A COUPLE ditched their mouldy rental home to live in a camper van full-time – and have slashed their monthly bills in the process.
Kirsten Robertson and Lewis Cullen got sick of their damp-ridden bungalow and forking out a fortune to stay there so packed it in for life on the road.
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterKirsten Robertson and Lewis Cullen live full-time in a van[/caption]
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterThey ditched their rented bungalow for life on the road[/caption]
The pair, from South Wales, also swapped their 9-5 jobs for freelance work that can be done just about anywhere.
Before, they were spending £625 a month on rent alone, with hundreds more on gas, electricity, water and food shopping.
But now, the total monthly outgoings of artist manager Kirsten, 26, and music producer Lewis, 27, comes to £900.
That even includes all their fuel and repayments of the loan they took out to buy the van in the first place.
Kirsten said: “We invested in a really great van by taking out a loan of £24,500 that we pay monthly at around £465, which is still a lot cheaper than the rent we were paying for a house.
“We also spent £15,000 on the conversion to make the van a real home on wheels.
“Our electricity is generated through solar, so we don’t have any electric bills and a £50 gas bottle lasts us around six months.
“We spend about £50 to £60 a week on food as we try to eat quite healthily most of the time.
“Sometimes we get a campsite but that’s normally once or twice a month so works out to about £50 to 60 a month.
“Fuel varies each month, as if we have quieter months with work then we can drive less to save fuel.”
The duo decided to take the plunge when the damp in their rented property became unbearable in 2021.
Instead of getting a mortgage on a house in Swansea, where average the three-bedroom terraced home costs £220,000, they bought a VW LWB Crafter camper and named her Cora.
Months later, they hit the road and have since travelled 8,000 miles to countries including Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
“We wanted to make more memories together,” Lewis said.
“Before purchasing Cora, we were living in a damp-ridden, rented, expensive bungalow that was making us sick and draining our bank accounts.
“We decided we needed to move out and quickly but struggled to get a mortgage, so we decided to consider other options.
“We have always loved travelling and hate being in one place for too long and we came to the conclusion that van life would be perfect for us.
“We took the plunge and purchased Cora. We both love her and are so glad we made this decision.
“Being without the damp every day and instead having fresh air is one of the biggest benefits.”
Living in a van has truly liberated us and we treasure every bit of it.
Kirsten and Lewis
It’s not all perfect though. Kirsten and Lewis admit they do face some minor problems with no permanent base.
During winter, UV levels are very low so they have to watch their electricity usage or pay for a few nights at campsites with power.
It also gets pretty chilly in the van at night, sometimes registering as low as -6C, but they throw on some extra layers and make hot water bottles to get through it.
But overall, both Kirsten and Lewis, who have taken their jobs fully remote, agree that the benefits of van life override its shortcomings.
“It has forced us to really get outside more and see some truly beautiful places whilst exercising,” Kirsten said.
“It’s so invigorating to feel the freedom of the van and not be tied down to one place.
“We’ve also felt a big relief through downsizing; living in a small space means we have less storage.
“And we’ve met some really great friends for life through the van community.
“Living in a van has truly liberated us and we treasure every bit of it.”
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterThe VW LWB Crafter camper cost £24,500[/caption]
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterKirsten and Lewis say despite the hefty price tag, van life saves them money[/caption]
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterThe couple have travelled 8,000 miles to countries including Belgium and France[/caption]
mediadrumimages/CoraTheCrafterThey say their bills comes to £900 a month[/caption] Read More