A lot of young people are attracted to city life. And who can blame them? Cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami offer some of the best amenities in the world. It’s where all the entertainment, fun, and opportunities are. Still, as we grow older, we might start valuing other things in life that only a slower pace and healthy environment can provide. Working hard and barely making ends meet can fall hard on us after a while, so finding ways to be economical is a must. But even with a sound financial strategy for living in the city, we get tired of constantly worrying about money. In such cases, we can always save money by relocating to the countryside.

Saving money on healthcare

Relocating to the countryside is an excellent choice for people who have physical or mental health issues. Nature and clean air have a soothing effect, and stress factors you’re surrounded by in the city can’t reach you there. Stress impacts our bodies significantly, triggering all kinds of diseases. Not to mention you will walk more and have more physical activities. All this leads to eliminating the harmful influences in our lives, thus seeing the doctors a lot less.

Two people riding bikes in the countryside
Walking and biking more will benefit your physical condition and genuine well-being.

Bigger home for less money

If you’ve ever dreamed of affording the home of your dreams, relocating to the countryside might help you get it. Since the median home cost is way cheaper, you can find lovely comfortable houses for way less money than in the city. And if the countryside housing market is not by your likings, building a new home or remodeling a fixer-upper is an option too. That way, you get to pick the perfect piece of land and build a place with a view.

From essential services to consumer goods and construction, everything is cheaper here, including property taxes. However, some smaller towns and villages have better tax rates than others. Including this factor when searching for your future moving destination can save you some money in the long run.

Consumer goods are way cheaper in the countryside

Affording to dine out regularly or often in big cities is almost impossible with an average salary income. Even though you won’t get to enjoy the latest culinary trends and world-renewed chiefs in small-town restaurants, dining out could be your new habit. The food is not as expensive as in the cities, and you’d be surprised by the local culinary gems some countryside communities offer.

All socializing expenses will go down since there are fewer opportunities to spend money on. Yet, this doesn’t mean that the countryside doesn’t provide great ways to have fun. Small towns usually have a vibrant social life, local celebrations, and fairs you can enjoy.

Organic food in a local shop
Having a healthy diet in the city can be hard on your wallet.

You can grow your own food

Growing your own vegetables may sound challenging for those who have never had a garden. However, it is not much different than taking care of a house plant. With water, good soil, fertilizer, and maintenance, you can enjoy your own fresh organic food.

It’s not only going to be cheaper, but healthier too. No one says you should become a farmer, but even the tiniest piece of land and some effort can turn into a vegetable garden. 

Unlike the limited space for the greenery you had in your city apartment, here you can finally expand your botany project. However, moving plants, like the rest of your apartment, will take some skills. During transport, they require extra care, so informing yourself about how to make this process affordable and stress-free is essential. Valuable advice about the moving process and packing delicate items can be easily found at losangelestransfer.com alongside other budget-friendly relocation tips.

You can cut the costs of your bills

When living in a city, you don’t have many options for saving on energy bills. Sure, you can always replace the lighting with cheaper and eco-friendly alternatives, but that’s as far as it goes. However, a country home has the privilege of being surrounded by space that allows you to experiment with many green energy solutions. Installing solar panels, having your own windmill, exploring summer outdoor cooking, etc., are just some of the ways to save money by relocating to the countryside. Nature itself can give a lot of things if you make the best of it.

Solar panels on a roof of a country home
There are a lot of ways to save money by relocating to the countryside. The main ones are affordable housing and energy saving.

The downsides of living in the countryside

You will use the car more to get around, but the commute will be way shorter since there are no traffic jams and endless parking space searching. Still, if your job ties you to the city, transportation can be a mental and financial burden. Anything that includes more than a 40 minutes car ride can become overburdening in time. Not to mention expensive. Plus, if your household has more family members, you will need at least one more car to get around. The solution to this little bump on the road to your perfect countryside life is finding a location close enough to the city, with good transportation options.

How to save on the moving process

Moving can be a daunting process for anyone, especially when it comes to significant lifestyle changes. Even though the adjusting time is yet to come after you relocate to your new house, you should also know how to save on moving costs. Not all companies clearly state out the additional costs of their services. Getting to know all the important terms and chapters of the moving contract will help you get the closest estimate and eliminate the unpleasant surprises additional costs bring.

Conclusion

Living in the countryside is majestic, but if you’ve been a city dweller your whole life, it might take some time to adapt. You will eat healthier since the food you buy in local stores and butcheries will always be fresh. Still, the countryside life lacks the variety of shopping choices you had in the city. Not to mention that there are no stores around the corners if you decide to live further from a community center. Nevertheless, this can be surpassed when you decide to save money by relocating to the countryside if you organize your shopping lists, stock up on supplies, and live more frugally.

Jenna Johnson is a 47-year-old freelance writer who enjoys glamping, visiting museums, and gardening. She is laid-back and creative, but can also be quite the perfectionist and a bit of a procrastinator.