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🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Maribel and Vicente, nomads: “We live on two ordinary pensions and get through the month on €2,000, including diesel”

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Retirees Maribel and Vicente left Mallorca five years ago and began traveling around Spain in a motorhome to escape routine and spend more time in nature.
  • They say their two pensions provide about €2,000 a month, with €500 to €600 going to diesel, while motorhome living costs less than maintaining an apartment in Mallorca.
  • Solar panels, stored supplies and their own maintenance work help them limit expenses and keep an emergency reserve.

Five years ago, Maribel and Vicente left their life in Mallorca and moved into a motorhome. They say they wanted to break from routine, get closer to nature and spend the years ahead traveling.

We gave 100% throughout our lives, both to our parents and our children, and now it is our moment. We have to keep moving forward. This was a dream we had, to enjoy nature.

· Maribel and VicenteThe couple explains why they chose a nomadic retirement.

“We gave 100% throughout our lives, both to our parents and our children, and now it is our moment,” they say. Their preferred destinations are small villages and quiet places rather than large cities. They enjoy changing scenery whenever they wish and meeting people along the way.

The couple says the move has improved their quality of life. “If you do not like the place, you start the engine and head somewhere else,” they explain. Their income comes from two ordinary pensions totaling about €2,000 a month. Between €500 and €600 goes toward diesel, but they say their overall expenses are lower than they were in a flat in Mallorca.

We are not into big cities. We like small villages, places with a lot of silence and tranquility, and that is what we enjoy, along with meeting people, of course.

· Maribel and VicenteThey describe the places and experiences they seek while traveling.

They try not to spend everything they receive. Part of the monthly income stays in reserve for a major breakdown or another unexpected expense. Solar panels, batteries and inverters allow them to spend days without connecting to an electricity supply.

If you do not like the place, you start the engine and head somewhere else.

· Maribel and VicenteThey identify the flexibility of motorhome living as one of its main advantages.

They also store food and water, cook most meals inside the motorhome and rarely eat at restaurants. They carry tools to handle some maintenance and repairs themselves. The lifestyle requires them to own fewer material possessions, but they say the trade-off has brought greater freedom and closeness to nature.

We live on two ordinary pensions. With €2,000 you can live perfectly well.

· Maribel and VicenteThey discuss their monthly income and household budget.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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