This Is What Living on Your Own Terms Looks Like

From Student Loans to Open Roads: How Michelle Built a Life of Freedom

One of my favorite things about running Time to RV is getting to connect with people who are truly living life on their own terms. And Michelle from Making Sense of Cents is one of those people.

If you’ve been around the personal finance or blogging world for any length of time, chances are you’ve come across her site. What started as a personal blog to document paying off student loans has since grown into a wildly successful online business—one that’s allowed her to travel full-time, live in an RV, sail around the world, and redefine what success actually looks like.

I reached out to Michelle because I’ve followed her story for years, and I knew it would resonate with our Time to RV community. Especially those of you who dream of taking your work on the road, making money online, or just finding more RV lifestyle freedom in your day-to-day life.

She graciously agreed to answer a few questions, and what came back was a reminder that big change doesn’t always start with a master plan. Sometimes it starts with a simple blog post… and a willingness to see what happens.

From Side Blog to Full-Time Freedom

Michelle didn’t set out to become an entrepreneur. In fact, when she started Making Sense of Cents back in 2011, she was working full-time as a financial analyst and simply looking for a way to stay motivated while paying off $38,000 in student loans. The blog was anonymous, personal, and not meant to be anything more than a diary of her journey.

“I never expected anyone to actually read my blog,” she told me. “I was mostly writing for myself.”

But that’s the thing about sharing your story—even quietly, even imperfectly. You never know who’s going to find it. Michelle quickly discovered that she wasn’t alone. 

People connected with her honesty about debt, burnout, and wanting something more out of life. Her posts struck a nerve with others who were tired of living paycheck to paycheck or dreaming of travel but feeling stuck.

As more people started following along, something shifted. Michelle began seeing that her blog wasn’t just a personal outlet—it was helping people. And as someone who loves reading inspiring stories herself, she leaned into it. 

What started as a side project eventually turned into a full-time business built around helping others make smarter money moves, start blogs of their own, and create freedom-filled lives.

From my perspective, this part of Michelle’s journey is such an important reminder: You don’t have to have it all figured out to begin. 

At Time to RV, we see it all the time—people who start small, with a single post or product or video, and slowly build momentum. The difference between a dream and a lifestyle? Often, it’s just getting started.

When RV Life Goes From Dream to Reality

For Michelle and her husband, RV life wasn’t some perfectly mapped-out plan. It started like it does for a lot of people: a casual conversation about what they’d do if they weren’t tied to one location. 

That spark of “what if” quickly turned into a “why not?”. So, before long, they found themselves testing the RV lifestyle part-time.

“My husband really wanted to do it, and I kind of just went along because I thought, ‘why not?’” Michelle said. That easygoing attitude led them to realize their online income gave them something many people only dream about: location independence. 

So they gave it a try—and then fell head over heels for the freedom it offered.

And I totally get it. So many of us in the Time to RV community can relate to that initial hesitation… and the total magic of discovering that bringing your home with you is a game changer. 

Michelle described RV life as the perfect blend of freedom, nature, and flexibility. It’s not just about travel, but how you travel. About deciding what matters most, and building a lifestyle that supports it.

That first “maybe” can open the door to a brand new way of living. And if you’re anything like Michelle (or like us) it might just become something you never want to give up.

The Joys of Downsizing and Discovery

Ask any full-time RVer, and they’ll probably tell you: downsizing is both the most complex and most freeing part of the journey. For Michelle, moving from a house full of stuff into a much smaller space wasn’t just a logistical challenge, but more of a mindset shift.

“We went from a house full of stuff to a much smaller space. But it was surprisingly freeing,” she said. “Life slowed down in the best way.”

That line stuck with me. Slowing down in the best way is something we talk about often here at Time to RV. So many of us trade clutter for clarity, and in doing so, we find ourselves spending more time outdoors, connecting more deeply with our surroundings, and realizing that happiness was never in all that stuff to begin with.

Michelle shared that she didn’t miss any of the things she left behind, which, if you’ve ever agonized over what to pack into an RV, is oddly comforting. 

What she gained instead was something far more valuable: presence, simplicity, and a life rooted in experiences, not possessions.

And let’s be honest—those unexpected discoveries on the road? That’s where the magic happens.

Favorite Places (and the Magic of Spontaneity)

One of the things Michelle loves most about RV life is how it encourages spontaneity. When your home is on wheels, there’s no pressure to follow a rigid itinerary. You can change plans on a whim, stop somewhere unexpected, and stay as long as it feels right.

“There have been so many times where we’ve just been driving through an area and decided that we wanted to stop at the last second and stay for a while because we liked it so much,” she told me. Tucson was one of those surprises. Originally planning to stay just one day, they ended up staying for several months.

As full-time RVers ourselves, we know that feeling well. Some of our favorite memories weren’t planned—they happened because we left space for the unplanned. That flexibility is a massive part of the RV lifestyle, and Michelle clearly embraced it fully.

When I asked about her favorite places, she gave a list that reads like an RV bucket list:

• Alaska – which they drove to from Key West all the way to Homer (yes, really).
  
• Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest – all filled with epic views and unforgettable hikes.
  
• And everywhere you can take an RV.

“Everything is just better when you can bring your home with you,” she said, and honestly, I couldn’t agree more.

RV vs. Sailboat – Two Paths to Freedom

While many people dream about full-time RVing, Michelle and her husband decided to take things a step further… and moved onto a sailboat.

Yep. From life on the road to life on the water.

It wasn’t just about chasing the next adventure. It was about continuing to explore new ways of living more freely and more simply.

“RV life surprised me with how quickly it started to feel like home,” she shared. “I thought we’d feel cramped, but it was the opposite.” On a sailboat, things slowed down even more. Travel became weather-dependent, routines changed, and the daily rhythm looked different. “It’s slower and more weather-dependent (and a lot more work than RVing), but still gave us that same sense of freedom.”

Both lifestyles come with their own set of challenges, but what stood out was what they both taught her: You really don’t need much to live well. The space may be small, but the perspective you gain is enormous.

That’s something we’ve found to be confirmed with Time to RV as well. Whether it’s wheels or water, cabins or campgrounds, when you live simply, you start to see how rich life becomes. It’s less about downsizing your stuff and more about upgrading your priorities.

Earning on the Road: How She Built a Business Around Her Life

One of the questions we hear most at Time to RV is: How do you actually make money on the road? Michelle is living proof that not only is it possible, but it’s sustainable.

Her routine isn’t about strict 9-to-5 hours or hustling nonstop. Instead, it’s built around flexibility, freedom, and intentional planning.

“I like to plan out blog posts and emails in advance and work in focused chunks, usually in the mornings or late at night,” she told me. “Then, I use the daytime hours to explore and do fun things like go on hikes.”

Batching her content and staying at least a month ahead helps her avoid stress while traveling. It’s a reminder that working remotely doesn’t have to mean working constantly, and that structure can be your best friend when your backyard changes every few weeks.

And, of course, she’s honest that balance is something she’s still working on. But she’s also quick to point out one undeniable truth: “It sure does beat being in an office all day and not being able to travel.”

That hit home for me. The freedom to build a business around your life, not the other way around, is something so many of us are chasing. And Michelle didn’t just do that for herself—she’s helped thousands of others start doing it, too.

Beginner-Friendly Ways to Make Money Online

If you’re just getting started and wondering how the heck people actually earn money from a laptop while parked at a national park, Michelle breaks it down in a refreshingly practical way. You don’t need to be a tech genius or have a considerable following. You just need to start.

Here are three beginner-friendly ideas she recommends:

1. Freelance Writing or Virtual Assisting – “You can get started with just a laptop and a few clients,” she says. These roles are in demand and flexible, making them perfect for travelers.
   
2. Starting a Blog – This one’s close to home for Michelle, of course. While blogging takes time and consistency, it can become a long-term income stream through affiliate marketing, display ads, and sponsored content.
   
3. Selling Digital Products – Think printables, templates, or online courses. You create them once and sell them over and over again. Simple and scalable.

As someone who’s built multiple income streams while living on the road, I can vouch for this approach. Whether you’re reviewing products, teaching something you love, or building a resource people need, the internet makes it possible to create income without being stuck in one place.

Michelle also offers a free Affiliate Marketing Tips eBook, which is a great starting point if you want to learn more about earning through content.

At Time to RV, we’ve seen this shift firsthand. When you create content around what you’re already doing (RVing, exploring, simplifying) you start attracting others who want to learn from your journey. And from there, income becomes a byproduct of impact.

Money, Freedom, and What Matters Most

If you’ve ever downsized your life to travel more, you already know: your definition of success starts to change.

For Michelle, living on the road (and later, the water) reshaped how she thought about money, time, and what really matters.

“Success to me now means flexibility and time, not money or stuff,” she said. After years of chasing financial goals and career benchmarks, she found more fulfillment in slowing down and designing her days around what mattered most—time with loved ones, meaningful experiences, and the ability to say yes to life’s small, everyday adventures.

And here’s the part that really resonated with me: she didn’t just change her lifestyle—she changed her values. Living smaller didn’t feel like a sacrifice; it felt like clarity.

Michelle still tracks her spending, just like she did back when she was paying off student loans. It’s a habit that keeps her grounded, even now. “It helps me spot patterns and reminds me to spend with intention.”

At Time to RV, we often talk about this shift from consuming to connecting. When you’re out on the road, chasing sunsets instead of promotions, it becomes easier to realize that freedom isn’t something you save for later. It’s something you build into your life now.

Advice for Aspiring RVers and Digital Nomads

If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I’d love to do that, but…”, Michelle has some advice for you.

Her biggest tip? Start small.

That might mean testing out a short trip, beginning to declutter your home one drawer at a time, or researching remote work options before you hit the road. It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing leap.

“Be honest about what you use and what you actually want to keep,” she said. “And just take the leap! You can figure a lot of it out as you go.”

And if you’re one of those people holding back because you’re worried about things like laundry or mail, Michelle’s heard it all before. In fact, those two reasons come up constantly. 

But as she points out, most RVs can be outfitted with a washer and dryer, laundromats are literally everywhere, and there are services like St. Brendan’s Isle that handle mail forwarding with ease. “It’s never once been an issue for us.”

I loved that she shared this, because it’s precisely what we try to help people understand at Time to RV: the most challenging part isn’t solving logistical problems—it’s deciding you’re ready to live differently.

There will always be a reason to wait. But if you can solve for laundry, you can solve for the rest, too.

What’s Next for Michelle?

After years of full-time RVing, sailing, and building a thriving online business, you might assume Michelle is slowing down. And in a way, she is, but not in the way you might think.

“I’m excited about slowing down a bit this summer,” she told me. “I’ve been simplifying my business so I can spend more time with family while still earning a full-time income.”

It’s a shift many seasoned travelers eventually make. Not out of burnout, but from a deeper understanding of what freedom actually looks like. It’s not just about movement. Sometimes, it’s about margin.

Of course, she and her husband are still dreaming up their next big trip. “We’re thinking about driving our RV to Alaska in the fall and Baja Mexico in the winter.” (If you’ve been around Time to RV long enough, you know we love a good road trip story, so we’ll definitely be following along for updates on that one!)

Michelle’s next chapter is an excellent reminder that RV life doesn’t have to be nonstop go-go-go. It evolves with you. Some seasons are for exploring every national park on your bucket list. Others are for staying in one place, breathing a little deeper, and creating space for what matters most.

Closing Thoughts: Why Stories Like Michelle’s Matter

Michelle didn’t just build a blog, she built a movement. What started as a personal mission to pay off student loans has turned into a full-time income, a freedom-filled lifestyle, and a platform that’s helped thousands of others do the same.

She’s living proof that you don’t need to follow the traditional path to find success. You just need to be willing to start, stay curious, and lean into the unknown.

Whether you’re looking to travel full-time, start a blog, or just build a life that gives you more time and freedom, her story is a powerful reminder that it’s all possible. You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect—you just need to take the next step.

If you’re curious to learn more about Michelle’s journey or want to dive into her world, you can find her here:

• 💻 Making Sense of Cents – her main blog filled with personal finance, travel, and business insights.
  
• 📘 Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing – her signature course that’s helped thousands start earning online.
  
• 📥 Free Blogging Course – a great starting point if you’re thinking about launching your own site.
  
• 📸 Follow her on Instagram – for a behind-the-scenes look at her adventures and daily life.
  

At Time to RV, we’re all about celebrating stories like Michelle’s. Stories that prove a life of purpose, adventure, and flexibility isn’t just a dream. It’s doable. It’s real. And it starts with saying yes to something different.