We've lived between a sailboat and a campervan for 10 years. The freedom is real, but so are the trade-offs.

Spending the past decade splitting our time between a campervan and a sailboat has helped me create a six-figure business and build a nest egg, but it has drawbacks.

Kristin Hanes Years ago, I gave up paying traditional rent and began living between a campervan and a sailboat.

I've been able to take risks and build a six-figure business , save money, and travel.

Lately, though, I've been craving a true home base as I miss stability, basic comforts, and more.

I was hiking with my boyfriend, Tom, in the redwoods north of San Francisco in 2015 when he made the craziest suggestion: "Why don't we camp up here on Mount Tam? Give up rent?" At first, I thought he was joking.

Move out of my cute Zen cottage in the Mill Valley redwoods? No way! But he continued to talk excitedly from the fern-lined trail ahead of me.

"Imagine how much you would save! At least $20,000 per year!" Most people would never dream of giving up rent to get financially ahead, but Tom was different .

He was a creative thinker, an adventurer (who's sailed from the Chesapeake Bay to San Francisco), and a Minnesota-born outdoorsman.

To him, camping sounded fun, a way to save money in one of the most expensive metropolises in the world.

Giving up secure housing was just another adventure to him, while to me, it was a massively big deal.

Long story short: I ended up moving into a tent with him, then a Toyota Prius, then a sailboat.

After that came a Chevy Astro van and a Sprinter van.

I paid off my debt, built my first nest-egg, and created an online business that earns six figures a year and powers our nomadic lifestyle.

It's now been 10 years since I last paid traditional rent.