing machine, cupboards — anything that could bring in a few extra Rands.

We took the cheapest flights, booked the most affordable accommodation, and bought budget luggage. The goal? Just get to Spain — and find any kind of work to keep going until we found something more stable.

And that’s exactly what happened.

📱 Technology

We didn’t even have Wi-Fi at home when planning this move — we used internet at friends’ houses and worked with a travel agent to book flights. Our gear? No laptop, no fancy devices — just old tablets for the kids and our cellphones.

Once in Spain, we discovered that internet is cheap and widely available. All we needed was a phone that could connect to the web — and we slowly built up our tech as we went.

👕 Clothes

We didn’t go shopping for new clothes. We just packed what we had. Spain has affordable clothing stores, second-hand shops, and there’s always Amazon when you’re earning again.

We focused on getting Clive two smart outfits for work, and the rest of us made do. It was summer when we arrived, so light clothes were enough to start with.

🧭 Experience

We had zero experience with this kind of international move — no backup plan, no past trips to guide us. What we did have was:

• • • The willingness to be prepared and flexible

    • A humble attitude to ask for help and advice

We also quickly learned that expats are incredibly helpful and that Spanish locals are warm and generous — especially if you’re respectful and friendly.

Google, Facebook groups, and local forums became our lifeline for learning and navigating Spanish systems.

🧳 Luggage

We bought the cheapest luggage we could find — but double-checked that it met airline size rules (this matters!). We’ll be writing a full post soon with all our packing tips.

And by the way? Every single cheap bag is still holding up!

🫂 Contacts

We had only one contact in Spain.

But from the moment we arrived, we made a conscious effort to talk to people, get involved, and say “yes” to opportunities — and that’s when the circle began to grow.

When we were at our lowest, most uncertain points, the right people would suddenly appear — sometimes miraculously — and help in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

🤝 Support

We didn’t have financial support from anyone else. A few friends and family members encouraged us, but most people thought we were completely mad.

They said we’d end up broke, that it would be a failed experiment, and that we’d come crawling back to South Africa.

Well… we didn’t.

We stayed. We survived. We thrived.

You Can Do It, Too

🌍 “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” (Henry David Thoreau) This is the line that carried us from South Africa to Spain — and beyond. It’s more than a quote to us; it’s a calling. A reminder that you don’t need everything to be perfect, you just need the courage to take that first step.

If you have a dream that seems impossible — to see the world, to raise your kids differently, to live a life that’s more you — know this:

✅ You don’t need loads of money.
✅ You don’t need to wait until everything’s perfect.
✅ You don’t need everyone’s approval.

What you do need is:

• • • Imagination

    • Creativity

    • Determination

    • Faith in the journey

    • And a willingness to ask for help

We are living proof that it can be done — even when it seems completely impossible.

Yes, there will be tough times. Yes, you will feel like giving up. But when you reach out, you’ll find that miracles do happen, especially when you move in the flow of community and walk in the rhythm of trust.

“All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity. But the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.”
— T.E. Lawrence

✈️ Up Next:

Packing Up a House and Packing Bags — on a Budget
(We’ll show you how we did it, what we learned, and what we’d do differently next time.)

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Thanks for reading — and if you have any questions, drop them in the comments! We’re always happy to help. 💬