Hayley and Lewis Trow decided to take their six-year-old daughter Nyla on a gap year in order to make memories with their young daughter and it’s been more affordable than they thought
A couple have chosen to take their six-year-old daughter on a gap year, claiming it’s cheaper than living in the UK. Hayley and Lewis Trow are embarking on a global adventure with their young daughter Nyla, inspired by a trip to Australia in 2022.
The recruitment professionals spent seven months meticulously planning their journey, even leaving their rented home to boost their savings, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Explaining their decision, Hayley, 37, said: “We’d both spent years climbing the ladder, working towards leadership roles, spending time in boardrooms and endless meetings – but it got to the point where we realised we were living for two holidays a year.
“We wanted more time together, more adventure, and more freedom for our daughter. So we traded boardrooms for Bali beaches – and it’s been the best decision we’ve ever made.”
In addition to desiring a change of pace, Hayley revealed that she and Lewis, 45, were driven by the desire to spend quality time with their daughter while she still wants their company.
She added: “At six-years-old, Nyla still wants to spend every second with us, and we know that won’t last forever. We wanted to make memories now, not ‘one day’.
“When she looks back, she won’t remember us being stressed about work – she’ll remember chasing waterfalls in Bali. Tantrums still happen, the heat can be overwhelming, and spending 24/7 together is a huge adjustment from our old lives.
“At Nyla’s age, we know it will have an impact on her life and future development as she grows, and we are so grateful to have this time together to reconnect and explore the world as a family. I’d recommend to any family that has similar aspirations to travel as a family to do it – don’t wait.”
Since embarking on their globe-trotting adventure, Hayley, Lewis, and Nyla have visited Disneyland Paris, Bali, and Italy before planning to journey onwards to Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
One of the most shocking revelations of their expedition, alongside the incredible sights they’ve witnessed, is that much to Hayley and Lewis’s amazement, they’re actually putting money aside despite quitting their careers after initially setting aside a budget of approximately £2,000 to £3,000 monthly.
Breaking down their reasoning, Hayley explained: “We’ve budgeted our travel costs to be less than our UK outgoings, travelling midrange, which is crazy – but completely puts into perspective UK living costs currently.”
Nevertheless, it was only when they began the money-saving journey that they discovered exactly how much they had been forking out whilst residing in the UK, calculating that they had been shelling out between £4,000 and £5,000 each month, including between £1,500 and £2,000 monthly on rent alone.
Hayley revealed: “We were anchored down to the UK way of living, so when it came to stripping back our lifestyle and everything we’d worked towards in our careers, it was a real eye-opener as to how much we were spending.
“Household bills were £300 a month, our food shop cost £200 a week, and a day out would cost around £100. In comparison, right now we have an apartment with a pool, including bills in Bali that cost us £500 a month.”