She pays $96 a month to live in Yellowstone National Park

Key Points:

• Zoe De La Paz, 26, left a $75,000 mechanical design job in Chicago to work as a seamstress in Yellowstone National Park, earning $19.25 an hour and living in employee dorms for $96 monthly rent.
• She values the trade-off of lower pay for the opportunity to live in a beautiful natural setting and pursue her passion for sewing, which she rekindled through costuming work and odd jobs in creative fields.
• De La Paz's monthly expenses include $742 on food (including a meal stipend), $1,162 on discretionary spending, $586 in savings and investments, and $34 on subscriptions, reflecting a balanced approach to budgeting while living seasonally in the park.
• Her Yellowstone job involves sewing and repairing uniforms for thousands of concessionaire employees, with additional creative projects like upcycling old gear, and she enjoys a close-knit, diverse work community.
• With her seasonal contract ending in September, De La Paz is exploring sewing-related opportunities in Los Angeles and New York City, planning to use her savings to transition into a full-time creative career.