Living on $1,000 a month in Santa Barbara may seem impossible, but for one local dentist, it’s just a way of life.
Dr. Rolfe isn’t a typical dentist — he’s 84, makes crowns by hand, has funky art and musical instruments in his office, and lives on just $1,000 a month.
“I’m not sacrificing, I’m just living the way I feel is important to live. I’m not needing to have a fancy house, I just need a place to sleep and something to eat, so I’ve been able to lower my needs to less than $1,000 a month,” he said.
Dr. Rolfe’s lifestyle is one of resourcefulness, finding most things he needs in the urban environment by repurposing unused and discarded items instead of buying new ones.
“And I grow almost all of my own produce in my own garden,” he adds.
His approach to a conscious lifestyle allows Dr. Rolfe to fund humanitarian efforts worldwide, which all started after a visit to Afghanistan left a profound impression on the dentist.
“I saw people dying from their teeth. I came back and constructed this clinic in a shipping container, sent it there, hired a dentist and a nurse to work in it, then started a school for more dentists, and I’ve been building clinics there now for 20 years,” he explained.