Considering how much it costs to buy a house these days and then actually live in it, it is no surprise that people are coming up with inventive ways of spending money.
One way in which some folks are now seeking out a bit more financial freedom is by actually selling any homes or possessions they might have and heading out to live on a cruise ship or a hotel, which actually sounds far nicer than freezing at home because we can't afford the energy bills.
It sounds difficult to believe, especially for those of us who have to work in an office, but the reality is that with the cost of groceries, bills, mortgages and other commitments, you may even be able to save money if you're living on a cruise ship where all those things are provided for you.
If you're lucky enough to work from home, be retired or simply just rich enough to not have a job, then the prospect of having someone bring you cocktails by the swimming pool in permanent sunshine probably sounds amazing.
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And one couple from America decided to do just that, and they reckon that the money they spend each month is far less than it would cost them to live in London.
Randy, 66, and Kit Cassingham, 71, sold their home in Colorado to pay for life on the Villa Vie cruise ship, which houses several permanent residents who have decided to spend the rest of their life at sea.
Randy said: “I’m not coming off this ship alive. We had designed and built a house that was our dream home. I expected to die there.
"But fate clearly had a different plan for us."
He runs a news commentary website that helps to cover monthly costs, and he's not even had to dip into his pension yet, so it's hard to argue with why living aboard a cruise ship would be a bad idea, if you can get used to how terrifying they can be at night, of course.
He added: “Living here is not truly a huge expense. It almost certainly costs less to live here than a flat in London. We don’t have a car to pay for.
"We don’t have a mortgage, property taxes, maintenance, or insurance. We don’t have to shop for groceries. No bills for utilities or internet.
“We have a predictable monthly expense to be here, another for health insurance, and toiletries and my phone.
"A little bit if we choose to go on side trips in the countries we go to. So many other expenses are simply gone."
Although they might have to put up with 'sea legs' if they're spending all their time off-land, that's probably worthwhile for the luxury food and weather they get to enjoy year-round, while the rest of us are stuck paying off mortgages by working 9-5s in miserable weather.
Yes, I'm jealous.
Topics: Cruise Ship, Travel, Cost of Living, Lifestyle
James Moorhouse