Trading Stress for Sunshine
Matt Dearing, 36, was a carpenter back in the UK. Carlie Donnelley, 35, was a beautician. Matt’s days stretched to 10 hours or more, often working every single day of the week. The cost? He barely saw his three kids, often squeezing in just an hour with them before bedtime, forever chasing bills and missing out on family time. “It was something we’d wanted to do for years,” Matt explains.
“In the UK, it reached the point where I barely spent time with my children. I saw them for about an hour before bed, constantly rushing to pay bills and working all the time. I did a lot of research on Bali because there’s tourism year-round and the weather is fantastic.”
Fed up with the ‘live to work’ cycle, Matt and Carlie decided to sell their home—and everything of value—in order to move to Bali, Indonesia. The drive? To become “financially free.” Their house fetched €422,000 (about $460,000), providing the launching pad for their new life.
Building a New Life, Brick by Brick
The adventure started in November 2022. Once in Bali, they explored a few regions before settling in Ubud, at the heart of the island. There, they bought a three-bedroom house sitting on a sprawling 1,200 m² (nearly 13,000 sq ft) plot. The rent? A jaw-dropping €2,300 a year (around $2,500)—that’s less than €200 a month (about $210). Not bad for paradise!
Thanks to the proceeds from their UK house sale, Matt and Carlie built two villas on their property. Their plan: sell one villa, use the funds to construct more, and either sell or rent them out over time. Ultimately, their goal is to live off the returns from their real estate investments—no more “real jobs” required.
No Regrets—Just More Family Time
Matt is enthusiastic about how their gamble has paid off:
“The return on investment is incredible. We sold our UK house for €422,000. With that, we were able to buy land and build two villas. For us, being financially free literally means having the freedom to do what we want with the kids, instead of working ten hours a day, seven days a week. I always dreamed of dropping the kids off at school and picking them up—I can do that here. The people are lovely and show so much gratitude, we’ve checked every box.”
Today, Matt and Carlie enjoy the kind of family life they once thought was out of reach. Every weekend, they make the most of their new home: beach strolls, waterfall hikes, and discovering everything Bali has to offer together.
About the Author
After graduating university, Lisa took her first steps into web writing at Demotivateur. Gifted with words, she’s passionate about sharing stories to raise awareness of the causes closest to her heart—especially environmental issues and animal welfare. When she isn’t writing, she can be found enjoying music, fine food, film, and—her guilty pleasure—astrology.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
