"I was a multimillionaire, I sold my mansion and everything I owned to move into a van and live on $30-a-day"
- 2 months ago
A multimillionaire says selling her mansion and everything she owns to move into a van and live on $30 a day is the "best decision" she's ever made.
Caitlin Pyle, 36, was worth $4million, owned her own proofreading business and lived in an eight-storey house in Orlando, Florida, US, with her ex-husband - before deciding to give it all up to become a digital nomad.
Their luxurious property boasted 18 rooms - four bedrooms and three bathrooms - including ones dedicated to Nintendo gaming, as well as arts and crafts.
But after getting divorced in April 2019, selling her business for $4mil and suffering a "breakdown", Caitlin decided to adopt a minimalist lifestyle.
She bought a Mercedes Sprinter van for $88k, spent $102k on renovations - including a custom kitchen complete with large fridge, juicer and blender - and hit the road.
Caitlin has now travelled to eight states and loves spending her days trying new experiences such as mountain climbing.
Caitlin, who now works remotely as a life coach, from Orlando, US, said: “I went from living alone in a huge, empty house to travelling full-time.
"My life feels like a choose-your-own adventure.
“I’m doing all of this to please my inner-child.
"I love to travel - and this has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
“I’ve become so much more confident, I’ve made new friends - even gone on dates.
“Life is all about growth - and I believe this is what I’m doing.”
Throughout her twenties and early thirties, Caitlin built a successful proofreading business and made $100k in her first year.
By the age of 31, she was making $4million-a-year - which enabled her to purchase a 400,000 square foot house in Orlando, Florida, with her ex.
She had a passion for interior design, so sent sketches to a designer and architect, who created every bespoke fixture and mural just as she wanted.
Caitlin and her husband separated after eight years of marriage and in April 2019, their divorce was finalised.
She sold her company for $4million and had to dip into her “nest egg” just to pay off her bills - with $180k in mansion maintenance fees as she was the sole owner of the property.
Caitlin says money worries, her divorce and having to maintain a mansion on her own left her feeling depressed and burnt out - and she claims she suffered a breakdown in May 2022.
She said: “Looking after the house became a full-time job.
"We built it for us as a couple, we looked forward to entertaining people and maintaining it together.
“But being inside it all by myself was swallowing me whole.
"It was always something - you’d need someone to tend to the lawn, but the guy would cancel last-minute, or your mailbox would pile up and you couldn’t bring yourself to sort it.
“I was scrambling to pay my bills, and had my nest egg as a last resort. I had a total breakdown.
"Now, I had too much freedom and the emotional intensity hadn’t gone away.”
Caitlin Pyle, 36, was worth $4million, owned her own proofreading business and lived in an eight-storey house in Orlando, Florida, US, with her ex-husband - before deciding to give it all up to become a digital nomad.
Their luxurious property boasted 18 rooms - four bedrooms and three bathrooms - including ones dedicated to Nintendo gaming, as well as arts and crafts.
But after getting divorced in April 2019, selling her business for $4mil and suffering a "breakdown", Caitlin decided to adopt a minimalist lifestyle.
She bought a Mercedes Sprinter van for $88k, spent $102k on renovations - including a custom kitchen complete with large fridge, juicer and blender - and hit the road.
Caitlin has now travelled to eight states and loves spending her days trying new experiences such as mountain climbing.
Caitlin, who now works remotely as a life coach, from Orlando, US, said: “I went from living alone in a huge, empty house to travelling full-time.
"My life feels like a choose-your-own adventure.
“I’m doing all of this to please my inner-child.
"I love to travel - and this has been the best decision I’ve ever made.
“I’ve become so much more confident, I’ve made new friends - even gone on dates.
“Life is all about growth - and I believe this is what I’m doing.”
Throughout her twenties and early thirties, Caitlin built a successful proofreading business and made $100k in her first year.
By the age of 31, she was making $4million-a-year - which enabled her to purchase a 400,000 square foot house in Orlando, Florida, with her ex.
She had a passion for interior design, so sent sketches to a designer and architect, who created every bespoke fixture and mural just as she wanted.
Caitlin and her husband separated after eight years of marriage and in April 2019, their divorce was finalised.
She sold her company for $4million and had to dip into her “nest egg” just to pay off her bills - with $180k in mansion maintenance fees as she was the sole owner of the property.
Caitlin says money worries, her divorce and having to maintain a mansion on her own left her feeling depressed and burnt out - and she claims she suffered a breakdown in May 2022.
She said: “Looking after the house became a full-time job.
"We built it for us as a couple, we looked forward to entertaining people and maintaining it together.
“But being inside it all by myself was swallowing me whole.
"It was always something - you’d need someone to tend to the lawn, but the guy would cancel last-minute, or your mailbox would pile up and you couldn’t bring yourself to sort it.
“I was scrambling to pay my bills, and had my nest egg as a last resort. I had a total breakdown.
"Now, I had too much freedom and the emotional intensity hadn’t gone away.”