A young couple turned their backs on Australia and the cost of living crisis to see the world.
Brittany Trovarelli and Mitchell Taylor, both 28 and from Melbourne, quit their 9-to-5 jobs and left in February to travel indefinitely.
It’s a lifestyle most Australians can only dream of, with high interest rates and stagnant wages putting even more pressure on personal finances.
Speaking to FEMAIL, the couple said they had to sacrifice for years to save enough money to fund their international adventure.
They both worked two jobs, shared a house for 12 months to help with the mortgage payment, and then moved in with Mitch’s parents for another five months to boost their savings.
At the time, Brittany was running her business Caked Melbourne and Mitchell was a graphic designer working for an international gaming company.
Now renting out their home in Melbourne, the couple call themselves “full-time travellers” and “professionally unemployed”.
The couple originally planned a six-month trip in 2020, but Covid prevented them from taking the plunge.
Brittany Trovarelli and Mitchell Taylor, both 28 and from Melbourne, quit their 9-to-5 jobs and left in February to travel indefinitely.
So far they have ventured to the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and have just arrived in Italy.
“This has been the best decision we’ve ever made and we wish we had made it sooner. It’s opened up new perspectives on living abroad compared to living in Australia. We feel like we’re living a dream, but it’s just everyday life,” Brittany said.
So far, the couple has ventured to the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and has just arrived in Italy.
They plan to stay in Europe for the next few months before heading to the United States.
To help fund their travels while on the go, Brittany and Mitch run a few online stores selling digital goods, partner with brands and hotels, and also create content on Instagram. Tik Tok and YouTube under @brittandmitchworldwide.
The couple would not say how much they still owe on their mortgage in Melbourne, but are glad to have found a tenant to help finance payments while they travel.
It’s a lifestyle most Australians can only dream of, with high interest rates and stagnant wages putting even more pressure on personal finances.
To finance their travels, they have a few online stores that sell digital products, partner with brands and hotels, and also create content on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
While traveling through Asia, they spent $60 per day each, which included food, accommodation, transportation and activities.
They said other destinations such as Europe and London were much more expensive, costing more than $100 a day.
Now, looking at Australia from the outside, the couple can’t believe how bad the cost of living crisis has become.
“More and more people we know are starting to take on little side jobs or second jobs to make some extra money, which seems to be essential these days,” Brittany said.
Despite the bleak economic times in their country, the couple plans to return in September 2025.
While traveling through Asia they spent $60 each per day, which included food, accommodation, transportation and activities.
One of the most challenging aspects of my world adventure has not been dealing with language or money barriers, but living with a backpack.
“We’re sick of our clothes. We also miss our friends and family a lot. We’ve made a lot of good friends while traveling, but we’d often only be with them for a day or two and then they’d move on to another destination,” Brittany said.
“We encounter other challenges, such as finding the right travel cards and insurance. We are also constantly trying to find other ways to make money while traveling.”
The couple keeps their budget under control by choosing free or inexpensive activities.
“It can be difficult not to fall into the trap of doing everything, but we also have to consider the cost of everything we do,” Brittany added.
‘For example, we will try to opt for cheaper activities such as hiking, beach days, city walks instead of boat trips or excursions when possible.
“We’ve cut out a lot of alcohol and try to stick to eating out just once a day and grocery shopping the rest of the time. We try to remind ourselves that long-term travel is different than a vacation.”
