From Corporate Burnout to Yellowstone: A Seamstress's $96-a-Month Life

A 26-year-old woman has embraced a dramatically different lifestyle, leaving a lucrative corporate career in Chicago for a position as a seamstress within Yellowstone National Park. Zoe De La Paz, who was earning $75,000 annually as a mechanical designer, sought to escape severe burnout and found a new path repairing uniforms for park employees.

De La Paz now works for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, which operates various businesses within the park. Her role involves mending and altering uniforms for the thousands of individuals employed in the park, which spans parts of Wyoming and Montana. She earns $19.25 per hour for her work, which includes tasks like hemming pants, replacing buttons and zippers, and upcycling materials. She has also taken on creative projects, such as transforming old backpacks into fanny packs following a park policy change.

The transition has come with a significant reduction in living costs. De La Paz resides in Mammoth Village within the park, where her rent is $96 per month, shared with a roommate. She also receives a meal stipend of $359 monthly, allowing her to dine at one of the park's six employee dining halls. This drastically lower cost of living has enabled her to save a considerable amount, with plans to use her accumulated savings for future moves to Los Angeles or New York after her park contract concludes at the end of September. She reported having nearly $11,000 in her emergency fund and $34,000 in a 401(k) from her previous employer.

De La Paz learned about the opportunity through a friend who had previously worked seasonally in the park. The prospect of greater freedom and a slower pace of life appealed to her, prompting the career change. She described her corporate job as a source of unhappiness, stating, "It was what made me realize that life was too short and that I was very unhappy at my corporate job. I never thought that my hobby could become my career."

Her daily routine begins with a 6:45 a.m. employee shuttle to her worksite in Gardiner, Montana. Despite the lower salary, De La Paz asserts she is happier, finding the trade-off worthwhile for the opportunity to live amidst the natural beauty of Yellowstone. She also benefits from an affordable employee clinic for healthcare, with a recent visit costing only $15. The park provides various recreational activities for employees, including table tennis and horseback riding, and De La Paz has also participated in outings such as a trip to the Cody Rodeo.

De La Paz, who learned to sew as a child using her grandmother's machine, plans to continue her sewing career in a major city after her contract ends. She expressed excitement for her future, stating, "Being here has changed my life. I know that regardless of where I end up, the work I will be doing will continue having me be behind a sewing machine. I’m excited for what comes next."