• I wanted to live in my hometown Santa Barbara but didn't want to spend most of my income on rent.
• So, my parents offered to convert a shed on their 5-acre property into a 500-square-foot tiny home.
• I'm so grateful they let me and my boyfriend live there rent-free while we save for a house.

Last year, my boyfriend and I were trying to figure out our next move — and we found it in my parents' backyard.

Our apartment lease in Los Angeles was up in June, and after two years in the city, we missed our home in Santa Barbara.

We agreed to move back to our hometown but didn't know where we'd live. After all, housing can be even more expensive in the Central California city than in LA.

The average rent for an apartment in Santa Barbara is about $2,901 (and $2,733 in LA), according to rental-listing platform RentCafe. That number only climbs when you factor in details like ideal location and sought-after amenities.

Although we could technically afford to live in our hometown if we compromised on our desired neighborhood and perks, spending most of our income renting an apartment we didn't truly want didn't sound great.

We also plan to buy a home one day, and saving money is our top priority.

So, when my parents offered to turn a shed on their 5-acre property in Santa Barbara into 500-square-foot tiny home for us to use, we were all in.

Turning the shed into a home wasn't as easy as I expected

Last April, my mom began meeting with contractors to plan out the shed-turned-home's layout.

It would be tough to fit everything we wanted in the small space, but we settled on a one-bedroom, one-bathroom design. The living room and kitchen would be one space divided by a couch, and the bathroom would contain a stacked washer/dryer.

I had foolishly thought designing a house would be as simple as paying Sims — pick your paint, choose your floor, and, boom, all done. As it turns out, it's a lot more complicated.

Throughout the process, we experienced numerous setbacks, like getting plumbers, electricians, and contractors to even show up.

Many of them had prior commitments and were working on our tiny home as a side project.

It took us about a month to find a plumber, then we ended up having to dig a tunnel below the shed to connect our lines directly to the plumbing in the main house.

We also struggled to connect an Ethernet to the tiny home. My dad had to run conduit from the main house underground and funnel Ethernet through it.

All in all, the project took about five months to complete.

We're grateful to live somewhere we can have our own space and also save money

In November, we finally moved into the converted storage shed on the northwestern corner of my parents' property.

I'm grateful my parents funded this project and don't charge us rent. We have regular monthly expenses, like groceries and gas, but we're able to save most of our income.

Plus, not having to pay rent has helped me sustain my career as a freelance writer.

I recognize how fortunate we are to be in this position. Still, my partner and I don't plan to live here forever. My parents built this space with the idea that when we move out, they can use it accommodate guests or other family members.

For now, it's our home, allowing us to live where we want without spending most of our income on rent.

We're incredibly lucky to get to spend our days surrounded by nature in the town where we grew up, cozily nestled between the mountains and the sea.

• We pay half of our two family members' rent in Los Angeles so we can stay with them when we want.
• Most of the year, we live in our house in Wisconsin, where my husband works and our mortgage is low.
• We've had to get creative to afford to live in both places, but we're happy to make it work.

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.

To make this work, we've found ways to live frugally and save money

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.

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.

For now, I hope to continue living across 2 states

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.