Kelly Dwyer
In August, my husband and I signed a one-year lease for a two-bedroom apartment in Studio City without giving up our home in Wisconsin.
We love the Midwest, but I grew up in Los Angeles County and often miss my home state — especially in winter when temperatures in Wisconsin can plummet below zero.
My family and I have often traveled to California, visiting family and friends, splurging on Disneyland, and enjoying the beach. Our trips have been soul-nourishing and fun but pricey. On average, we've spent about $200 to $300 a night on Airbnbs alone.
We've talked about moving to California, but there are delightful obstacles in our path. First of all, we adore our community, and my husband loves his job in Wisconsin.
We also love our house and the 3 acres of land it's on. Plus, the low 3% interest rate on our mortgage means living in our five-bedroom home in Wisconsin costs about the same a month as renting a 1,000-square-foot apartment in Los Angeles.
So when two members of our family decided to move to Los Angeles, we made a proposal: If you can put us up for some of the year, we'll pay half the rent.
They happily accepted. This way, they could afford a larger place in a nicer neighborhood, and we'd get a pied-à-terre with the flexibility to come and go as we please for just $1,750 a month.
After a fun period of collaborative apartment hunting, we found a great space in Studio City and have been back and forth several times.
Whenever we've gone to Los Angeles for an extended visit, we've driven the 2,000 miles in our hybrid to save on airfares and car rentals once we arrive.
For shorter trips, we find cheap flights. Since we keep clothes, toiletries, and books in both places, we only need laptop bags when we travel, which saves money on checking bags.
We also arranged for a friend in Wisconsin to stay in our house while we're gone, so we don't need to pay someone to water our plants or mow the lawn.
Our apartment in Los Angeles has been furnished with Ikea sale items, donations from friends, and cheap (or free) finds from Facebook Marketplace and our neighbors.
Kelly Dwyer
When we're home in Wisconsin, we live frugally. If we're going to splurge a bit, we prefer to do it in Los Angeles.
Although the cost of living is higher there, we've also found many free or inexpensive things to do for fun: hiking on many of the nearby trails, going to the beach, exploring different neighborhoods, and visiting free museums.
If we go out to eat, we do so during happy hour to take advantage of discounted specials. Potluck meals with friends have also been a great way for us to have fun in Los Angeles without breaking the bank.
Since we live in a neighborhood close to shops and restaurants, we also save money on gas and get our steps in by walking as much as possible.
We still meet our savings goals by using the money we'd normally budget for vacations to support this lifestyle instead.
Kelly Dwyer
My favorite things about living between the Midwest and West Coast have been the excitement of always looking forward to something new, enjoying the beauty in both locales, and spending time with family and friends in each place.
Our lease will be up in August 2025, and I don't know if our family members will continue to live in Los Angeles.
If they move out and on, my husband and I will need to get even more creative to keep making our California-Wisconsin lifestyle work. We'd probably need to downsize the apartment and find other ways to cut back on our spending — but that's fine by me.
Every time I walk along the beach in Malibu on a sunny day in January while it's -10 degrees in Wisconsin, I know it's worth it.
