I’ve saved £44k by living in an abandoned dairy farm but it’s currently -20C – I keep warm at night with 2 savvy tips
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A WOMAN living in an abandoned dairy farm has shared how she keeps warm even in the winter. Amanda Schmidt lives in a "drafty" abandoned barn in -20 degree temperatures so she can have financial freedom while renovating her £488,000 ranch. The 31-year-old has been living in the 50ft by 100ft building for the last six months.
![[Amanda Schmidtis currently transforming a ranch in Canada]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/610k-ranch-amanda-schmidt-31-958763158.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
She bought the 72 acre ranch with an old abandoned dairy barn and main house with the dream of creating a horse training facility. To make her dream a reality Amanda has been renting out the main house so she can put that money into renovating the barn - which has cost her £44,000 so far.
![[To save money, she's living in a drafty barn despite it being -20 degrees]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/610k-ranch-amanda-schmidt-31-958763072.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
She hopes living uncomfortably for six months will be worth to see her dream come to life. Amanda, a horse trainer, from Alberta, Canada, said: "It's an old abandoned dairy barn - it hasn't been used in decades. "There were snakes living in the walls and pigeons in the barn.
![[Amanda is happy being uncomfortable while she builds her dream life]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/610k-ranch-amanda-schmidt-31-958763160.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
"It's really drafty. When it gets down to minus 20 it is really cold in here.". Amanda shared two tricks she used to keep warm even on freezing nights. "If you sleep with enough blankets it's OK. I used a hot bag and heat it up a couple of times a night," she added.
"I make do with very little and don’t mind uncomfortable living situations in the name of keeping living expenses and my overhead low.". Amanda grew up in the city but had always wanted to pursue ranch life. She is used to "living uncomfortably" after spending a year living and travelling in a horse trailer from July 2021 to July 2022.
