I built a tiny home in my parents’ garden & lived rent-free for 5 years – I had to bin all my shoes but saved for a home
RENTING a home can be expensive, and one woman shared how she came up with a very savvy solution - building a tiny home in her parents’ garden.
Mckean Matson, 25, from Texas, shared how she didn’t need to pay a penny of rent for five years and it helped her save enough cash to buy her own home and some horses.
“Living in my parents' backyard was also convenient, and it allowed me to save money for the house I now have.”
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Mckean shared how the project was a labour of love for the family, and she built the tiny home with her dad.
Thankfully she didn’t have to start completely from scratch as she already had a 10ftx10ft fort that they had constructed when she was younger.
However, it needed plumbing, framing, furnishings and to be increased in size to around 350 square feet.
When they were finished, Mckean’s new home had a kitchen with plenty of storage and a bathroom with a shower.
Meanwhile, it also had a staircase leading to her bedroom and a dresser for her belongings.
Due to the limited space, Mckean did have to assess how much she could store in the tiny home, especially as she had "a lot of shoes", and did have to get rid of items she hadn't worn in a while
The project in total cost £55,997 ($70,000), but the family saw it as a long-term investment.
Living in such a small space was a positive experience for Mckean as she said it taught her to be less materialistic and to need less belongings.
However, she hailed her compact home as “amazing” and insisted it set her up “for success.”
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After she had saved money from not having to pay rent, she finally moved out after five years, and said she was ready to prove she could be successful on her own.
While her new home is slightly larger, Mckean said she has continued to live minimally.