I moved my family to a tiny Wyoming town for 2 years to save money. Despite the drawbacks, our brief sacrifice paid off.

"The moment my wife and I finished earning our college degrees, we were ready to leave Utah. We'd been living in Orem, a city with about 95,000 residents, while attending school nearby. Now that we weren't tied down to the area, we wanted to move elsewhere - ideally, someplace cheaper. I'd started working as a remote freelance writer, so we were flexible on location and interested in seeing where my modest income would stretch furthest. Most of all, we wanted to live somewhere that would help us save for a down payment on our first home. Eventually, these goals led us to a tiny town in Wyoming."

"Our rent was $650 a month - nearly half of what our existing lease would've renewed at for about the same living space. Both apartments were two-bedroom, one-bathroom units in a fourplex. Over the next two years, we discovered other financial benefits of living in Wyoming, such as not having to pay a state income tax or sales tax on most groceries. Even gas was significantly cheaper here than it was in Orem. As a result, we were able to save more of our income each month."

"We moved from a Utah city with about 95,000 residents to a small town in Wyoming with about 1,000. Moving helped us save money, but we also had to live further from family and get used to the cold. We used money we saved for a down payment on land in Washington, where we plan to build a home."

After finishing college degrees, the couple left Orem, Utah (population about 95,000) to reduce expenses. Remote freelance work allowed flexibility to move to Bridger Valley, Wyoming, where a relative suggested affordable rentals in Mountain View. Rent dropped to $650 monthly for a two-bedroom unit, and Wyoming's lack of state income tax, limited grocery sales tax, and lower gas prices further cut costs. Over two years they increased monthly savings and used the funds for a down payment on land in Washington. Downsides included greater distance from family, colder winters, and adjusting to small-town life.

Read at Business Insider