{"id":1765,"date":"2026-07-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/?p=1765"},"modified":"2026-07-06T06:28:43","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T20:28:43","slug":"a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/","title":{"rendered":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned"},"content":{"rendered":"

Salt air blew in from the Coral Sea as a young<\/strong> electrician in Cairns stared at a battered, empty van<\/strong> and saw his future. He decided that freedom would come not from a bigger paycheck<\/strong>, but from fewer needs<\/strong>. A few years later, at 38, he closed his toolbox for good<\/strong>, and stepped into a life designed around time<\/strong> rather than things.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A small space, a wide horizon<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

The plan began with a conversion<\/strong>. He bought a second\u2011hand Toyota<\/strong> and turned it into a compact home with a simple bed, solar panels<\/strong>, a tiny kitchen, and storage for tools and books<\/strong>. \u201cI wanted my life to fit in one vehicle<\/strong>,\u201d he said, \u201cso my costs<\/strong> would fit inside my dreams.\u201d The van offered privacy<\/strong>, mobility, and the kind of constraint<\/strong> that breeds creativity.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The savings engine<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Extreme frugality was the engine<\/strong>. He tracked every dollar<\/strong>, set a target savings rate above 70%<\/strong>, and treated each expense as a choice<\/strong> rather than a habit. Rent vanished with the van, and meals came from bulk groceries<\/strong>, not takeout from the esplanade<\/strong>. \u201cI wasn\u2019t depriving myself<\/strong>,\u201d he explained, \u201cI was buying my time<\/strong> back.\u201d The idea was simple: keep the income steady<\/strong>, crush the spending<\/strong>, and invest the difference with discipline<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Investing with boring brilliance<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

His portfolio was boring by design<\/strong>. Most of the money went into low\u2011fee index funds<\/strong>, with a core allocation to Australian and global equities<\/strong> and a modest cash buffer<\/strong> for volatility. Superannuation employer contributions<\/strong> were left untouched, while taxable investments stayed accessible for early years<\/strong>. He didn\u2019t chase hot tips<\/strong>, trade daily, or read tea leaves of markets<\/strong>. \u201cCompounding does the heavy<\/strong> lifting,\u201d he\u2019d say, \u201cif you leave it the heck<\/strong> alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Life in the tropics, pared back<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Cairns is hot, humid, and beautiful<\/strong>, which makes simple living both easier<\/strong> and harder. Showers came via a gym membership<\/strong>, with occasional dips at the lagoon<\/strong>. Power came from a roof panel<\/strong>, water from jerry cans<\/strong>. He learned the rhythm of shade and breeze<\/strong>, parked near libraries for cool air<\/strong>, and watched the wet season<\/strong> roll over the ranges. Nights were quiet, but never lonely<\/strong>. \u201cMinimalism gives you space<\/strong> where noise used to be,\u201d he said, \u201cand you fill it with attention<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Counting the dollars that mattered<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

The math was straightforward but strict<\/strong>. Annual spending stayed close to AUD 15,000<\/strong>, thanks to no rent<\/strong>, no car loan, and controlled food<\/strong> costs. Income from qualified work<\/strong> in electrical contracting and occasional side gigs<\/strong> easily covered the budget while fueling aggressive savings<\/strong>. After a decade of steady investing<\/strong>, market gains and contributions pushed net worth<\/strong> past a level that could reasonably sustain a 3.5\u20134% annual draw<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The day the toolbox closed<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Retiring at 38 didn\u2019t mean retiring from life<\/strong>. It meant retiring from the need to trade hours for money<\/strong>. He now spends mornings reading on the esplanade<\/strong>, volunteers for reef cleanups<\/strong>, and picks up the odd project<\/strong> when it sounds interesting. \u201cI still like to work<\/strong>,\u201d he said, \u201cI just don\u2019t like to work because I have<\/strong> to.\u201d Free time became a canvas for curiosity<\/strong>, not an excuse for endless scrolling<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Trade\u2011offs he chose on purpose<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

He admits the costs<\/strong>. Van life isn\u2019t glamorous, and summer nights can be sticky<\/strong>. Security requires awareness<\/strong>, stealth parking<\/strong>, and choosing well\u2011lit streets<\/strong>. Social life changes when your home has wheels<\/strong>, and family expectations don\u2019t always match a non\u2011traditional path<\/strong>. \u201cYou give up a sofa<\/strong>,\u201d he joked, \u201cbut you gain a sunrise<\/strong>.\u201d The point was never comfort at all times<\/strong>, but freedom across most days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What actually helped him retire early<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n
  • A very high savings rate<\/strong>, automated investments in diversified low\u2011fee funds<\/strong>, and years of stable low spending<\/strong><\/li>\n

    \n<\/ul>\n

    <\/p>\n

    How you might adapt the playbook<\/h2>\n

    <\/p>\n

    You don\u2019t need a van<\/strong> to reach a similar goal<\/strong>. The portable lesson is to focus on high\u2011impact levers<\/strong>: housing, transport, and food\u2014cutting where the numbers truly move<\/strong>. Build skills that command steady income<\/strong>, automate investments so discipline happens by default<\/strong>, and design a lifestyle that is satisfying at a low cost<\/strong>. \u201cI optimized for joy<\/strong> per dollar, not stuff per square<\/strong> meter,\u201d he said. That mindset keeps the finish line closer than most people think<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The psychological shift<\/h2>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Perhaps the biggest change was mental<\/strong>. The story isn\u2019t just about spending less<\/strong>, but about wanting less in the first place<\/strong>. He replaced the relief of buying with the relief of ignoring<\/strong>, and the rush of novelty with the rhythm of routine<\/strong>. \u201cWhen you\u2019re not chasing more, you can notice<\/strong> what\u2019s already enough<\/strong>,\u201d he said, stirring a camp coffee<\/strong> as the sun cracked over the harbor<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The van is still his home<\/strong>, though he keeps options open<\/strong>. Some years he travels down the coast<\/strong>; other years he stays near the reef<\/strong>. His wealth is measured less in dollars<\/strong> now and more in long, unbroken hours of time<\/strong>. The life looks small from the outside\u2014one bed, one stove<\/strong>, one shelf\u2014but it feels expansive from the inside<\/strong>, because every day starts exactly where he wants it to start<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"class_list":["post-1765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50"],"yoast_head":"\nA man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Ponds | Shopping Centre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thepondsshoppingcentre\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1360\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Elliot Wainford\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Elliot Wainford\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Elliot Wainford\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\"},\"headline\":\"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":869,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Uncategorized\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/\",\"name\":\"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg\",\"width\":1360,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Shop At The Ponds\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Ponds | Shopping Centre\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755\",\"name\":\"Elliot Wainford\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Elliot Wainford\"},\"description\":\"Elliot Wainford is an economist specializing in consumer behavior, retail pricing dynamics, and local market ecosystems. He analyzes how small commercial hubs shape regional growth, employment, and household spending patterns. His work blends applied microeconomics with practical insights for merchants and community planners.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/shopattheponds.com.au\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","og_url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/","og_site_name":"The Ponds | Shopping Centre","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thepondsshoppingcentre","article_published_time":"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1360,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Elliot Wainford","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Elliot Wainford","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/"},"author":{"name":"Elliot Wainford","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755"},"headline":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned","datePublished":"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/"},"wordCount":869,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg","articleSection":["Uncategorized"],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/","name":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned - The Ponds | Shopping Centre","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg","datePublished":"2026-07-07T02:00:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned-1765.jpg","width":1360,"height":768,"caption":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/a-man-from-cairns-retired-at-38-by-living-in-a-converted-van-and-saving-almost-every-dollar-he-earned\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Shop At The Ponds","item":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A man from Cairns retired at 38 by living in a converted van and saving almost every dollar he earned"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/","name":"The Ponds | Shopping Centre","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/690e9500db8734c67c1348893f26e755","name":"Elliot Wainford","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png","url":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/cropped-avatar-96x96.png","caption":"Elliot Wainford"},"description":"Elliot Wainford is an economist specializing in consumer behavior, retail pricing dynamics, and local market ecosystems. He analyzes how small commercial hubs shape regional growth, employment, and household spending patterns. His work blends applied microeconomics with practical insights for merchants and community planners.","sameAs":["https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1765"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1809,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1765\/revisions\/1809"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shopattheponds.com.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}