Yurt sweet yurt: the value of simple living

Although it's true that they probably will not outlast most houses, people have been living in modern yurts for over fifteen years, so they can be a wise investment in semipermanent housing. After buying our yurt, Adam and I purchased used kitchen appliances and a used wood stove, and we built a small structure with a kitchen and bathroom. We ended up with around 600 square feet (including the yurt), electricity, heat, and plumbing for around $20,000. I'll bet you didn't know New Life Journal's headquarters used to be a yurt! After buying our yurt, we were able to move out to our land relatively quickly, enabling us to eliminate the burden of rental costs while we saved up for our permanent house, which will begin construction in a month or so.

The large debt that is assumed to be a natural part of home ownership in this country can be greatly reduced or eliminated with planning, hard work, and the willingness to rough it for a few years. Adam and I look forward to the space and permanence a "real" house will provide for us.

However, we will always remember fondly our years in the yurt, and we're reaping the benefits of the financial stability we gained by really living within our means and choosing not to jump into a large mortgage when we could have. Because we've had years to pay off our land and our initial investment, the debt we incur to build our new house will be minimal, and the yurt can enjoy its retirement as our guesthouse. When the time was right, we took a good look at our priorities and decided to be open to a lesson from ancient times on how to live simply and lightly on the earth.

Erin Everett is the Editor and Publisher of New Life Journal, and she and her husband have been living in their yurt for over four years. Contact her at erin@newlifejournal.com

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