Alex Cassidy shocked social media by announcing that, at 22, he had built his own home in the Caribbean.
The young man from the UK built his house in Tobago, an island within the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, for £3,000 (over $3,770), far less than it would've cost him to construct a property in England.
Speaking with Bored Panda, the musician revealed his motivation to move to the southernmost island country in the Caribbean.
Highlights
- 22-year-old UK native Alex Cassidy built a home in Tobago for under $4,000.
- Alex works seasonally in the UK, spending six months in Tobago due to visa limitations as a tourist.
- Living costs in Tobago are low for Alex: $62 for electricity every three months, with additional affordable expenses.
"The main reason I leave is that I work seasonally in the UK. I am a musician and also work part-time as a chef in a cafe, but that is just during the spring/summer. I have no work in the winter, so every year, I make just enough for me to live in Tobago for six months of the year," he explained.
"I can only stay there for six months (the maximum time for a tourist), as I'm not a citizen."
Image credits: cassidy.alex
The opportunity to build the home came because his stepfather owned a portion of land on the island. After comparing prices between his home country and the Caribbean nation, Alex concluded that migrating for half a year was a convenient move.
"I go to Tobago every year and have done so for most of my life, so the idea of building a house came to me last year."
As the 22-year-old explained, his natural predisposition for crafts influenced his decision to construct the home himself. "I've always been naturally crafty and watch a lot of videos on YouTube of people building houses, but of course, I didn't have experience," the seasonal worker said.
"I hired a carpenter to help me out, and it was me and a single carpenter to build the house, and my neighbor would kindly come after work to help me out for free."
The 22-year-old, who works seasonally in the UK, spends six months living in England and the remaining part of the year in Tobago
Image credits: alex.cassidy4
In total, it took Alex three months (from January to March) before he saw the finished work.
So, how much does it cost him to live in the Caribbean? In a video posted on TikTok, the young man explained that every three months, he pays £50 ($62) for electricity, a "bit more" for water, and £30-£40 for wi-fi.
"Very cheap, indeed. I know people in the UK who pay £200 for electricity alone," he shared.
Image credits: alex.cassidy4
In a separate video, Alex revealed that he couldn't afford to put the heating on his home in England.
"It was so cold in my house that I'd literally see my breath," Alex shared. "You have no option but to put more layers on and live in the cold. We can't afford to put our heating on right now. It's absolute hell.
"People think, 'Oh, I wanna go live in England.' Don't go live in England. It's horrible. Apparently, England is a first-world country. It's not first-world to me. We are completely backward. We go to work Monday-Friday to pay our mortgage, and we're living in the freezing cold. It's insane."
"We had the land for many, many years, and I found out it's very cheap to build down there compared to England," the young man said
Image credits: cassidy.alex
Now, he finds himself in the opposite scenario, needing to install an AC to beat the heat, Alex doesn't regret his decision to return to the place he's known since he was eight years old.
"I've learned how the country works, and I've learned to understand how things function here. It can be very daunting investing/building in property in any country you're not familiar with because there are a lot of cultural/work ethic differences."
The only negative aspect of living in Tobago is spending six months without seeing his loved ones. "I have my family in the UK, and that is one of the only downsides to living in the Caribbean for half the year, as I won't see them for a long time, and I miss them dearly."
"I've always been naturally crafty and watch a lot of videos on YouTube of people building houses, but of course, I didn't have experience," the musician said about building his home
Image credits: cassidy.alex
Fortunately, his stepfather's family's connections in the village have helped him feel more accompanied on the island.
"Also, the people of Tobago are very warm, friendly, and outgoing. I'm always making new friends at the bar and other social events; there never is a point where I feel lonely or isolated. In Tobago, you're always making new friends."
Skilled in playing the piano, guitar, and steelpan, Alex enjoys playing music in Tobago, whether it's by the beach or at an outdoor bar.
The only negative aspect about life in Tobago is going six months without seeing his loved ones
Image credits: cassidy.alex
"The people of Tobago are very warm, friendly, and outgoing. I'm always making new friends at the bar and other social events; there never is a point where I feel lonely"
Image credits: alex.cassidy4
When asked why more young people don't leave their busy cities to move closer to nature, the English native believes that lack of familiarity with a foreign country doesn't explain it all.
"I think a lot of people who want to live this type of lifestyle can get tied up with life at home with [possible] relationships, mortgages, rent, and simply getting caught up in life.
"But starting to see more and more young people on TikTok living abroad and making a success of it, like young people living in Thailand and other south East Asian countries, [they realize that] it's definitely doable.
"It's figuring out how you're able to leave everything behind at home and take a chance to live somewhere else."
Watch a tour of Alex's home below:
In a video posted on social media, Alex revealed that every three months, he pays £50 ($62) for electricity
Additionally, there's the conventional step-by-step model that many have ingrained in their minds since childhood.
"I think, also, [it's] drilled into our heads that we have to go to university, and then get a good job and get a mortgage on a house, and people get caught up in it.
"But there's more to life than going to work Monday to Friday. You just need to figure out a way to escape the 'rat race' that will work for you."
"This man is doing more than a minister of tourism," someone commented
